Staff
The local Taggs Bantam ‘AA’ hockey team competed in their seventh tournament of the season this past weekend in Detroit Lakes, where they secured fifth place among the 16-team field with a 3-1 record.
Taggs opened play with a 7-3 win over the host Detroit Lakes Lakers. Jordan Larson lead the way with a pair of goals while Jacob Hawley, Judd Gardiman, Nick Kaun, Jeff Davis, and Nick Jourdain added singles.
Brennan Carroll earned the win in goal.
Their second game Saturday morning pitted Taggs versus Hopkins—a key battle to decide who would advance to the ‘A’ bracket.
Hopkins jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period, then stretched that to 3-0 early in the second.
But Taggs was not going down without a fight. Tarran Romyn got Taggs on the board, assisted by Jourdain, before Larson tallied unassisted shortly afterwards to put Hopkins on their heels.
It was short-lived, however, as Hopkins notched their fourth goal during a goalmouth scramble, eluding goalie Scott Parsons.
The seesaw battle continued as Colton Spicer notched a power-play marker from Larson with less than two minutes to play.
Then with Parsons on the bench for the extra attacker, Taggs pressed for the equalizer. But after several in-close chances, time expired on the local squad in a 4-3 loss.
Taggs next played the Willmar Cardinals in the consolation bracket and dominated play with a 6-2 victory.
Davis had a pair of goals in that one, with Tyler Fontana, Dylan Grinsell, Larson, and Gardiman adding singles.
Carroll, meanwhile, was solid between the pipes.
Taggs wrapped up play by tangling with St. Michaels-Albertville, and garnered fifth place with a 3-1 victory despite being assessed 50 minutes in penalties in the game.
Davis once again had the hot hand, sniping a pair of goals, one of which came short-handed. Larson later iced the game with an empty-net tally.
Parsons was solid in turning away numerous power-play chances by the Knights.
Taggs will play their final tourney of the season Feb. 19-21 in Brandon, Man.
