Fortis Holds Off MNHockeyTv, Clinches Share of Dangle League Title

The final week of the Dangle League regular season opened Tuesday night with three games on the schedule at Braemar Arena.

MNHockeyTv entered the evening with a 3-3 record and two games remaining tonight. With a pair of regulation wins, MNHockeyTv still had a chance to leapfrog first place Fortis and claim the regular season title. A loss in the opening game, however, would end those hopes.

There was little room to operate during a tightly played first half. Grace Campbell opened the scoring for MNHockeyTv with 11:54 remaining, taking a feed from Sarah Johnson and finishing a full-ice rush for her third goal of the season.

Fortis answered with 2:43 left in the half. Angie Cody converted a setup from Morgan Goskeson and Nora Good to send the game into the break tied 1-1.

The ice opened considerably in the second half, producing a steady stream of odd-player rushes, breakaways and goals in both directions.

Brooklyn Mauch gave Fortis its first lead with 24:37 remaining, finishing a play created by Cody and Norah Kratz. Goskeson followed with an unassisted goal at 18:30, extending the Fortis advantage to 3-1.

MNHockeyTv rallied led by Laina Peterson who struck at 16:22 from Alexa Larson and Maddie Baker before Ella Fugazzi tied the game 3-3 just 1:09 later. Kira Prange and Lilly Peck picked up the assists.

Lexi Erickson restored the Fortis lead with 8:54 remaining, but MNHockeyTv answered again to pull even at 4-4. Fortis eventually delivered the final blow, scoring late to escape with a 5-4 victory.

MNHockeyTv carried a 29-22 advantage in shots and generated several quality chances throughout the second half, but Fortis made its opportunities count when the game was on the line.

The victory moved Fortis to 6-2 with 16 points and guaranteed it at least a share of the Dangle League regular season championship. Performance Office Papers entered the final game of the night with 13 points and an opportunity to join Fortis atop the standings with a regulation win.

The loss dropped MNHockeyTv to 3-4 and ended its pursuit of the regular season title with one game remaining.