Jacks Outplay Packers But Fall 5-2

Chris Shevich-NSO

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Dec 3

Kerry Rodd-NSO

CLOQUET – Friday night’s Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey game against South St. Paul was an odd one. The Lumberjacks outplayed, outshot, and out chanced the south siders only to fall by a 5-2 score.

Time and again throughout the contest the Jacks set up chances to score, but were unable to finish the job. More often than not the Jacks ended up with a pass that was deflected at the last moment, or their shots went up and over the net. When they didn’t, Packer goalie Luke Palmquist was able to make a safe. For the night, Palmquist finished with 40 saves on 42 shots.

While Palmquist was enjoying his time in the nets the same could not be said for CEC netminder Boyd Smith who saw only 20 shots and made 15 saves. Unfortunately for Smith his team gave up a breakaway goal, and three power play goals.

Ryan Sobaskiewicz scored twice and Matt Wrobel once in the first period as the Jacks fell behind 3-0. The first goal by Sobaskiewicz came just 13 seconds into the game and had the Jacks reeling early. Then, before the period ended, Wrobel scored on the power play at 11:25 and Sobaskiewicz followed with another power play goal at 13:55.

Steven Ward pushed the lead to 4-0 at 6:06 of the second period, but the Jacks managed to muster a pretty goal by Ben Michaud off a cross mouth feed from Nolan Meyer at 13:15 to cut it to 4-1 after two periods.

Hopes for a comeback by CEC were thwarted when Ward tallied his second goal at 3:43 of the final stanza; yes it was on another power play. The Jacks got the final goal of the game on a slap shot from the point by young defenseman Tanner Robideaux with Adam Hanson and Karson Kuhlman picking up the assists on the power play at 14:15, but by then the game was no longer in doubt.

The loss dropped CEC to 0-2 on the season, while the Packers improved to 2-0.

The Jacks schedule will provide a quick turnaround when they travel to Buffalo for a 3:00pm Saturday game.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com