Ely’s high school hockey team picked up one win in three tries this week, but the lone victory was a memorable one.
On Senior Night at the Ely Arena the Timberwolves were powered by seniors in a dramatic, 3-2 overtime win over section rival North Shore.
Senior Rhett Johnson’s goal five minutes into the extra session gave the hosts the Jan. 15 victory and some revenge for a one-goal loss to the Storm earlier in the year.
Fellow senior Jayden Zemke had the Wolves’ other two goals, and senior goaltender Lewis Powell recorded 21 saves as Ely picked up its fifth win of the season.
Ely, now 5-10, fell 4-3 to Lake of the Woods the following night, while section contender Proctor dominated in an 8-1 rout on Tuesday.
But on a night when the hockey program recognized its seniors - a group consisting of Johnson, Zemke, Powell, Hunter Halbakken, Ryland Sandy and Jesse Oelke - the Wolves pulled through with perhaps their biggest win of the season.
Ely needed to rally, trailing 1-0 after two frames but rebounding with back-to-back goals by Zemke in the third.
His first goal was assisted by Johnson and Marolt, and the second came on the power play with 8:07 to go, with Johnson and freshman Sawyer Hegman getting assists.
The Storm countered and tied it on Anders Hastings’ goal with four minutes to go.
But Ely, despite outshooting the Storm 17-7 in the period, couldn’t produce the game-winner.
It set the stage for overtime, and Johnson scored unassisted to send the home audience happy.
The Wolves had little gas left in the tank Jan. 16 at Baudette, and Lake of the Woods avenged a lopsided defeat earlier this month and squeaked out a one-goal win.
It was tied 2-2 entering the third, and Mizhadkwad Smit broke the deadlock three minutes into the period.
A nother Smit goal game on the power play with 1:53 to go, and though Halbakken sliced the lead in half in the final minute Ely could not get the equalizer.
Marolt and Johnson both had a goal and two assists for the Wolves, and junior Sean Merriman picked up two assists.
In goal, freshman Henry Fetterer picked up 30 saves while winning netminder Jonah McDougall of the host Bears stopped 35 pucks.
• The Wolves were no match for Proctor, which scored five first-period goals and racked up a whopping 54-7 edge in shots on goal.
Merriman had Ely’s only goal, with Halbakken and Stig Majerus getting assists on the first period tally.
Jax Hardy, who has Embarrass family ties, had four points including a goal for the Rails, and teammate Breckin Ross had the hat trick with four points.
Dylan Denzler and Gavin Davidson both had a goal and an assist for the winners and goaltender William Pocrnich had six saves.
Ely used both Powell and Fetterer in net and they combined for 46 saves.
• The Wolves are at Greenway Tuesday and their next home game will be at the Babbitt Arena, on Saturday, Jan. 31 (2 p.m.) against Wisconsin cooperative Burnett County.
