Staff
Santa might have been good to the Muskie boys’ hockey team but Ryan DeConcini acted like a post-Christmas Grinch.
DeConcini was in on all four of his team’s second-period goals that propelled the Detroit Lakes Lakers to a 5-2 win over the Muskies yesterday in their first game at the Ralph Engelstad Classic in Thief River Falls.
The loss meant the end of Fort High’s 20-game unbeaten streak that stretched back to Nov. 9, when the black-and-gold suffered a 4-3 shootout loss to wrap up a three-game exhibition series against the Thunder Bay Minor Midget ‘AAA’ Kings at the Ice For Kids Arena.
After a scoreless first period that saw the Muskies hold a 9-8 edge in shots, Detroit Lakes jumped ahead at 3:44 of the second when DeConcini set up Jon Richards.
The Muskies responded at 6:19 when Jarred Taylor and Max Williams set up Tyler VanUden for the equalizer.
But only 19 seconds later, DeConcini fired the puck past Muskie goalie Jordan Carlson to put the momentum quickly back on the Lakers’ side.
DeConcini wreaked more havoc with a short-handed goal at 13:02, then completed his masterful period by assisting on Sam Boomgarden’s marker at 15:39.
Carson Tunheim made it 5-1 at 8:25 of the third before Williams grabbed his second assist of the night as he and Hunter Koles helped out on Spencer Shortreed’s power-play goal at 11:58 to cap the scoring.
MacKenzie Steele stopped 23 shots for the Lakers while Carlson finished with 23 saves in a losing cause.
The two teams will meet once more this season when Detroit Lakes visits for an exhibition match-up Jan. 17.
The Muskies are back in action today at 5 p.m. against the Crookston Pirates before finishing their stay tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. against the Fargo North Spartans.
All teams at the Classic play three games, with no overall champion crowned.
Meanwhile, the Muskie girls’ hockey team will begin play New Year’s Day in the annual Schwan Cup tournament in Blaine.
Fort High, playing in the Blue Division of the girls’ varsity bracket, will kick off the tourney against the East Ridge Raptors on Thursday at 4:15 p.m.
The Muskies will face the Spring Lake Park Panthers at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, then complete the preliminary round Saturday at 2 p.m. against the North Metro Spartans (Oak Grove).
