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Aberdeen scored early and often and swept the Minnesota Mallards in North American Hockey League play at the Odde Ice Center Friday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 13.
The Wings routed the Mallards both nights — 8-3 on Saturday and 8-1 on Friday — to improve to 16-7-2-1. They are in third in the NAHL Central Division standings.
Sam Scheetz was the story of the weekend for the Wings, scoring five total goals. He netted the first two of the game in the first period Saturday. Owen Pitters and Caden Lee then added power play goals to make it 4-1 after the first 20 minutes.
Aberdeen Wings forward Sam Scheetz fires the puck around Minnesota Mallards defenseman Deke Davidson during the second period Friday, Dec. 12 inside the Odde Ice Center. Scheetz scored a hat trick in an 8-1 win. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Jibber Kuhl and Brody Dustin both scored in the second period to make it a 6-1 lead. Adam Dybal made 21 saves to get the win in net.
That capped Aberdeen’s first weekend sweep in six weeks.
Friday was even more lopsided.
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“(Minnesota) came in having won four out of their last five games, and we knew we had to have a really good start and we got one,” said Wings head coach Scott Langer.
Sheetz led the way with a hat trick and, not surprisingly, opened the scoring at the 5:55 mark of the first period. Less than three minutes later, Easton Edwards made it 2-0. Kuhl also found the back of the net to make it 3-1 after the first period.
“We didn’t let them breathe from the drop of the puck,” Langer said. “That’s what we talked about all week — to be better structured, be better defensively for 60 minutes. It’s why we had success earlier this season and the guys did a great job tonight.”
He said his team forced the issue in front of the Mallards’ net with 41 shots on goal. Minnesota had just 28.
“We were around the net quite a bit and, really, took care of both nets and that’s important. We put in a lot of work this week, and we’re going to continue to need to do that,” Langer said.
Scheetz scored 2:45 into the second period, then struck on the power play to put Aberdeen up 5-1 for his third tally of the night.
“When you get two, the boys are definitely talking to you on the bench, wanting you to get the hatty,” he said. “I just kept playing my game and staying within the structure of how our line works. I was just fortunate to be the one who got three.”
Scheetz said winning Friday’s game was important.
“It’s been a big talking point in general, just playing better on Friday nights,” he said. “It didn’t matter who we were playing (tonight), we knew we had to come out playing better than we had, and we got up early and realized they couldn’t play with us.”
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The Wings host the Austin Bruins in a pivotal weekend series Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Odde Ice Center. Both games begin at 7:15 p.m. The Bruins are two points ahead of Aberdeen in second place.
“We got together as a group and had a lot of personal talks with each other this (past) week,” Scheetz said. “We got off to a fast start and kind of stumbled, but we know we have the pieces and what we need to do. We need to play a full 60 minutes each time out, and hopefully we build on this series to continue that.”
Aberdeen Central’s Jackson Dargatz spins and drives Pierre’s Bode Minder to the mat during their 126-pound match Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Golden Eagles Arena. Dargatz won the match via a 6-1 decision. Pierre won the dual 39 to 27. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
News and notes
- Aberdeen Central won six individual matches, but it wasn’t enough as Pierre edged the Golden Eagles 39-27 in a boys wrestling dual Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Golden Eagles Arena. Central’s Henry and Bailey Gillen won their matches at 106 and 113 pounds, respectively. Jackson Dargtaz (126), Porter Lozenski (157), Ridley Waldo (165) and Owen Ward (190) also picked up victories for Central.
- Pierre earned a 56-18 dual girls wrestling triumph against Aberdeen Central on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Golden Eagles Arena. Central’s Madison Little picked up a victory at 115 pounds, and Lin Paw Jone pinned her opponent at 155.
- Waldo and Ward led the Aberdeen Central boys wrestling team with fourth-place finishes at the Rapid City Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 13. Waldo wrestled at 157 pounds and Ward at 190. Other place winners for the Eagles included Dargatz, who was fifth at 126; Mason Backous, who was fifth at 126; Grayden Timm, who was sixth at 175 and Esten Foss, who was eighth at 120.
- Seven Aberdeen Central wrestlers placed as the Golden Eagle girls took fourth as a team at the Rapid City Individual on Saturday, Dec 13. Leading Central were Jasmine Mass, who finished second at 115 pounds, and Lilly Nelson, the runner-up at 170. Other place winners were Rakyrah Wallace, who was third at 140; Avery Bendewald, who was fourth at 105; Allison Neitzel, who was fifth at 145; Paw Jone, who was sixth at 155 and Mila Hobbs, who was eighth at 135.
- The Aberdeen Central boys wrestling team lost only two matches while picking up dual victories against Sioux Falls Roosevelt 79-0 and Sioux Falls Lincolnn 60-12 Thursday, Dec. 11 in Rapid City. Waldo and Lozenski both had two pins for the Golden Eagles.
- Spearfish picked up six pins in a 51-29 dual victory over the Aberdeen Central girls wrestling team on Thursday, Dec. 11 in Spearfish.
- Brady Westall and Krayle Stormer led the Northern State wrestling team at the Midwest Classic wrestling tournament last weekend in Indianapolis. At 184 pounds, Westall went 7-2 to place fifth. Stormer went 5-3 at 141 pounds, claiming eighth place.
- The Aberdeen Central girls basketball team is ranked fifth in the Class AA poll released by the South Dakota sportswriters. Aberdeen Roncalli is receiving votes in the Class A poll.
- Groton is ranked sixth in the media’s Class A boys basketball poll. In Class B, Aberdeen Christian is ranked eighth, while Leola/Frederick is receiving votes.
- Reagan Lust took third place in the floor exercise with a score of 9.4 to lead Aberdeen Central at the Hub City Invitational gymnastics meet on Thursday, Dec. 11 at Central High School. She also led the Eagles with a combined score of 33.4 in the all-around competition. Harrisburg won the team title.
- Three local high school cross-country coaches were recently honored by the South Dakota Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association. Greg Murley, head boys cross-country coach at Aberdeen Central, was named the Area 4 West Class AA coach of the year. In Area 1, Kris Boekelheide, the Northwestern head coach, was the Class B coach of the year. Derek Boekelheide of Northwestern was named the Area 1 assistant coach of the year.
