Hockey roundup: Carlton County teams

MLA’s Cisar brothers still lead state in points

The Moose Lake Area boys hockey team stumbled in its quest for home ice in the first round of the Section 7A playoffs after a 7-4 loss to Mora-Hinckley last Thursday.

The Rebels (9-14-0) were hoping for a second win this season over Mora to earn the right to host a play-in playoff game at Riverside Arena.

Mora took a 3-0 lead in the first period before Josh Cisar scored a shorthanded goal to get the Rebels on the board in the second period. Josh Cisar scored a hat trick and his brother Tyler added the team’s fourth goal plus two assists.

The Rebels also fell 7-4 at home to the Minneapolis Novas on Saturday, with Spencer Clough scoring a goal and two assists for Moose Lake Area. Josh Cisar scored two goals to bring him to a state-leading 84 points on the season, while Tyler Cisar again had a goal and two assists, placing him second on the state scoring charts at 77.

“We need to have a good stretch to close out the season with everyone healthy,” Coach Josh Gamst said. “Our focus needs to be about winning games down the stretch, and to go into the playoffs with a positive attitude and ready to go as a team.”

The Rebels played a Tuesday night game against Legacy Christian, with results unavailable as this edition went to press. The game had been scheduled for last week, but was rescheduled after 18 Moose Lake Area players came down with a virus on game day. The team concludes its regular season on Thursday night at home against Two Harbors.

The playoff road will likely be difficult for the Rebels – if they win their play-in game, a trip to undefeated Hermantown (22-0-0) likely awaits them.

“It would be great to get to play the number one team in the state, but you have to measure up,” Gamst said. “We have to play good defense in the playoffs.”

MLA girls finish year with first-round playoff loss

The playoffs ended in the first round for the Moose Lake Area girls hockey team last Thursday night.

The Rebels (5-20-0) fell 9-1 to top-seeded Chisago Lakes Area in Section 7A.

Karina Cisar scored the team’s only goal on a penalty shot with six seconds remaining in the contest.

For the game, Chisago Lakes Area outshot Moose Lake Area 63-6, with Kaitlyn Greene making 54 saves in the Rebels’ goal. Chisago Lakes Area scored four power-play goals in the game.

For the season, Maggie Unzen and Erin Mollberg shared the scoring honors, with each player scoring 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points. Greene finished with a fine goals-against average of 3.25 and saves percentage of .916.

CEC boys finish regular season with a win

The Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys team, meanwhile, rebounded from a disappointing loss to

Duluth East to defeat Stillwater 4-2 on Saturday, finishing its regular season with a record of 17-8-0.

After spotting the Ponies a 1-0 lead early in the game, the ’Jacks struck back through Adam Hanson’s power-play goal at 13:30 of the first period, and went ahead on another power-play marker by Westin Michaud at 11:17 of the second.

The power play, which has struggled by CEC standards this season, scored a third goal in the third period thanks to Karson Kuhlman, and the sophomore finished out the scoring with an empty net goal with 3:36 to play.

CEC outshot Stillwater 35-24 for the game with John Scheuer making 22 saves in goal.

For the season, Kuhlman finished with scoring honors with 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points, followed by linemates Westin Michaud (21/29/50) and Beau Michaud (18/31/49). All three players are underclassmen.

Scheuer (15-8-0) heads to the playoffs with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .902 saves

percentage.

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