Park’s curious run of 5-4 games continued and not in a good way as the host Wolfpack dropped a tough 5-4 decision Saturday afternoon to visiting Forest Lake.

It was the third 5-4 game in four outings for the Wolfpack, a 5-4 win over Woodbury on Jan. 7 and then 5-4 losses at Cretin-Derham Hall on Jan. 10 and Saturday’s 5-4 loss to Forest Lake.

It was also Park’s fourth loss in five games and left the Wolfpack at 4-6 in the Suburban East Conference and 8-9-1 on the season. Forest Lake evened its SEC record at 5-5 and went to 11-7 overall.

Forest Lake jumped out to a 3-0 lead against the Wolfpack with two goals in the first period and another to start the third. Park then fought back with goals by Emmett Opichka and Nick Bailey to close to 3-2 entering the third period.

Forest Lake went up 4-2 but Park’s Bailey and Gavin Sand scored with a minute of each other to tie the game at 4-all, Sand’s goal coming at the 9:50 mark.

The Rangers then won it on an even strength goal by Elliot Schaefer at 11:44 in the third.

Park goalie Ryan Janaszak stopped 17 of 22 shots. Park had 26 shots on goal, scoring 22.

Brady Siemer had three assists to lead Park. Luke Dahlstrom, Logan Bachand, Sand and Bailey had single assists for the Wolfpack.

Park plays at White Bear Lake (8-7-1, 6-3) Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. start.

East Ridge 5, Park 1

This is a story of falling far behind a heated rival quickly. But unlike the 5-4 overtime win against Woodbury, this one did not end well for the Park Wolfpack.

Where Park caught and eventually passed the Royals in a game on , the host East Ridge Raptors dominated the action Wednesday in a 5-1 win.

“We started out slow, things just didn’t go our way to get the game beginning, right,” said Park head coach Jeff Corkish. “And then you start to question what you do and that is sometimes what happens when you play sports. These guys put themselves on the line every day. And today was one of those days when it didn’t go our way and just don’t have it, you don’t feel as a group, and you just squeeze the stick a little too much and you’re struggling and you’re trying your heart out to do it right, but things just wouldn’t click. And that’s hockey. That’s sport. That’s just what happens when you come out and put yourself on the line.

“If sports were easy every single day there wouldn’t be a whole lot to it,” Corkish continued. “But this is what these guys learn, is they learn how to handle emotions. They learn how to handle disappointment, and they learn how to handle embarrassment and that is why sports is so great. So, you lose one game, flush it, come back the next day and then you’re focused on Saturday and Forest Lake. That’s all you can do and that’s why sports are great.”

East Ridge had lost eight straight games to the Wolfpack coming in but led from start to finish Wednesday. The Raptors led 3-0 after one period, 4-1 after two and then shut out the Wolfpack in the third.

Park’s only goal came midway through the second on an even-strength score by Nick Bailey..

East Ridge outshot the Wolfpack 25-14.
Park slipped to 4-5 in the Suburban East Conference and 8-8-1 on the season. East Ridge ran its record to 4-4 in the conference and 7-9 overall.