ALEXANDRIA-Gabbie Smith netted a pair of goals for Class 2A's 13th-ranked Brainerd/Little Falls Warriors who won the Central Lakes Conference title outright with a 7-2 victory over Class 1A's 14th-ranked Alexandria Cardinals Thursday.
The Warriors improved to 10-1 in the conference, 22-2 overall, and have won four straight. They defeated Alex 4-1 Dec. 20.
It was Brainerd's first conference title since since the 2010-11 season and the second in program history.
Katie Orth and Josie Kramer put B/LF up 2-0 with first-period scores and the Warriors exploded for four goals in the second to put the game away. Cheyenne Abear, Gabbie Smith, Allyson Smith and Taylor Larson each found the back of the net countered by a lone goal for Alex by McKenna Ellingson.
Gabbie Smith added a power-play goal at 7:32 of the third to wrap up the scoring after the Cardinals had drawn to within 6-2.
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Allyson Smith finished with four points on a goal and three assists.
B/LF goalie Olivia King stopped 20 of the 21 shots she faced over the first two periods. Nicole Schulz rejected five of six shots in the third. The Warriors put 22 shots shots on goal.
Alexandria 0 1 1-2
Brainerd 2 4 1-7
First period: BLF-Katie Orth (Emma Booth, Josie Kramer) 9:05; BLF-Kramer (Grace Schulte) ppg 11:00
Second period: BLF-Cheyenne Abear (Mara Roberts) 3:59; BLF-Gabbie Smith (Allyson Smith) 5:35; BLF-Allyson Smith (Abear) 8:26; Alex-McKenna Ellingson (Taylor Breitkreutz) 10:53; BLF-Taylor Larson (Allyson Smith, Emma Smith) 12:50
Third period: Alex-Megan Pesta (Josie Minnerath, Marki Oberg) 3:44; BLF-Gabbie Smith (Allyson Smith, Abear) ppg 7:32
Shots on goal: BLF 22, Alex 27
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Goalies: BLF-Olivia King 34 minutes (20 saves), Nicole Schulz 17 minutes (5 saves); Alex-Madison Gay (15 saves)
Conference: BLF 10-1-0. Overall: BLF 22-2-0. Next: Brainerd at Moorhead 5 p.m. Saturday.
