Steele County Hockey Red-Hot During Showcase [Interviews, Video]

The Steele County Blades junior hockey team continued its hot start to the season by winning three of four games played at a showcase event in Blaine over the weekend. The Blades (8-2 with a shootout loss) won three straight before dropping their final game.

STEELE COUNTY 4, HUDSON 3

Steele County opened the showcase in thrilling fashion with a last-second overtime goal to top Hudson 4-3 on Thursday. The Blades built a 3-0 lead by early in the third period as Charlie Smith scored the second of his goals. Connor Movalli had opened the scoring in the first.

The Havoc lived up to their nickname by netting three goals in a four-minute span of the third period to force overtime. Hudson dominated most of the overtime, but Gavin Ellis got a chance with time winding down and scored with four seconds to go with assists from Evan Axell and Ethan Secord for the 4-3 victory. Ellis spoke with MoJoe Hockey about the win.

Hear a Player Profile interview with Ellis:

Blades player Gavin Ellis

STEELE COUNTY 5, DELLS DUCKS 1

On Friday the Blades started quickly with back-to-back goals by Seva Bannikov against the Dells Ducks. He would earn the hat trick by the first part of the third period. In between his goals, the Ducks scored on a 5-on-3 power play late in the first. Tanner Stendel and Kole Fitzpatrick scored second-period goals for a 4-1 lead for the Blades entering the final stanza. They won 5-1. Goalie Elliot Wrigley spoke with MoJoe Hockey about the victory.

STEELE COUNTY 8, MINNESOTA MOOSE 4

The Blades hit the ice Friday night as well. After allowing the first goal to the host Minnesota Moose, Steele County got a goal from Smith and the first of two from Brady Nance for a 2-1 lead after one. Nance deposited his second early in the second. After the Moose pulled even, Movalli put the Blades back in front for good. Smith had a five-point game in the 8-4 win over the Moose.

Watch the Blades celebrate their Friday night with a team song from their Facebook page.

PUEBLO 4, STEELE COUNTY 3

The grind wrapped up with a Saturday night encounter with Pueblo, who beat the Blades 4-3. The Bulls scored twice in the first. Steele County squared the game with goals from Jordan Nawrocki and Ellis in the second. Pueblo zipped ahead 4-2 in the third. Steele County scored in the closing minute, coming up short 4-3

Enjoy the following Player Profile interview with Blades defenseman Ryan Kerr:

Blades player Ryan Kerr

The Blades return to home ice at Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna for games against the Wisconsin Rapids River Kings on Saturday, November 6 at 7 pm and Sunday, November 7 at 3 pm.

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