CEC Gets 4-2 Win Over Denfeld Behind Scheuer’s Stellar Goaltending

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Jan 19, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

New rules of enforcing boarding penalties came into play in the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey win over Denfeld on Thursday night. With the game tied at 1-1 midway through the third period, the Hunters were called for a boarding penalty and the Lumberjacks scored twice during the five-minute major as CEC went on for a 4-2 win.

Levi Talarico gave Denfeld a 1-0 lead at 11:24 of the first period with Nick Forbort and Ben Campbell adding the assist and the Hunters led it 1-0 after the opening stanza. CEC was outshot 12-5 for the period but stellar play for the second straight game by goalie John Scheuer kept the game close.

“I think Johnny is playing some of the best hockey I’ve seen a goaltender play for us in a long time,” stated CEC Head Coach Dave Esse after the game. “This guy is playing as well as anyone in the area. We’ve played 18 games now and I have not seen another goaltender stand out more than him or had to make more crucial saves than him.
His job is to stop the puck; he’s leading by example and he’s certainly playing like a leader and a captain.”

The Lumberjacks tied the game at 1-1 on a goal by Ryan Holte at 7:59 of the second period with Max Reinertson adding the assist. The period also saw a spectacular save by Scheuer to keep things even after two periods.

“I caught a bit of the pad on the puck, and (defenseman) Drew Dincau was right there to clear away the rebound.” Scheuer explained about his huge pivotal second period save. Adding, “I think my defense and I are communicating well, they’re clearing out guys and giving me a good look at the puck and that helps a ton. Each day we seem to be getting better and better.”

The game took a big momentum turn for the Jacks when a Hunter player was called for a boarding penalty at 8:29 of the third period. Due to a recent incident in which a high school player in the Twin Cities was paralyzed, the Minnesota State High School League has mandated that boarding penalties are now five-minute majors. That allowed CEC to go on a five-minute power play in which they scored two goals.

The first CEC goal came 2:02 into the penalty at 10:31 when Westin Michaud scored from Beau Michaud. Had this been a two-minute penalty the Hunters would have killed it off. The second was scored at 11:02 when Beau Michaud scored from Tanner Robideaux and Karson Kuhlman.

CEC went up 4-1 at 14:45 when Kuhlman added a nifty goal when he hung onto the puck and got the Denfeld goalie to commit then picked his spot of the net to score. Kuhlman’s goal was assisted by Westin Michaud who found Kuhlman all alone in the slot and hit him with a behind the net pass. Denfeld did pull back to within 4-2 with 16 seconds remaining in the game, but by then the game had already been decided. Alex Thompson scored the goal for the Hunters.

Scheuer was magnificent for the second straight game with 25 saves on 27 shots, while Zach Thompson made 25 saves on 29 shots for the Hunters.

CEC is now 13-5 on the season and 4-0 in the Lake Superior Conference. They will face the second straight conference foe when they travel to Duluth Marshall on Tuesday.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com

Wes Vork-NSO