A shortage of offense cost the Ely Timberwolves dearly last weekend.
The high school hockey team couldn’t hold on to a lead in the opening game and got shut out in the finale of a two-game southern swing.
Host Faribault rallied from a 2-0 deficit and edged the Timberwolves 3-2 in a Dec. 19 contest, while Austin blanked the Wolves 4-0 on Saturday.
Ely, which is now off for the holidays, fell to 2-5 for the season.
The trip got off to a promising start as senior Rhett Johnson got a power play goal five minutes into the opener at Faribault.
The Wolves peppered Faribault with 48 shots on goal, but only one more got past netminder CJ Callan.
That came early in the third period, when Sean Merriman’s shorthanded goal gave Ely a 2-0 edge.
But the margin didn’t hold up as Jack Rybyolt trimmed the lead in half, while Sebastian Timm got the equalizer with 4:50 to play.
That set the stage for overtime and David Wagner’s unassisted tally gave Faribault the comeback win.
Ely goalie Lewis Powell finished with 30 saves and Callan stopped 42 shots for Faribault.
Cooper Mayranen and Stig Majerus had assists for the Wolves.
On Saturday, Austin dominated but Powell kept it close, recording 45 saves.
Talan Hall of the Packers scored twice in the first seven minutes and the lead held up.
Hall completed the hat trick in the second frame and Logan Ruther-Wencl added one for insurance.
Austin outshot the Wolves 49-16 and the Wolves came up empty on all three power play chances.
The Packers’ Tait Johnson recorded the shutout with 16 saves, and both Ruther-Wencle and Naryk Rector had two assists.
Ely returns to the ice Jan. 3 with a home game against Lake of the Woods and a Jan. 6 showdown looms at unbeaten International Falls.
