The Hatchet boys hockey team was checked out of the tournament series in the first round in last Tuesday’s 4-1 contest at bitter rival Lakeland.
The T-Birds then shocked the state’s 6th-ranked and 2nd-seeded D.C. Everest in a 3-2 contest on Thursday to set up this week Tuesday’s game at 3rd-seed Northland Pines.
After a scoreless first period, 7th-seeded Lakeland netted a pair of even-handed goals against the 10th-seeded Hatchets.
Tomahawk sliced that margin in half when Sam Heim scored an A.J. Bunce power play assist with 4:35 elapsed in the third period.
But the T-Birds answered with a PP score of its own 5-1/2 minutes later, then finished it off with a short-handed goal just five seconds later.
Saves-THS-Ole Hanson 11-10-9-30. Lakeland-Alex Moustakis 7-5-12-24.
Tomahawk closed out a 7-17 season with the game. The Hatchets were fifth in the eight-team GNC hockey conference with a 6-8 record.