Hermantown Beats Denfeld, Get Leg Up In LSC

Wes Vork-NSO

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Feb 9

Wes Vork-NSO

DULUTH – It took a valiant effort, but the #3 Class A team in the state–the Hermantown Hawks–managed to take a wild 5-4 overtime win in boys hockey over Duluth Denfeld last night. The Hunters struck early, but were unable to stop the high-flying Hawks, who used a strong second period to jump-start their offense.

Denfeld gained a 2-0 first period lead on goals by Keith Tomassoni and Jason Johnson at 9:12 and 14:34 respectively in the period.

The Hawks finally got things going in the second period when they scored back-to-back power play goals by Chad Bannor and Garrett Skrbich at 3:12 and 9:02 to tie the game at 2-2. Before the period ended, the Hunters managed to regain the lead on a power play goal of their own by Johnson, his second goal of the game at 11:16.

The second period was marred by 8 penalties with the Hunters taking five of those penalties and the Hawks taking 3.

At 10:13 of the third period, the Hunters threw another scare towards the Hawks when Tyler Kaspari pumped in another power play goal to give Denfeld a 4-2 lead. Hermantown showed their state ranking is for real by digging down and finding the ability to come back with a goal by Willis Kantonen at 11:49 and another goal by Adam Krause at 12:05 to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Andrew Oakes ended the game with a goal at 6:29 into overtime with Kantonen and Charlie Comnick assisting as the #3 rated Hawks survived the feisty Hunters.

Hermantown goalies Tyler Ampe and Tiegen Brickson combined for 23 saves on 27 shots. Ampe made 10 saves on 13 shots, while Brickson finished the game in making 13 save on 14 shots. Denfeld freshman goaltender Zach Thompson displayed why he is one of, if not the top, goaltending prospect in the state by making 48 saves on 53 shots.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com