Lowell-Caledonia hits ‘Cats and back of net all night long.

Griff’s Ice House was the setting for Wednesday’s Tier 3 match-up between Lowell-Caledonia and Northview-Comstock Park-Sparta. It was a hard fought battle early on but the momentum quickly shifted and it was all downhill from there. NCS got on the board quickly with a goal by senior Tate Ferris 2:10 into the contest to put the Cats up 1-0. The early aggressiveness of the Cats gave them just the edge they needed against their more talented foe. That momentum seemed to be felt by NCS goalie Billy Russ as the sophomore came up with huge stop after huge stop to allow his team to cling to their slim lead. Those big saves wouldn’t last all night however and with 1:34 to play in the 1st period Ferris took a roughing penalty that gave LC the advantage they needed and senior Cam Steger found the back of the net to tie it all up with :41 till intermission.

Although NCS would grab the next lead at 2-1 after a mean slap-shot from the left point by Brandon Scherzer the balance had shifted and it was only a matter of time until LC would impose their will. A huge hit on Tyler Kippen in the corner would knock him out of the game and change the tone of this one the rest of the way. The intensity picked up and following an LC penalty kill Caledonia’s Jake Rossman would break out with a trailer from the box to tie this one up as he beat Russ on the short left side and we were knotted at 2 each. Just seconds later Kyle Jansens would give LC the lead for good at 3-2 and NCS looked battered after the pounding they were taking physically.

This one ended as fast as the 3rd period began. A cross check call was made on Colton Stevens of NCS as the second period ended and :13 into the final frame Scherzer was called for a hook giving LC a 5 on 3 for 1:47. 22 seconds into the 2 man advantage Trevor McCoy found the back of the net and made it 4-2. With the power play still in tact LC would put the exclamation point on this one :33 later as Collin Finkhouse set up Cam Steger for a marvelous one-timer to ice this one away at 5-2. That was pretty much it for NCS as they were totally deflated after the quick goals to start the third. The final horn would blow with the scoreboard reading 7-2 in favor of LC as Finkhouse and Jansens would add late goals against Russ.