ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston hockey team picked up a dominant 8-2 victory over St. Cloud State University Saturday, January 13 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Minnesota Crookston scored six goals in the second period. Minnesota Crookston was propelled by Fox Dodds (Jr., F, Watford City, N.D.) with two goals.
Minnesota Crookston improved to 17-3 (11-3 WCCHA) with Saturday's win. The Golden Eagles picked up a sweep of the Huskies. The Golden Eagles are on a 10-game win streak.
Dodds led Minnesota Crookston with two goals. Dodds has 30 points this season. Griffen Sonstegard (So., D, Baudette, Minn.) notched a goal and an assist. Logan Syrup (Jr., F, Park River, N.D.) tallied a goal and two assists. Nathan Ayotte (Fr., F, St. Jean Baptiste, Manitoba) had a goal and an assist. Jake Huska (Sr., D, Preeceville, Saskatchewan) notched a goal and an assist. Anthony Foster (Fr., F, Warroad, Minn.) finished with a goal and three assists. Foster leads the Golden Eagles with 37 points.
Jared Aamold (Jr., G, Breckenridge, Minn.) got the start in net for Minnesota Crookston. He allowed just two goals in the win for the U of M Crookston. Aamold finished with 32 saves.
Minnesota Crookston took a 1-0 lead late in the first period when Dodds found the back of the net off helpers from Foster, and Syrup.
The Golden Eagles extended their advantage to 2-0 at the 1:37 mark when Sonstegard scored off assists from Dalston Kelly (Fr., F, Park River, N.D.), and Dylan Neubauer (Sr., F, Grand Forks, N.D.). Minnesota Crookston pushed their lead to 3-0 at the 2:51 mark of the second when Dodds put one past the goalie off apples from Syrup and Huska. The U of M Crookston widened the gap to 4-0 at the 5:07 mark when Syrup found the back of the net off a helper from Foster.
The Huskies trimmed the deficit to 4-1 at the 9:36 mark of the second stanza when Eric Houle notched the tally off an apple from Colin Steinberg. The Golden Eagles responded with a goal from Ayotte, with assists from Thomas Fuller (Fr., F, Bloomington, Minn.), and Sonstegard, extending the advantage to 5-1.
St. Cloud State continued a high-scoring second period for both teams, as they cut the lead to 5-2 as Alex Rourk scored on assists from Carter Ashworth, and Brendan O'Shea. Minnesota Crookston responded with a goal at the 14:44 mark with a Huska tally off an assist from Tristan Morneault (Sr., F, Dieppe, New Brunswick). Minnesota Crookston rounded out the second period with their sixth goal of the stanza when Foster scored off assists from Zach Larson (Sr., D, Grand Forks, N.D.), and Syrup.
The Golden Eagles finished off the win with a third period goal from Kelly off an apple from Ayotte.
Justin Halvorson started in between the pipes for the Huskies, allowing seven goals and notching 40 saves. Chris Hekrdle played the final period in goal for St. Cloud State, allowing one goal with 12 saves.
Minnesota Crookston heads to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Friday, January 19 at 7 p.m., in Eau Claire, Wis.
