The Fargo Davies boys hockey team has spoiled the anticipated all-Grand Forks East Region championship.
Davies goalie Jared Winter made 36 saves as the Eagles beat Grand Forks Red River 2-1 on Friday night in the East Region semifinals at Purpur Arena.
Davies will play Grand Forks Central in today’s 5 p.m. region title game. Red River will play Devils Lake in a 2:30 p.m. state qualifier.
Davies beat Red River for the first time since 2013. The Eagles were 0-11-1 in that span.
“I think we came out hot,” Winter said. “I enjoyed the way we came out. It was good after that.”
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Davies peppered Red River goalie Nate Bradbury with 19 shots on goal in the first period alone. Red River had given up fewer than 19 shots on goal in 11 entire games prior to Friday’s matchup.
“The kids came out really focused,” Davies coach Scott Petersen said. “I think we kind of shocked Red River a bit because Red River took it to us last time we played. We had a little more resolve this game.”
Red River beat Davies 5-0 in the last meeting of the regular season.
“We knew that we could come out and give them a good shot,” Winter said.
Taylor Parrett gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the first period, while Davies defenseman Tyler Kleven, a UND commitment, made it 2-0 at 6:12 of the second period.
“We were not ready to play, and I think the nerves hit us a little bit,” Red River coach Bill Chase said. “It took until the third to get going.”
Red River trimmed the lead to 2-1 at 5:45 of the third period when Jackson Kunz pocketed a power-play goal on a feed from Mason Salquist.
The Riders, however, couldn’t get the game-tying goal, despite outshooting the Eagles 17-3 in the third period.
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Winter was forced to make a number of key saves, including a 45-second sequence in the third period in which he made a few saves without his stick.
“Jared, I think, is the best goaltender in the state,” Petersen said. “Red River had some really good scoring opportunities.”
