MINNESOTA SECTION 8A SEMI-FINAL: TRF Gets Hat Trick From Kent Peterson En Route To 6-1 Barrage Over Bemidji; Advance To Section 8A Title Tilt

The favorites will meet for the Section 8A boys hockey title. Kent Peterson scored three goals and added two assists to lead second-seeded Thief River Falls to a 6-1 victory against Bemidji in a semifinal game Monday.

By: Herald Staff Report, Grand Forks Herald

WARROAD, Minn. - The favorites will meet for the Section 8A boys hockey title.

Kent Peterson scored three goals and added two assists to lead second-seeded Thief River Falls to a 6-1 victory against Bemidji in a semifinal game Monday.

The victory lifts the Prowlers into Thursday’s 7 p.m. title game against top-seeded Warroad.
Peterson scored at 3 minutes, 52 seconds of the first period on a rebound of a Lucas Dillon shot to give the Prowlers a quick lead against the Lumberjacks.

“Getting that first goal was a big one for us,” Thief River Falls coach Tim Bergland said.

Dillon then scored at 12:21 and Peterson again at 15:13 to make it 3-0 after one.

“We came out with a lot of energy, more so than in the first (quarterfinal) game against Park Rapids,” Bergland said. “I thought the kids played well all over the ice.”

After Bemidji’s Jesse Nemgar made it 3-1 at 9:28 of the second, Derek Kayser restored Thief River Falls’ three-goal lead with a goal at 13:01 of the period.

Jacob Malwitz and Peterson scored third-period goals for the final margin.

“He was attacking the net,” Bergland said of Peterson. “He was aggressive. He’s a big kid and he skates hard and, when he does that, he’s successful.”

Prowlers goalie Zane Gothberg had 22 saves.

Thief River Falls (21-4-2) defeated Bemidji 2-1 and 3-1 during the regular season.

Now the Prowlers will try to slow down 25-2 Warroad, which has won 10 straight. Thief River Falls has is 11-0-1 in its last 12 games.

Warroad defeated the Prowlers 3-1 and 5-1 during the regular season.

“They have a nice team,” Bergland said of the Warriors. “They move the puck and are physical. They have kids who can score.

“We know we’re up against a good team.”

Thief River Falls 6, Bemidji 1

TRF: Kent Peterson Hat Trick, 2 assists, Lucas Dillon 1 goal (gw), 1 assist
TRF: Derek Kayser & Jacob Malwitz 1 goal each
B: Jesse Nemgar 1 goal
TRF: Zane Gothberg 22 Saves