Brody Parker (Photo by Noah Clooten)

Brody Parker (Photo by Noah Clooten)

DEVILS LAKE — Devils Lake boys’ hockey hit what head coach Landyn Swenson described as “rock bottom.”

The Firebirds, after getting off to a promising start, lost seven in a row.

“The only way from rock bottom is up,” Swenson said. “So guys coming to work, wanting to win; knowing that they need a win, in order to push yourself to be where we want to be in the EDC.”

For much of Thursday’s game, Devils Lake was in danger of suffering another loss. Grafton/Park River (3-10-1, 0-7) struck first, and the Firebirds never led — until a go-ahead goal in the third period by Brody Parker, which ultimately secured a 2-1 win at Burdick Arena.

“We have a lot of history against these guys,” Parker said. “We’re pretty much rivals, so it felt really nice to meet them again.”

Now at 3-5 in the EDC, and with four wins overall, the Firebirds (4-7-1, 3-5) are still working towards their goal of making the state tournament. With incremental steps, starting with Tuesday’s 7-1 win over May-Port Area and now Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Spoilers, the Firebirds are grinding their season back into full gear.

Devils Lake goals

Weston Nelson: 5:51 P2, assisted by Weston Stromme and Braxton Boline, 1-1

Brody Parker: 8:25 P3, assisted by Logan Stokke, 2-1

Goalie

Brody Forsberg: 31 SV, 32 SOG (96.9%)

Both teams played a physical and aggressive game early on. Devils Lake took long shot attempts off the sticks of players like Rylan Swenson, Braxton Boline, Ben Larson and Kole Thompson.

Perhaps the Firebirds’ best chance to score in the first period was at 13:45, when Parker, Devils Lake’s leading scorer, trapped a pass with no defenders in front of him. He made a running shot that got robbed by G/PR goalie Kaisin Twamley.

“We just had to skate hard,” Parker said. “They’re a physical team, and we had to match that.”

Devils Lake also had a power play at 10:31 in the first period. It was the period’s only penalty on either team, a hooking call on Noah Troftgruben.

A cluster of Firebirds formed a near-dogpile in front of the net. But after a stop, G/PR managed to get the puck back down the ice, and even had a couple 2-on-1 advantages in the Firebirds’ zone. Devils Lake goalie Brody Forsberg appeared to stay relaxed and alert, saving all 11 shots on him in the first period.

The Firebirds took seven total shots of their own in the opening frame. But it was scoreless for both squads.

Devils Lake threatened early in the second period. It was the Spoilers who scored first, though, breaking the scoreless tie with 12:12 left in the period. Toren Beneda slashed one in, unassisted, to put the Spoilers up 1-0.

Troftgruben was charged with his — and the game’s — second penalty less than a minute later at 11:14. As play resumed, Devils Lake took just five seconds to get one in the net — off the stick of Weston Nelson, who poked one in after assists from Weston Stromme and Boline.

The Firebirds efficiently capitalized on the power play and erased the deficit.

“Those guys move the puck. Our power play one’s very good; our power play two, they’re good too,” Swenson said. “We’ve progressed a lot over the year, and there’s only that much more to go.”

Both teams had opportunities throughout the rest of the period, but it stayed locked at a goal apiece. Devils Lake nearly scored again with an open net during the end of the same power play, but no Firebird could get a clean stick on it.

It was a nearly even shooting period; G/PR had a slight 12-11 advantage, with each team getting one goal to go in.

With 7:28 to go in the second period, Devils Lake was hit with its first penalty, an elbowing call on Stromme. The Firebirds kept things under control during the disadvantage.

Parker committed interference with less than two minutes left in the period, accidentally sending a G/PR player flying into his own net. It carried over 17 seconds into the third period, but once again, nothing came of it for the Spoilers.

“We just lacked energy in the first two periods for the most part,” Swenson said. “And it’s just going to the locker room and being positive; I know we’re not playing our best game, but at the same time, going in there, working our butts off.”

The Spoilers made an open pass on a breakaway, but Forsberg saved a shot up in his face. Nelson went to the box for tripping with 13:42 left in the third period — Forsberg continued to stay strong in the face of G/PR’s attacks.

Forsberg, a senior, has seen his save percentage dip down a tick this season. But he was tremendous on Thursday, saving 31 of 32 shots.

“He just does his job,” Swenson said. “He trusts his defense, trusts his players in front of him. And we trust him.”

Devils Lake had some opportunities after returning to full strength. With 7:35 left, Stokke passed it from behind the net to Parker — who swiped it into the net.

“My buddy Logan Stokke, he was battling behind the net,” Parker said. “And I was thinking to myself, ‘Well, if he gets this through, I’m burying this all day.’ And he got it through. I put it in the back of the net; it was nice. Celly to the student section — you know how it is.”

In a flash, Devils Lake had its first lead. It was Parker’s 10th goal of the year.

“He’s been huge for us this year,” Swenson said. “His work ethic every day, coming every day to practice, working his butt off. And it ultimately pays off in the end, when you’re scoring goals and you’re putting up points.”

Suddenly for the Spoilers, they were nearly out of time after falling into their first deficit of the evening. They threatened and had an open shot with just over three minutes left, but they couldn’t handle the puck cleanly.

Their comeback hopes were further dashed when Drew Suda was charged with elbowing, with only 2:11 left in the game. Devils Lake held on for the win.

And now it’s one small step closer to securing a favorable playoff position — which, ideally, will lead this team to state.

“Keep working hard in practice,” Parker said. “Make sure we keep scoring goals, playing tough defense. Playing physical; don’t let teams get easy ones on us.”

The Firebirds are averaging 3.42 goals per game, up nearly an entire goal from last year.

“The guys are moving the puck,” Swenson said. “They’re working hard, putting themselves in opportunities to score goals. And that’s all you can really ask. It’s coming from practice, working on it then and then bringing it into games. And they’re executing.”