Jacks Win High Scoring Affair Against Denfeld-Central

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Feb 1

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Jack McFarlane led the scoring barrage and the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team held on for a wild 8-5 victory over Duluth Central on Tuesday night at the Heritage Center in Duluth.

Adam Hanson and Nolan Meyer gave CEC a 2-0 lead after one period. Hanson’s goal came at 12:09 with Mark Savage and Chaise Jokinen notching the assist. Meyer’s goal was scored at the 14:53 mark with Max Reinertson and Karson Kuhlman assisting.

The second period was all McFarlane as the senior center pumped in all four of his teams goals in the period and CEC led it 6-2 after the second stanza. McFarlane’s first goal came at 1:07, but that was followed by a goal from Central’s Ben Wrazidlo at 8:47.

The goal seemed to give the Trojans, who were buzzing the Jacks net, a real boost. In an unexpected move, veteran CEC Coach Dave Esse called a time out to settle things down. Esse’s timeout proved to be the perfect call when just seconds after the timeout the Jacks went up 4-1at 11:18 on McFarlane’s second goal with Meyer and Kuhlman assisting. At 11:45 the Jacks made it 5-1 on McFarlane’s third goal of the game, but again Central fought back to cut the lead to 5-2 when Alex Thompson fired home a goal. McFarlane ended the wild second period with his final goal of the game at the 14:42 mark as Kuhlman and Reinertson added assists as CEC came out of the period leading 6-2.

Beau Michaud took a penalty at 1:25 of the third period, but Savage stole a puck and fed Hanson for a shorthanded tally at 1:39 and the Jacks had built a 7-2 edge.

Central mounted a comeback with goals at 3:09, 7:54 and 12:24. The first two of those three goals were on the power play.

Hanson ended the Trojan’s comeback attempt with an empty net goal, his third of the game, at 15:58 of the final period.

Boyd Smith finished with 28 saves on 33 shots in goal for CEC, while Zach Thompson made 27 saves on 34 shots for the Trojans.

McFarlane now leads CEC with 40 points on the season, Meyer has 39 points and freshman sensation Karson Kuhlman has 38 points.

The Lumberjacks are 14-6-0 on the season with three of those wins coming over Duluth Central.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com