Prep boys hockey: Northland player scores 8 goals in game, brother has 7 assists

• Tyler and Josh Cisar

Tyler Cisar (left) and Josh Cisar combined for 20 points in a 13-5 boys hockey win over North Branch on Saturday. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

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If Tyler Cisar hopes to regain the high school boys hockey points lead in Minnesota, he’s going to have to stop passing the puck to his older brother.

Josh Cisar scored eight goals and had two assists in Moose Lake Area’s 13-5 victory over North Branch on Saturday to possibly set a Northeastern Minnesota single-game scoring record. Tyler Cisar had three goals and assisted on seven of his brother’s goals to equal Josh’s 10-point performance.

“I definitely couldn’t have done it without him,” said Josh, a Moose Lake senior, who’s the runaway state leader with 51 goals and 27 assists for 78 points in 20 games. He’s seven points ahead of his brother. “Tyler and I work really well together on the ice; we have great chemistry.”

Max Oshie of Warroad scored 12 goals in a 1948 game against Thief River Falls, a record that was lost for more than 60 years before a newspaper clipping of the game surfaced. A seven-goal game by Eveleth’s John Mayasich in the 1951 state tournament had been acknowledged as the record, a mark equaled three times since, including by Moose Lake Area’s Michael Unzen in the 2008-09 season. Mayasich, according to a 2009 Minneapolis Star Tribune article, claims to have scored an unsubstantiated 11 goals in a 23-0 victory over Duluth Central in 1950.

“It’s a great honor to have my name among the likes of John Mayasich, one of the greatest high school players of all time,” Josh said of the player named the state’s all-time best by Minnesota Hockey Hub, a website dedicated to the sport.

Josh Cisar scored four of his goals in a six-goal third period to move within one point of the school-record 79 points Tyler scored a year ago.

“When Josh was looking for that eighth goal, Tyler was feeding him,” Rebels coach Josh Gamst said. “(Tyler) had many opportunities of his own to go to the net and he kept trying to feed his brother for that eighth goal. Even though his brother will break his (season scoring) record, he was definitely trying to help him get that eighth goal.”

Josh passed his brother for the scoring lead when Tyler had to sit out a game due to a misconduct penalty. He moved from wing to center that game and hasn’t gone back.

“I’m always trying to get back on top; it’s always been competitive between us,” said Tyler, a junior, who has 37 goals and 71 points. “At least it’s my brother beating me. I might be hearing about that for a while. Maybe I’m going to have to stop passing the puck to him.”

Both brothers plan to try out with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League next month. Josh, a 6-foot-2 fullback-defensive back, helped Moose Lake-Willow River reach the Prep Bowl for the second time in three years by rushing for 1,117 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per carry and scoring 18 touchdowns. He plans to talk to Minnesota Duluth football coaches about walking on to the Division II program.

“I would much rather play hockey,” he said. “I’ve always liked it more, and it’s more my passion than football. Football is more a sport I played in the fall to get ready for hockey.”

Despite playing a weak Class A schedule, Gamst is confident both brothers can play beyond high school.

“If they get the exposure, I definitely think both have the talent to play at the next level,” he said. “I’m blessed to see them play every day. I always tell them to stay positive and keep working hard.

“We don’t play the schedule of a Hermantown and Duluth East, where they get to match up against the best of the best every night of the week. But from what I’ve seen, they can play at the next level.”