Proctor suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Alexandria Cardinals on February 16, 2024, at the Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center. Despite a strong start, the Rails struggled to maintain momentum following an early goal, ultimately leading to a disappointing outcome.
The match began positively for Proctor when senior Breckin Ross scored just 3:31 into the game, capitalizing on a power play opportunity. However, the Rails quickly lost their rhythm. Alexandria responded with a goal from Grady Olson less than two minutes later, followed by another from Bennett Waldorf later in the first period. The Cardinals sealed their victory with an empty net goal in the third period.
Proctor’s coach, Jeff Laspi, expressed disappointment at his team’s inability to build on their early success. “I thought we might get some momentum off that first one, but we never could find it,” he stated. In contrast, Alexandria’s coach, Landon Olson, noted the importance of withstanding the initial energy from the Rails. “All night, we were just moving our feet, creating our own chances through effort, and that’s how we’re going to win games,” he said.
Laspi acknowledged that the prolonged break of ten days had affected Proctor’s performance. He remarked on the challenges of practice: “You try to go hard in practice, but you’re not battling guys on face-offs and in the corners.” This lack of game-like intensity appeared to contribute to the Rails’ overall sluggishness during the match.
The team’s top line, which includes Ross and two freshmen, Jaxon Hardy and Drew Yost, faced a particularly difficult game. Laspi described it as their “worst game of the year.” Hardy and Ross are currently tied for the team lead with 33 points, while Yost follows with 18 points. Laspi noted that Hardy, normally reliable, struggled during the game, stating, “Jax hasn’t had a bad game all year…that happened three or four times tonight and I know he’s frustrated.”
With a young core of players, inconsistency is often a challenge for Proctor. Laspi recognized that the team was “due” for a flat performance but emphasized that such experiences also present valuable learning opportunities. “It will be interesting to see how they handle the adversity,” he said. “You take this two ways. It can be a learning experience or it can linger.”
Looking ahead, the Rails, now at a record of 11-9-1, will face a tough challenge against Duluth Marshall on February 20, 2024, at 16:00. Laspi described the upcoming match against the Hilltoppers, who currently hold a record of 16-3-2, as a significant local rivalry. “We’ll be up for the Marshall game. There’s a little bit of a rivalry thing there, but it’s going to be a tall task,” he concluded.
As Proctor prepares for their next game, the focus will be on overcoming the setbacks faced against Alexandria and harnessing their potential for improvement.
