North Dakota Preps

Grand Forks Herald wrote:Grand Forks Central - 4
Fargo South - 2

FARGO — Casey Purpur and Brenden Gust each had a goal and an assist to lead Grand Forks Central to an East Region victory against Fargo South on Saturday.

The loss was the Bruins’ first against an East Region team this year.

Tanner Spicer and Jake Plutowski also scored for the Knights, and teammate Justin Moody added two assists.

The victory locked up the No. 2 seed in the East Region for Central, which improved to 15-6 overall.

“The guys are pretty excited, pretty happy,” Central coach Tony Bina said. “The guys have really turned things around the second half of the year. I’m proud of them for their effort.”

Peter Orson and Cooper Stellrecht each scored a goal for the Bruins (18-2-1 overall).

Central goalie Seth Lang had 23 saves, as South had a 25-22 edge in shots on goal.

“We’re heading in the right direction right now,” Bina said.

South will be the No. 1 seed for the region tournament, which begins Thursday in Grand Forks.

Grand Forks Herald wrote:Grand Forks Red River - 3
Grafton / Park River - 2

News leaked into the Grand Forks Red River postgame locker room that Grand Forks Central had upset Fargo South, bumping the Roughriders from finishing second in the East Region down to third.

But that wasn’t enough to kill the buzz of Red River’s 3-2 overtime boys high school hockey victory over Grafton-Park River on Saturday night in the final game of the regular season at Purpur Arena.

The Riders, who improved to 15-6, have won six straight.

“It was nice to finish off the regular season with a win,” said Red River defenseman Keith Howe, who buried the game-winner at 3 minutes, 24 seconds of overtime. “We wanted to get on a roll heading into the playoffs.”

Howe, a converted forward, scored on a rebound of a Blake Holien shot.

“Blake did a nice job getting the shot on net,” Red River coach Matt Malm said. “Then Keith, as a defenseman, did a nice job following it up.”

The Riders needed a third-period goal by Jake LaDouceur to send the game to overtime despite outshooting Grafton-Park River 35-18.

Spoilers goalie Eric Monsebroten finished with 32 saves.

“You have to give credit to their goalie and their defensive corps,” Howe said.

Red River, which defeated the Spoilers 3-2 in overtime earlier this year, started the scoring at 3:48 of the first period. Jordan Bancroft scored his 13th goal of the season with assists to Casey Fugleberg and Ian Leier.

But the Spoilers took the lead in the second period as Sam Tweten and Cody Boyle scored 1:10 apart.

“I’m not especially happy with the way we played, but we could’ve played that way and lost,” Malm said. “Grafton outplayed us at times. Their top unit outplayed us some. And their goalie played well.”

LaDouceur, though, tied it at 2 at 9:51 of the third period. Red River eighth-grader Luke Johnson carried the puck into the zone and waited just long enough to pass to a trailing LaDouceur, who put it past Monsebroten.

The Spoilers, who dropped to 11-10, have lost three of their past five games.

“We have been up and down all season,” Grafton-Park River coach Jay Haugland said. “But we get a fresh start now. That’s the way we’re looking at it.

“We’re going into the postseason with the mindset that we need to win three games. That’s always been our goal, and it will continue to be. In the playoffs, Spoiler hockey is different.”

The Spoilers will be the fourth seed from the East Region. The regional tournament begins Thursday in Grand Forks.

GF Red River 3,

Grafton-Park River 2, OT

Key play: Keith Howe’s goal at 3:24 of overtime.

Key player: Howe, game-winning goal.