Northland Pines and Mosinee faced off yesterday, December 20, for a Great Northern Conference game in Mosinee. Pines carried a two game losing streak into the matchup with a 3-4 overall record.

The Eagles were missing both a forward and a defenseman from their lineup due to injuries at the start of the game. After minor adjustments to the lines and defenseman pairings, the Eagles were ready to take on the Indians, attempting to share the second place standing in the GNC.

Carson Cox of Northland Pines received back to back penalties for tripping and holding to start off the game. Mosinee’s Landon Stepan capitalized on the second power play opportunity and scored an unassisted goal to take the lead of the game.

Zeth Pyan added a second goal for Mosinee just 45 seconds later. Bryce Rheinschmidt and Zeth Pyan served the two Mosinee penalties in the first period.

Mosinee outshot Pines 11-7 in the first period. Pines’ senior goaltender Gabe Hartwig recorded 9 saves.

Nick Dean was sent to the Pines box for roughing less than 4 minutes into the 2nd period of the contest. Dean would later put Northland Pines on the board by slipping the puck past Mosinee goalie Zach Bednar right in front of the net.

The referees sent Colton Raymond to the box for tripping 34 seconds into the 3rd period. Mosinee used the power play to their advantage and Michael Alfonso, a former player of the Eagle River youth association, scored a goal with only 4 seconds left in Raymond’s penalty.

Just twenty seconds later the Eagles once again found themselves in the penalty box, this time Nick Dean for elbowing. Five seconds into the power play, Mosinee slipped their 4th goal of the night past Hartwig.

Coincidental roughing minors were assessed to Ryon Ritzer and William Sprink halfway through the last period of the game. Zeth Pyan recorded his 2nd goal of the night assisted by Bryce Rheinschmidt with 8:14 left on the clock, bringing the score to 5-1 in favor of Mosinee.

Bryce Graveen served an interference penalty for Mosinee a minute after the goal, followed by coincidental roughing minors against Jake Jantzen and Dylan Bednar. Pines closed out the game on a power play due to a Mosinee penalty for too many men on the ice but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

The Indians outshot the Eagles 34-20 with Colton Raymond leading the Eagles in shots. With this loss, Pines falls to 3-5 overall and sits at 3rd in the Great Northern Conference standings.

Northland Pines will travel to Rochester, Minnesota to participate in the Rochester Kiwanis and Home Federal Hockey Festival December 29-31 to defend their 2013 Championship title.

Pines and Mosinee will face off again January 23rd in the 20th Annual Pines Classic Tournament. Northland Pines will once again play host to Mosinee, Hayward, and USM.