Prep report: Shorthanded Proctor falls to New Prague

PROCTOR — Proctor’s Wyatt Meineheine and Austin Bryant each scored a goal, but the Rails fell 6-2 to New Prague Tuesday at the second annual Bill McGann Holiday Classic at the St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center.

The Trojans got goals from six different players, including two in the final minute of play, to take the win. Willy Seymour scored in the second period and added two assists to lead New Prague.

Coach Jeff Laspi liked the way his team played, especially with injuries starting to pile up for the Rails.

“I think the boys competed hard, it was a back and forth, it was a good game for most of the game,” Laspi said. “We didn’t have a lot of puck luck, pucks going just wide, hitting a stick or a skate up from, but I think the compete level is there. We’ve got four guys out with injury, we’ve got another kid that took a shot in the ankle tonight and tried to play through it, but it was a struggle.”

The biggest loss has been Brett Bartlam, whose six goals leads the team, despite missing the past few games. Bartlam was injured in Proctor’s 5-2 loss to Rochester Mayo Dec. 10.

Laspi said Bartlam should be back in mid-January, but until then younger players are going to have to step in and try to fill the hole in the offense.

“We’re really short on the bench right now,” Laspi said. “The biggest thing for us is to try to get healthy for once, we haven’t been healthy since the first game of the year. I think the compete level is there, we’re just not quite up to snuff where we want to be.”

Dayne Painovich and the Lumberjacks had an explosive offensive performance in the first quarterfinal of the Heritage Classic at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

Painovich finished with three goals and three assists. His three goals were split evenly through the three periods and included one in every phase — the game-opening tally at 7:14 of the first period came shorthanded, his second goal was on the power play and his hat trick goal came at even strength early in the third.

CEC led 5-0 with four minutes left in the second period and cruised home.

Painovich wasn’t the only one to have a big day, as Joseph Antonutti scored twice in the third period and had four points, Jace Stewart had three assists and four other Lumberjacks had multi-point games.

Logan Sickmann made 23 saves in goal for CEC, which will face Mankato West in the tournament semifinals on Wednesday.

The Hunters’ bid to win their home tournament was short-circuited in cruel fashion, as Irondale scored the game-winning goal with two seconds to play to advance at their expense in the Heritage Classic.

Owen Hinderman’s first varsity goal put Denfeld in a 1-0 lead after two periods in which they outshot the visitors 39-9. Andy Larson added a goal for the Hunters early in the third period, but Irondale tied it up with 5:37 to play and Lincoln Urdahl’s first career goal was a memorable one.

Alex Sabev made 49 saves to help the Trojans steal the win.

The Hilltoppers poured in four goals in the second period to get a win at Mars Lakeview in the Bill McGann Holiday Classic.

Duluth Marshall spread the wealth well, as 10 Hilltoppers had at least one point, but only Luke Schottenbauer (goal and assist) and Brendan Friday (two assists) had multiple.

Sam Pollard made 37 saves for Marshall.

The Warriors, playing at home, made it two wins this season over Proctor/Hermantown, controlling their Warroad Holiday Invitational game.

The Warriors put 43 shots on goal and scored three times on five power plays.

Talya Hendrickson and Kate Johnson both finished with a goal and assist for Warroad, which won a November meeting between the two 3-2 in Proctor.

Suri Langley made 39 saves for the Mirage (7-3-2), while Kate Stephens stopped all 17 shots she faced.

Ilsa Lindaman was the overtime hero, and while the Hilltoppers were shorthanded to boot, as Duluth Marshall advanced to the championship game at the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic Gold Bracket at the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.

Nina Thorson and Meredith Boettcher scored to put the Hilltoppers up 1-0 and 2-1 but the Cougars came back each time and the teams played a scoreless third period before Boettcher assisted Lindaman's overtime goal.

Ray Anderson made 31 saves for Marshall.

The Hilltoppers will face Mounds View/Irondale for the Gold Division title at the TRIA Rink in St. Paul on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Goaltender Ella Brisbois earned her second shutout in as many games, making 13 saves as the Northern Stars advanced to the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic championship game at TRIA Rink on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Autumn Turpen broke the scoreless deadlock with 3:35 left in the second period and both Gracyn Schipper and Grace Karakas added late insurance goals for the Northern Stars.

The Lightning found a gear on offense in time, erasing a 2-0 deficit after a period and then getting a third-period game-winner from Kalle Reed.

Mercury Bischoff scored both goals GRG needed to even the game up in the second frame and then assisted Reed’s game-winner, scored at 7:34 of the third period.

Riley Tolvonen made 25 saves for the Lightning.

Brooke Velcheff had two goals and an assist as the Storm evened their record in the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic Silver Division.

Harper Powell had a 10-save shutout, while DL goaltender Talyn Anderson made 73 saves.

Cloquet received scoring contributions from up and down the roster in a decisive victory in the opening round of the Wood City Classic holiday tournament at Cloquet Middle School.

Max Sundquist, Jordan Aultman and James Wilmot combined for 15 points off the bench in what was an encouraging performance from the reserves after previously being held scoreless by Duluth Denfeld.

The Eskomos swept their Esko Coaches’ Classic games, holding the Jaguars to just 16 points in the second half.

Cuinn Berger nearly outscored H-F himself, scoring 41 points and making six 3-pointers. Braeydn Male added 13 points and Carter Zezulka 12.

Superior slipped past Duluth Denfeld 59-51 in the opening game of the North Star State Hardwood Showcase on Tuesday afternoon in Hibbing. The Spartans’ victory puts them in a semifinal against Hiawatha Collegiate, which stopped Grand Rapids 75-66 despite the Thunderhawks putting four scorers in double figures. Kaydin Metzgar and Caleb Rychart scored 14 points apiece for Rapids, while Romelle Bell led all scorers with 24 for Hiawatha.

On the other side of the bracket, Rock Ridge defeated the hosts 63-35 and will meet Owatonna in the other semifinal.

The Lumberjacks knocked down 10 triples to advance to the Wood City Classic girls championship game against Cromwell-Wright on Wednesday.

Cloquet built a 31-17 halftime lead and held on to most of it the rest of the way, led by 22 Alexa Snesrud points and 11 apiece from Kiley Issendorf and Quinn Danielson.

Marta Forsline led the 4-2 Giants with 20 points.

Cromwell-Wright topped Rock Ridge 67-58 in the other semifinal.

Liv Birkeland’s 18 points paced the Hawks to a victory in the Esko Coaches Classic semifinals.

Hermantown held Solon Springs to just 15 first-half points to take control of the game early.

Mikayla Sweeney made four field goals in the first half en route to a 12-point game for Hermantown, which will face host Esko (a 62-40 winner over Cherry in the other semifinal) in Wednesday’s championship.

Claire Holmstrom had a game-high 20 points for the Eagles.

The Greyhounds won on the road, getting 18 points apiece from Ashlynne Guenther and Sydney Zwak.

Rachel Hagen added 17 points for East, which led 35-21 at halftime and snapped a six-game losing skid.

Solon Springs 76, Prairie Farm 71