Hill-Murray Pioneer Hockey: Game 2006-12-02

First Period
HM, Nick Larson (Tyler Zepeda, Dan Cecka), 11:33 (pp).
HM, Dan Cecka (Tony Danna, Nick Larson), 13:39.

Second Period
HM, Ryan Furne (Tony Danna), 11:17.
HM, Nick Larson (Tony Danna, Tyler Zepeda), 15:26 (pp).

Third Period
HM, Ed LeTourneau (Jake Lechner, Monte French), 6:56.
J, Joe Burkhart (Brad Dushaw, Andrew Ellis), 8:50.
J, Sam Soika, 11:10.

Shots by period
Hill-Murray	8	13	12	-	33
St. Paul Johnson	2	5	6	-	13

Goalies Minutes GA Saves Result
HM - Joe Phillippi 51 2 11 W
J - Joe Benert 51 5 28 L

Power Plays Goals Attempts Time
Hill-Murray 2 7
St. Paul Johnson 0 4

Hill-Murray scored the first five goals and opened their season with a 5-2 win at Aldrich Arena. Nick Larson scored twice, Tony Danna had three assists, and Joe Phillippi got the win in goal.

The Pioneers' starting line had a dominant first shift but couldn't score until a power play later in the first period. Nick Larson, last season's leading goal scorer, fittingly scored the first goal of this season. He received a pass from Tyler Zepeda in the slot and fired the puck over Johnson goalie Joe Benert's left shoulder.

Two minutes later, Dan Cecka put in a rebound of Tony Danna's shot from the point to make it 2-0.

Joe Phillippi wasn't tested at all in the first period, but made several good saves in the second before Ryan Furne gave Hill-Murray a 3-0 lead. He streaked up the left side and took a wrist shot from the top of the circle that again beat Benert high on the glove side.

Larson drew a penalty late in the period and scored his second goal on the ensuing power play on a long shot through traffic that made it 4-0.

Ed Letourneau scored Hill-Murray's only goal of the third period, batting his own rebound out of midair just as a Johnson penalty expired.

Hill-Murray had controlled the game to that point but Johnson dominated the final nine minutes, scoring twice. Joe Burkhart scored on a wrist shot from the right wing circle and Sam Soika scored on a breakaway to make the final 5-2.