Bemidji, MN/Grand Forks, ND – The Northstar Knights traveled this weekend for a pair of neutral site games against the Rink Hockey Academy from Winnipeg. After falling to RHA on Saturday, the Knights rebounded Sunday for a weekend split.
Saturday’s game at Bemidji State’s Sanford Center had the Knights starting off quick with an Anthony Menghini goal less than a minute into the contest. RHA would score two goals to come out of the first with a 2-1 lead. They would build on that lead with goals in the second and third, as the Knights fell for the first time this season. Collin Soderholm stopped 30 of 34 shots for the Knights, and Ben Strinden had an assist on the Menghini goal.
Sunday’s game had the two teams facing off at the University of North Dakota’s Ralph Engelstad Arena, and the Knights came in ready to play. Truett Olson opened the scoring for the Knights on a power play goal with just over four minutes to go in the first period. Menghini would get his second goal of the wekeend early in the second, followed by a Ben Oakland redirect off a Luke Anderson shot to bring the score to 3-0 Northstar. RHA would score a powerplay goal to cut the Knight lead to two, but it was Olson finding the back of the net again to put the lead back to three. Menghini added his second goal of the game in the third, as well as Ben Strinden, for a 6-1 Knights victory. Strinden finished the day with two assists to complement his goal, and Talon Sigurdson had two assists on the day. Jacob Napier, Nate Albers, Jakob Stender, and Menghini would add assists as well. Camdyn Barber stopped 24 of 25 shots in net for the Knights.
The Knights are off this coming weekend, but will be back in action at home on the Nov. 23 and 24 against the Sioux Falls Power. Saturday’s game will be at 7 p.m., and Sunday’s game will be at 12 p.m.