The Luverne boys’ hockey team hosted Dodge County Saturday at the Blue Mound Ice Arena where the Cardinals fell to the Wildcats 5-3.
Dodge County scored the only first-period goal at the 6:37 mark when Carl Schmotz beat Luverne goalie Tyler Arends.
The period saw a total of 16 shots on goal, with Dodge County holding the advantage 10-6.
Arends had nine big saves in the period to keep it a one-goal differential.
Luverne got rolling in the second when Henry Hartquist tied the game just two minutes into the period. Owen Sudenga and Brock Behrend assisted on the goal.
Two minutes later it was Luverne taking the lead with senior Zach Kruse finding the back of the net and Sudenga and Behrend assisting again.
Dodge County responded to tie the game with 11 minutes to go in the second.
Luverne regained the lead in the second period on a Patrick Kroski goal. Behrend and Sudenga registered the assists.
The period would end with Luverne taking a 3-2 lead into the locker room.
Shots on goal for the period were 11 to eight in favor of Luverne. Arends had seven saves in the period for Luverne.
The final period saw a flurry of shots on goal for both teams.
Dodge County knotted the game at three with 12:46 to go in the third period. Dodge County got two late goals with under three minutes to go in the game and escaped Luverne with a 5-3 win.
Period shots on goal were 14-5 in favor of Dodge County and 30-22 for Dodge County in the game.
Arends finished with 25 saves on the afternoon.
The Cardinal boys, 7-7 on the year, will hit the road for three games in the coming week, at Worthington on Tuesday, New Ulm on Thursday and Morris-Benson Saturday.