Lila Dalager (file photo)

by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor

Thief River Falls suffered its first defeat of the young 2024-25 season Thursday night at the hands of the Bemidji Lumberjacks by a score of 9-2.

“Bemidji is a good team,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Brett Johnson. “They work hard and work very well together as a team. They have one girl, Bailey Rupp, who can control the game and makes some really high level hockey plays.”

The Lumberjacks scored the only goal of the opening period with Rupp finding the net just 22 seconds into the game. Rupp would score again 1:10 into the second period to make it 2-0 Lumberjacks.

The Prowlers got on the board at the 2:11 mark of the second period, with Kali Knutson scoring a shorthanded goal, and an assist credited to Marley Anderson.

The Lumberjacks answered thirty seconds later, with Rupp completing the natural hat trick.
The Lumberjacks would add to their lead with three more second period goals from Naomi Johnson, Emma Greiner and Taylor Bjerke. The Prowlers also tallied one more in the second period, as Anderson scored on the power play with assists by Alexis Sawatzke and Lila Dalager.

Already up 6-2 through two, the Lumberjacks continued to pull away in the third with a pair of goals by Johnson sandwiched around a goal by Bergen Bakke.

“The score says one thing, but I don’t think we played all that bad,” Johnson said. “We had many opportunities to put the puck in the back of the net but were not successful. There were a lot of positive things we saw as a coaching staff and there were also some coachable/teachable moments for our girls.”

Thief River Falls bounced back in a big way with a 9-0 win over International Falls Saturday at the Bronco Arena in International Falls.

The final result was never in doubt as the Prowlers raced to a 6-0 lead over the course of the first 17 minutes. Dalager scored the first two goals of the game, with the first coming just 40 seconds into the contest.

Also scoring goals in the opening frame were Kali Knutson on the power play, Sawatzke, Dalager to complete the hat trick, and Sawatzke again to wrap up the period. Picking up first period assists for the Prowlers were Grace Knutson (2), Parker Olsonawski, Addison Lindgren, Marley Anderson (2), Sawatzke, Dalager, Miley Cota (2), Kali Knutson and Brynn Hennen.

The Prowlers stayed aggressive early in the second period and they produced two more goals off the stick of Dalager to give her five goals for the day and six through three games.

Picking up second period assists for the Prowlers were Addison Brateng (2), Anderson and Kali Knutson.

Rounding out the scoring for the Prowlers was a third period goal by grace Knutson, with an assist on the play by Rowan Kennett.

“Great start to the season,” Johnson said. “We are still young and learning, but are building off of the things we have learned and retained from last season. We have great team speed.”

The Prowlers hosted Detroit Lakes at Cardin-Hunt Arena in Red Lake Falls Tuesday night for their first home action of the 2024-25 season. Results from that game will appear in this weekend’s edition of the Northern Watch.

Scoring
1 2 3 T
Thief River Falls 0 2 0 2
Bemidji 1 5 3 9
First period – Bemidji, Bailey Rupp (even strength) (Naomi Johnson, Jacinda Lossing) 0:22.
Second period – Bemidji, Bailey Rupp (even strength) (Megan Berg, Mali McLean) 1:10; TRF, Kali Knutson (short handed) (Marley Anderson) 2:11; Bemidji, Bailey Rupp (power play) (Millie Knott, Megan Berg) 2:42; Bemidji, Naomi Johnson (even strength) (Emma Greiner, Mali McLean) 3:40; TRF, Marley Anderson (power play) (Alexis Sawatzke, Lila Dalager) 10:30; Bemidji, Emma Greiner (even strength) (Millie Knott) 14:39; Bemidji, Taylor Bjerke (even strength) (Megan Berg, Mali McLean) 15:58.
Third period – Bemidji, Naomi Johnson (power play) (Millie Knott, Megan Berg) 1:08; Bemidji, Bergen Bakke (even strength) (Ella Mae Swanberg, Bailey Rupp) 14:05; Bemidji, Naomi Johnson (even strength) (Megan Berg, Emma Greiner) 15:00.
Shots – TRF 4- 8-3 – 15; Bemidji 13-18-13 – 44.
Power plays – TRF 1/3; Bemidji 0/4.
Penalties – TRF 3 (6 minutes); Bemidji 3 (6 minutes).
Goalie saves – TRF, McKenna Carr 25; Faith Hartmann 10; Bemidji, Ava Myhre 13.

Scoring
1 2 3 T
Thief River Falls 6 2 1 9
International Falls 0 0 0 0
First period – TRF, Lila Dalager (Grace Knutson, Parker Olsonawski) 0:40; TRF, Lila Dalager (Addison Lindgren, Marley Anderson) 5:37; TRF, Kali Knutson (PP) (Alexis Sawatzke, Lila Dalager) 9:34; TRF, Alexis Sawatzke (Marley Anderson, Miley Cota) 13:11; TRF, Lila Dalager (Kali Knutson, Grace Knutson) 15:39; TRF, Alexis Swawatzke (Brynn Hennen, Miley Cota) 16:38.
Second period – TRF, Lila Dalager (Addison Brateng, Marley Anderson) 5:20; TRF, Lila Dalager (Kali Knutson, Addison Brateng) 5:37.
Third period – TRF, Grace Knutson (Rowan Kennett) 6:07.
Shots – TRF 24-28-12 – 64; International Falls 1-1-8 – 10.
Power plays – TRF 1/4; International Falls 0/5.
Penalties – TRF 5 (10 minutes); International Falls 4 (8 minutes).
Goalie saves – TRF, Faith Hartmann 10; International Falls, Mara Pelland 55.