The Point-Rapids Red Panthers traveled to Eagle River Monday hoping to secure their first-ever Great Northern Conference title.

The team that plays in 'The Dome' had other plans.

After spotting the guests a goal in the first period, the Northland Pines Eagles came back with two goals in the period and one each in the last two for a decisive 4-1 win that kept the Eagles conference title hopes alive.

Midway through the period, the Red Panthers got on the board first thanks to great hustle by senior captain Makayla Lee and a fortuitous bounce.

Lee outraced a Pines defender down the right wing and secured the puck in the right corner before throwing a tough-angle shot on net, where Pines goalie Kim Van Brunt made the save but was unable to capture the rebound. The puck either bounced off the skate of Sarah Peplinski or she banged it back in for the goal, coming at 9:44 of the first.

Point-Rapids would get whistled for too many players on the ice two minutes later and the home team would make them pay just 34 seconds into the power play.

Kelly McGinnis knocked in a rebound, with the assist to Ali Plese at the 12:26 mark to tie the game at one.

Just 24 seconds later, Emily Saltenberger found a loose puck to the right of Red Panthers goalie Emily Bubla and quickly snapped it into the net to make it 2-1 in favor of the home girls. Sydney Moustakis was given an assist on the play.

The home team held a 13-10 shot edge in the period.

The second period would be scoreless until just over one minute left. McGinnis intercepted an errant pass and skated down the right side before her shot from the right dot snuck through the seven-hole to make it 3-1 at the 15:30 mark for the unassisted goal. 

Pines outshot the visitors 10-7 in the period.

The Eagles would take a penalty in the early going, but found it to their liking as they scored a short-hander less than a minute into the penalty.

Winter Nielsen picked off a misguided pass and her shot from the right circle found the back of the net to account for the final score.

The Red Panthers almost got one back with just over two minutes left when Lee snapped a quick shot from the blue line that surprised Van Brunt, sneaking under the goalie's pads. The puck died just before it crossed the goal line and the alert netminder swept the puck harmlessly into the corner.

After another Pines penalty with 1:19 left, Red Panthers coach Hayli Hupp pulled Bubla to create a 6-on-4 situation, but the Eagles defense kept the puck out of the net to earn a three-goal victory on Senior Night in Eagle River.

Pines seniors recognized during intermission were Whitney Richards, McGinnis, Plese, and Van Brunt.

Shots were once again 10-7 in favor of the home team.

Van Brunt stopped 23 shots in the win, while Bubla kept 29 pucks out of the net for Point-Rapids.

The Red Panthers (10-12, 9-2 GNC) can win the GNC title with a win on Friday in Tomahawk, or can earn part of the crown with a tie against the Hatchets. The Eagles (11-7-1, 8-2-1 GNC) travel to face the Northern Edge on Friday. A win could give them a share of the GNC title.