But Northland Pines unloaded a flurry late in the second period, scoring three times in the matter of 31 seconds, to defeat the RHS Boys Hockey Team 8-3 Thursday at the Eagle River Sports Arena. 

 

     Rhinelander made the move of putting junior Marcus Thorsen back in goal, trying to solidify the position for the playoffs. But moving him to goal meant forsaking a third line and some tired legs by the end of periods. 

 

“We were trying to live with two lines,” RHS Coach M.J. Laggis told HodagSports.com after the game. “The bottom line is we moved Marc Thorsen from off third line to our goaltender and that really leaves us with a lack of someone to play center on that line. We were trying to live with two lines and we were successful for about a period and 14 minutes.”

 

Pines was leading 3-2 when the flurry began at the 14:44 mark when Jay Shifra bounced a puck off of Thorsen back and in from behind the endline. 13 seconds later Austin Ramesh walked in off the faceoff and scored. He would do the same thing 18 seconds after that, part of a four-goal night for the Eagle sophomore.

 

“That one shift was just devastating,” said Laggis. “We didn't tie anyone up. We just let guys walk off the faceoff and that was really the dagger. I thought we were playing tough up to that point, but that definitely was the turning point.”

 

Pines scored on its first two shots of the game. Tyler Christensen scored 51 seconds in and Leif Offerdahl put one home at the 4:59 mark. But Rhinelander fought back. Kyle Loehr netted his second goal of the year as he hit a slapshot past a screened Jacob Stephan. Brandyn Dahlquist went top shelf for a goal to tie the game at two midway through the first. It was part of a two-goal, one-assist night for Dahlquist, who now has 13 goals and 16 helpers on the year. 

 

It stayed 2-2 until late in the first period when moments after a Pines' power play expiered, Ramesh ripped a straight on shot from the blue line and beat Thorsen through the five hole.

 

Thorsen hadn't played in goal since last February's playoff loss at Lakeland and only practiced as a goalie for the first time this season on Wednesday. He made 23 saves and faced 30 shots before being lifted after Pines' seventh goal 17 seconds into the third. Bryce Luebke, the starter prior to the move, played the rest of the way and stopped seven of eight shots. 

 

“He struggled early in the game, then he settled into the game,” Laggis said. “And then he had other moments, where as to be expected, he struggled to make the save. Where we're at right now., we're going to stick with this for the next couple of games and just see where we're at. We'll see what happens. He has a practice (Friday) and a test Saturday night against Waupaca.”

 

The Hodags round out the regular season at home against Waupaca on Saturday. 

 

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BOX SCORE: Rhinelander at Northland Pines – Thursday, February 10, 2011

 

RHS 2 0 1 – 3

NP 3 3 2 – 8

 

Scoring

 

1-0:51 NP – Tyler Christensen (Mike McDonald)

1-4:59 NP – Leif Offerdahl (McDonald, Chase Kresl)

1-7:51 R – Kyle Loehr (Brandyn Dahlquist)

1-8:34 R – B. Dahlquist (Joe Zuiker) 

1-15:55 NP – Austin Ramesh (unassisted)

2-14:44 NP – Jay Shifra (unassisted)

2-14:57 NP – Ramesh (Dylan Weber)

2-15:15 NP – Ramesh (Weber)

3-0:17 NP – Ramesh (unassisted) PP

3-2:15 R – B. Dahlquist (unassisted)

3-6:04 NP – Shifra (unassisted)

 

Shots on Goal: R 20 (4-9-7); NP 38 (14-15-9)

Saves: R – Marcus Thorsen 23, Bryce Luebke 7; NP – Jacob Stephan 17

Penalties-Minutes: R 7-14; NP 7-14

Power Plays: R 0-4; NP 1-5

 

Rhinelander (3-14-0, 3-10-0 GNC) vs. Waupaca, 2/12

Northland Pines (14-7-2, 9-3-2 GNC) vs. TBD, 2/17