Rangers drop season opener to Mitchell

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BROOKINGS – Despite a hat trick by Cody Niklason, which included two of the three power-play goals that the Rangers tallied, Brookings came up short in a 6-4 loss to Mitchell in South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association action on Sunday at Larson Ice Center.

The Marlins led 2-0 after a period before Niklason netted back-to-back power-play goals 70 seconds apart to tie the game at 2-2. The first was unassisted and Joel Syrstad set up the second.

Mitchell answered off the next faceoff to take back the lead, but Max Kjelden tied it back up at 3-3 with another power-play goal with 2 1/2 minutes left in the period off another Syrstad setup.

The Marlins lit the lamp 18 seconds later to take a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

Mitchell pushed its advantage to two goals less than two minutes into the final period before Niklason garnered his hat trick midway through the frame as Syrstad picked up a playmaker with his third assist.

With less than a minute remaining, the Rangers pulled their goalie with the power play on for a 6-4 advantage, but the Marlins were able to clear the puck and then were awarded a goal when the net was knocked off its standards intentionally, resulting in a delay of game penalty, along with the awarded goal.

Carter Schulz was saddled with the loss in goal after giving up six goals on 22 shots. Nathan Zimmerman earned the win with 37 saves on 41 Ranger attempts.

The Rangers travel to Watertown on Friday to take on the Lakers with an 8 p.m. drop.

MITCHELL 6, BROOKINGS 4

Mitchell 2  2  2    6

Brookings 0  3  1    4

First Period

Scoring: 1. Mitchell – Austin Kerr (Jake Jarman, Peyton Nash), 15:28. 2. Mitchell – Jake Jarman (Austin Kerr), 4:59. Penalties: M, Jake Jarman – Cross-checking, 9:19; M, Drew Kitchens – Cross-checking, 2:16.

Second Period

Scoring: 1. Brookings – Cody Niklason (unassisted), pp, 11:35. 2. Brookings – Cody Niklason (Joel Syrstad), pp, 10:25. 3. Mitchell – Nickolas Robinson (Drew Kitchens, Carter Stucky), 10:14. 3. Brookings – Max Kjelden (Joel Syrstad), pp, 2:30. 4. Mitchell – Jake Jarman (Austin Kerr, Peyton Nash). Penalties: M, Jace Grosdidier – Roughing, 12:32; M, Riley Everson – Tripping, 11:00; M, Kaden Jerke – Tripping, 8:30; M, Austin Kerr – Cross-checking, 6:49; M, Landon Huls – Slashing, 3:21.

Third Period

Scoring: 5. Mitchell – Jake Jarman (Landon Huls, Austin Kerr), 15:11. 4. Brookings – Cody Niklason (Joel Syrstad), 8:27. 6. Mitchell – Austin Kerr (unassisted), sh, 0:18. Penalties: B, Sean Sullivan – Tripping, 13:42; M, Derrick Goldammer – Slashing, 7:11; M, Eric Biggerstaff – Slashing, 3:13; M, Nickolas Robinson – Checking from behind, 0:34; B, Jamison Honkomp – Delay of game, 0:18; M, Nickolas Robinson – Checking from behind, (Game Misconduct), 0:00.

Power Plays – M 0-1; B 3-10. Shots – M, 8-6-8 – 22; B, 12-16-13 – 41. Saves – M, Nathan Zimmerman 37-of-41; B, Carter Schulz 16-of-22.