Thief River Falls took control early and handed Bemidji's boys hockey team an 8-1 spanking Tuesday night on the Prowlers' ice.
It swept the home and home set for the Prowlers who won at Bemidji 3-0 in December. Both teams entered play at 10-10-1.
But the Prowlers had the game in hand early, driving Derek Dudgeon to cover in the first seven minutes by hitting three of their first four shots.
They continued the barrage against Pete Goldberg, out shooting the Jacks 35-12.
Mike Benedict led the way with a hat trick while John Carlson and Corey Horien added two goals and Cody Bottem one.
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Riley Colley prevented the shutout, scoring in the final four minutes.
Carlson put the Prowlers on the board at 1:11 off feeds from Pat Barry and Matt Olson and repeated at 2:51 off another Barry feed.
Benedict scored his first goal at 6:41 bringing on the goalie switch.
Horien and Bottem added second period goals and Benedict wrapped two around Horien's second goal in the third for an 8-0 lead before Bemidji scored.
Two of the final three Prowler goals came on power plays as Bemidji drew nine whistles to the Prowlers eight.
Goldberg had 26 of the 27 Bemidji stops in the game. Cole Hunt needed only 11 for the Prowlers.
Bemidji will host Warroad in another tough Mariucci Conference contest Friday night to complete its week.
The Jacks have now dropped three straight and six of their last seven to fall under the .500 mark.
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Bemidji 0 0 1---1
Thief River Falls 3 2 3---8
FIRST PERIOD: Carlson (Barry-Olson) 1:11; Carlson (Barry) 2:51; Benedict (Aandal-Dillon) 6:54; Penalties: TRF-Langan, elbow 3:49; Bem-Curb, interference 9:10; TRF-Carlson, interference 13:14; TRF-Olson, elbow 15:44
SECOND PERIOD: Horien (Benedict) 1:12; Bottem (Benedict) 7:26; Exalters: TRF-Langan, interference 6:57; Bem-Wizner, high stick 7:12; Bem-Wizner, cross check 12:35; TRF-Benedict, hold 15:52; Bem-Curb, roughing and TRF-Carlson, cross check 16:37
THIRD PERIOD: TRF-Benedict (Bottem-Olson) 11:45 pp; TRF-Horien (Carlson-Benedict) 6;02 pp; TRF-Benedict (Olson-Horien) 8:05; Bem-Colley 13:44; Penalties: Bem-J. Nemgar, checking from behind (2 + 10) 1:14; Bem-Hunt, and TRF -Castle, roughing 1:45; Bem-Gregg, cross check 2;42; Bem-Wizner, high stick 5:24; Bem-Ehrhorn, slash 14:18; Bem-Johnson, high stick 16:16
Goal Stops
Bem-Dudgeon 1 x x---xx
Bem-Goldberg 10 7 11---27
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TRF-Hunt 3 6 2---11
