Hastings, Minn. -- In a closely contested boys' hockey match-up on December 14 at the Hastings Civic Arena, the Farmington Tigers faced off against the Hastings Raiders in a non-conference game.
The Tigers found themselves trailing early in the game, with the Raiders netting two goals in the opening period. Blake Vandehoef of Hastings was the catalyst for the early lead, scoring at the 7:04 and 16:16 marks, both at even strength and assisted by Jon Harris and Connor Zgoda.
Farmington mounted a response in the second period as Andrew Rowe (#5) found the back of the net at 4:27, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. However, Hastings quickly answered with Mason Boeff extending their lead at 6:44, assisted by Harris and Zgoda. The Raiders continued to capitalize on their power play opportunities, with Vandehoef completing a hat-trick on the man advantage at 16:28, assisted by Johnny Teigland and Harris.
Trailing 4-1 heading into the third period, Farmington fought back as Jack Budde (#19) scored at 10:25, assisted by Kellen Conway.
Despite their efforts, the Tigers were unable to level the score. The final buzzer sounded, and the Hastings Raiders secured the victory with a final score of 4-2. The shot totals revealed the Raiders' offensive prowess, outshooting the Tigers 43 to 21.
Farmington struggled on the power play, going 0 for 3, while Hastings capitalized on one of their five power-play opportunities. Penalties played a role in the game, with Farmington accumulating 21 minutes on five infractions compared to Hastings' six minutes on three infractions.
For a complete box score, click HERE.
