Trojan boys skate to second at Little Falls tourney

The New Prague/Montgomery-Lonsdale boys hockey team took second place in the Little Falls Invitational Tournament last week, with wins over St. Michael-Albertville and Faribault and a loss to Little Falls.

The Trojans will host Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, then travel to Shakopee for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 6. New Prague hosts unbeaten Holy Angels at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Trojans 11, Knights 0

The Trojans opened the Little Falls Tourney with an 11-0 drubbing of St. Michael-Albertville.

It didn't take long for New Prague to set the pace, as Drew Feuk and Tyler Lapic both scored goals inthe first two minutes. Feuk's goal, assisted by Seth Ambroz, came at 1:14 of the first period, while Lapic scored from Feuk and Ambroz just 26 seconds later.

New Prague added a pair of power play goals later in the period. Brad Drazan scored, from Bryce Bartelt and Feuk, at 11:58, and Darin Rezac scored from Matt Perkinson at 19:30. The Trojans outshot the Knights 17-3 in the first period.

The Knights turned up the heat in the second, putting 12 shots on goal. But Brandon Palma remained solid in net as the Trojans scored five more goals. Lapic scored twice, while Perkinson, Brad Benson and Ryan Witty each tallied a goal to make it 9-0.

The Trojans dominated action in the third period, not allowing a shot on goal. They added two more goals, by Feuk and Nate Thomas.

Dec. 27, at Little Falls

St. Michael-Alb 0 0 0 - 0

New Prague/ML 4 5 2 - 11

First Period: NP-Feuk (Ambroz) 1:14; NP-Lapic (Feuk, Ambroz) 1:40; NP-Drazan (Bartelt, Feuk) 11:58 pp; NP-Rezac (Perkinson) 19:30 pp

Second Period: NP-Lapic (unassisted) :51; NP-Perkinson (Kramer) 6:00; NP-Benson (Perkinson, Kramer) 9:37 pp; NP-Witty (unassisted) 10:31; NP-Lapic (Drazan) 17:31

Third Period: NP-Feuk (unassited) 5:30; NP-Thomas (Witty, Adams) 18:50

Saves: St. Michael-Albertville (Thelen) 13-8-9-30 New Prague (B. Palma) 3-12-0-15

Trojans 4, Falcons 2

Matt Perkinson scored two goals, including the game-winner, as the Trojans advanced to the championship game with a 4-2 semifinal win over Faribault in the Little Falls hockey tournament Thursday.

The game was important for two reasons. Not only would the winner advance to the championship, but they would also get an edge come February, when it is time to seed teams for the Section 6A playoffs. Thursday's win helped establish the Trojans as one of the teams to beat in the section.

After a scoreless first period that saw the Falcons outshoot the Trojans 8-4, New Prague got on the scoreboard first on an unassisted goal by Lapic at 2:48 of the second. Faribault tied it 30 seconds later, but Perkinson gave the Trojans a 2-1 lead at 10:46, with assists by Benson and Kurt Palma. Faribault made it a 2-2 game with a goal at 13:19. Shots were even in the second period, at 8-8.

The Trojans asserted themselves in the final 20 minutes, outshooting the Falcons 13-3. Perkinson got the go-ahead goal at 3:24, with an assist to Benson. Ambroz scored an insurance goal at 17:02, with an assist to Drazan.

Brandon Palma got the win in goal, stopping 17 of 19 shots. The Trojans outshot the Falcons 25-19.

Dec. 28, at Little Falls

New Prague/ML 0 2 2 - 4

Faribault 0 2 0 - 2

First Period: no scoring

Second Period: NP-Lapic (unassisted) 2:48; Far-Trahan (Mallery) 3:14; NP-Perkinson (Benson, K. Palma) 10:46; Far-Pavek (Smuda) 13:19.

Third Period: NP-Perkinson (Benson) 3:24; NP-Ambroz (Drazan) 17:02

Saves: New Prague (B. Palma) 8-6-3-17; Faribault (Markman) 4-6-11-21

Flyers 5, Trojans 1

New Prague lost to the host team 5-1 in the championship game of the Little Falls Tournament Friday evening. While the Flyers had a big edge in shots on goal, 37-16, the Trojans had their chances to stay in the game, but couldn't capitalize.

The Flyers scored two goals in the first period, when they had an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal and led 3-0 before the Trojans scored their only goal of the night. Ambroz got the goal, with Schyler Adams and Lapic getting assists. Little Falls added one more in the second and got a final tally in the third.

Brandon Palma was kept busy in the nets, stopping 32 of 37 shots.

Dec. 29, at Little Falls

New Prague/ML 0 1 0 - 1

Little Falls 2 2 1 - 5

First Period: LF-Festler (Beau Hanowski) 2:59; LF-Ben Hanowski (Gosiak) 12:38

Second Period: LF-Jorgenson (Ben Hanowski) 1:04; NP-Ambroz (Adams, Lapic) 8:17; LF-Festler (Beau Hanowski, Ben Hanowski) 17:03

Third Period: LF-Nelson (unassisted0 15:31

Saves: New Prague (B. Palma) 6-9-17-32; Little Falls (Sperl) 4-6-5-15