Season Ends for Blades in Double-Overtime Defeat
The Steele County Blades junior hockey club rallied from a deficit three times on Sunday, but lost 6-5 in double overtime at the Minnesota Blue Ox to get swept out of the US Premier Hockey League playoffs. The Blue Ox won Saturday s series opener 4-0 at the Coon Rapids Ice Arena in the Midwest West Division playoffs.
The fifth-seeded Blades were down 2-0 on Sunday less than eight minutes into the game, but roared back to tie it at 2-2. Connor Movalli scored from Matthew Ebersole at 15:04. Ryan Brouillette added the tying goal just under a minute later with an assist from Gavin Ellis. The Blue Ox responded to grab a 3-2 lead at first intermission.
Blades Go Toe-To-Toe with Division Leaders
The Steele County Blades junior hockey team may have served notice during a weekend series hosting first-place Wisconsin Rapids. The Riverkings came away with the sweep, but the Blades traded blows in Friday s opener before falling 6-4 in front of an enthusiastic, fired up crowd at the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna. Saturday s wrap up went to the Kings 5-1.
[Scroll down for interviews with players Pierce Lee and Jakob Kalin.]
The Blades pressured right away Friday with good scoring chances. When Wisconsin Rapids scored at 7:34 of the first period, the Blades responded with a power play from Braden Trivelpiece (Moscow, ID) 40 seconds later. The game went to intermission at 1-1.
Blades Open Long Home Stand with a Win
Through the first three months of the junior hockey season, the Steele County Blades has played four games on their home rink at Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna. On Sunday, January 31 they started an 18-day stretch of seven straight games on Dudley Otto Rink. The Blades topped Rum River 4-2 to begin the home stand. They host the Rochester Vipers at 7 pm on Monday, February 1. The Blades are allowing a limited number of fans into their home games.
Several players made their Blades debut on Sunday, coming south from a team in a Saskatchewan, Canada league that is pausing activities according to word around the rink. Jakob Kalin (Calgary, Alberta) scored two goals. Joe Young (Regina, Saskatchewan) backstopped the victory with 26 saves. And Brock Wallace (Grand Prairie, Alberta) made for a formidable presence on the blue line at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds.