歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� Briggs Knott didn鈥檛 play most of the first period.

The Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 boys hockey junior forward took a cross-checking penalty on an Alexandria player after a whistle 7:07 into the first period. His infraction earned him a spot in the penalty box.

Once his two minutes were up, he sat on the bench for the rest of the first period.

鈥淚t was a stupid penalty,鈥� Knott said. 鈥淎ny penalty after the whistle isn鈥檛 a good one. It hurts the team, and I was selfish for it. But you have to respond after something like that happens.鈥�

Sports have a funny way of presenting chances for retribution.

Lainie Hiller Photography

Knott served his sentence and returned to the ice in the middle frame. He paid off an odd-man rush with Joey Fankhanel and Dominic Arndt, scoring the go-ahead goal with 3:42 left in the second period.

鈥淚 knew I was going to get a chance,鈥� Knott said. 鈥淚 just had to make the most of it.鈥�

Knott later assisted on the eventual game-winner in the third period, aiding the Lumberjacks to a 3-2 win over Alexandria on Saturday at the Bemidji Community Arena.

鈥淲e talked about it between (the first and second) periods,鈥� BHS head coach Ben Kinne said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 put yourself above the team in that moment. That鈥檚 what he did. But you know what? He鈥檚 a resilient kid, and he can be coached pretty hard. I鈥檓 happy to have him on the team, and he showed up after that. He didn鈥檛 pout, he performed.鈥�

Bemidji (5-9-0) snapped its three-game losing streak on Saturday, and it started unconventionally.

Power plays haven鈥檛 been fruitful for the Lumberjacks or Cardinals (4-7-1) this season. BHS converted on just 9.25% of its 43 chances entering Saturday鈥檚 contest. Alexandria was even worse, capitalizing on 5.9% of its 34 chances, according to MN Boys鈥� Hockey Hub.

Benji O鈥橪eary got the BHS man-advantage unit going in the right direction. He ripped a shot from the high slot through traffic to give BHS a 1-0 lead with seven minutes left in the first period.

Lainie Hiller Photography

鈥淗e鈥檚 got a motor, and he can really forecheck,鈥� Kinne said of O鈥橪eary. 鈥淥n his power-play goal, it鈥檚 not always going to go how you draw it up. He鈥檚 wheeling around the top of the circle and gets a shot off. That鈥檚 a really good goal, and I鈥檓 happy for him.鈥�

Alexandria responded with the tying goal four minutes later. Jack Lamski fed a tape-to-tape pass to Gavin Olson through the neutral zone for a breakaway. Olson fended off a backchecker and scored with a five-hole beating backhand shot.

Knott gave the Jacks a 2-1 lead in the second period before assisting on Fankhanel鈥檚 shorthanded tally to make it 3-1.

鈥淛oey had a good chip out (of the defensive zone) to me, and I saw him get tripped up in the neutral zone,鈥� Knott said. 鈥淗e made a good effort to get back in the play. I sauced it over to him, and he made a beautiful shot. That was a big goal for us.鈥�

Gage Castle got one back for the Cardinals late in the third period on the power play. He took a shot from the blue line that found its way through traffic for Alexandria鈥檚 third power-play goal this season.

The Cardinals pushed for the tying goal over the last three minutes, but Knott drew a tripping penalty in the neutral zone with 1:20 left, capping a 180-degree turnaround from the start of his game.

鈥淓veryone has to do their part in those moments,鈥� Knott said. 鈥淵ou have to block shots. You have to chip picks out of the zone. You have to take hits to make plays. That鈥檚 all part of the game.鈥�

Saturday ended a stretch of six games in 10 days for the Jacks. They went 2-4 in those games with wins over St. Cloud and Alexandria.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e a well-coached team,鈥� Kinne said of the Cardinals. 鈥淚 thought they played hard, and they were physical. That was the most physical game we played all season. At the end of the day, that鈥檚 ice-bag hockey. You鈥檙e going to take hits, but that鈥檚 what it takes for us to win games.鈥�

Lainie Hiller Photography

Bemidji has a 12-day break before its next game against Detroit Lakes at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the BCA. Kinne hopes the extended time away from game action allows his players to recuperate after a physically demanding stretch of games.

鈥淲e鈥檙e probably not at 100% after this, right?鈥� Kinne said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been grinding, so I鈥檓 happy to see them get rewarded with a good effort and win the game. 鈥� The biggest thing is just continuing to get better. It doesn鈥檛 matter if we鈥檙e practicing or playing. We just have to get better and (keep) taking steps forward.鈥�

Bemidji 3, Alexandria 2

ALX 1 0 1 鈥� 2

BHS 1 1 1 鈥� 3

First period 鈥� BHS GOAL: O鈥橪eary (Neadeau, Stodgell) PP, 9:00; ALX GOAL: Olson (Lamski) 13:05.

Second period 鈥� BHS GOAL: Knott (Fankhanel, Arndt) 13:18.

Third period 鈥� BHS GOAL: Fankhanel (Knott) SH, 2:55; ALX GOAL: Castle (Lamski, Kompelien) PP, 13:56.

Saves 鈥� T. Metcalf (BHS) 23; B. Metcalf (ALX) 24.