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Ely’s high school hockey team managed only four goals in its first two games.
Sophomore Owen Marolt matched that total all by himself in game number three - and the result was the Timberwolves’ first win of the winter.
Marolt had a natural hat trick in the second period and an empty- netter as time ran down in the third, lifting Ely to a 5-2, Dec. 6 victory at Mora.
The hosts bounced back for a series split, winning 3-1 on Saturday, but the weekend road trip was a sign of progress for Ely (1-3).
That was particularly the case on the first night, when Ely was sharp and outplayed a Mora team that was fresh off a win over Moose Lake.
“It was a good win,” said Ely Head Coach Jake Myers. “The boys really battled and competed. They won the puck battles, won the races to the puck and outplayed them.”
Marolt set the tone. After Ely fell behind 1-0 after the opening frame, Marolt scored by himself to get the equalizer three minutes into the middle period.
It was all-Wolves, and all-Marolt in the second as the forward scored what proved to be the game-winner with 5:15 to go in the period on a feed from senior Jace Huntbatch.
Huntbatch and junior Rhett Johnson helped set up Marolt for his third goal, with 54 seconds left.
Huntbatch made it 4-1 early in the third as senior Alex Merriman assisted, and after Mora closed the gap to two, Ely got a shorthanded goal to close things out.
It was Marolt’s fourth of the night, with Huntbatch notching his third assist.
“Owen had a big night by putting four pucks in the net,” said Myers. “He really played well in front and gave himself some opportunities.”
Senior goaltender Ben Leeson finished with 26 saves to get the victory between the pipes for the Wolves.
Losing goaltender Konner Kahle made 31 stops in a game in which the Wolves put up a 36-30 edge in shots on goal.
The Wolves spent too much time in the penalty box in Saturday’s rematch.
“That game got a bit out of hand with the penalties and we got into penalty trouble early,” said Myers. “That gave Mora a lot of momentum.”
The hosts got out to a 3-1 lead through two periods and that margin held up in the third.
Cooper Mayranen had Ely’s only goal.
• Tuesday night’s Section 7A clash with International Falls was postponed as both injuries and illness severely depleted an already- small Ely roster.
A makeup date is tentatively set for Tuesday, Dec. 31, with an afternoon matinee slated for 1 p.m.
• The Wolves will host May-Port (N.D.), Moose Lake and Kittson County Central in the second annual holiday tournament, which will take place Dec. 26-28 at the Ely Arena.
• A long road trip takes place today as the Wolves go all the way to Baudette for a 2 p.m. meeting with Lake of the Woods.
Section 7A foe Greenway visits the Ely Arena for a Dec. 19 game, with the drop of the puck scheduled at 7 p.m.
