Written by Mike Lundgren
Roseau and Thief River Falls combined for a dozen goals Tuesday in a season-opening boys high school hockey shoot-out at the Ralph Engelstad Arena that ended in a 6-6 overtime tie.
The offensive show might have made hockey purists cringe, but it provided the ticket-buying public with plenty of entertainment at the outset of the 2011-12 season.
Roseau led 2-1 after one period. Thief River Falls had a 4-3 advantage at the second intermission. After falling behind 6-5, the Prowlers pulled goalie Jon Narverud in the final minute of regulation time for an extra attacker, and got the equalizer when Evan Ose scored with 21 seconds remaining.
An eight-minute overtime failed to break the tie. A hard Thief River Falls shot looked to be the game-winner with 2 1/2 minutes left, but the officials didn’t agree with the Prowlers and their fans who thought the puck went in, hit the tightly-stretched net over the shoulder of Roseau goalie Jared Strand and just as quickly caromed back into play.
It was a big night offensively for the Rams’ Zach Yon and Alex Strand, along with Ose. Yon finished with four goals and an assist. Strand collected four assists and Ose also had a four-point night with three goals and an assist. Yon and Strand are sophomores. Ose is a senior.
“If you said we were going to score six goals, I would have liked our chances,” said Thief River Falls coach Tim Bergland. “We had some very nice goals and our play down low was pretty good. I hesitate to point out any one player, but there were some kids who had a good night offensively.”
Seniors Austin Odberg and Connor Doherty, along with junior Logan Engelstad, were also Thief River Falls goal scorers.
“We expect our seniors and juniors with experience to step up,” offered Bergland. “They did, and they will continue to grow.”
Yon had a hat trick in the books by the 3:43 mark of the second period. Ose scored twice and Engelstad once as three straight Thief River Falls second period goals earased a 3-1 deficit.
Cole Bjugson wiped out the Thief ?River Falls lead when he scored just 2:03 into the third period, and Yon’s fourth goal made it 5-4 a quick 38 seconds later.
“Our team defense was not where we need to be,” acknowledged Bergland. “They (Rams) transitioned on us, and we did not play the way that we need to, especially against good teams.”
Odberg tied it at 5:40; Alex Halstensgard put Roseau back in front 6-5 at 10:49; and Ose finished off his hat trick with the final goal of the see-saw affair.
The shot charts reflected the closeness of the contest. Narverud wound up with 20 saves; Jared Strand had 19.
Facing Roseau in the season-opener for the eighth straight year is a good measuring stick for his team, indicated Bergland. “We are looking for some depth, and the kids need to keep progressing,” he explained.
Scoring
First period – Roseau, Zach Yon (Ben Vatnsdal, Alex Strand), 7:22; TRF, Connor Doherty (Evan Ose, Riley Soderstrom), 7:35; Roseau, Yon (Strand, Tanner Okeson), 12:41.
Second period – Roseau, Yon (Strand), 3:43; TRF, Ose, 11:11; TRF, Logan Engelstad (Austin Odberg, Chris Forney), 14:08; TRF, Ose (Soderstrom), 15:59.
Third period – Roseau, Cole Bjuson (Jack Helgeson, Corey Olson), 2:03; Roseau, Yon, 2:41; TRF, Odberg, 5:40; Roseau, Alex Halstensgard (Strand, Yon), 10:49; TRF, Ose (Grady Pederson, Soderstrom), 16:39.
Overtime – no scoring.
Goalie saves – TRF, Jon Narverud 6-8-4-2–20; Roseau, Jared Strand 6-7-5-1–19