The Northern Lakes Lightning and Sauk Rapids Storm got together Sunday at Breezy Point Arena to start both teams PWA seasons.  The game started slow as expected for a first game along with both rosters having first year PeeWee’s needing to acclimate themselves to a new level of play.

Both teams spent the first several shifts feeling each other out and the players getting used to a live game after several weeks of practice.  Neither team could capitalize on the power play as both teams traded penalties in the early going.  The Lightning seemed to get their feet under themselves sooner than the Storm and took control of play keeping the puck in the Storm zone and applying constant pressure.  Jayden Benzick got the first Lightning goal of the game beating the Storm goalie with a wrist shot from the circle.  Erik Larsen and Tucker Jobe each tallied to finish the first period giving the Lightning a 3-0 lead.

The second period started out with the Lightning once again playing the game a step or two quicker than the Storm.  The Storm goalie did an excellent job of keeping the puck out of the net until Caiden Kjelstrom tucked the puck past him on a shorthanded breakaway to get the Lighting on the board in the second.  The Lightning outshot the Storm 10-1 in the second however the Lightning only tallied once more when Zechariah Trenkenschuh’s shot found the net late in the period.  The second period ended with the Lightning on top 5-0.

Landon Huber, Erik Larsen, and Jaydn Benzick each scored in the third for Lightning allowing them to skate away with an 8-0 win.  Northern Lakes outshot Sauk Rapids 33-7 for the game with six different players scoring goals and 10 players collecting assists.  Coach Chuck Deutsch was pleased with his team’s performance after the game.  He liked his teams unselfishness with the puck and their effort.