Jimmies sunk by poor open to second in 2-1 loss to Minot
Jan. 23—The University of Jamestown hockey team were doomed by a slow start to the second period in a 2-1 loss to Minot State on Jan. 22 in 2022 Hockey Day. The Jimmies (10-9-6) are now 0-2-2 in their last four games. The Beavers (20-2-0) five games in a row.
Despite the cold temperatures the game was packed with rowdy Jimmies students, which made the game and surviving the elements a good time, Jason Richter said.
"It's a lot of fun out there," Richter said. "It's unfortunate about the loss but playing outdoors is always fun and there were a lot of fans out there. It is always good for the community. It's enjoyable but it's unfortunate we didn't come out with the results we wanted."
Midway through the first the Jimmies were threatening, with Jordan Popoff taking a shot from the point through traffic that was deflected away. Later in the period, the Jimmies' Greg Susinski was chasing a puck and flew into the net, causing a stoppage of play. With seven minutes to go in the opening period, the Jimmies' Gage Thompson got in on a breakaway but the goalie, Jake Anthony, kicked it into the corner. With 4:48 to go in the first period, the Jimmies finally broke through when Morgan Venne cleaned up a rebound to make it 1-0. With less than a minute to go in the opening period, the Jimmies' Reid Wilson found Jason Richter who fired one that just went wide of the cage to keep the game 1-0.
The Beavers won the second period faceoff and Connor Navrot kept a puck in their offensive zone before skating in and sniping one glove side past Jimmies goalie Tyson Brouwer to make it 1-1. The Beavers kept pushing as just a few minutes later, they came into the zone with speed and Navrot fired one right into Brouwer's chest. With 16:45 to go, the Jimmies almost regained the lead on the power play as Jake Huculak took a shot that found its way to Cole Haukaas who had the puck stolen off his stick before he could make it 2-1. With 15:17 to go in the second, the Beavers' Jordan Robertson backhanded a puck towards the net that found its way in to make it 2-1.
Jimmies head coach Dean Stork said that after the Beavers struggled in the first they dominated the second period against his team.
"They came out, they knew they sucked there in the first," Stork said. "Minot, they came out in the second period and took it to us pretty good. We just weren't ready to go in the second period. It was just elements, I don't know. We've been better in our starts, like in Vegas, awesome start, Grand Canyon, awesome start. For some reason there was just some gray areas in our starts, all three of them."
With 14:30 to go in the third period, the Beavers' Reid Arnold sent a puck glove side past Brouwer that rang the post and stayed out to keep it at a one goal game. The Beavers continued to keep the pressure on as with 13 minutes to go, Josh Peterson took a one timer from in tight that was robbed by Brouwer, as he went across his crease to keep his team in the game. Later in the period, the Jimmies' Jordon Kromm threw a puck on net and forced Anthony to make a glove save to keep his team in the lead.
Stork wants his team to work on their passing ability and their physical nature as they get into the final few weeks of the season.
"Probably transitioning deals that we are trying to do, just having a little bit more poise with the puck," Stork said. "I thought at times in the second period, we had some times in the o zone where we were strong and weren't giving the puck up. There is a whole combination of skating, sense, making that little play. We are not the most talented team so we have to keep it simple. We have to play to our strengths, keep it simple."
The Jimmies hit the ice again at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26, when they rematch Minot. The Beavers have a quick turn around at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24, when they face Williston State.
MSU 2, UJ 1
MSU: 0 2 0—2
UJ: 1 0 0—1
Scoring:
First period:
UJ: Morgan Venne, 15:12
Second period:
MSU: Connor Navrot, 0:12
MSU: Jordan Robertson, 4:43
Saves leaders:
MSU: Jake Anthony, 26
UJ: Tyson Brouwer, 33
Team shots:
MSU: 35
UJ: 27
