by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The 2022-23 season came to an end Saturday night for the Thief River Falls boys hockey team with the Prowlers suffering a 6-1 loss to the top-seeded Warroad Warriors.
Saturday’s meeting was the third this year between the Prowlers and Warriors, who entered Saturday’s game a 25-0-1 and ranked number one in Class A. The Warriors previously defeated the Prowlers by scores of 5-1 and 5-0.
“We played them tight for one period the first game and two periods the second game,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Tim Bergland. “We knew we had to play a disciplined game and we wanted to play a gritty game.”
The Warriors found the net three times in the first three minutes Saturday. Murray Marvin-Cordes scored 49 seconds into the opening period. Griffin Marvin scored a little over a minute later at the 1:55 mark; and Marvin-Cordes scored 41 seconds later at 2:36 to make the score 3-0.
“Unfortunately, we got down so quick,” Bergland said. “From there on, we played pretty good. We had a chance to get to 3-1 on a power play. Momentum doesn’t have a chance to change when you don’t score. It wasn’t how we planned to play that game.”
The Warriors added to their lead with a pair of goals in the second period. Landon Thompson found the net with 4:19 left to play before the second intermission and Marvin-Cordes scored to complete the hat trick with 52 seconds left in the second frame.
The Warriors added a sixth goal when Carson Pilgrim scored 17 seconds into the third period.
The Prowlers’ lone goal came from senior Reece Janisch. It was Janisch’s first varsity goal in his last varsity game. Jace Erickson and Braydin Lund were credited with assists on the play.
“That was very nice,” Bergland said of Janisch’s goal. “He’s worked hard all year.”
Also playing in their final games were Jonah Lunsetter and Cooper Lawrence.
“Jonah Lunsetter played his best game of the year,” Bergland said. “Cooper did a lot of great things for us. They all handled their roles very well. These kids are all very likeable.”
The Prowlers return the bulk of their varsity and junior varsity rosters, setting up the 2023-24 boys hockey roster to one of the most experienced team in program history.
“You hope the experience of this year makes an imprint on their head into the offseason and into next year,” Bergland said. “Hopefully, it creates competition and a mindset that ‘I better be ready to go.’”
Scoring
1 2 3 T
Thief River Falls 0 0 1 1
Warroad 3 2 1 6
First period – WHS, Murray Marvin-Cordes (Carson Pilgrim, Will Hardwick) 0:49; WHS, Griffin Marvin (Landon Thompson, Gaabi Boucha) 1:55; WHS, Murray Marvin-Cordes (Carson Pilgrim, Ryan Lund) 2:36.
Second period – WHS, Landon Thompson (Ryan Lund, Griffin Marvin) 12:41; WHS, Murray Marvin-Cordes (power play) (Jayson Shaugabay, Carson Pilgrim) 16:08.
Third period – WHS, Carson Pilgrim (short handed) 0:17; TRF, Reece Janisch (power play) (Jace Erickson, Braydin Lund) 14:06.
Shots – TRF 6-4-2 – 12; WHS, 15-18-16 – 49.
Power plays – TRF 1-for-4; WHS 1-for-5.
Penalties – TRF 6 (12 minutes); WHS 5 (10 minutes).
Goalie saves – TRF, Conner Roff 43; WHS, Hampton Slukynsky 11.
Section 8A Playoffs
■ First round, Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Park Rapids Area 2, Crookston 1; Bagley/Fosston 8, Lake of the Woods 5.
■ Quarterfinals, Thursday, Feb. 23 – Warroad 8, Park Rapids Area 0; Thief River Falls 6, Red Lake Falls 1; East Grand Forks 7, Bagley/Fosston 0; Detroit Lakes 6, Kittson County Central 4.
■ Semifinals – Saturday, Feb. 25 at at REA-TRF – Warroad 6, Thief River Falls 1; East Grand Forks 6, Detroit Lakes 2.
■ Championship – Thursday, March 2 at REA-TRF, 7 p.m. – Warroad vs. East Grand Forks.