For the second time in as many Tuesdays, Ely’s high school hockey had the misfortune of facing the potent International Falls Broncos.
This week’s matchup turned out much like the last, with International Falls scoring a 6-0 victory at the Ely Arena and outshooting the Wolves 51-10.
And while Ely (4-8) never got on the scoreboard, the hosts tripled their shots on goal in comparison to a Jan. 6 contest on the border, and senior goaltender Lewis Powell turned away 45 of the 51 shots he faced.
Those were the highlights for Ely as it was outgunned by a Broncos team that is now 11-1-2 for the winter.
Brodie Baldwin got the visitors on the board five minutes into the contest, and International Falls would score twice more - the last a power play tally by Anthony Yerxa - to make it 3-0 after one frame.
Bauer Lindvall’s second- period goal made it 4-0, and Baldwin and Carter Thompson scored in the final stanza to close things out.
Goaltender Kane Thompson made 10 saves to record the shutout, and Carter Thompson had two goals and two assists for a four-point night.
• Ely opened a two-game weekend road swing Jan. 9, scoring a 6-3 victory at Wadena-Deer Creek.
A four-goal second period was the difference and Ely erased an early 1-0 lead by the Wolverines.
Owen Marolt’s goal midway through the second period tied the contest at two, while goals by Rhett Johnson and Sean Merriman - both on the power play after a five-minute major penalty issued against the Wolverines - put the Wolves on top 4-2.
Goals by Lucas Stalboerger and Marolt closed things out in the third.
Jayden Zemke had two assists for the Wolves, while both Hunter Halbakken and Sawyer Hegman added assists.
Cooper Mayranen scored a first-period goal for the Wolves as well.
Between the pipes, freshman Henry Fetterer notched 38 saves and recorded his first high school victory.
• The following day, Bagley completed a regular season sweep over the Wolves and did so in easy fashion, cruising to an 8-1 victory.
Goals by Isaac Decoteau, James Palmer and Reid Gerbracht all within the first four minutes of play put the Flyers on top early.
Ely’s only goal came by Merriman with 27 seconds left in the second period, but by then the Wolves trailed by seven.
Palmer finished with two goals and an assist for the winners, and Decoteau had a three-point day as well.
Logan Dillich had two assists, both Reid and Wyatt Gerbracht had two-point days, and goalies Brookston Hildebrandt and Forrest Bates combined for 13 saves.
Powell notched 33 saves for the Wolves.
• The Wolves are on the road this week, with a Tuesday contest at Proctor followed by a weekend road trip to Siren and Spooner, WI.
