Photo by Noah Clooten
The Devils Lake boys’ hockey team won its final game of the regular season on Thursday in an overtime thriller.
The Firebirds beat Fargo South/Shanley, 2-1. They finished with eight wins and 13 losses overall — 7-9 in conference play — heading into the EDC tournament.
But, because it was an overtime win, they finished with one point fewer in the standings than fifth-place Fargo North. Devils Lake is officially the No. 6 seed in the EDC. It will play No. 3-seeded West Fargo on the road on Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
The Firebirds won four of their final five games to boost ahead of teams like South/Shanley and West Fargo Sheyenne.
That lone loss came to the same South/Shanley team they beat on Thursday. They fell 5-2 to the Bruins on Feb. 4, following their upset win over first-place Grand Forks Central.
But, hosting South/Shanley at home in the finale, Devils Lake played a tighter fight. Like in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Fargo North, it was scoreless after two periods. Weston Nelson broke the tie with a power play goal at 4:58 in the third period, with an assist from Jackson Schumacher.
That was Nelson’s ninth goal of the season.
But it was Nelson who was sent to the box for slashing at 10:36. A minute and 16 seconds later, South/Shanley’s Foster Lord put one in the net with the help of two assists. It was all knotted up at a goal apiece.
The teams stood pat for the rest of regulation, forcing overtime. It took all of 20 seconds, with the teams at even strength, for Logan Stokke to get one in the goal. He was assisted by the two Westons, Stromme and Nelson.
It was the 10th goal of the year for Stokke. Stromme and Brody Parker tied for the regular-season team lead with 12 each.
This late-season surge from the Firebirds prevented them from having an EDC play-in game like they did last year. Those games will be held Saturday, three days before the tournament starts.
A Firebirds win would advance them to the EDC semifinals on Friday at Purpur Arena. That game could very likely be a rematch with Central. If Devils Lake loses to West Fargo on Tuesday, though, its season is not over. Four of the eight teams in the bracket will make state, with a consolation bracket that Devils Lake would then enter. It would play the loser of No. 2-seeded Grand Forks Red River vs. the winner of the No. 7 vs. 10 seed on Friday. The Firebirds would then have to win again on Saturday against the winner of the other side of the consolation bracket.
If they win that game, they’re in the state tournament. The key thing is that they can’t lose more than once.
The Firebirds and Packers will commence at The West Fargo Sports Arena at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
