Prior Lake earned its first win since Dec. 6 with a conference victory over the Let’s Play Hockey’s then-No. 14-ranked Lakeville South on Jan. 13.

Prior Lake got off to a fast start and scored three times in the opening period. 

Junior forward Tyler Sporney recorded the first goal, assisted by senior forward Parker Wenkus and junior defender Noah Written. Senior forward Hudson Young followed with an unassisted goal, and sophomore forward Brayden Lake added a goal from sophomore forward Luke Watkins and junior defender Aiden Lavigne to make it 3-0 after one period.

The Lakers added a fourth goal early in the second period on the power play to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Junior forward Noah Kurth scored with assists from Watkins and Lake. 

Lakeville South responded with two goals later in the period, cutting the lead to 4-2 heading into the third. Lakeville South scored once in the third period, but Prior Lake held on for the 4-3 win. 

Lakeville South outshot Prior Lake 44-20, but senior goalie Joe Gannon made 41 saves to secure the conference victory.

Prior Lake falls to Eagan in OT

Prior Lake dropped a 2-1 overtime decision in a defensive game to conference opponent Eagan on Jan. 17, in a defensive game.

Eagan scored within the first two minutes to take an early lead. Prior Lake responded later in the first period when senior defender Jack Willmert scored, assisted by Watkins and Young, tying the game 1-1 at the first intermission. 

Neither team scored in the second or third periods, sending the game to overtime. Eagan scored the game-winning goal in overtime. 

Gannon was solid in net again stopping 26 of 28 shots.

Holy Angels bests the Lakers in another OT game

Prior Lake fell 3-2 in its second overtime of the week to No. 13-ranked Holy Angels on Jan. 20 at Dakotah Ice Center.

Holy Angels scored the only goal of the first period to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Neither team scored in the second period. 

Prior Lake tied the game early in the third period on a power-play goal by Willmert, assisted by junior forward Gavin Lind. This was the second game back for Lind, who is still the team’s leading scorer, after being out with injury for a few weeks. 

Later in the period, Young scored with an assist from junior forward Jacob Thomas to give Prior Lake a 2-1 lead with seven minutes remaining.

Holy Angels scored with less than one minute left in regulation to force overtime, then added the game-winning goal in overtime to secure the 3-2 win. Holy Angels’ leading scorer this season, Lincoln Ayers Assad, scored both late goals. 

Gannon again started in net, stopping 28 of 31 shots.

Up Next:

Prior Lake is now 4-10-2 on the season entering the final third of the schedule before the playoffs.

Prior Lake travels to face rival Shakopee, the No. 3-ranked team in Class AA, on Jan. 22. The Lakers then face another conference opponent on the road against Apple Valley/Burnsville on Jan. 24.