In a closely contested match, the Detroit Lakes boys hockey team was narrowly defeated by Fargo Davies, losing 2-1 in overtime on December 15, 2023. The game, marked by heavy physical play and strong defensive strategies, showcased the Lakers’ effort but ultimately fell short as they could not maintain their momentum.
Detroit Lakes entered the game with a three-game winning streak, eager to extend it against Fargo Davies. The first period saw the Lakers in control early on, with a focus on puck possession. Despite connecting on several passes, they struggled with generating quality shots on goal. “We came out with a lot of jump in the first five or six minutes of the game,” said Ben Noah, head coach of the Detroit Lakes boys hockey team. “We had back-to-back shifts in the first period that killed the momentum, and we weren’t able to maintain control after that.”
As the period progressed, the fast pace of the game resulted in no penalties and no goals, although there were numerous icing calls. A standout performance came from goaltender Griffin Lindberg, who faced a total of 39 shots throughout the match, conceding only two goals on breakaways. “The goaltending position often gets overlooked among all the players on the team,” Noah noted. “He’s one of our best players, so we expect that type of performance from him moving forward.”
The second period shifted significantly in favor of Fargo Davies, who tested Lindberg repeatedly. An icing call against Detroit Lakes midway through the period led to a critical moment. Following the faceoff, Lawsen Justesen received a pass from Hank Schlauderlaff and scored with a wrist shot to put the Lakers ahead 1-0. “We caught Fargo Davies during a line change beforehand, so they were still figuring things out,” Noah explained. “Lawsen read the situation well and was in the right place at the right time.”
Despite the Lakers maintaining a perfect penalty kill record, successfully defending against both of Fargo Davies’ power plays, the Eagles managed to tie the game. A center-ice collision led to a breakaway, and the Eagles capitalized, beating Lindberg to make it 1-1. Late in the second period, Detroit Lakes earned a power play but struggled to create significant chances, managing only one shot on goal. “We have to do some of the harder things on the power play,” Noah said. “I like the way we move the puck and the ideas we have, but we need more traffic in front to create a high-quality scoring chance.”
The third period mirrored the first, characterized by rapid play and limited possession. A high-sticking penalty against Rhett Walter put the Lakers in a challenging position, but they successfully killed the penalty again. As the game neared its end, Fargo Davies increased pressure, turning Lakers’ turnovers into scoring opportunities that Lindberg thwarted.
In overtime, Detroit Lakes began aggressively, controlling play in the Fargo Davies zone. However, approximately six minutes into the extra period, a failure to maintain puck possession allowed the Eagles to break through. An Eagle player capitalized on the opportunity, scoring to secure the victory at 2-1. “Overtime is tough because it’s sudden death and scoring chances are critical,” Noah reflected. “We didn’t capitalize early, and it ended up biting us, but I’m proud of how we fought tonight.”
With this loss, the Lakers’ record stands at 3-2-1. They will look to bounce back in their next game against Alexandria, scheduled for December 16, 2023, at Kent Freeman Arena.
