Junior Gold skate to 5-2 win over Grand Forks
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
The Watford City Oilers, led by Alt. Captain Jacob Quale, skated to an impressive 5-2 victory over the defending State Champions Grand Forks Stallions in Junior Gold hockey action on Friday evening.
Quale scored three goals in the contest and used his size in a physical game. Grand Forks opened the scoring just 2:09 into the game beating Derek Thompson on a rebound. Grand Forks would go up 2-0 just two minutes later after an errant clearing pass by the Oilers’ defense.
But the Oilers battled back as Quale on a Chris Larsen assist scored his first goal with 6:35 remaining in the period as he blasted a shot past the Stallion goalie.
In the second period, Larsen converted a pass from Max Johnson to knot the score at 2-2. With the Oilers on the power play, Quale picked up the puck deep in Oiler territory, skated the length of the rink and ripped a wrist shot past the Stallion’s goalie to put the Oilers up 3-2. Sophomore Douglas Nordby added to the Oilers’ lead with 1:59 left in the second period converting a pretty setup by Chris Larsen. The Oilers took a 4-2 lead to the locker room after two periods.
Quale scored his hat trick goal with 8:45 left to play on yet another long ice rush as he scored an unassisted goal to put the Oilers on top 5-2.
Derek Thompson played strong in the net for the Oilers turning aside 21 of 23 Stallion shots.
The Oilers take to the road this weekend as they travel to May-Port, Grand Forks and Langdon in league match ups.