08 January 2014

Boys Hockey: Still unbeaten in the Missota

Tanner Grubb (17), Dallas Tucker (36) and Jack Erickson celebrate 1st goal (photo by Jim Lindquist)
Farmington (3-0-1) remained unbeaten in the Missota Conference with a 4-1 triumph over Northfield Tuesday night at Schmitz-Maki Arena.

The victory was the fifth straight for the Tigers who ran their unbeaten streak to six games. Coach Keith Revels' team is 10-3-1 overall.

Farmington took the game to the Raiders most of the night but after two periods the teams were knotted in a 1-1 tie.  Dallas Tucker netted the Tiger goal in the first period on assists from Tanner Grubb and Jack Erickson.

"Our persistence paid off," Revels said. "We worked hard and won races to loose pucks and got the puck to the net in bunches. The Northfield goalie played well and they congested the scoring zone with lots of bodies.

"Our boys stayed poised and did not get frustrated We kept after them and took over in the third period...We  would have like to have had a better conversion rate on scoring chances but the  pucks were not bouncing our way."

The winners outshot the Raiders for the game by a one-sided 48-11, including a 20-5 margin in the final period.

Chris Fitzgibbons scored 2 third period goals (photo by Jim Lindquist)
The newly formed line of Chris Fitzgibbons, Jake Trippel and Grady Hauswirth produced the first two goals of the decisive third period with Fitzgibbons doing the honors on both on assists from his linemates.

Austin Martinsen added an unassisted insurance goal with five minutes to play in regulation.

Gage Overby patrolled the Farmington nets and stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced in picking up his eighth win of the season.

"We played well considering it was such a strange week," Revels said. "We were off Saturday and Sunday and then had no practice on Monday because of the weather."

The Tigers take to the ice again Thursday when they travel to Victoria Arena to take on Chanhassen (5-8-1) in another Missota Conference contest. Next Tuesday they return home to battle league rival Chaska (6-4-2) at Schmitz-Maki.