Depth enables Red Knights to extend winning streak to 15 games
Four of five goals come from third, fourth lines.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. -- Third-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret's definitely has depth.
The Red Knights' third line combined for three goals and eight points and the fourth line also contributed a goal in a 5-2 win over Orono.
The third line of Brady Giertsen, Caleb Koskie and Ben Norris has scored 19 goals and 51 points on the season and they got things going early against Orono as Giertsen took a feed from Koskie, after carrying the puck deep in the Spartan zone, for a 1-0 lead just two minutes, 54 seconds into the game.
It was the fourth line which came through next as A.J. Pauly caught a pass in the slot from Gino Gatti, who had forced a turnover at the blue line, and had his first shot saved. However, he continued down the slot and banged in his own rebound for his fifth goal of the season.
BSM would take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission when Norris forced a turnover on the left-wing boards, which Giertsen picked up, skated to the net and threaded a pass to Koskie through the slot and his shot found the back of the net.
After outshooting Orono, 19-4, in the opening period, the Red Knights outshot the Spartans, 19-5, in the second period. However, the visitors got the only goal of the period when Bradley Walker's power-play shot from the outer edge of the left faceoff circle found it's way into the net.
Ben Norris assisted on all three of his linemates' goals.
Drew Stewart, the team's second-leading scorer, got onto the scoresheet when he finished off a passing play from Brady Yakesh to restore the three-goal lead, 4:30 into the final period.
Koskie got his second of the game and fifth of the season when Norris tipped a Ben Thompson shot from the right point. The puck fluttered up in the air and Koskie was waiting at the edge of the crease to bang it home when it came down.
Orono made has one last gasp, scoring with 44.9 seconds to play in the game.
For the fourth consecutive game, BSM recorded more than 50 shots on goal, holding a 51-12 advantage.
Brennan Chapman, making his first varsity appearance since Dec. 3, earned his second win of the season by stopping 10 of the 12 shots he faced.
The Red Knights will be home again, Saturday, when they face 19th-ranked Chaska in a game slated for a 7 p.m. faceoff.
Tag(s): News Team BSM Varsity
