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Powerful second period leads Fusion past Red Panthers

By Michael Trzinski, 12/28/12, 10:30PM CST

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Three St. Croix Valley power play goals the difference

After a scoreless first period, seventh-ranked St. Croix Valley Fusion kicked their game into gear--specifically the power play unit--and scored four goals in the next 17 minutes of play to lead them past a scrappy Point-Rapids Red Panthers team 4-2 Friday evening at Hartmeyer Ice Arena in Culvers Cup play.

The Fusion had two power play chances in the first but failed to convert, outshooting the Red Panthers 11-10 in the opening stanza.

The second period started innocently enough until the Fusion got on the board first nearly three minutes in.

Freshman Maddie Rowe got past the Red Panthers defense, made a deke, and slipped the puck high past the blocker of goalie Emily Bubla. Fusion goalie Kalli Armagost earned a helper with her pass to center ice that began the scoring chance.

Just under three minutes later while on the power play, Micha Bennett banged home a rebound to make it 2-0, with assists going to Sally Cranston and Tori Forseth at the 5:33 mark.

The next eight minutes was a penalty-filled stretch, with four penalties called (three on Point-Rapids, one on the Fusion) before the Fusion ended up on a 5-on-3 advantage.

As the two-player advantage was winding down, Cranston grabbed a loose puck on the low left side and punched it into the net, with assists to Rowe and Heather Shew to make it 3-0.

Twenty-two seconds later while still on the power play, Bennett knocked in a rebound from the left side to increase the lead to 4-0. Rowe and Cranston earned helpers.

The Fusion outshot the Red Panthers 17-8 in the period.

The final period began with Point-Rapids on the power play, courtesy of a Fusion penalty as the second period expired. Eighteen seconds later, a second Fusion penalty gave their foes a 5-on-3 chance.

After a Point-Rapids timeout, Amanda Milanowski got her team on the board when her shot through traffic from the high slot snuck past the left pad of Armagost to cut the lead to 4-1 at 1:31 of the third. Sarah Peplinski earned a helper on the play.

After a failed power play for the Fusion, they found themselves on the PK after taking a five-minute tripping major with 3:16 left.

A Red Panthers penalty made it a 4-on-4 until coach Rachael Graves pulled Bubla out for an extra attacker with 1:18 remaining.

Hannah Beilke scored with her shot from the top of the right circle that bounced off a Fusion defender and went over the shoulder of Armagost to make the final 4-2 with just under one minute left.

For the first time in the game, the Red Panthers held the shot edge, 17-9.

Armagost stopped 33 shots for the Fusion, as did Bubla for the Red Panthers.

The Fusion will take on Arrowhead at 1:00pm Saturday for the consolation title, while the Red Panthers play the Badger Thunder in the seventh-place game, which will be contested at 8:00am Saturday.

WiPH Game Summaries