BOYS HOCKEY: Bemidji battles undefeated Warroad into 3rd period, falls just short

WARROAD – The Bemidji High School boys hockey team went toe-to-toe with the top team in Class A on Tuesday in Warroad.

The Lumberjacks matched wits with the Warriors for three periods, riding a two-goal second frame to a 3-2 deficit at the second intermission. But Warroad won the third period and the game, finishing off a 5-3 victory.

The Warriors (19-0) got the scoring started in the first period, as Erick Comstock lit the lamp at 4:15. Griffin Marvin added a goal at 5:48 to make it a 2-0 Warroad lead.

Bemidji (10-9) got one back with Benjamin O’Leary’s goal at 0:30 in the second, but Warroad built the lead back up to two with Carson Pilgrim’s shorthanded goal at 5:13. Cael Knutson answered again for BHS at 16:11.

Jayson Shaugabay put Warroad up 4-2 with a power-play score 34 seconds into the third. O’Leary responded quickly, picking up his second of the game at 1:08. The 4-3 score held until late, when Shaugabay scored an empty-net goal at 15:47 to seal it.

Tate Metcalf started in net for Bemidji and stopped 28 shots, while Warroad’s Hampton Slukynsky stopped 30.

The Jacks return home to face Roseau at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Bemidji Community Arena.

Warroad 5, Bemidji 3

BHS 0 2 1 -- 3

WAR 2 1 2 -- 5

First period -- 1, WAR GOAL, Comstock (Shaugabay), 4:15; 2, WAR GOAL, Marvin (Boucha, Comstock), 5:48.

Second period -- 3, BHS GOAL, O’Leary (Arndt, Mattfield), 0:30; 4, WAR GOAL, Pilgrim (Lund), 5:13, SH; 5, BHS GOAL, Knutson (M. Fankhanel), 16:11.

Third period -- 6, WAR GOAL, Shaugabay (Lund, Pilgrim), 0:34, PP; 7, BHS GOAL, O’Leary (Mattfield), 1:08; 8, WAR GOAL, Shaugabay (Pilgrim), 15:47, EN.

Saves -- Metcalf (BHS) 28; Slukynsky (WAR) 30.