Century, using a split squad, hands Midgets their first defeat of season
The first period was a rude awakening for the Dickinson High boys hockey team as Bismarck Century outshot the Midgets 12-3.By: Royal McGregor, The Dickinson Press
- Kass Dvorak
The first period was a rude awakening for the Dickinson High boys hockey team as Bismarck Century outshot the Midgets 12-3.
Despite using a split squad and leaving some varsity players at home, Patriots used a pair first-period goals to give Dickinson its first loss of the season, 3-0, in a West Region game on Friday at the Dickinson Recreation Center.
“The first period told the story,” Dickinson head coach Tom Folske said. “We had a lot of kids playing in the first period, which is good, but when you get outshot, you have to change things up.
“I just hope that this is a wake-up call for whole team.”
Not only was it the Midgets’ first loss of the season, the team came in averaging more than 5 goals per game.
Dickinson’s best scoring opportunities came in the third period when it put up 10 shots on goal.
“I don’t know what we were expecting, but we came out harder in the third period,” Dickinson sophomore Kass Dvorak said. “In the third period, we played with them the entire time.”
The Patriots (6-0-0, 4-0-0 West) took their first lead at 6 minutes, 43 seconds in the first period on a Will Renner goal. Century didn’t wait long to add to its lead. Keaton Leininger ricocheted the puck off Dickinson goalie Jamison Gray’s left shoulder pad with 2:11 left in the first.
For the Midgets (3-1-0, 2-1-0 West Region), it was time to regroup and come out with some intensity in the second and third periods. On the other hand, Century head coach Troy Olson didn’t expect to have a two-goal lead after the first.
“It was definitely nice to see,” Olson said. “Dickinson’s been playing well. They certainly look a lot better than they have the last couple years.”
Throughout the second and third periods, the Midgets had quality chances. However, none of those found the back of the net.
Mickey Folske and Matt Pavek each gave the Midgets breakaway opportunities. Folske went wide left and Century goalie Jack Abfalter nabbed Pavek’s shot out of the air.
“We had quite a bit of chances,” Dvorak said. “They can just go either way. It happens.”
Then midway through the second period, Dickinson got caught with back-to-back penalties from Gannon Karsky and Mickey Folske. The Patriots were on the 5-3 advantage.
“That was nice,” Olson said. “You don’t get those chances often maybe once every couple games.”
Dickinson was able to hold Century off for a majority of the two penalties, but Century’s Sam Johnson netted the team’s final goal in the closing seconds of Karsky’s penalty.
The Midgets’ scoring chances continued in the third period after a Jesse Gonzalez penalty put the Midgets on the power play.
“We had some solid chances,” Tom Folske said. “The goaltender left some big rebounds and we kept banging away. We had our opportunities.”
Gray came away with 29 saves, while Abfalter drew a shutout with 22.
The Midgets return to the Rec Center at 4:15 p.m. today hoping for a different outcome as they host Hazen-Beulah in a West Region game.
“We have to come out hard,” Dvorak said. “Hazen-Beulah isn’t just going to give it to us. We have to come out hard like we did in the third period.”
Century 2 1 0 — 3
Dickinson 0 0 0 — 0
FIRST PERIOD: 1, C, Will Renner (Keaton Leininger, Mason Przybilla) 6:43. 2, C, Keaton Leininger (Gus Smrekar) 2:11.
SECOND PERIOD: 3, C, Sam Johnson (Jordan Christianson) 10:06.
THIRD PERIOD: No scoring.
SAVES: C, Jack Abfalter 3-9-10–22. D, Jamison Gray 10-13-6–29.
Tags: high school hockey, dickinson midgets, sports, preps, hockey
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