ABERDEEN/BROOKINGS – The Rangers completed a 2-0 weekend with a third-period rally over Mitchell on Sunday at Larson Ice Center.
After beating the Cougars, 3-1, on Saturday, Brookings kept its undefeated record intact with a 6-3 win over the Marlins to stay on top of the SDAHA standings with 33 points and a 16-0-1-0 record.
Rushmore also has 33 points and has finished its regular season with a 16-1-1-0 mark.
Brookings closes the regular season at Huron on Friday in an 8 p.m. game against the All Stars.
Although the Rangers should have the top seed in the state tournament due to a head-to-head win over the Thunder, a win or tie at Huron will clinch the top seed.
• Rangers 6, Mitchell 3
The Marlins got on the scoreboard on Jesse Grosdidier’s short-handed goal six minutes into the contest before Brookings scored twice in a two-minute span to lead 2-1 after one. Trevor Kuechenmeister lit the lamp off an assist from Akren Prodoehl before Matt Chapin found the back of the net off Cody Niklason’s setup.
With 1:03 to play in the second period, Jake Jarman’s goal tied the game at 2-2 heading into the third.
It took the Marlins just 15 seconds of the final period to take the lead on a 5-3 power-play goal by Grosdidier.
But Brookings came back to even the game at 3-3 on Cody Niklason’s power-play goal with 8:44 left as Jordan Vlaminck and Prodoehl picked up the assists. Three minutes later, Niklason netted the puck for the 4-3 lead with Vlaminck and Prodoehl again getting the assists before Kullan Daikawa scored 27 seconds later off a Kuechenmeister helper. Prodoehl closed out the scoring with an unassisted goal with 4:17 on the clock.
“A lot of the guys’ heads were spinning; we were down by a goal and we needed to tie it up,” said Ranger head coach JaColby Anderson. “We called timeout to get ourselves asserted; to get guys in the right place at the right time – just had to remind the guys to do their jobs and work hard; be disciplined. We lacked discipline that second period and it just goes to show that any team in the state – especially, Mitchell, who could potentially be our first-round opponent in the state tournament – anybody can compete with us if we play ‘not-smart hockey.’”
Brookings held a 39-19 edge in shots as the Rangers converted 1-of-6 power-play chances while the Marlins went 1-for-7. Tristian Hokenson stopped 16 Mitchell shots for the win in goal.
• Rangers 3, Aberdeen 1
Brookings put up two goals in the first period and then added an insurance goal in the third after the Cougars got on the scoreboard.
Sean Sullivan netted the puck 5 1/2 minutes into the game off assists from Austin Lesnar and Kullan Daikawa, and then, Colton Kruse scored a short-handed goal with 13 seconds left in the period off a setup from Vlaminck.
After a scoreless second, Desmond Dean’s goal less than four minutes into the third cut the Rangers’ lead in half before Niklason lit the lamp with 9:15 to play off assists from Chapin and Alec Nielson for the two-goal win.
Brookings outshot the Cougars, 47-11, as Dylan Geraets finished with 10 saves in the win.
