The Grandview Comets are the North Central Hockey League champions.
On Wednesday night, the Comets got by the Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks, 5-4, in double overtime to win the best-of-five series 3-0. Grandview got by Miniota-Elkhorn, 5-4, on the road in game one. The Comets won 5-1 at home in game two. While the defending champion C-Hawks outshot their foes in the first two games, they were unable to come away with a victory.
“We have just simply been outworked,” M-E head coach Tyler Mitchell said. “In our own end, the neutral zone, and their end, they have fought for every inch on every shift, and we have yet to match that intensity. They are a solid veteran team, and if you don’t force them to be in situations where they make mistakes, they won’t make any.”
Game Three
Comets 5, C-Hawks 4
Mitchell said his squad played well but did not capitalize on its chances. Full details were not available at the Empire-Advance deadline.
Game Two
Comets 5, C-Hawks 1
The C-Hawks trailed the Comets, 2-1, after the first period on Mar. 17 in Grandview. Miniota-Elkhorn was unable to light the lamp after that. The Comets scored twice in the second session and once in the third period. The Comets took a 2-0 series lead.
Nolan Jago had the C-Hawks’ lone goal. M-E goalie Cory Gardham made 20 saves on 25 shots.
Danny McDonald had 27 saves for Grandview. Devron Jakeman led the Comets with two goals.
Game One
Comets 5, C-Hawks 4
A three-goal third period pushed the Comets passed the C-Hawks in game one on Mar. 16 in Elkhorn.
Grandview opened the game with two goals. Kelsey McLeod scored before the end of the first period to pull the C-Hawks to within one, 2-1.
In the second period, the Comets outscored the C-Hawks, 3-1, to take a 5-2 lead. Shawn Bowles had M-E’s goal.
The C-Hawks tried to rally in the third period. Gardham stopped all seven shots he faced in the period. Dillin Stonehouse, the league’s Top Defenceman, lit the lamp twice for Miniota-Elkhorn. His final goal, with 13 seconds remaining, brought the C-Hawks back to within a goal, 5-4, but they could not tie the contest.
Gardham had 11 saves. Stacy Lowes recorded two assists. McDonald made 23 saves.
