LUVERNE, Minn. — A season-opening boys hockey game between a pair of teams ranked right next to each proved that, indeed, Rochester Lourdes and Luverne are as equal as the rankings indicate.
No. 18-ranked Lourdes made the long bus ride to Luverne to open the season and fell to the No. 19-ranked Cardinals 3-2 on Thursday night.
Luverne led 2-1 after the first and second periods. Both teams scored once in the third.
Luverne was up 2-0 halfway through the first, on a pair of goals by Ben Hartquist, including one on a power play.
Lourdes cut its deficit in half at the 11:26 mark of the first, when Gavin Groettum and Dom Troutman set up Jack Phillips for a goal.
Groettum then scored his first goal of the season, on a power play, with 6:30 to go in the third period. Troutman and Owen Hoehn assisted on a goal that pulled the Eagles within one. They couldn’t get the equalizer past Cardinals goalie Gavin Hoven, though.
Hoven was outstanding, making 44 stops as Lourdes outshot Luverne 46-28.
Senior goalie Anton Ackley made 25 saves in his season debut for the Eagles.
Lourdes is back in action at 3 p.m. Saturday at Two Rivers.
LUVERNE 3, LOURDES 2
Lourdes 1-0-1 — 2
Luverne 2-0-1 — 3
Lourdes: Jack Phillips 1 goal; Gavin Groettum 1 goal, 1 assist; Dom Troutman 2 assists; Owen Hoehn 1 assist. Goalie: Anton Ackley 25 saves (28 shots).
Luverne: Ben Hartquist 2 goals; Blake Sauer 1 assist; Landyn Lais 2 assists; Colton Haubrich 1 assist; Maddux Domagala 1 assist. Goalie: Gavin Hoven 44 saves (46 shots).
Century/JM 3, Two Rivers 2 (OT)
WEST ST. PAUL — It was a night of firsts for the new-look Century/John Marshall boys hockey team and a couple of its players who’ll be relied upon this season in their roles.
Senior goalie Zach Bohan made 18 saves to earn his first varsity victory, while sophomore forward Bennett Timpane scored his first varsity goal at the right time — he scored the game winner in overtime, as the Panthers topped Two Rivers 3-2 at West St. Paul Arena.
Boston Collins scored twice in regulation for Century/JM, which lost a large class of seniors from a year ago.
Century/JM plays its home opener at 2 p.m. Saturday at Graham Arena 4, when it hosts Holy Family Catholic.
CENTURY/JM 3, TWO RIVERS 2 (OT)
Century/JM 0-1-1-1 — 3
Two Rivers 1-1-0-0 — 2
Century/John Marshall: Boston Collins 2 goals; Bennett Timpane 1 goal; Ethan Wiedrich 1 assist; Cole Brownlow 1 assist; Hatcher Hodge 1 assist; Drake Waters 1 assist. Goalie: Zach Bohan 18 saves (20 shots).
Two Rivers: Luke Leitner 2 goals; Eddie Drury 1 assist; Matthew Heymans 1 assist; Henry Lynch 1 assist. Goalie: Tyler Priest 20 saves (23 shots).
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