Eagles Race Past Hill-Murray 5-3

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn - A furious first period for the Eden Prairie Eagles fueled their 5-3 win over the Hill-Murray Pioneers Tuesday night at the Eden Prairie Community Center. The Eagles scored the first four games of the game that saw five goals in the first period, then 48 penalty minutes in periods two and three.

John Sullivan scored 5:21 into the period scoring on a deflection in front of the net. Andrew MaLeod and Andrew Knudsen scored 16 seconds apart to put the Eagles up 3-0, leaving the Pioneers searching for answers. Two minutes later, the onslaught continued when Danny Halloran won battle in front of the net and put the puck past John Dugas. The Pioneers finally got on the board when Andy Faust snuck between the Eagles defense cutting the defecit to 4-1 after the first period.

A Pioneers change in goal also changed the dynamic of the game as the penalty minutes began to mount. Defenseman Luke Sudman found himself in the penalty box for 12 minutes when he picked up a checking from behind penalty that under the new penalty structure requires a 5 minute major penalty and a 10 minute misconduct. The Pioneers, who were already on the power play courtesy of a Steven Spinner holding penalty took advantage. Zach LaValle scored a 5-on-3 goal with just seconds left in the Spinner penalty, leaving 4:22 remaining on the man advantage for the Pioneers. Charlie Sampair pulled Hill-Murray to within a goal when he scored at 10:49 of the period making the score 4-3 and giving his squad all the momentum.

The Eagles however had an answer Mason Bergh seized momentum back when he scored on the power play for the game's final tally. The Pioneers comeback attempt in the third was thwarted by 18 minutes of penalties including Sampair's boarding penalty late in the period.

Travis Neubeck stopped 23 of 24 shots in relief of Dugas who picked up the loss for the Pioneers who fell to 9-5 with the loss. The Pioneers will face Henry Sibley Saturday in a Classic Suburban Conference battle.

The Eagles upped their record to 10-3-1 with the win and will face Hopkins Thursday night in Lake Conference action. Sophomore goltender Derrick LaCombe made 24 saves in the win.