It came at a price, but Lakeville North begins the 2018-2019 season with a 1-0 record. 

The Panthers, already down junior forward A.J. Anello to a broken foot, lost dynamic forward Shane Griffin in the middle of the second period of Friday’s 3-2 overtime win over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton. The injury to Griffin prompted several young Panthers to carve out significant roles for the rest of the contest, and the underclassmen delivered. 

“I like the fact that we’ve got a lot of guys who haven’t played in roles that are critical to our team,” Lakeville North coach Trent Eigner said after the game. “They’ve been in support roles, and some guys had to step up and get a little bit out of their comfort zone.”

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, which is believed to have its deepest lineup in years, all but eliminated the Panthers’ comfort zone on Friday, playing with speed and hitting anything in a grey jersey. The Lumberjacks took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period, with Gavin Rasmussen and Andy Acers scoring just 48 seconds apart to erase Lakeville North’s 1-0 lead. 

The Panthers tied the game with 11:43 to play in the second frame, rebounding nicely after surrendering two quick strikes from the Lumberjacks (0-1) and providing Eigner with a reassurance that the young crew can remedy miscues. 

“Any time a guy is playing his first high school game, he’s going to make mistakes,” Eigner said. “I thought that they managed the game pretty well back there.”

Senior forward and Bowling Green commit Spencer Schneider scored his second goal of the game three minutes into overtime, collecting a pass in the neutral zone before splitting the Lumberjack defense and working the puck around Owen Carlson for the game-winner. 

The Panthers will take on defending Class 2A state champion Minnetonka on Saturday, the second of roughly a dozen matchups against high-quality non-conference opponents.

Down the stretch of the season, Lakeville North will face the likes of Duluth East, Eden Prairie, and Stillwater, in addition to Section 3-2A foes Rosemount and St. Thomas Academy.   

“We’ve gone to great lengths to build a schedule that’s as tough as possible,” Eigner explained. 

“When you get your program to a place where you’re trying to win a championship, then you gotta play, everybody, anyway, so you might as well get a feel for where you stand early,” Eigner added.

The Lumberjacks will face St. Thomas Academy on Saturday in tandem with the Lakeville North/Minnetonka tilt as part of The Opener, played over the weekend at Bloomington Ice Garden.