The Point-Rapids Red Panthers came into Monday's contest in Tomahawk with slim Great Northern Conference title aspirations. They would need to win the next two games, while Northland Pines would have to lose each of their last two.

Scratch that idea.

The Hatchets played aggressively, playing within the rules while still playing a physical game and pulled a slight upset over the guests with a 3-2 win at SARA Park.

There was lots of action in the opening period, but little scoring. Each team failed on a power play opportunity before the visitors got on the board late in the stanza.

Megan Nolan took a pass at her spot on the left point and fired a shot that appeared to bounce off a defender's stick or take a hop on the ice, but in either case, the biscuit caromed past Tomahawk goalie Erin Sparks at the 14:29 mark. Katrina Hassig earned the assist on the play.

That's how the period ended, with the Red Panthers holding a slight 12-10 shot edge.

The second period saw a trio of goals scored, from early on until almost to the horn that ended the period.

Erika Vallier tied the game on a great piece of individual effort. She grabbed the puck near her blue line, roared down the right side, beating a pair of Red Panthers before skating in on Point-Rapids goalie Emily Bubla. Vallier made a deke to her backhand as Bubla tried for the poke-check, but the puck ramped off the goalie stick like Evel Knievel jumping over a dozen buses, ending in the net at 2:18.

A few minutes later, a pair of Tomahawk penalties gave Point-Rapids 34 seconds worth of 5-on-3, but they were unable to capitalize. After a Red Panther penalty created a 4-on-4 situation, freshman Bryar Brooks scored after a face-off to give the guests a 2-1 lead. The unassisted goal came at 7:42.