Brett Lesage (Photo by Noah Clooten)
DEVILS LAKE — Lake Region State College men’s hockey is off to a 3-0 start.
The Royals defeated Waldorf University (0-2) for the second straight day at Burdick Arena. After a 5-3 win Friday night, they took down the Warriors 7-4 Saturday afternoon.
“The speed of the game,” LRSC head coach Brady Stein said of what he liked most. “It really showed what we could do out there. Still not our best, but early in the season. We’ll ramp up a bit, and should get better.”
It was a contest with 19 total penalties, 11 of which were against the Royals. LRSC had one major fighting penalty, one misconduct penalty and two additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
The teams combined for five goals in the first period alone. Each team survived an initial power play, but LRSC broke through at 9:37 into regulation. Ty Cavers snuck one in from mid-range on the left side, with an assist from Matthew Wherley.
Less than a minute later, local kid Brody Parker got back around the net and hit one in. He had assists from Griffin Anderson and Donnovin Fiorentino.
It was the second straight game with a goal for Parker. The Cando native was one of the Devils Lake Firebirds’ most prolific scorers the last couple of years. His college career has gotten off to a fast start here on his home ice.
“Everything we need: The speed, the attitude,” Stein said of Parker. “He’s great in the locker room, leading the guys, even as a young guy. It’s awesome to have him out there.”
LRSC, up 2-0, had its shutout broken with 6:16 left in the first period. Waldorf’s Vincent Hunt scored on an awkward ricochet at the net.
But the Royals responded just 38 seconds later. Theron McGregor shot one from the right side, almost even with the net, in for a goal to make it 3-1.
Waldorf squeezed in one last goal with 1.4 seconds left on the clock. The puck went in with a clump of Warriors at the net. The play ended with some pushing and cursing between players on both sides.
After some deliberation by the officials, LRSC’s Logan Deaborn went to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct. Waldorf was not assessed with any penalties.
Most of the penalty was served in the second period. LRSC managed to survive the power play. The Royals then took advantage of a power play of their own.
Anderson, their top returning point-getter from last year, poked one in while skating towards the left corner. He had assists from Chael Rozdeba and Wherley.
“He’s one of our probably top guys in the faceoff dot,” Stein said of Anderson. “Doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He’s a great leader. It’s hard to say anything bad about him. He just does everything right. And he learned a lot last year.”
Rozdeba assisted another goal less than two minutes later. Tyler Rogers got one in as the Royals extended their lead to 5-2.
Waldorf committed tripping penalties with 11:02 and 8:13 left on the clock. LRSC didn’t score on the first of those power plays. But it did take advantage of the second.
Parker scored his second goal of the game and third of the season — with an assist from his former Firebird teammate Austin Thompson.
Thompson is in his first year with LRSC after spending last season with the Badlands Sabres, a North American Tier III Hockey League team based in Rapid City, S.D.
“It’s nice to see him showing what he learned at juniors last year and setting the tone,” Stein said.
The Royals were hit with some penalties down the stretch of the second period. With 5:46 left, Josh Pexa went to the box for knee contact, then got an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct after appearing to say something to the official.
With 2:32 left in Pexa’s four minutes, Dylan Schneider joined him in the box for boarding. The Royals surrendered a goal during the 5-on-3 disadvantage to cut their lead to 6-3.
Shortly after returning to full strength, LRSC scored on a goal by Carson Beaudin, with an assist from Anderson. It was a four-goal period for the Royals to give them a 7-3 lead heading into the third.
The third period was mostly uneventful until a barrage of penalties in the middle. LRSC failed to capitalize on a pair of cross-checking penalties on Waldorf.
With 12:34 left, an altercation between a player on each side led to a fight between them. Both were sent to the box. LRSC’s Peyton Moneyas, on his way over, continued chirping with the Waldorf player. The ref then got in between the players and shoved Moneyas to the ground.
After deliberation, a series of penalties was announced. Moneyas was charged with roughing and a 10-minute misconduct. Each team had a player disqualified, with Nathaniel Flett for LRSC and Anthony Aulisio for Waldorf.
Waldorf scored on the power play to make it 7-4.
LRSC was charged with three more penalties in the final 11:07 of the game, with one more for Walford in that span. But there was no more scoring as the Royals finished off a three-goal win.
They’ve outscored opponents 15-9 so far in their first three wins of the season.
“On and off the ice, they do everything together,” Stein said. “They’re connected. They’ll be sitting in that locker room talking about this game for the next hour, probably.”
Carson Cronquist played the whole game at goalie. Jaden Kleinjan handled Friday’s game in the net.
Cronquist had 18 saves in 22 shots on goal.
“We learned a lot from Jaden Kleinjan. He’s been doing amazing,” Stein said. “And we want to see what the rest of the roster can do. And I think this weekend helped us a lot there.”
LRSC hosts another Friday-Saturday set next week against Minnesota-Duluth’s ACHA team. Going forward, Stein hopes to build off last year’s winning season.
“I’d like to have a winning record, and by the end of the year, we get into playoffs somewhere,” he said.
