CEC Boys Come Up Just Short In Playoffs

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Feb 21, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton bowed out of the Section 7AA boys hockey tournament on Tuesday night after a tough 4-3 road loss to Elk River.

The Lumberjacks came out blazing in the first period and held a 14-5 shot advantage over the Elks. Unfortunately the Jacks were able to only capitalize once in the period at the 8:33 mark when Westin Michaud pumped in a goal with assists to Drew Dincau and Beau Michaud. CEC held the upper hand 1-0 after the opening stanza.

Elk River turned the tables in the second period and outshot the Jacks 14-7 as well as outscoring CEC 2-1 in the period making it tied at 2-2 after two periods of play. The first goal of the period was scored by Elk River’s Andrew Zerban just 1:31 into the period which tied the game at 1-1. At 9:49 the Elks took their first lead when Peter Jones rammed in a power play goal and it was 2-1 Elk River. The Lumberjacks wasted little time in bouncing right back with a tying goal when Beau Michaud beat Elk goalie Anders Franke at 10:28 with Westin Michaud and Karson Kuhlman notching the assists and the game was a 2-2 deadlock after two periods.

Just 1:55 into the third period Ryan Heid gave the Elks a 3-2 lead, but again CEC responded quickly on the second goal of the game by Westin Michaud with Beau Michaud and Max Reinertsen assisting. The game winning goal by Elk River came less than a minute after Michaud had scored to tie the game when Zerban cranked in his second goal of the game which proved to be the game winner and the goal which sends the Elks on to the next round of the sectional playoffs.

For the game the Elks tossed 34 shots on CEC netminder John Scheuer while CEC put 29 shots on Franke.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com