GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Central coach Grant Paranica knows it usually takes sophomores a few games to get the hang of varsity hockey.
Nolan Marto has arrived at that point.
Marto scored a power-play goal to break a 2-2 tie in the third period, added an assist later in the frame and helped give Central a 6-2 win over Grand Forks Red River on Saturday in a packed Purpur Arena.
“It was really fun,” Marto said after his first rivalry experience. “The boys did a good job of pumping everyone up. We played loose, had fun and got the outcome we wanted.”
Samuel Presteng, Logan Nielsen, Rylan Spicer, Gavin Wockenfuss and Ryder Rivard also scored for the Knights, while sophomore defenseman Logan Bina tallied three assists.
“We had several sophomores rise to the occasion,” Paranica said.
The Knights (5-1) played without forward Cooper Deziel, who led last year’s state championship team in scoring. Deziel was assessed a game disqualification penalty Tuesday against Fargo North.
But Marto’s emergence gives the Knights another scoring threat.
Marto racked up 64 goals and 126 points in 50 games at the bantam level last season.
After being held without a point in the first two games of this season, Marto has nine points in the last four games. He’s scored in three straight.
“It’s gone really well,” Marto said of the transition to varsity. “We have a lot of seniors on this team and they’ve all been great leaders, so that’s really helped the transition. They make it easy.”
Grand Forks Central’s Nolan Marto lunges for a puck in front of Grand Forks Red River goalie Rilan Korynta on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
On the winning goal, Marto found a loose puck in the slot and beat Red River goalie Rilan Korynta from point-blank range with 12:56 to go in the third.
“It’s obviously a great feeling,” Marto said. “The team made a good play and the puck popped out to me. It’s a great feeling to get a good goal for your team.”
Paranica added: “I thought he played really well. He got better as the game went along. He did a lot of good things. I think that’s typical of a sophomore coming in, where it takes a few games to adjust a lot of times. Now, he’s starting to get the hang of it and starting to really play well.”
Griffen Haagenson and Brekkin Hultberg scored for the Roughriders, who fell to 4-3.
The Roughriders hung around in a rematch of last season’s state championship game, despite taking major penalties in the first and second periods.
Grand Forks Red River’s Brody Lucier and Grand Forks Central’s Ryder Rivard race for a loose puck in a game on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
The Knights broke it open with a four-goal third.
Marto’s goal gave them a 3-2 lead. Spicer made it 4-2 with 5:45 to go, scoring off a shot from the right circle. Wockenfuss and Rivard finished it with empty-netters.
“I thought we played well,” Paranica said. “It was a hard-fought game for both teams. I thought it got out of flow and rhythm a little bit in the second period with all the penalties. But once it got back into 5-on-5 hockey, it was a real good game. We had good goaltending on both sides and some hard-fought battles and contentious play.”
Central’s victory sets up a big Gambucci Cup showdown with East Grand Forks Senior High on Monday at Purpur Arena. The Green Wave beat the Knights 3-2 on Nov. 29.
“We played them earlier in the year and fell short,” Marto said. “Everybody’s ready. We’re fired up. I feel like we’ve gotten a lot better since that game and we’re hoping to get them back Monday.”
Grand Forks Red River goaltender Rilan Korynta makes a save on Grand Forks Central’s Rylan Spicer on Dec. 20, 2025, in Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Central goaltender Westin Nielsen and captain Wyatt Blake look for the puck against Grand Forks Red River on Dec. 20, 2025, in Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Red River captain Cullen Rost and Grand Forks Central’s Jacob Spicer look for the puck during a game on Dec. 20, 2025, in Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Central forward Chay Quamme carries the puck up the ice against Grand Forks Red River on Dec. 20, 2025, in Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
Grand Forks Red River’s Blaise Neubert clears the puck out of danger on Dec. 20, 2025, against Grand Forks Central in Purpur Arena.
Lael Schmidt / Grand Forks Herald
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.