Park boys hockey: Wolfpack beats Woodbury for third time, advances in section play

The Park boys hockey team beat crosstown rival Woodbury for a third time in three head-to-head games this year, 6-2, in the play-in round of the Section 3AA playoffs.

Park, the eighth seed in the section, scored three goals in the first period and three goals in the second period to blowout ninth-seeded Woodbury and end the Royals’ season at Cottage Grove Ice Arena.

Park (5-20-1) opened up a daunting 4-1 lead in the game as Wolfpack junior Eric Stoffel netted a goal 30 seconds into the second period and never looked back in the win over the Royals (6-17-3).

Stoffel scored two goals in the game, senior Cody Newton scored two goals, senior Nick Moser had a goal and an assist and senior Chris Peterson had three assists. The Wolfpack outshot Woodbury 41-30 in the win. Park junior goalie Matt Palmquist made 28 saves in the victory.

The win earned Park a date with No. 1 seed Eagan tonight, Thursday, Feb. 21, at Eagan Civic Arena. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Ranked fourth in Class AA, Eagan (21-3-1) is on an 11-game win streak. An upset win over Eagan would send the Wolfpack to the section quarterfinals where it would face a familiar foe – either fifth-seed Hastings or fourth-seed East Ridge – at the Coliseum on Feb. 23.

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