BAUDETTE— A string of third period penalties proved costly here on Saturday as the Timberwolves gave up three straight short-handed goals to fall 6-2 to Lake of the Woods.
It was a tight contest through the first two periods. The Bears grabbed the lead late in the first period, but Ely’s senior forward Garrett Rohr lit the lamp at the 5:35 mark of the second—with an assist from Jayden Zemke— to knot the game at one. The Bears edged ahead with a goal later in the second, but Ely sophomore forward Owen Marolt evened it up to start the third, with an assist from Jace Huntbatch and Rhett Johnson.
Three minutes later, the Bears turned the tables with an even strength goal to take a 3-2 lead. From there, it was all downhill for Ely as the Wolves spent much of the rest of the period shorthanded. Jace Huntbatch and the Bears’ Braden Johnson spent two minutes each in the box at the 5:44 mark, but Hunter Halbakken joined Huntbatch at 7:09 on a slashing charge. Owen Marolt sat for two minutes at the 12:56 mark for cross-checking and Stig Majerus hit the box at 14:44 for cross-checking.
The Bears took full advantage, adding three power play goals to put the Wolves to bed.
It was a mismatch from the start as the Bears pounded Ely goalie Lewey Powell with 55 shots on goal to just 22 for Ely. The loss drops Ely’s record in the young season to 1-4.
The Wolves were set to host Greenway on Thursday and travel to Wadena on Saturday before hosting their annual holiday tournament, set for Dec. 26-28.