WATERTOWN, S.D. — The Watertown Shamrocks secured a weekend sweep against the St. Cloud Norsemen, earning a 5-3 victory on Friday followed by a 4-3 win on Saturday.
In Friday’s opener, St. Cloud took an early lead when Hobey Skulstad scored at 17:02 of the first period. Watertown answered at 11:02 with a goal from Jordan Brothers, but Niklas Anderson restored the Norsemen’s lead at 7:12.
Watertown responded with three unanswered goals. Andrew Smulkstys tied the game on a power-play opportunity later in the first, and Stefan Rots put the Shamrocks ahead 3-2 at 2:42 of the second period. Justin Obrochta expanded the lead to 4-2 at 7:09 of the third.
St. Cloud cut the deficit to 4-3 on a shorthand goal by Brandon Rodenwald with 1:39 remaining in regulation. However, Watertown’s Kyle Green sealed the 5-3 win with an empty-net goal with six seconds left.
Shamrocks goaltender Mason Gudridge stopped 22 of 25 shots. Watertown held a 34-25 advantage in shots on goal, led by Brothers with six.
On Saturday, Watertown opened the scoring at 8:21 of the first period on a goal by Owen Chartier. St. Cloud pulled ahead in the second period with consecutive goals from Easton Kennedy at 14:51 and Mate Tardi at 11:34.
Roy Chung brought Watertown level at 2-2 at 7:02 of the second before Kirill Borodulin scored a power-play goal with six seconds remaining in the period to put the Shamrocks back in front.
Brody Josselyn extended Watertown’s lead to 4-2 at 16:22 of the third period. St. Cloud’s Jackson Dolfi brought the Norsemen within one at 6:26, but Watertown held on for the 4-3 result.
St. Cloud outshot Watertown 31-30 in the second game. Gudridge made 28 saves on 31 shots for the Shamrocks, while Greene led Watertown with five shots.
Watertown (8-6-2-0) next hosts the Austin Bruins for a two-game series Nov. 20-21.
