C-E-C Opens with Tie

By Dwight Cadwell
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: November 23, 2013

Kerry Rodd-NSO

The Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team opened play on Friday at Northwoods Credit Union Arena against the New Prague Trojans. The Jacks led 3-1 in the third period, but two goals in the second half of the final stanza gave the visiting Trojans a 3-3 tie. The final goal of the game came with a second to play in regulation.

New Prague took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Austin Killian at the 3:42 mark of the first period, but CEC answered twice before the period ended. The first goal by CEC was scored at 5:55 by Koby Bender with an assist to Derek Bloom and dylan Johnson. Hunter Roberts gave CEC a 2-1 lead at 8:33 on the power play with Ryan Lind assisting.

After a scoreless second period the Jacks built their lead to 3-1 when Lind slipped home a power play tall from Kyle Klatt at the 5:06 mark and it looked like the Jacks were on their way to a win in their home opener. Things started to change when Seth Kriha notched a Trojan goal at 9:29 to cut the lead to 3-2. It looked like CEC might hang on for the win, but at 16:59 of the final period the Trojans knotted the game at 3-3 when Ben Witt scored and that’s how things stood throughout the overtime as well.

For the game the Jacks put 29 shots on NP goalie Connor Wagner who made 26 saves, while CEC goalie Zack Strom finished with 18 saves on 21 shots.