Jacks Upset Rapids

Kerry Rodd – NSO

Photos By: Ken Palmer

The Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team got a much needed spark from Koby Bender as the Jacks skated to a 4-2 victory at home over the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.

Bender, who has seen limited duty due to an injury to his knee earlier in the season, was sensational in notching two goals and providing the Jacks with some much needed offense. In fact, it was Bender scoring the first goal of Tuesday nights contest at the 10:38 mark of the first period as he took a feed from fellow junior Cole Litsey giving CEC a 1-0 lead. Bender then found Dylan Johnson with a pass that Johnson buried at 15:18 of the first period making it 2-0. Jack Kuhlman also assisted on the Johnson goal.

CEC went up 3-0 in the second period at 13:43 when Litsey recorded a goal on a Bender assist that gave the Jacks a big three-goal lead entering the final period.

The Thunderhawks fought back with a Mitchell Mattson goal at 9:04 of the third period, but Bender picked up his second goal of the game at 13:27 with an assist to Nick Niemi to push the lead to 4-1. Again the Thunderhaws fought back on a goal from Connor LaRoque at 13:53, but the lead was too much to overcome especially with the strong goaltending of CEC goalie Casey Holshouser who was called on to stop a late second period breakaway by Gunnar Harris that would have given Grand Rapids life entering the final period.

The Jacks improved 4-6 overall with the non-conference win, while the Thunderhawks fall to 4-7 overall with the loss.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at Kerry@northlandsportsonline.com