BRAINERD – The Bemidji High School boys hockey team struggled to keep pace with Brainerd on Thursday, doubling the Warriors in shots on goal but ultimately losing 5-3 in Brainerd.
The Warriors got the scoring started with a goal by Aden Extrand at 1:46 in the first. They then doubled the lead with Harrison Seymour’s score at 3:22.
Bemidji (6-8-1) countered with a goal by Josef Lalli 8:03 into the second period, but Brainerd (2-10) responded with a power-play score by Max Roby at 9:38 and an even-strength shot by Seymour at 12:13, making it 4-1.
Wyatt Mattfield had something to say for the Jacks at 13:47 in the second, trimming the deficit to two. Linemate Nick Yavarow shaved it even closer at 11:44 in the third, putting Bemidji within one at 4-3.
Alas, it was the Warriors, not the Lumberjacks, who recorded the final score -- an empty-netter by Alex Jones at 16:15 to give Brainerd the 5-3 victory.
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Jed Klang was the centerpiece of the Warriors’ effort in net, stopping 41 of 44 shots to overcome Brainerd’s 44-20 shot disadvantage. Jackson Hill recorded 15 stops on 19 shots for the Jacks.
Bemidji will return to the rink at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15, at Thief River Falls.
