BROOKINGS – The Rangers saw their unblemished South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association record come to an end over the weekend as they went 1-1 – falling to undefeated Aberdeen, 6-2, on Sunday at the Odde Center after skating to an 8-6 win over Sioux Falls on Saturday at Larson Ice Center.
The Rangers, 12-1 on the season and second in the season standings with 24 points to the 13-0 Cougars’ 26 points, travel to Mitchell to face the Marlins this weekend as the puck drops at 8 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Mitchell Toshiba complex.
• Aberdeen 6, Rangers 2
The Cougars put up four goals in the first period to take control and then answered each Brookings’ goal with one of their own over the next two periods for the league win.
In the second period, Jordyn Peterson scored an unassisted short-handed goal 4 1/2 minutes in to get the Rangers on the scoreboard, but Aberdeen scored on a power-play chance late in the period to lead 5-1 heading into the third.
Klara Beinhorn lit the lamp midway through the final period off a Jadyn Peterson assist to make it 5-2 before Aberdeen scored a late goal for the final margin. The Cougars held a 40-26 edge in shots and converted 2-of-7 penalty-play opportunities as the Rangers came up empty on three power-play chances.
Marina Gerstner (33) and Jadyn Runge (1) combined for 34 saves in the loss.
• Rangers 8, Sioux Falls 6
Brookings scored two goals just 2 1/2 minutes into play for a quick lead as Bethany Rennich lit the lamp off an assist from Montana Myer before Beinhorn found the back of the net off Jordyn Peterson’s setup. The Flyers got on the scoreboard with 29 seconds left in the period to make it 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
The Rangers sandwiched a pair of goals around a Sioux Falls tally in the second period to lead 4-2 heading into the final frame. Beinhorn netted the puck off an assist from Jadyn Peterson and then Jordyn Peterson notched an unassisted goal with 2:32 left in the second.
The Flyers scored three straight goals in less than 6 1/2 minutes of the third to go up 5-4 before Brookings answered with three of its own for a 7-5 lead. Myer scored midway through the period off assists from Jordyn Peterson and Rennich before Beinhorn lit the lamp twice – the first from Jadyn Peterson and then an unassisted tally with 5:56 left. Sioux Falls scored with 1:26 to play before Beinhorn added an insurance goal as Brooke Piearson earned the assist for the final margin.
The Rangers held a 33-27 edge in shots as Runge collected 21 saves.
