The Point-Rapids Red Panthers built a 4-1 lead through 35 minutes of play, and then held on for a 4-3 victory over Tomahawk on Friday the 13th at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point.

The hosts got on the board midway through the first period on a re-direct goal scored by Brianne Huettner. The goal at the 9:41 mark was assisted by Rachel Nolan and Amanda Milanowski.

The Red Panthers went up by a pair when they scored the dreaded 'last-minute goal' when Rachel Metz got the puck in the neutral zone, steamed up the ice and beat Tomahawk goalie Destiny Hanke on the blocker side with just 15 seconds left in the period to make it 2-0. The home team held a slight 10-8 shot edge in the stanza.

Early in the second, the guests cut the lead to 2-1 when Kacey Iwen scored from the slot on a breakaway when her shot glanced off the glove of Red Panthers goalie Emily Bubla. Kendall Nelson earned an assist on the play at 2:48.

Nearly nine minutes later, the hosts regained their two-goal lead when Sarah Peplinski scored on a nifty tip while camped on the backdoor. Makayla Lee and Milanowski each were credited with assists at the 11:40 mark.

The period ended with each team throwing 13 shots on net.

Point-Rapids tallied early in the final period to construct a 4-1 lead when Molly Kuckkahn took a pass from Peplinski and put the puck in the net just 1:09 into the period.

Then it would start to get really interesting.

Just over a minute later, Nelson flew down the right side and ripped a shot from the right circle that snuck between Bubla's arm and body, trickled down her leg and dropped into the net to cut the lead to 4-2. Iwen and Jessika Panzer earned helpers on the play at the 2:27 mark.

Iwen cut the lead to 4-3 at the 9:02 mark on her unassisted goal from the right side that found the back of the net.

One minute later, Tomahawk coach Pat Steffen called time-out to rally his troops, but neither team was able to score in a very exciting seven minutes of hockey that ended the game. The hosts held a 16-10 shot advantage in the period.

Bubla stopped 28 shots to earn her seventh win of the year, and on the other end Hanke played admirably while making 35 saves for the Hatchets in the battle of freshman netminders.

Things don't get any easier for the Red Panthers, as they host #4 Central WI Storm at the South Wood County Rec Center Thursday evening. The Hatchets will next take the ice tomorrow when they host the Webster co-op Blizzard.