Hockey: Alexandria Blizzard hand Granite City their first regulation loss of the season – Alexandria Echo Press

ALEXANDRIA — The Alexandria Blizzard handed the defending NA3HL West Division champions Granite Metropolis Lumberjacks their first regulation lack of the 2022-23 season on Saturday at Runestone Neighborhood Heart with an all-around effort.

“They’re the very best group within the league, so it is good to return in and get a fairly well-rounded efficiency for probably the most half,” Blizzard assistant coach Jon Crouse mentioned. “There have been lots of people within the constructing for the army appreciation night time, so it was good to placed on a great present for these guys.”

Heading into Saturday’s recreation, Granite Metropolis’s solely loss was a 4-3 shootout loss to the Mason Metropolis Toros on October 14.

The win ends a 17-game dropping streak the Blizzard had in opposition to the Lumberjacks. The Blizzard’s final victory in opposition to the Lumberjacks got here on January 31, 2021.

The Blizzard (9-4-1) received the sport 4-1 and was led on offense by Ashton Collings who had two objectives and two assists on the night time.

“We simply had loads of chemistry there,” Collings mentioned. “We simply began transferring the puck and issues labored out for us.”

The Williston, North Dakota native scored his first purpose of the night time halfway via the second interval and his second close to the tip of the interval. These two objectives had been the final objectives of the sport.

“We put two guys on the underside, one man on the highest and the center was open, so we went there,” Collings mentioned.

Collings entered the night time with only one different purpose of the yr, which led to a 10-2 win over Willmar on October 15. Collings has eight assists this season, which is tied for second on the group with Charlie Larsen. , Justin Wasvick and Ryan Hadland.

Collings has been notably efficient for Blizzard at house as he has scored in 4 of 5 house video games and 10 of his 11 factors have are available in these video games.

This season is Collings’ first with the group.

“I simply need to get higher and have enjoyable with these guys,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means been a part of a group like this. I am having a great time. I hope I can develop as a participant and individually with these guys.

Heading into Saturday’s recreation, Granite Metropolis had a 2.2 goals-against common.

Together with Collings, Joe Gronholz had an enormous night time for the Blizzard.

“I assumed that line was buzzing all night time,” Crouse mentioned. “They’d some actually good possibilities early on and that was the one line that scored for us. Ashton’s two photographs had been excellent, I do not know which goalkeeper might have stopped them.

Gronholz, from Alexandria, scored 4 minutes into the sport to present Alexandria a 1-0 lead and he additionally had two assists later within the night.

“He did loads of little issues that possibly folks did not discover,” Crouse mentioned. “Being the primary forechecker, he stole a bunch of pucks from their guys and created turnovers that gave us scoring alternatives. He was very dedicated. It is good coming from a hometown child, it provides followers one thing to acknowledge and cheer for extra.

Gronholz is second within the Blizzard with 18 factors (9 objectives and 9 assists). Cole Klingbeil leads the group in factors with 19 (12 objectives and seven seven assists).

The opposite Blizzard purpose of the night time got here from Ethan Moerke with 5 and a half minutes remaining within the first quarter, which gave the Blizzard a 2-0 lead going into the second quarter.

Kyle Abrahamson took the win in internet for the Blizzard with 32 saves.

“He is been a bit off in his final two begins, however he is had a very good week of coaching, he is form of gotten again to his regular self and it confirmed,” Crouse mentioned. “You possibly can inform he is fairly calm when he makes saves that are not straightforward, that look straightforward. We gave up, I believe, three breakaways and he stopped two; that is all you may actually ask for. He made some big saves in entrance of the online. The fellows belief him sufficient and that makes the sport a bit simpler.

Granite Metropolis’s solely purpose got here simply over a minute into the second half (Jacob McPartland). Granite Metropolis completed with a slight benefit within the penalty shootout, 33-32.

Abrahamson and the Blizzard protection held off a lumberjack group that entered Saturday’s recreation averaging 5.61 objectives per recreation, down from only one.

Abrahamson, a local of Cloquet, is 4-2-1 in purpose for the Blizzard and has a 2.39 goals-against common this season.

Wyatt Johnson, Matt Scribner and Moerke additionally had assists within the Blizzard win.

The Blizzard misplaced their season opener on the street to the Lumberjacks, 5-3, on Sept. 23 in Sauk Rapids.

Alexandria and Granite Metropolis met within the 2022 Fraser Cup qualifiers, when Granite Metropolis swept Alexandria 2-0 within the Western Division semi-final en path to qualifying for the cup championship.

The Blizzard is tied for second (19 factors) within the division with the Toros (9-8-1). The Lumberjacks lead the division with 35 factors.

“We’re suing Granite Metropolis,” Crouse mentioned. “Good to take some factors from them right here.”

The Blizzard have performed 4 fewer common season video games than the Toros and Lumberjacks this season (48 common season video games whole).

The Blizzard is again at house on Wednesday, November 23 for a recreation in opposition to the Willmar WarHawks (5-9). The Blizzard received the primary two video games in opposition to the WarHawks this season, however the WarHawks received the final assembly on November 4, 5-2.

“We have now a brief week and it is good to get a win, however we simply need to take pleasure in it for an hour or two after which transfer on to the following one,” Crouse mentioned. “You must maintain enterprise at house. It is going to simply be as much as us right here to refocus. Final time we performed them there, they beat us, so we’re in search of a little bit of a rebound.

The Blizzard are 4-1 at house to this point this season. The puck drop for Wednesday’s recreation is at 7:10 p.m. The Blizzard is averaging 4 and a half objectives per recreation and has a 2.71 goals-against common.