Park coaches and players saw the game-tying goal headed for the net late in the third period, but it was not to be as visiting East Ridge escaped with a hard-fought 3-2 win in boy’s hockey Thursday.

“I thought for the most part, outside of a few minutes in the first period, we played hard, we competed,” said Park coach Jay Moser. “We did everything that we could to try to win a hockey game. I thought we were going to get it late but that’s the breaks. You don’t always score when you need to score and sometimes you give up goals that you shouldn’t.”

East Ridge started strong at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena and skated to a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Jack McVey and Jackson Knutsen.

Park senior Colin Jungwirth scored on even-strength shot with an assist to Dalton Anderson to make it a 2-1 game just 20 seconds into the second period.

East Ridge then went up 3-1 with a score by Caden Nienow at the 3:29 mark of the second.

Wolfpack senior Spencer Voss scored his first career goal to bring Park back to within one goal with an unassisted tally at 6:41 in the third.

“That’s great to see,” said Moser. “He’s a fantastic kid, he works harder than anyone, doesn’t get a ton of playing time and it was great to see him get rewarded for all his hard work.”

And the Wolfpack had their chances to knot the game at 3-all in the final minutes but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Park pulled its goalie for the final two minutes for an offensive advantage but the Raptors were able to turn the Wolfpack away.

“Right towards the end there, Sam Janski had a shot from the top of the circle and from our angle it looked like it was going in,” said Moser. “It is what it is and we’ll move on and compete on Saturday.”

East Ridge nearly doubled the shots on goal against Park, sending 33 shots at the net to just 18 for the Wolfpack.

Park slipped to 2-6 on the season and sits seventh in the Suburban East Conference.

East Ridge improved to 4-5.

Park plays another rivalry game at Woodbury (1-6-2) Tuesday, Feb. 16 at the Health East Sports Center starting at 5:30 p.m.

Park senior goalie Conner Nelsen stops an East Ridge shot in the second period Thursday at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena.Photo by John Molene