Late goal lifts Roseau past rival Warroad

WARROAD, Minn. — The month of January began with the Warroad boys hockey team making the trip down Minnesota Highway 11 and beating its big rival Roseau.

The month ended with Roseau returning the favor.

Rams senior forward Gavin Gunderson scored with 2:44 remaining in the third period to break a tie and give Roseau a 4-3 win over Warroad at The Gardens Arena on Tuesday night.

Noah Urness, Adam Severson and Gavin Jensen also scored for the Rams, who improved to 14-3.

Warroad, which won its first 15 games this season, dropped to 16-3.

The contest featured two of the highest-ranked teams in the state of Minnesota. Roseau is ranked No. 3 in Class AA. Warroad is Ranked No. 2 in Class A.

The teams traded goals all the way to the end.

Roseau got on the board first when Urness scored on a one-on-one rush at 4:56 of the first period, but Warroad answered less than three minutes later when Matt Hard scored on top of the crease.

The Rams regained the lead when Severson scored on a rebound at 12:57 of the first period.

The Warriors again leveled in the second period when Minnesota Duluth commit Jayson Shaugabay finished off a feed from Clarkson commit Daimon Gardner for a shorthanded goal at 7:00 of the second.

Jenson put the Rams back in front for a third time with a pretty goal. The sophomore forward walked around a Warroad defender and picked the corner of the net at 1:31 of the third.

Warroad leveled it for a third time at 8:39 with another shorthanded goal. Gardner stole the puck from a Roseau defender at the point, skated it the other way and scored on a deke on top of the crease.

But the Rams won it on Gunderson's goal.

Carter Christianson stopped 21 of 24 shots for the Rams. Hampton Slukynsky stopped 24 of 28 for the Warriors.