Prep report: Antonutti's four-goal game puts 'Jacks in championship

Joey Antonutti led Cloquet-Esko-Carlton into Thursday’s Heritage Classic championship game as the Lumberjacks pulled away from Mankato West, 6-3, in a semifinal on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at Essentia Duluth Heritage Center.

Antonutti scored four times, including the game-winning goal, as the Lumberjacks broke a 3-3 tie after two periods with three straight goals in the third.

The junior forward’s second and third goals of the game came 3:08 apart in the middle of the second period and helped the Lumberjacks turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. The Scarlets tied the game soon after, but CEC controlled the endgame.

Antonutti’s game-winner came 38 seconds into the third, and Patrick Dunaiski (shorthanded) and Noah Knutson scored insurance goals.

Dayne Painovich finished with three assists for the Lumberjacks, while Karson Young and Alex Kazel had two assists apiece.

Goaltender Logan Sickmann made 21 saves.

The Lumberjacks will face Park of Cottage Grove in the tournament championship game at 3:30 p.m.

After a hard-luck loss for Denfeld in the Heritage Classic quarterfinals on Tuesday, Andy Larson and the Hunters left no doubt Wednesday.

Larson opened the scoring with a natural hat trick, then scored two more times as the Hunters rolled and evened their record at 5-5-1 on the year. The senior scored on the power play, shorthanded and at even strength to put the Hunters in a 3-0 lead 3:02 into the second period. Jacob Feiro and Tristen Nephew got in on the act for Denfeld before Larson finished off his performance with goals in the last minute of the second period and the first minute of the third. It was Larson’s third hat trick and second six-point game of the season.

Connor Doyle made 22 saves for the Hunters, who’ll play Apple Valley/Burnsville in the fifth-place game on Thursday morning.

Carson Gotelaere put a big mark on the game early, scoring the first four goals in 15:48 in a Spartans rout in a Bill McGann Holiday Classic game on Wednesday .

Lucas Williams had an assist on all four goals and Caden Lia had three plus a goal of his own in the second period for the Spartans, who had a 50-5 shot advantage.

A.J. Reyelts earned a 15-save shutout as the Rails evened their record in the Bill McGann Holiday Classic on Wednesday.

Proctor got five goals from five players, with both Tanner Ross and Carson Pavlowich picking up a goal and two assists.

Two goals and an assist from the Stars' Colin Masek helped Brookfield knock off the Hilltoppers at Mars Lakeview Arena.

Both Brendan Friday and Henry Drevnick had a goal and assist apiece for Marshall.

Goaltender Myles Gunderson made 42 saves but the Thunderhawks couldn’t generate enough offense, as a second-period power play goal from Will Stauffer wasn’t enough to match the Skippers on Wednesday at the IRA Civic Center.

Keegan Fink and Brayden Boyer made the difference in a defensive struggle at the Hibbing Memorial Arena.

Fink’s power play goal at 10:39 from Broden Fawcett and Beau Frider proved to be the game’s only scoring and Boyer held the Wolverines out, making 26 saves.

Ryan Rothfork made 28 saves for the Wolverines.

The Hilltoppers scored a pair of third-period goals, one on a penalty shot, to earn the championship of the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic Gold Division Wednesday night at TRIA Rink in St. Paul.

The Northern Stars broke through in the second period, scoring four times en route to winning the Silver Division championship at the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic at TRIA Rink in St. Paul on Wednesday.

Adell Wormuth opened the scoring for the Northern Stars with a game-tying goal early in the second period, and was followed by Grace Karakas, Lydia Saxin and Karakas again as Duluth took a commanding lead back to the locker room.

Karakas finished her second hat trick of the season late.

The Mirage scored three unanswered goals in the third period to finish 2-1 for the week at the Warroad Holiday Classic.

Hannah Graves struck on the power play with 10:03 to play, just 1:48 after the Panthers had tied the game up. Ella Rothe and Reese Heitzman followed up with insurance goals, Rothe’s her second of the day.

Neelah McLeod made 24 saves for the Mirage.

Makaela Reinke and Addy Benson scored two goals apiece in the third period as the Spartans pulled away in their first game at the Culver’s Cup in Madison on Wednesday.

Superior had a 37-10 advantage in shots through two periods, but only a 1-0 lead. That territorial advantage finally showed up at the proverbial pay window when Reinke scored the first of five Spartans goals at 2:20 of the third period. Superior ended up with a 26-2 shot advantage in the frame.

Kaylie Nault made 12 saves for the shutout for Superior, which will play Central Wisconsin on Thursday night.

Mira Rajala scored twice for the Lightning, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Maple Grove in the Walser Tourney at Braemar Arena in Edina.

The 11-2 Crimson took control of the game with a pair of goals in the second period and had three players notch a goal and assist apiece.

Riley Toivonen made 25 saves for the Lightning.

Pine City proved stronger down the stretch, holding the host Lumberjacks to 16 second-half points to came the Wood City Classic championship.

Luke Wilson led the way for the Dragons, scoring 29 points.

Kollin Bonneville had 16 for Cloquet and Jack Battaglia added 12.

Dylan Nyberg’s 19 points paced the Cardinals in the Wood City Classic consolation game as Cromwell-Wright outscored the Giants 39-19 in the second half.

The Spartans won a close one in the semifinals at the North Star State Holiday Showcase on Wednesday night in Hibbing. Superior will face Owatonna in the final at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Marnaries Ferguson’s 17 points helped Denfeld to get a win in its second of three games at the North Star State Holiday Showcase.

The host Eskomos prevailed in the championship game of the Esko Coaches Classic behind 20 points from Kyra Johnson.

Hannah Swanson added 16 and Kallie Sinnott 11.

Liv Birkeland added 11 for the Hawks.

Claire Holmstrom took over for the Eagles in the third-place game of the Esko Coaches Classic, scoring 26 points.

Jillian Sajdak led Cherry, scoring 14.

A 24-point game from Hope Carlson helped the Rails to victory in their opening game at the

Chloe Carlson added 17 for Proctor, which pulled away by outsourcing the Trojans 37-21 in the second half. The Rails will face Watertown-Mayer at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The Thunderhawks outlasted the Magic with help from 22 points by Taryn Hamling.

Jessika Lofstrom added 16 and Braya LaPlant 10 for Rapids (7-2), which won its second consecutive game despite 25 points from Monticello’s Samantha Voll and a 35-29 halftime deficit.

Savannah Leopold knocked down five 3-pointers en route to a team-best 24 points for the 8-1 Spartans, who have won six in a row.

Emma Raye scored 23 for Superior, which meets Marshfield on Thursday.

Tieryn Plasch scored 21 points as the Tigers advanced at the West Salem Classic.