Red Knights show off depth in rout of Zephyrs
Players from all four forward lines scored goals and the defense added two in victory over Mahtomedi.
STILLWATER, Minn. -- The defense corps scored twice and Benilde-St. Margaret's got goals from players on all four forward lines as the Class AA fourth-ranked Red Knights handed Class A, third-ranked Mahtomedi an 8-2 loss.
The depth of the Red Knights paid dividends early as the line of center Caleb Koskie along with wings Peter Giertsen and Ben Norris provided the lone of goal of the first period as Koskie banged home a rebound at the game's six minute, 25 second mart to put the visitors ahead.
The hosts opened the second period at 4:37 when Brent Gulenchyn forced a turnover in the BSM zone and, while his team was short handed, broke in on Mason McElroy before tying the game at 1-1.
From there, however, it was all BSM.
Just 75 seconds later Tristan Sarsland took a pass from Drew Stewart at the top of the slot, stepped up and ripped a shot over Ben Dardis' glove which popped the water bottle on the top of the net.
Less than two minutes later it was the line of Koskie, Giertsen and Norris combining for another goal.
Koskie broke into the zone with Norris on a 2-on-1 and deftly slid a backhand pass across the slot. Dardis moved with the puck but Norris shot it across the netminder's body into the left side of the net.
One of the team's most memorable goals came three minutes later when Brendan McMorrow and Mitchell Dokman battled along the left boards for the puck.
The duo kicked the puck loose out towards the blueline, where it was picked up by Gino Gatti coming off the bench.
Ben Norris helped set up the game's opening goal and score the eventual game-winner.
Gatti shot the puck in stride and, just three seconds after starting his shift, the puck was in the back of the net for his third goal of the season.
It took just 39 more seconds for BSM to turn the score into a four-goal lead as Brady Yakesh broke in from the right point and, after his first shot from the edge of the faceoff circle was stopped, he collected his own rebound and scored his sixth goal of the season.
The Red Knights would take a 6-1 lead into the final period when Brendan McMorrow passed the puck out of the left corner to Adam Marshall in the middle of the slot. From there, BSM's scoring lead ripped a shot to the low right corner of the net.
Mahtomedi scored just 70 seconds into the final period but Stewart and Marshall capped off the scoring with Marshall's goal ending Dardis' afternoon in goal.
BSM got points from 12 of 18 skaters and 17 of those 18 recorded at least one shot on goal as BSM held a commanding 62-14 advantage in shots.
McElroy collected the win after facing just 12 shots while Sam Schumacher came on in relief for the game's final 7:19, stopping both of the shots he faced.
The Red Knights are on the road again, Monday, as they return to Metro West Conference action at Waconia City Arena, where they will face Waconia in a game slated for a 7 p.m. start.
Tag(s): News Team BSM Varsity
