WAR — Northern Lakes Lightning Bantams The hockey team representing Minnesota Hockey District 15 has advanced to the state tournament to be held in Virginia from March 15-17.
The Lightning will play Cottage Grove on Friday, March 15 at 4 p.m. at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center.
The other six teams participating in the tournament are Warroad, Mankato, Mounds View/Irondale, Crockett/Esco/Carleton, Hopkins and St. Louis Park.
The Lightning faced Rockridge, International Falls, Moorhead, Roseau and Hibbing/Chisholm in the North Regional Tournament held March 1-3 at Gardens Arena in Warroad.
In the regional opener against Rock Ridge on Friday, March 1, the Lightning were trailing 2-0 after the first period.
In the second, the Lightning scored three points to advance the game.
Tyler Potter scored the first goal with an assist from Parker Fulton. Griffen Hanna scored without an assist and Josiah Reiner scored with an assist from Hanna to take the lead at halftime.
In the third period, the Lightning trailed 5-3. With time running out, they pulled the goalie, but were unable to contain Lockridge and scored the first net goal.
Rockridge added another goal with two seconds left to win 7-3.
The tournament was double elimination, so the Lightning were not finished.
On Saturday, March 2nd, the Lightning faced the International Falls Broncos. In this game, the Lightning took the lead with a goal from Landen Carty, with assists from Reiner and Potter.
With 4:42 left in the period, Huck Ballmer got a great tip from Colton Vree to put the Lightning up 2-0.
The Broncos were the only team to put the puck in the net during the second period.
Going into the third period, the Lightning held a narrow 2-1 lead. Potter then scored and the assist went to Vrai.
The Broncos scored again, cutting the gap to one point. Fulton scored to put the Lightning up 4-2, with assists from Potter and Vrai.
Potter scored the Lightning's fifth goal, with an assist from Fulton. The Lightning's winning goal was scored by Reiner, with the assist going to Hanna.
The Lightning defeated the Broncos 6-2 from the North Division. The Lightning outscored the Broncos 52-5.
That night, the Lightning faced District 15 rival Moorhead. The Lightning stormed out quickly and took a 3-0 lead in the first period.
Waylon Katterhagen scored the Lightning's first goal, with Carty assisting. Potter scored the second goal, with assists from Fulton and Vlai. Reiner scored the third goal with assists from Katterhagen and Carty.
The Lightning took a 4-0 lead in the second period when Reiner put the puck in the back of the net with assists from Cutterhagen and Kyler Rikara.
The Lightning played strong defense in the third period, winning 4-0 with goaltender Jeremy Betley getting the shutout.
Lighting outscored Spud 35-8.
With this win, the Lightning earned another day of tournament play, playing against the Rosea Rams on Sunday, March 3rd.
Fulton scored the Lightning's first goal, with the assist going to Potter. Then, 3 minutes and 18 seconds later, Fulton scored again, with Carty assisting.
The Rams were within one goal. Fulton scored his third goal of the season with assists from Rikara and Potter. Potter gave the Lightning a 4-1 lead with an assist from Fulton.
The Rams fought back in the second period to make the score 4-3. Then, 2 minutes and 16 seconds into the third period, the Rams tied the score at four points.
But Reiner scored 2 minutes and 24 seconds later, with Potter getting the assist. Bodi Niebakken added the Lightning's sixth point unassisted.
The Rams didn't get away easily and scored again to get within one point. Rikara scored unassisted and Vrai's Potter gave the Lightning an 8-5 lead, making it the final.
The Lightning outscored the Rams 33-23.
With this win, the Lightning entered a game against the Hibbing/Chisholm Blue Jackets at 4 p.m. that day, placing them in second place in the North Division and qualifying for the state tournament.
The Blue Jackets had lost to the Warlord Warriors in the first place game that morning.
Fulton got the Lightning going, scoring the first goal with assists from Reiner and Hanna. Liar's Carty then gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead, but the Blue Jackets cut the lead to one point just before intermission.
Potter then scored 14 seconds into the second period, with assists coming from Vlai and Niebakken. Then, 11 seconds later, the Blue Jackets scored, making the score 3-2.
Lightning then exploded. Fulton and Niebacken's Potter scored. Potter then scored his second goal of the period, with assists from Fulton and Vlai.
Potter completed his hat trick with assists from Wyatt Burville and Vrai. Reiner then scored with assists from Katterhagen and Carty.
The Lightning extended their lead on Fulton's goal. My assistants were Potter and Vry.
With 36 seconds left in the second period, the Lightning picked up an interference minor and just 17 seconds later received another penalty for slashing.
The period ended with the Lightning leading 7-2, but the Blue Jackets entered the third period with a two-man advantage. There is 1:24 remaining on the interference penalty and 1:41 remaining on the slashing penalty.
The Blue Jackets were unable to capitalize on the penalty. Rikara's Potter scored the only goal in the third period and the Lightning won 8-2, outscoring the Blue Jackets 34-11.
Other players on the Lightning team include Lucas Martin, who is battling a foot injury, Derek Berg and emergency goaltender Weston Sewal.
Steve Cook is the grandfather of Lightning Bantam A player Parker Fulton.
