DEFLECTION — Fairmont Area’s Gavin Kester (right) deflects a pass during Big South Conference hockey action at Martin County Arena in Fairmont. Cardinals’ teammate Jace Prindle (20) watches the play. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — The Fairmont Area Cardinals boys hockey team lost 7-0 to the Marshall Tigers on Thursday night.

The Cardinals failed to add to their streak following their first win of the year two nights earlier.

The first few minutes of play were balanced with a back-and-forth feel.

That style would change, however, when Tigers’ forward Jacob Johnson scored with 12:29 remaining in the first period. Johnson was assisted on the game’s first goal by forward Chase Mellenthin.

One goal wouldn’t suffice as the Tigers found the back of the net once more with 26 seconds remaining. This time it was forward Owen Renslow finding the back of the net off a feed from forward Andrew Seanor.

The Tigers would take their 2-0 lead into the second period.

A slew of Cardinals’ penalties during the second period led to a goal barrage from the Tigers. With 8:31 left in the period, forward Easton Larsen scored a goal off an assist from defender Tyler Welsh while the Tigers were short-handed.

Just over a minute later at the 7:04 mark, Blake Grimsley scored another goal for the Tigers off an assist from Renslow.

Exactly one minute later it was defender Talan Plante getting in on the action for the Tigers with a goal off an assist from Mellenthin.

Just like the first period, the Tigers went out of the second with a bang, scoring their fourth goal of the period with 48 seconds left.

It was Renslow netting his second goal of the game off a dime from Jacob Johnson. The goal capped the Tigers’ run and put them in control entering the third period leading 6-0.

The Cardinals were able to contain the Tigers’ attack better in the final period, allowing just one goal over the final 18 minutes.

Tigers’ forward Owen Renslow capped his hat trick with 3:13 remaining to finish the scoring at 7-0.

As for the Cardinals, the main bright spot on the night was goalkeeper Carson Johnson. Johnson made 30 saves while facing 37 shots total. Johnson reclaimed his starting spot after sitting the previous game.

As for the Tigers’ keeper, he didn’t face near as much pressure. Goalie Gavin Welsh came away with the cleansheet after making 15 saves.

Fairmont Area head coach Dylan Van Brocklin was frustrated following the loss.

“I mean Carson was sick last game so that’s why he didn’t play on Tuesday,” Van Brocklin said. “We did do some line changes, I mean I don’t think that’s the reason why we lost, it’s definitely our effort.”

Marshall improved to 4-4 overall following the Big South Conference victory and will look to keep its momentum at 4 p.m. Saturday against Minnesota River in Le Sueur.

Fairmont Area dropped to 1-7 overall and looks to get back in the win column at 7 p.m. against Windom Area at Martin County Arena on Tuesday night.

MA         2 4 1 — 7

FA          0 0 0 — 0

Scoring Plays

1st Period

MA–Jacob Johnson (Chase Mellenthin), 12:29.

MA–Owen Renslow (Andrew Seanor), 0:26.

2nd Period

MA–Easton Larsen (Tyler Welsh), SH., 8:31.

MA–Blake Grimsley (Owen Renslow), 7:04.

MA–Talan Plante (Chase Mellenthin), PP., 5:04.

MA–Owen Renslow (Jacob Johnson), PP., 0:48.

3rd Period

MA–Owen Renslow (Jacob Johnson), PP., 3:13.

Shots–Marshall 37, Fairmont Area 15.

Saves–Carson Johnson (FA) 30; Gavin Welsh (MA) 15.

•

Girls Hockey

Marshall 6, Fairmont Area 0 — While Fairmont Area was able to deny an early flurry of pucks at the net, the Marshall Tiger girls hockey team pulled away late in the first period to secure a 7-0 win over the Cardinals at Red Baron Arena Thursday night.

It didn’t take long for the Tigers to establish their stranglehold on possession. With 5 minutes left in the first, Marshall had fired off 15 shots on goal while holding Fairmont to one.

Despite their early dominance, the Tigers didn’t score for about the first 14 minutes of the period.

With under 3 minutes remaining in the period, Brooklyn Mauch took the puck behind the net and passed it to Abbey Foley. Foley’s shot was deflected, but Lily Verkinderen was positioned to put the rebound into the back of the net for a 1-0 Marshall lead. The goal was Verkinderen’s first of the year while the assist was Mauch’s first.

Before the PA announcer could even read off the scorers from the last goal, Mauch took the puck from the faceoff circle and skated down to the edge of the crease unimpeded. Ilana Moeller made a pad save for the Cardinals, but Foley secured the rebound and scored Marshall’s second goal in 16 seconds for a 2-0 lead.

Verkinderen was one of three Tigers to score their first goal of the season. Kendal Beernaert scored off an assist from Eliza Holmgren and Mady Girard to put the Tigers up 3-0 in the third period and Abi Guggisberg poked in a rebound from Ava Kolander 5 minutes into the third to put Marshall up 5-0.

Fairmont Area was charged with a pair of minors in each period. While they had to kill a 5-on-3 penalty in the second period, they successfully killed off each of their first five penalties. It wasn’t until they faced their second 5-on-3 of the game that Holmgren was able to capitalize on an assist from Kendal Beernaert to give Marshall a 6-0 lead.

While Marshall found the back of the net early and often, Moeller had a big game in net for Fairmont. She finished with 47 saves for her sixth game of the season with 40 or more saves. She’s had at least 20 in every game so far and only once had fewer than 35.

On the opposite end of the night, Lily Stelter was perfect against the limited work she did face. She finished the game with four saves on four shots for her second shutout of the season.

Marshall finished the game with a 53-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Tigers held Fairmont without even one in the final frame while firing off 19 of their own.

Mauch found the back of the net on an unassisted goal just a minute into the third period. The goal was her seventh of the season, pulling her into a tie with Luverne’s Ellie Van Batavia, New Ulm’s Malorie Anderson and Waseca’s Emma Keith for second in the conference. Waseca’s Maizee Storey leads the conference with 18 goals.

Fairmont Area (1-9) travels to Austin on Saturday at 7 p.m. for the second of three consecutive road games.

NOTE: Marshall Independent sports editor Jake McNeill contributed the girls portion of the story.