The Warrior hockey team opened their season at home this Friday with a 4 to 0 win over Mound West-Tonka and a 10 to 2 thumping of Detroit Lakes on Saturday.

The game against Mound was a game of first for two newcomers to the Warrior varsity squad.  Tenth graders Jared Bethune and Kobe Roth both scored their first high school goals.

Roth’s was in the first period and Bethune’s was in the third.  Eleventh grader Kyle Sylvester led Warroad with two goals and one assist for the game, one goal in the second and the other in the third period. Sylvester’s third period goal was a short handed one. 

Seniors Casey Anderson and Ben Smieja led the Warriors with 2 assists each.  Despite the shut out Mound out shot Warroad 25 to 21.  Justin King got the win for the Warriors in net.

Kyle Sylvester commented, “I think our the key to beating Mound was that we for checked them hard and used the body. I think we were faster and were better defensively. I think we are much more physical this year than the past couple years and it will make other teams nervous to play us because they don't like to get hit.”

On Saturday against the Lakers it was more of the same for Warroad with their “Young Guns” sophomores leading the way.

Both Bethune and Roth tallied hat tricks in helping the Warriors route Detroit Lakes.  Bethune finished with four goals for the game.

Jared Bethune said, “I think chemistry and hard work was the big factor in my line’s success. We were able to find each other on the ice and ended up with the puck in the back of the net.”

Warroad had five goal in the opening period.  Roth got the first two, then Bethune. Defensemen, Zach Johnston and Nick Jaycox added two goals from the point.

Bethune scored quickly to kick off the seconfd period. D.L did get their first goal in the second period on a fluke shot from the corner that cut Warroad’s lead to 6 to 1. The puck deflected off of King’s goalie stick and right to the waiting Laker player stick standing on the door stop.

The intensity picked up and their was a lot of hitting by both teams.   Warroad was clicking on all cylinders.  Their spacing and passing was crisp.  This helped Bethune get his third goal.

“It was a great feeling getting my first varsity hat trick. it is a little overwhelming to have this kind of success so early in the year but I try not to worry about individual points too much. As long as our team is winning, I'm happy,” said Bethune.

The Lakers responded with a goal on a rebound shot to cut Warroad’s lead to 5.

Then Ben Smieja scored as pretty a goal as you will ever see to close out the second period scoring.  On the play Blayke Nelson kept the puck inside the blue line on the left side board. He skated in and dropped it to Casey Anderson.  

Anderson saucer passed the puck in the air to a streaking Smieja to the right goal post.  Just as the puck met the ice, Ben directed it into the net.  It was an ESPN highlight play.

Bethune and Roth scored two more goals for Warroad in the third period with Jared’s being a power play goal.

There was only 8 penalties in the game with each team getting four.  King faced 20 shots and Warroad got 34 on the Laker’s MacKenzie Steele.

Head coach Jay Hardwick commented, “I felt good about the team's performance.  They worked hard and competed which is what I asked for.  We used our speed to create scoring chances and were able to capitalize on them.  I thought we did a good job on the penalty kill and didn't let penalties against us change the momentum of the game.”

“I thought Justin King played well this weekend and received a well deserved shutout on Friday.  Kyle Sylvester, Jared Bethune, and Kobe Roth all had big weekends offensively.  Kyle had 2G and 1A on Friday and 4A on Saturday.  Jared and Kobe both picked up their first varsity goals on Friday and then exploded for 6 points each on Saturday.  Jared had 4G and 2A, Kobe 3G and 3A.”

Warroad has three road game this week.  They are at Baudette on Tuesday and at Virginia/Mountina Iron-Buhl on Friday and finish at Grand Rapids Saturday afternoon.