Eagles ousted

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

ST. PETER -- The Eagles had more gas left in the tank, but the Northfield boys hockey team won the race in the first 15 minutes.

The third-seeded Raiders scored three goals in the first period Tuesday night, hanging on for a 3-2 win over No. 2 New Ulm High in Section 1-1A semifinal action at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Northfield will now face the Rochester Lourdes/Luverne winner Saturday, 1 p.m., at GAC for the section title and a trip to the 2001 State Hockey Tournament. The Eagles end their season with an 18-6 record.

"We made three flagrant errors in the first period ... simple things," coach Tom Macho commented. "Not taking the man or the puck, cross-ice passes in our own zone, things like that. They made us pay on all of them.

"From that point on, we did every thing we could. We pulled out every stop we could, but we just couldn't put it in the net."

The Raiders certainly could in the first period. Eagle goaltender Isaac Forstner made a number of good saves, but goals from Ty Closson at 2:16 and Matt Pillsbury at 8:38 put Northfield on top for good. The dagger came when Tim Tichich scored with just :22 left in the period for the all-important third goal. Macho inserted Gary Wurtzberger in goal after one period, and the junior netminder stopped all 10 shots he faced.

"You could question the goaltending decision," Macho said. "Isaac ... I don't know if he was ready or not, then we put Gary in and he did a nice job. We made some adjustments in between the first and second periods, and it was an altogether different hockey game from there."

The Eagles began to assert themselves right away in the second. Sophomore Chris Reinarts took a rebound and waited for Raider goalie Riley Gill to commit himself before backhanding the puck over Gill to cut the deficit to two goals just :32 into the frame. Corey Schnobrich was credited with an assist.

New Ulm would continue to buzz the net without any luck until Brandon Rolloff shoved a rebound past Gill at the 7:10 mark of the third. Brent Clyne got the assist, but Gill was up to the challenge from then on as his team was out-shot 16-4 in the final period. The sophomore goaltender ended with 31 saves on 33 shots.

"He really played well for them," Macho said of Gill. "He was up to the task every time -- every time we went at him, he was right there waiting."

New Ulm showed its conditioning throughout after playing a physical game Monday night against Mankato East/Loyola.

"I couldn't have asked for any more," Macho said. "These kids showed what kind of heart they have, right to the very end.

"It's always disappointing to see a season end. Going into that locker room right now is always the hardest."

NORTHFIELD 3 0 0--3

NEW ULM 0 1 1--2

FIRST PERIOD

N-Closson (Lunemann, Anfinson) 2:16; N-Pillsbury (Tichich, Tornio) 8:38; N-Tichich (Deden) 14:37.

SECOND PERIOD

NU-Reinarts (Schnobrich) :32.

THIRD PERIOD

NU-Rolloff (Clyne) 7:10.

Penalties: Northfield 2-for-7, New Ulm 5-for-10; Saves: Northfield (Gill) 7-9-15 -- 31, New Ulm (Forstner/Wurtzberger) 7/-6-4 -- 17.