MARQUETTE — Kingsford split a pair of weekend hockey games in the Marquette Holiday Tournament, losing to the Canton Chiefs 9-1 on Sunday and beating the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils 5-1 on Saturday at Lakeview Arena.

“We stayed with them through most of the first period until two costly defensive mistakes had us down 2-0 at the end of the period,” said Kingsford head coach Greg Wadge.

With the shots on goal in the second period being nearly dead even, neither team managed to score goal in the period.

Wadge noted that it was one of the best periods of hockey the Flivvers played all season.

“In the third period, we had a major meltdown on both ends of the ice,” Wadge said. “We gave up seven goals and the game ended early.”

The Flivvers lone goal on the afternoon was scored by Colin Watkins, assisted by Tyler Bengston and Carter Kreski.

Behind three first-period goals, two from Kreski, the Flivvers defeated Sault Ste. Marie.

“We didn’t play all that well,” Wadge said. “I felt our overall effort was poor, especially coming off of our excellent overall effort against Marquette in our last game.

“Our compete level was very low.”

Kreski scored his first of two first-period goals unassisted only 1:05 into the contest.

Almost 10 minutes later, Hunter Fortner put Kingsford ahead 2-0 with an unassisted goal. Four minutes later, Kreski scored his second goal of the period, on an assist from Tyler Bengston, to give the Flivvers a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

To start the second period, the Blue Devils made a goalie change from Caleb Horn to Tristion Forgrave. Midway through the period, Reece Fortner put the Flivvers ahead 4-0, with Hunter Fortner getting credit for the assist.

Early in the third period, Bengston put Kingsford ahead 5-0, on a goal assisted by David Juul.

Kingsford outshot its non-conference foe 41-13.

Wadge said his team did a good job of staying out of the penalty box, drawing a season-low two penalties in the game.

Kingsford travels to Saginaw on Thursday in preparation to take on Davidson on Friday and Saginaw Heritage on Saturday.

SSM 0 0 1 – 1

KINGSFORD 3 1 1 – 5

FIRST PERIOD

K- Carter Kreski (Unassisted) 1:05

K – Hunter Fortner (Unassisted) 10:58

K – Kreski (Tyler Bengston) 14:57

SECOND PERIOD

K- Reece Fortner (Hunter Fortner) 9:37

THIRD PERIOD

K- Bengston (David Juul) 6:25

SSM – Elijah Clow (Unassisted) 16:26