They aren’t in the playoffs quite yet, but the Aberdeen Wings sure looked like they were gearing up for the postseason Friday night.
The Wings blitzed the St. Cloud Norsemen 9-1 in NAHL hockey action at the Odde Ice Center and now are just one victory away from clinching a playoff spot. Aberdeen remains in a tie for third place in the Central Division and could still finished anywhere from second place (hosting a first-round playoff series) to fifth place (missing out on the postseason) depending on what happens in the final game of the regular season for teams this evening.
But the Wings control their own destiny and they were in total control against St. Cloud for their third straight win over the Norsemen, who are currently in second place.
“You have to give it to the guys. The first five minutes I thought was (St. Cloud) and then we got a big-time goal there which kind of settled us in,” said Wings coach Scott Langer. “The guys played good hockey tonight. You want to be playing your best hockey at the end of the year, and tonight was a really good show of that.”
The Norsemen had five early shots before Owen DuBois gave the Wings a first-period lead. After that it was all Aberdeen.
The Wings outshot St. Cloud 18-5 in the second period when DuBois scored his second goal and Kyle Contessa also found the back of the net.
“Really good middle period,” Langer said. “We spent a lot of time in their zone, a lot of time forcing them to chase you, which when you’ve got a team that’s on the road, you want to make them chase the game a little bit, and our guys did a good job of that.”
After St. Cloud scored to start the third period, the flood gates opened as the Wings scored six times in the 17 and half minutes. DuBois added two more goals to finish with four on the night. Aberdeen also received goals from Landon Parker, Zachary Reim, Patrick O’Connell, and Dylan Wegner.
“It was so much fun,” DuBois said. “It was the most fun hockey game I’ve ever played in my entire life.”
DuBois couldn’t recall the last time he scored four goals in a single game.
“It’s been a while,” he said, “maybe when I was 10.”
He was quick to credit his teammates for his offensive explosion.
“My teammates did a great job of giving me the puck. I owe it all to them,” DuBois said. “They gave me the puck and all I had to do was just put it in.”
His favorite goal of the night?
“Oh the third one,” DuBois said without hesitation, “because I’ve been trying to get a hat trick all year. That was the best feeling ever.”
Once again, the Wings received stellar play in net as goalie Cole Moore held the Norseman to a single goal for the third straight game.
“It always feels good to post low numbers like that,” Moore said, “and to win three against these guys, they’re one of the best teams in the division, so it honestly feels great. But I can’t do this without the group that we have here. We really bought in the last two weeks.”
Moore is not a typical goalie. Standing at 6-feet, 5-inches, Moore presents a challenge for opposing players trying to find an angle to get one past him.
“It’s definitely an advantage that scouts and teams look for,” Moore said. “I have to thank my parents for that one.”
Hot goal-tending is often a key in late-season hockey and the Wings will look to contain St. Cloud one more time this evening to ensure an entry into the playoffs. Puck drop is set for 7:15 p.m. at the Odde Ice Center.
“Obviously, our goal tending has been really good which gives us a chance to win, which you want at this time of the year,” Langer said. “We’re going to focus on ourselves and try to have another decent start. They’re a good hockey team. (Coach Corey Millen) is going to have them ready to go, so we to have to play another good game.”
To see a box score from Friday’s contest, click on the following link:
