Hawks Roll In Season Opener

Wes Vork-NSO

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Nov 30, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Despite the graduation of 11-players from a year ago, it looks like the Hermantown Hawks will again be a force in Class A boys hockey in Minnesota this season. Friday night the Hawks season opened with a 13-0 bashing of Sauk Rapids-Rice in game that saw Hermantown put 56 shots on goal.

“We got some bounces and the pucks just went in tonight,” said Hawks coach Bruce Plante in quite an understatement. “Our expectations are a bit tempered this year since we graduated 11 seniors who played a lot, but we have kids who have the opportunity to step up.”

Who knows what the season will hold, but the Hawks certainly looked more than ready after scoring six goals in the first period and five goals in the second en-route to the victory.

Both Neal Pionk and Travis Koepke recorded hat tricks in the trouncing of the Storm, and Adam Smith was called on to make just 12 saves in recording the shutout for Hermantown in goal.

Pionk opened scoring at 2:12 of the first period with Scott Wasbotten assisting. Koepke then netted back-to-back goals at 8:50 and 11:02 as Hermantown built a 3-0 lead. Koepke’s first goal was assisted by Bo Gronseth and Jake Zeleznikar and his second tally was helped by Chris Benson.

“Pionk and Zeleznikar are top-notch defensemen and that really helps to anchor the defense,” mentioned Plante after the game. “We will try to keep one of them on the ice most of the time and both on the ice when we get in trouble.”

On this night the Hawks were never in trouble and looked to be the type of team that will make another run to the state tournament.

Pionk added his second marker of the game at 13:06 with an unassisted effort. At 15:25 Lane LeGarde notched his first goal of the season from Ryan Carlson and Zach Kramer and with 12 seconds left in the opening period it was Gronseth adding a goal from Koepke and Benson as Hermantown led it 6-0 after the opening period.

The Hawks push to the net continued in the second period starting at 8:32 when Pionk finished up his hat trick on a puck that appeared to bank off a defenseman’s skate from Benson and Koepke. LeGarde added his second goal of the game at 9:47 with Christian Wasbotten and Luke Jacques assisting. At 10:34 it was Koepke scoring his third goal of the game on the power play from Pionk and Zeleznikar as the Hawks built a 9-0 lead. At 11:23 it went to 10-0 when Kori Ochs slammed home a goal from Christian Wasbotten and finally the second period scoring ended when Parker Hawk tallied for Hermantown at the 12:39 mark from Ryan Kero and LeGarde.

Carlson notched a goal at 2:14 of the final period from Ochs and Hawk added his second goal of the game at 3:20 from Christian Wasbotten and Zeleznikar.

One of the 11 spots the Hawks need to fill is goaltending, and like the past several years the go into the season without a proven goaltender. This year however there are two juniors rather than seniors vying for the starting spot. Friday Adam Smith got the nod and finished up with a 12 save shut-out.

Justin Thorson and William Mortenson combined to make 43 saves on 56 shots for the Storm.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northalndsportsonline.com