Dan Hoehne and Ryan Crane now understand what those poor ducks in a carnival shooting gallery must feel like.
The two goalies no doubt were seeing flying pucks in their sleep Monday night after the host Fargo-Moorhead Jets outshot the Borderland Thunder 66-10 en route to a 6-0 shutout in Moorhead.
Hoehne held the fort in the first period to keep the game scoreless—despite the Thunder being outshot 12-1 in the opening 20 minutes, which was marred by penalties and several fights.
Fargo-Moorhead goalie Andy Stricker’s boredom didn’t significantly decrease in the second period while the relentless pressure from Fargo-Moorhead finally paid off at the 38-second mark.
Creighton Scarpone finished off a three-way passing play involving Ben Bosworth and Mark Agnew to make it 1-0.
It marked the start of a furious assault by the Jets, who compiled a 29-3 advantage on the shot clock during the second period.
Hoehne looked like he might guide the Thunder through the storm until the final five minutes.
Jeff Fearing was set up by Todd Alexander at 16:30 to boost the lead to 2-0, then he teamed with Josh Schaeffer to set up Brandon Svendsen for the back-breaker on the power-play at 19:06.
Crane relieved Hoehne to begin the third, but received scant more help than his predecessor from his teammates in trying to hold back the flood.
Jon Skoog converted a Svendsen pass at 3:36 for a 4-0 cushion, before Chris Myhro tallied the Jets’ third power-play goal of the night at 13:12.
Svendsen then capped the blowout with his second of the night at 16:46.
The two teams will hook up again tonight in the second half of the home-and-home series, with game time set for 8:30 p.m. at the Ice Kids Arena.
Tickets, which are available at the door only, cost $5.
The Thunder will open regular-season action this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against the visiting Thunder Bay KC Bulldogs.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
