This past weekend featured two of the top teams in the West Region for the ACHA. The previous match up featured the Marauders coming away with a 3-0 victory against the Lumberjacks. This time the games would be on a neutral site, followed by traveling to the Lumber Dome for a match up on Sunday.
In the first game of the weekend, the Marauders jumped out early scoring only 1:41 into the game. The Marauders tacked on another goal before the Lumberjacks got on the board with a Zane McDonald goal. He was assisted by Joben Smith and Eric Hildebrand. At the end of the first period, the Marauders were up 2-1. The Lumberjacks came out in the second period and battled away, evening the score at two all, at the 10:38 mark. Leighton Holstein scored the goal to tie it. After that the Marauders took control as the reigning ACHA National Player of the year, Zach Garrett shot a laser into the back of the net to put the Marauders up for good. In the final period, the Marauders added on another two goals to make the final Marauders 5 Lumberjacks 2.
A quick turnaround took place as both teams traveled back to Bottineau to face off in the Lumber Dome. The first period came and went as both teams could not find the back of the net. The second period, four minutes in, there was a goal for the Marauders. It was not long afterwards that Ian Amsbaugh, Bottineau native, would even things up at one apiece. This action set up a third period of must-watch hockey.
In the first ten minutes of the period, saw both teams fired away at the net with no one able to grab the lead. It was not until the 8:55 mark when the Marauders took the lead. As time the game came to an an end, Tanner Clyne skated the length of the ice, fighting off a Marauder to score a goal that evened the score up at two.
The game went into OT, and the Marauders and Lumberjacks skated to a 2-2 tie. The Marauders would win in the shoot out 2-0. The Lumberjacks will be back in action next on Dec. 1st as they travel to Williston to take on the Tetons. Followed up by games in Crookston, Minnesota against the Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles on Dec. 3rd and 4th.