scored four goals in the second period and held on in the third for a road win over Section 6AA rival Wayzata on Monday, 4-3.
The game was originally set for Jan. 5, but it was rescheduled in the wake of the injury to BSM sophomore Jack Jablonski. Jablonski was he took in a junior varsity game against Wayzata on Dec. 30. Coaches decided to postpone the Jan. 5 game after they deemed players weren't emotionally ready to return to the ice.
BSM head coach Ken Pauly said he didn't think that backdrop played much of a role in Monday's outcome.
"This was about two Section 6AA rivals playing," he said.
The Red Knights (No. 8 in Class AA) and Wayzata (No. 9) are certainly two of the better teams in the section, and they showed why on Monday night in Plymouth—especially during the second period. The teams combined for six goals in the frame, four of them belonging to BSM, giving the Red Knights a 4-3 lead entering the third.
That's when BSM and junior goalie Justin Quale—who replaced starter Anders Jecha after Jecha allowed two goals on nine shots—buckled down. The Red Knights blanked Wayzata in the third period, including during the final minute, when the Trojans pulled their goalie and had an extra skater on the ice.
Quale ended up stopping 13 of 14 shots in 25 minutes on the ice. Junior Grant Besse scored twice to pace the Red Knights, while Jack Glover and Christian Horn added a goal apiece.
BSM is now 16-5 on the season, but Pauly said this win might have carried a bit more weight than the 15 others, as it showed that the Red Knights can compete in a tough section that features four of the top-10 teams in the state.
"It was huge," Pauly said. "Truth is, I don't believe we could have afforded to lose this game."
For a complete recap, check out our live blog replay above.
