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PREP BOYS HOCKEY: Tigers battle back in third period, force tie with LDC

Photo by Jake Przytarski Marshall’s Landon Frost controls the puck during their game against Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato on Saturday. The Tigers and Dragons tied 2-2 in overtime.

MARSHALL – They say strong goaltending is the ultimate equalizer in the sport of hockey, and in the case of Saturday’s home matchup with Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, the old adage rang true.

Providing a rock-solid presence in net to make 46 saves on 48 shots, Marshall Tigers goaltender Dominik Caspers was tested early and often, and continually rose to the challenge to keep his team in the game. The performance was pivotal, as the Tigers came back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime where the game would eventually end in a 2-2 tie.

For coach Michael Weiss, the effort from the junior netminder was one that he has come to expect given his dependability all season long.

“It’s his every day performance,” said Weiss. “He’s solid every night, and we know what we’re going to get out of him and he’s going to give us a chance to win every night.”

When the puck dropped and the action began the Dragons, who entered Saturday’s game in the midst of a two-game losing streak, made it abundantly clear that they had no intentions of making it three-straight as the ice was clearly tilted in their favor for the first 34 minutes of play.

Through two periods, the Tigers had been outshot 28-13 and trailed 2-0 on the scoreboard.

According to Weiss, the Tigers were unable to match the intensity of the Dragons in the opening two periods.

“I think in the first two periods we were kind of sleep walking through things, and they were on top of their game,” said Weiss. “They had a loss they didn’t want to take yesterday so we knew they were going to come in tough and they were tough to play against. We just weren’t ready to face that right off the bat.”

In need of a spark in the third period, the Tigers began to match the physicality shown by the Dragons, leading to multiple scoring chances and paving the way for the team’s first goal scored by Bryson Whyte for his 18th of the season with Mason Plante picking up the assist.

Given the Dragons size advantage, Weiss pointed to intimidation being a factor early on in not having an answer for their physical brand of hockey.

“I think early we were a little intimidated by it, but I think as the game went on our guys figured out that they just need to step up and answer, make some plays and be a little physical themselves and it helped create a few scoring chances in the third.”

With the complexion of the game changed and the crowd back into it, the Tigers went back to work with an extra spring in their step searching for the tying goal. Nearing the 12-minute mark, team captain Plante broke through with a beauty for his 36th goal and 70th point of the season to force the extra period.

In overtime, the Dragons spent nearly two minutes on the man-advantage following a late third period penalty that carried over. Standing tall in net, Caspers turned away all of their shots to kill the power play and the Tigers returned to full strength.

The two teams would go on to trade scoring chances into the final minute of play, but neither could capitalize as the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

Currently sitting at a record of 17-2-1 overall and 12-1 in the Big South Conference, the Tigers will look to avenge their only conference loss of the season on Saturday when they travel to LeSueur to take on the Minnesota River Bulldogs.

Down to only five games left on the regular season schedule, Weiss is hoping to see a playoff-like intensity from his club from here on out given the sectional seeding implications and desire for a conference championship.

“From here on out it has to be a playoff-like atmosphere,” said Weiss. “We have to bring the energy every night and come in wanting to take the game away from the other team.”

Marshall 2, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 2

LDC 1 1 0 0 – 2

Marshall 0 0 2 0 – 2

First Period

SCORING

LDC: Raisanen, 7:26 (power play) (Johnson).

PENALTIES

Marshall: Hoff, 6:41 (Too many men, 2 min).

LDC: Renson, 16:08 (Tripping, 2 min).

Second Period

SCORING

LDC: Pedersen, 11:24 (Raisanen).

PENALTIES

LDC: Evjen, 8:04 (Cross-checking, 2 min).

Marshall: Thordson (Cross-checking, 2 min).

Third Period

SCORING

Marshall: Whyte, 3:10 (Plante).

Marshall: Plante, 11:41 (Meyer).

PENALTIES

Marshall: Bladholm, 4:10 (Hooking, 2 min).

Marshall: Whyte, 16:45 (Too many men, 2 min).

Overtime

SCORING

No scoring.

PENALTIES

No penalties.

SHOTS ON GOAL: Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 48; Marshall 18.

SAVES: Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 16; Marshall 46.

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