Mirage Blank Lumberjacks

Dwight Cadwell – NSO

The Mirage of Proctor-Hermantown started quickly Thursday night as Callie Hoff scored 12 seconds into the Lake Superior Conference match up with Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, as the Mirage added another goal a little over two minutes later and went on to the 4-0 shut out win at the Proctor Ice Arena.

The Mirage took the opening face-off as Jillayne Gilbert skated into the Lumberjack’s zone passed the puck to her left and Sophie McGovern returned the pass right back to Gilbert who in turn centered a pass in the slot to Hoff who buried the puck past Sydney Heitala and a 1-0 lead seconds into the first period. The Mirage continued to apply pressure on the Lumberjack net minder as McGovern would make it 2-0 at 1:52 of the first period as she one timed a shot past Heitala from a face from Gilbert.

The Mirage holding a 2-0 lead the saw the Lumberjacks start to apply some pressure of their own but it would be 8th grade goalie Ryan Gray who stopped several Lumberjack chances including two point blank shots from Rosalie Lundquist and Alexis Smalley. Gray continued to make stellar saves throughout the rest of the first period and the second period as well. The Mirage and the Lumberjacks played a back and forth battle for the rest of the first and the entire second period with neither team being able to score.

The Mirage took advantage of a third period in which the Mirage out-shot the Lumberjacks 17-6, the Mirage finally scored their third goal of the game when Brielle Larson scored of a series of nice passes from Kennedy Halversen and Karie Lenard as she beat Heitala to make it 3-0 in favor of the Mirage. Proctor-Hermantown added one more goal almost three minutes later as this time Larson centered a pass from behind the Lumberjacks goal to a waiting Karie Lenard who wristed her shot into the net past a sprawling goaltender.

Goalie Ryan Gray was the winner in goal for the Mirage as she stopped all 19 shots she faced. Heitala stopped 29-33 shots she faced in the loss. The Mirage with the victory improved to 4-0 on the season and they will face Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato Saturday at 2:00 pm at the Proctor Ice Arena, while the Lumberjacks will host Sartell-Sauk Rapids Saturday afternoon a 3:00 at Northwoods Credit Union Arena.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com