CEC Ends Up On Wrong End Of Wild Finish

Chris Shevich-NSO

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Jan 4

Kerry Rodd-NSO

CLOQUET – Cloquet-Esko-Carlton was unable to hang on to a two-goal lead against Virginia at home in boys hockey on Tuesday night and eventually fell 4-3 to the Blue Devils in a game that had a wild finish.

After a scoreless first period the Jacks came out and pumped in a goal at 1:27 of the second period on a pretty play that saw freshman Karson Kuhlman tally. Jack McFarlane assisted on the goal. CEC went up 2-0 on a Ben Michaud power play goal with assists to Justin Hammann and Adam Hanson at 9:25 and it appeared the Jacks were on their way to a win. Things changed for CEC when Nolan Meyer was called for a five-minute major penalty for roughing the goalie on a play that looked as if he was pushed into the Blue Devils netminder. During that five minute man advantage the Blue Devils scored at 13:58 when Travis Eddy found the back of the net to cut the lead to 2-1.

Despite only scoring one goal on the five minute power play the Blue Devils were able to seize the momentum and ended up tying the game on a goal by Gavin Nichols with just 23 seconds remaining in the second stanza.

Hendrickson gave his team a 3-2 lead on a pretty power play goal just 2:36 of the final period setting up what would be a wild finish to a game in which the Jacks outshot the Blue Devils 45-33.

CEC pulled goalie Boyd Smith with 1:34 remaining in regulation and eventually scored with just 24 seconds remaining when Kuhlman took a feed from McFarlane and Chaise Jokinen. That goal tied the game and it looked as if CEC was headed for overtime.

Instead of rolling over the Blue Devils handled the adversity by scoring the game winner as the clock hit :00. CEC took the draw and brought the puck into the Blue Devils zone, but Virginia raced right back as Hendrickson hit Wes Judnick down the right wing. Judnick skated wide of Smith and slid a nifty pass to Tom Norlander who slammed the puck home for the game winner with no time left on the clock.

After a short conversation the officials on the ice ruled that the goal stood.

With the loss, the Jacks record sets at 8-4. They will be back in action on Friday when they host St. Francis at the Cloquet Area Rec Center.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com