The Grand Forks Red River boys hockey team wrapped up an undefeated regular season Saturday afternoon, but the Roughriders didn't gain any style points in the process.
Red River, which improved to 21-0, had to hold off a late charge from Grafton-Park River to pick up a 5-4 win at Purpur Arena.
The Riders will take the No. 1 seed into the first round of the East Region tournament. Red River will host No. 8 Fargo North on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Combined with Red River's 6-5 overtime win against West Fargo on Thursday, the Riders will enter the postseason with more question marks than your typical unbeaten favorite.
"It's not the way we want to end the year, but we're still winning," Red River coach Bill Chase said. "It can be a good experience to win the tough ones and fight teams off ... we have to win the grinding ones, too. I'd hate to go into state not knowing what these games are like."
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After both teams scored twice in the first period, Red River sophomore Mason Salquist scored on a rebound at 14 minutes, 5 seconds of the second period to give the Riders a 3-2 advantage.
Salquist finished with a goal and three assists. His line, along with sophomore Braden Costello and senior Jacob Knecht, combined for nine points. Costello had a goal and two assists, while Knecht had a goal and an assist.
Salquist said he and Costello were teammates the past two seasons at the bantam level.
"We've built some chemistry and can find each other out of the ice," Salquist said.
Red River started the third period strong, tacking on goals from defenseman Keenen Berning at 5:07 of the third period and Knecht at 6:33. Knecht's goal gave the Riders a 5-2 cushion.
But despite outshooting the Spoilers 42-21, the Riders had to hang on late. Spoilers goalie Ethan Peterson kept the Spoilers in striking distance with 37 saves. Red River sophomore netminder Adam Van Raden finished with 17 stops.
Sophomore Logan Syrup picked up the hat trick for Grafton-Park River, scoring at 13:45 of the third period on the power play to cut Red River's lead to 5-3 and then again at 15:34 to make it a one-goal game.
"We did a really good job in the neutral zone slowing them down," Spoilers coach Darin Schumacher said. "I was really proud of the way the guys handled themselves."
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As Syrup scored his third goal with 1:26 left in the game, Red River took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and had to skate the final moments on the penalty kill.
Red River didn't allow any close calls in the final seconds, as it closed out a perfect record in the regular season.
The Riders last finished the regular season unbeaten in 2011-12. Red River lost in the state semifinals that season to Grafton-Park River.
The 7-14 Spoilers will be the No. 7 seed and travel to No. 2 West Fargo for the region quarterfinals Tuesday night. The Packers defeated Grafton-Park River 3-2 and 5-3 during the regular season.
