CEC Falls To White Bear Lake in Regular Season Finale

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Feb 20

Kerry Rodd-NSO

The Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team was stunned 7-2 last week in their final regular season game of the year by White Bear Lake on the road. It wasn’t so much the fact that the Jacks lost, or even by the score, but the fact that CEC gave up three shorthanded goals was cause for concern.

Karson Kuhlman got the Jacks on the board first just 31 seconds into the first period with the lone assist going to Jack McFarlane. However the Bears responded with a goal of their own at 10:54 by Brandon Wahlin. Wahlin’s goal was the first shorthanded goal of the game for the Bears. The first period ended in a 1-1 tie.

WBL came out and picked up the pace with three second period tallies. At 8:23 it was Mac Jenson at even strength, at 10:53 it was Max Birkinbine and at 13:54 it was another shorthanded goal this time by Garen David as WBL skate out to a 4-1 lead after two periods.

Birkinbine notched his second goal of the game on the power play at 5:16 of the third period as the Bears inched out to a 5-1 lead. McFarlane managed to cut the gap to 5-2 for CEC with a power play goal of his own with Nolan Meyer and Kuhlman assisting. Unfortunately for CEC Wahlin continued his scoring prowess with his second shorthanded marker, and the third of the game for the Bears at 13:09 as they built a 6-2 lead. Sam Basich scored the final goal of the game for WBL at 15:21.

For the game the Bears tossed 37 shots on CEC goalie Boyd Smith, while the Jacks put 26 shots on Bears goalie Michael Jordan.

The Lumberjacks will open play in the Section 7AA hockey tournament by hosting Andover on Tuesday evening at 7pm.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at Kerry@northlandsportsonline.com