Power Play Goals Lift Storm Past the Huskies

Chanhassen scored back-to-back power play goals one minute apart late in the second period on their way to a 5-2 victory over Owatonna in boys' hockey Tuesday night on Dudley Otto Rink at Four Seasons Centre. The Huskies saw their three-game winning streak end despite leading 1-0 and 2-1.

The score was tied at 2-2 when an Owatonna player took a tripping penalty at 9:41 of the middle period. With 15 seconds remaining in the penalty kill, an official took exception with something that was said on the Huskies' bench and called a two-minute unsportsmanlike infraction.

The Storm, who entered the game at just eight-percent on the power play for the season, scored nine seconds into the 5-on-3 advantage to take a 3-2 lead in the game. Chanhassen scored on the standard power play 56 seconds later for a 4-2 lead that they took into the second intermission locker room.

The Huskies opened the scoring at 7:14 of the first period on Dom Valento's team-leading 15th goal with an assist from Collin Pederson. The Storm evened the game less than a minute later.

A Chanhassen player was called for a checking-from-behind penalty late in the first frame against Zach Kubicek, who was not hurt on the play. The five-minute major bridged the first and second period. OHS scored 59 seconds into the second period on the power play as Casey Johnson fired in a shot from the blue line off a feed from Valento and Kubicek. The Storm drew even again at 9:00, just before the game-changing power plays occurred.

Owatonna goalie Zach Wiese left the ice with less than a minute to go in the second period with a broken skate blade. Easton Sletten played the balance of the game.

Chanhassen put in an empty net goal with 16 seconds left for the 5-2 final score. The teams skated back-and-forth most of the night with OHS having a couple of breakaways but didn't get a good scoring chance on either. Chanhassen hit the pipe three times and out shot the Huskies 25-24.

Owatonna (11-6) will host Rochester JM Thursday, January 24 at 7:15 pm on OwatonnaLive.com. The Huskies lead the Big Nine Conference standings. The Huskies the league standings.