Woodbury boys hockey: Royals fall to Forest Lake, Mounds View

Woodbury had its first Suburban East Conference victory within reach Saturday, Jan. 6, but a tough third period foiled its hopes.

The Royals dropped to 5-6-2 overall and 0-5-2 in the SEC after Saturday’s 3-2 home loss to Mounds View.

The defeat was Woodbury’s second of the week after falling 7-2 on Thursday, Jan. 3, in a home game against Forest Lake.

In the Mounds View game, the Mustangs were first to score, with a goal 30 seconds into the first period.

Down 1-0 entering the second period, Woodbury capitalized on the power play opportunity at 7:59 when senior forward Ryan Winter scored. Geno DeMike and Mark Dornfeld assisted on the game-tying goal.

About three minutes later in the second period, sophomore defenseman Hayden Shaw made it a 2-1 game with a goal that was assisted by DeMike and Winter.

The third period, however, belonged to Mounds View. The Mustangs scored the tying and go-ahead goals in the final frame.

Senior goaltender Connor Kwiatkowski stopped 30 of 33 shots in the game. Woodbury managed 41 shots on goal against the Mustangs.

Against Forest Lake, Woodbury watched a 2-2 first-period tie get out of control in the following two frames. Forest Lake scored three goals in the second period and two in the third.

Freshman forward Sasha Choporov and senior forward Evan Roepke scored for the Royals against the Rangers.

Kwiatkowski took the loss after stopping 27 of 33 shots on goal, while sophomore goaltender Austin Macalus logged almost six minutes in goal, where he stopped three of four shots faced.

Royals put 23 shots on goal in the game.

Woodbury goes back in search of an SEC win in the first of two consecutive rivalry games – the first against on Thursday, Jan. 10, at East Ridge. On Saturday, Jan. 12, Woodbury squares off against intra-district rival Park at home.

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