For over 45 minutes, the score section of the scoreboard at the K.B. Willett Arena remained blank.

It did not even show a 'zero.'

The visiting Northland Pines Eagles changed that with 5:30 left, and then added an empty-netter late to battle to a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Point-Rapids Red Panthers Tuesday night in Sectional 2 semi-final action.

The best chance for the Red Panthers in the early going was when Nicole Hassig took a nice back-door pass from Rachel Metz but was knocked off the puck by a Pines defender before she could get a clear shot at an empty net with just under six minutes left in the first period. The hosts held a slight 6-4 shot edge, something that the Eagles would rectify in the last two periods.

The second period had Pines outshooting Point-Rapids by a 9-4 count.

The third period was marked by physical play early, with the home team having a rare 4-on-3 for 32 seconds. The two teams were a combined 0-for-5 on the power play in the game.

Midway through the stanza, Pines goalie Kim Van Brunt came to the forefront as she stopped three pretty good Red Panthers chances to preserve the scoreless tie.

The Red Panthers would not be so lucky on their end three minutes later.

While four players were playing a game of 'tangled twister' on top of Red Panthers goalie Emily Bubla, senior Whitney Richards buried an easy snipe from ten feet out that Bubla couldn't even see, much less move to stop as the guests took a 1-0 lead. The goal at the 11:30 mark earned helpers for Lauren Czarapata and Kelly McGinnis.

Bubla came out for an extra attacker with 1:18 left, but that move backfired as McGinnis scored an empty-netter with 14 ticks left on the clock. Ali Plese was given an assist on the play.

Pines outshot Point-Rapids 16-14 in a wild and wooly final stanza.

Van Brunt earned her fifth shutout of the year while making 24 saves in a very nice performance.

Bubla stopped 27 of 28 in the tightly-contested match for the Red Panthers.

Pines (14-7-2) moves on to the sectional final and will meet the Central Wisconsin Storm Friday night at SARA Park in Tomahawk. 

The Red Panthers end their season at 12-13.