PREP HOCKEY: Top-ranked Panthers tear through Spuds

Lakeville North puts on a show at the Holiday Classic, hangs 10 on Moorhead

ST LOUIS PARK - How many Division 1 recruits do they have? How many might they end up with? 

If Monday evening's 10-1 thrashing of Moorhead is any indication of the kind of talent Lakeville North is starting to develop, then why not take them all?

A couple of early miscues aside, North was able to showcase again how deep they are, and how well they all skate. Groups of scouts looked on with close attention to North's broad-framed and, talented defensemen broke out of the zone with ease, and pushed the puck ahead to forwards who use speed and creativity to thrive.

The No. 1-ranked team in the state made short work of a better-than-decent Moorhead (5-3-1) team in Monday's Sports Authority Holiday Classic in St. Louis Park, netting 10 goals on 33 shots.

Lakeville junior Taylor Schneider finished the game with four goals, and both Jack Poehling and Max Johnson finished with a pair of goals for the Panthers.

Nick Poehling, a 5-foot-10 senior leads the team with 13 goals, and his twin brother Jack has nine goals and 11 assists for a team-best 20 points in nine games. Both are St. Cloud State recruits, as is their younger brother Ryan, a sophomore.

Lakeville North improved its record to 9-0 heading into Tuesday night's game with Benilde-St. Margaret's (4-4-2) back in St. Louis Park at the Holiday Classic. 

Below are Lakeville North's current college commitments:

Ryan Edquist - Jr / G. - Minnesota; Jack McNeeley - Sr / D - UN-Omaha; Jack Sadek - Sr / D - Minnesota; Nick Poehling - Sr / F - St. Cloud State; Jack Poehling - Sr /  F - St. Cloud State, Ryan Poehling - So / F - St. Cloud State

- Drew Herron / Dec. 30, 2014

#mnhockey   #lakevillenorth  #moorheadspuds

Benilde-St. Margaret's regroups after bad first period to rally past No. 8-ranked Prior Lake 4-3

Red Knights score four unanswered to improve record to 4-4-1, Risteau records hat trick

ST LOUIS PARK - Prior Lake's first period effort had Benilde-St. Margeret's in a dangerous spot. 

The Lakers connected on three of their four shots in the opening period, and when the Red Knights made a change at goal at the start of the second period, a message was sent. 

Whatever was said during the intermission, it did not take long for BSM to put words into action.

In short time, a very fast group of Red Knight forwards would collectivley quicken its step.

Over the next 17 minutes, it had Prior Lake back on its heels and deep in its zone, as BSM peppered Lakers' goalie Drew Scites with 10 shots in the second period, and another nine in the third. In all, BSM outshot Prior Lake 23-18 over the three periods.  

Benilde-St. Margeret junior forward Zach Risteau would notch a hat trick over the second and third periods to drive the Red Knights past No. 8-ranked Prior Lake Monday in the opening game of the Sports Authority Holiday Classic at the St. Louis Park Rec Center.

Risteau netted his third, and the hat with 3:30 left in the third, providing the game-winning goal as well.

In net, senior Jalen Long replaced sophomore Ryan Bischel after the first period, and Long pretty much shut down Prior Lake's scoring production the rest of the way.

Prior Lake connected once on one of four powerplays, and BSM was 0-for-2 with the man advantage. The Lakers' three goals came in a flurry early on, with Tyler Bump breaking through at the 3-minute mark. Curtis Hansen and Hayden Maxfield both followed with goals over the next five minutes, and PL was in excellent shape after the first.

That confidence wore down as the game progressed, and the Lakers played a bit sloppy and out of sync in the second, and especially the third.

Tuesday's games match Prior Lake against Holy Family (5-4-2) in the 4:30 p.m. game back in the Holiday Classic, while BSM has top-ranked Lakeville North (9-0) in the 7 p.m. game.

-Drew Herron / Dec. 30, 2014

#mnhockey