9th goal of the season started 5-goal 3rd period
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Farmington used a five-goal third period to defeat Northfield 6-1 in a Missota Conference game played Friday, Jan. 7, at Schmitz-Maki Arena.
The game followed a season-long trend where the Tigers have broken open games with a final period goal explosion.
"We have a 26-9 scoring advantage in the third period this year," Tiger coach Keith Revels said. "They rode their first line early and we wore them down. We went with three lines and played physical hockey."
The win raised the Tigers season record above the .500 mark at 7-6 and evened their conference mark at 2-2. Last season Farmington won just two league games the entire season.
Zak Payne's first of two goals on a nice feed from Jake Sorenson late in the second period provided the only scoring through the first 34 minutes before Farmington broke things wide open in the third.
"Zak was the player of the game for us," Revels said. "He kept his cool and played as hard as we have ever seen him play. His goals were big but his defensive play and offensive pressure were just as key."
Andrew Peterson got the third period goal-fest going, scoring on a 2-on-1 breakout on a feed from linemate Tyler Grubb. Over the next eight-plus minutes, Grubb scored twice and Grant Hauswirth and Payne once apiece to put the game out of reach.
Northfield scored its only goal with 1:10 remaining to spoil Victor Simones' shutout bid.
Grubb, the team's leading scorer with 29 points, finished with a thee-point night with two goals and an assist. Payne (2 goals) and Hauswirth (goal, assist) each had two.
Simones, who had allowed 15 goals in his last two outings, returned to form, stopping 26 of 27 shots, including a third period penalty shot, to earn his sixth win of the season.
The Tigers return to action, Tuesday, Jan. 11, with a Missota Conference game at Chaska.
