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Published October 19, 2012, 12:00 AM

Blizzard hockey: Alexandria bounced in home opener

Alexandria fell 5-2 as the defending champs stayed unbeaten on the early season.

By: Lori Mork, Alexandria Echo Press

  • Wensman
    • image
    Alexandria’s Jack Wensman fell to the ice as he shot the puck at Granite City’s Scott Murray on Saturday night. Wensman scored his first Blizzard goal in the third period. (Echo Press photo by Lori Mork)

It wasn’t an auspicious start to the home season for the Alexandria Blizzard Saturday as they fell to defending NA3HL champion Granite City 5-2.

Encased in the loss was a physical battle that resulted in 52 minutes of penalty time for the Blizzard, including a 10 minute abuse of officials misconduct.

The Lumberjacks weren’t exactly innocent in the fray, either, as they amassed 36 minutes of penalty time.

Granite City scored early in the first period as Mitch Humphries slapped the puck past Alexandria goalie Kyle Miller just a little more than two minutes into the game. They increased their lead to two at the three minute mark of the second period on a goal by D.J. Vold before Alexandria’s Karson Kuntz fired the puck into the net on an unassisted play at 7:32.

The Lumberjacks found some extra fire to close out the period as Nick Turbitt scored twice to give his team a 4-1 lead.

Both teams picked up a goal in the third as Alexandria native Jack Wensman scored at the 1:51 mark, but Granite City put the exclamation mark on the Lumberjacks’ eighth straight victory this season with a goal by Drew Otto at 14:59.

Miller took the loss for the Blizzard.

The Lumberjacks are the only team with a perfect record. Alexandria stands at 4-4.

The Blizzard will take on Breezy Point in a doubleheader today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday, at the Runestone Community Center.

GRANITE CITY 5, ALEXANDRIA 2

GRANITE CITY 1 3 1 —5

ALEXANDRIA 0 1 1 —2

FIRST PERIOD

GC – Mitch Humphries (Alex Koopmeiners) 2:15.

SECOND PERIOD

GC – D.J. Vold (Drew Otto, Dakoda Menslage) 3:04; ALEX – Karson Kuntz (unassisted) 7:32; GC – Nick Turbitt (Alex Koopmeiners, Mitch Humphries) 9:25; GC – Nick Turbitt (Zac Sikich, D.J. Vold) 18:18.

THIRD PERIOD

ALEX – Jack Wensman (Mick Dhein) 1:51; GC – Drew Otto (Aidan Verbeke) 14:59.

SHOTS ON GOAL – Granite City 6-18-9—33, Alexandria 10-15-7—32.

GOALIE SAVES – Scott Murray, GC, 30; Kyle Miller, Alex, 28.

PENALTIES – Granite City 36 minutes on 12 infractions; Alexandria 52 minutes on 12 infractions.

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