CEC Advances To Finals of Heritage Classic

Wes Vork-NSO

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Dec 29

Kerry Rodd-NSO

A 6-3 win over Forest Lake in the semi finals of the Heritage Holiday Classic has put the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjacks boys hockey team in the championship game Thursday at 5:30pm against Duluth Central.

The Jacks needed a four-goal rally in the third period to secure the win as Boyd Smith stood tall in the nets by making 28 saves on 31 Ranger shots.

C.J. Franken gave Forest Lake a lead of 1-0 after one period, and the Rangers made it 2-0 at 1:12 of the second period on a Lucas Kohls goal just 1:12 into the stanza. The Jacks returned fire with a goal at 3:39 by Adam Hanson at 3:39 with Beau Michaud assisting. CEC evened the game at 2-2 at the 6:26 mark on the first of three goals by Jack McFarlane with the assists going to Nolan Meyer and Karson Kuhlman and at the end of two it was deadlocked.

“In that first period they played the body and we didn’t,” said CEC coach Dave Esse. “We came out in the second period on our toes instead of our heals.”

Tommy Tyson gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead on the power play at 2:19 or the final period, but again CEC responded with a goal at 6:26 by McFarlane with Kuhlman assisting.

“After we got the lead we played to win and not to not lose,” mentioned Esse. “We played well below the hash marks in the third period and we won the loose pucks.”

CEC finally took the lead for good when Kuhlman scored on the power play at 8:23 unassisted. The Jacks slammed the door on the Rangers with a goal at 11:15 from McFarlane, who picked up his first hat trick of the year with an assist to Meyer. The Jacks scored a final goal when Hanson scored his second of the game at 11:59 with assists to Max Reinertson and Ben Michaud.

“Coach made us very aware of our poor play in the first period,” said CEC centerman Jack McFarlane. “We had to shake off the cobwebs a little bit. We came out harder and moved our feet. We tried not to be too cute and we finally got some bounces.”

CEC threw 27 shots on Ranger goalie Paige Skoog who made 21 saves.