In a clash of two top Class 1A teams, Orono topped East Grand Forks 5-3 on Friday night in Orono. 

A three-goal second period played a large role in the win for the Spartans, ranked No. 3 in the latest state coaches’ poll, with senior forward Jack Suchy leading the way with two goals. Fellow senior forward Thomas Walker also scored in the second, igniting the scoring spree with an even-strength goal at the 7:17 mark of the second frame. Walker’s second-period goal was his second of the game. 

No. 4 East Grand Forks (0-1) would battle back in the third period with goals from forward Landon Parker and senior defenseman Casey Kallock, but Orono junior defenseman Daniel Eckerline managed to sandwich an insurance goal between the Parker and Kallack tallies to keep the Spartans (1-0) ahead for good.

Just a freshman, Parker was named Most Valuable Player of the Minnesota Bantam Elite League this fall after recording 21 points in league play. 

Between the pipes, East Grand Forks junior netminder Tucker Brown made 20 saves, while his Orono counterpart senior Evan Babekuhl totaled 22 stops.