Olivia Erickstad (5)/Photos by Noah Clooten
DEVILS LAKE — High school hockey season is back in full swing.
The Devils Lake girls’ team, coming off a state tournament appearance, has a different look to it this year. Gone are its two most prolific scorers from last season, Ashlyn Abrahamson and Siri Olson. So the Firebirds are having to make due with what they’ve got — which is a young and inexperienced yet deep roster, manned with a quality goalie.
Devils Lake hung in for the first two periods on Tuesday against West Fargo United, last year’s No. 1 seed, thanks in large part to standout freshman goalie Delaney Parker. She had 48 saves in 53 chances. She’s already proven herself at the varsity level, posting a 91.3% save rate as an eighth-grader.
But the Firebirds couldn’t get in the net, only finding 14 shots on goal of their own. They fell 5-0 at Burdick Arena in their first contest of the 2024-25 season. Two of those goals came in the first 67 seconds of the third period.
“We’ve got a young team, and we obviously have some things to work on, defensively, for sure,” Devils Lake head coach Rob McIvor said. “And offensively, we just need to relax with the puck a bit, get better shots, take better shot selections and get people in front of the net.”
The game remained scoreless for most of the first period despite numerous opportunities on both sides. Parker made some early saves to keep Devils Lake in it.
After a save by Parker with 13:20 left in the first period, junior Julia McIvor was sent to the penalty box for interference. Parker had another key save on a wide-open shot with six seconds left in the power play.
United committed interference at 9:25. But it took awhile for Devils Lake to even get the puck back to United’s side of the ice. Ellie Suda eventually took a deep shot that missed.
United was hit with checking at 8:12, giving the Firebirds a 5-on-3 advantage for less than a minute. But a shot by McIvor was saved. With 30 seconds left in the initial power play, United stole the puck and swatted it down the ice.
A tripping penalty against Miley Duciaume at 6:09 gave United another power play chance. But United committed its own penalty with 28 seconds left in the power play.
Amidst the penalties on both sides, United continued to control the puck. At 2:11, United’s Emma Hassler snuck one in at a shallow angle to finally score the game’s first goal.
Parker continued to play a pesky game against a relentless United attack, consistently defending shots close to the net. Each team had two penalties in the second period, but nothing came of it — until United scored on a Devils Lake power play with 1:47 left in the period. It was Hassler again, tipping one in on an awkward bounce.
Before that goal, which sent Devils Lake into the final period break down 2-0, Parker had successfully defended 30 of United’s 31 shots on the net.
“She played outstanding, for the most part,” McIvor said. “I mean, the second period, she had multiple 1-2-3 shot saves, so I was very happy with the way she played”
The game unraveled in the opening seconds of the third period. Riley Ruud scored just 23 seconds in. Grace Vetter found the net 44 seconds later, scoring an unassisted goal on a rebound. It was abruptly 4-0 United.
Devils Lake had a power play at 9:47, but 16 seconds later, J. McIvor was charged with slashing. Olivia Erickstad had a roughing penalty at 6:43, followed 29 seconds later by a roughing penalty on McIvor. The third penalty of the evening for McIvor gave United a 5-on-3 advantage.
“Today she was getting upset, and she took some penalties she didn’t need to,” R. McIvor said. “So that’ll be a discussion for later. Not right now.”
United took advantage, as Reghan Mathias scored to make it 5-0 with 5:20 left in the game. And so the game got away from the Firebirds by the end, despite keeping it close for the first two periods.
Devils Lake continues its season on Dec. 3 against Grand Forks at Eagles Arena. Its next home game is Dec. 7 against Williston.
