by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Crookston boys hockey team began its busiest stretch of the season – four home games in five days – with a dominant 8-4 win over Kittson County Central Thursday night at the Crookston Sports Center.
The Pirates found the net three times in the first period, with goals by Dexter Janek, Grant Funk and Lukas Helgeson, with assists by Garrett Fischer, Greyson Ecker and Masen Reitmeier.
The Pirates added two more goals early in the second period before the Bearcats could answer. Scoring goals were Jay Reese and Isaiah Donarski, with assists by Fischer (2), Ecker and Reese.
The Bearcats got on the board halfway through the second period on a power play goal by Jaxton Hemmes, with an assist by Kamden Gullickson-Palmer.
The Bearcats added anotther goal with just over two minutes remaining in the second, with Eli Muir finding the net and Gullickson-Palmer earning the assist.
The Pirates answered late in the second with Ecker scoring the goal and Reese and Fischer assisting to make it 6-2 through two periods of play.
The Pirates and Panthers traded scores in third period, with each team scoring two goals. Scoring goals for the Pirates were Tate Hamre and Gavin Aakhus, with assists by Ecker, Reese and Larson.
Rounding out the scoring for the Bearcats were a pair of power play goals by Clarence Przekwas, with assists by Gullickson-Palmer, Muir (2), and Hemmes.
Teegyn Johnson got the start in front of the net for the Pirates and finished with nine saves.Pirates shut out Otters on Hockey Fights Cancer Day
Crookston senior Brady Chandler recorded 18 saves and picked up his second shutout of the season as the Pirates blanked the Fergus Falls Otters 5-0 Saturday at the Crookston Sports Center.
The game was part of Hockey Fights Cancer Day, with both Pirate hockey teams donning purple jerseys for the double header.
The Pirates got on the board with just over five minutes remaining in the first period on the first of two goals by Ecker and assist by Fischer.
Hamre found the net with 53 seconds remaining in the second period, with assists credited to Donarski and Ecker.
Aakhus scored the lone goal of the second period with 5:32 remaining and Cody Demarais on the assist.
Ecker and Fischer added third period goals to roundout the 5-0 win. Reese, Fischer and Grant Funk recorded third period assists.
Scoring
1 2 3 T
KCC 0 2 2 4
Crookston 3 3 2 8
First period – Crookston, Dexter Janek (Garrett Fischer, Greyson Ecker) 7:55; Crookston, Grant Funk (unattached) 8:22; Crookston, Lukas Helgeson (Masen Reitmeier) 8:43.
Second period – Crookston, Jay Reese (Garrett Fischer, Greyson Ecker) 2:42; Crookston, Isaiah Donarski (Garrett Fischer, Jay Reese) 5:00; Kittson County Central, Jaxton Hemmes (power play) (Kamden Gullickson-Palmer) 8:48; Kittson County Central, Eli Muir (Kamden Gullickson-Palmer) 14:47; Crookston, Greyson Ecker (Jay Reese, Garrett Fischer) 15:23.
Third period – Crookston, Tate Hamre (power play) (Greyson Ecker, Jay Reese) 3:06; Kittson County Central, Clarence Przekwas (power play) (Kamden Gullickson-Palmer, Eli Muir) 12:40; Crookston, Gavin Aakhus (Liam Larson) 13:46; Kittson County Central, Clarence Przekwas (power play) (Eli Muir, Jaxton Hemmes) 16:49.
Shots – KCC 4-5-4 – 13; Crookston 15-14-13 – 42.
Power plays – KCC 3-for-5; Crookston 1-for-3.
Penalties – KCC 3 (6 minutes); Crookston 5 (10 minutes).
Goalie saves – KCC, David Kaul 34; Crookston, Teegyn Johnson 9.
Scoring
1 2 3 T
Fergus Falls 0 0 0 0
Crookston 2 1 2 5
First period – Crookston, Greyson Ecker (Garrett Fischer) 11:49; Crookston, Tate Hamre (Isaiah Donarski, Greyson Ecker) 16:07.
Second period – Crookston, Gavin Aakhus (Cody Demarais) 11:28.
Third period – Crookston, Greyson Ecker (Jay Reese, Garrett Fischer) 0:16; Crookston, Garrett Fischer Grant Funk) 10:57.
Shots – Fergus Falls 7-2-9 – 18; Crookston 9-10-10 – 29.
Power plays – Fergus Falls 0-for-1; Crookston 0-for-2.
Penalties – Fergus Falls 4 (8 minutes); Crookston 3 (6 minutes).
Goalie saves – Fergus Falls, Holden Stenstrom 24; Crookston, Brady Chandler 18.
