North Shore Storm

Head coach: Shawn Lundgren, first season

Key departures: Lucas Stadler (11-11—22), Ryder McMillen (9-13— 22), Carter Zabrocki (7-7—14), Sully Tikkanen (9-4—13)

Good Luck North Shore Storm!

on offense, but Ribich and Knezevich combined for 17 goals and 43 points last season and will be key in increasing the win total this season. The Rebels have an opportunity to pick up some momentum early with their first two games. Moose Lake Area hosts a Two Rivers team that won four games last season and a six-win North Shore squad to start the season.

Key returners: Sr. F Nate Bilben (7-8—15); sr. D Jacob Marxhausen (1-1—2)

Outlook: Head coach Shawn Lundgren is taking over after serving as an assistant under Andy Fellows the past two seasons.

The Storm graduated eight of its top nine scorers from the 202021 squad that went 6-12 and fell 6-2 at home to Proctor in the Section 7A play-in game to end the season.

Senior Nate Bilben is the highest-scoring returner for the Storm with seven goals and eight assists. Fellow senior Jacob Marxhausen will anchor the defense for North Shore.

Lundgren said the Storm is going to be integrating 16 new players into the North Shore program this season, but the team has a strong work ethic, commitment and a desire to “play hard for each other.”

“We understand as a collective group that we need to be the hardest-working team daily,” Lundgren said. “Our success is based on making this commitment.”

North Shore’s depth is always a challenge, but the departure of defending Iron Range Conference champion Hibbing/Chisholm for the Lake Superior Conference will benefit the Storm.

The schedule also gives North Shore an opportunity to build some momentum early with games against Wadena-Deer Creek, Moose Lake Area and Ely, teams that had a combined six wins last season.

STORM: Page 14

STORM: From page 13

NORTH SHORE 2021-22 SCHEDULE

Nov. 27 — WADENA-DEER CREEK (TH), 2 p.m.

Nov. 30 — at Moose Lake, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7 — ELY (SB), 6 p.m.

Dec. 16 — at Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23 — at Cambridge-Isanti, 7 p.m.

Jan. 4 — GREENWAY (SB), 7 p.m.

Jan. 7 — at Duluth Denfeld, 7 p.m.

Jan. 11 — at Greenway, 7 p.m.

Jan. 13 — PROCTOR (TH), 7 p.m.

Jan. 18 — at Rock Ridge, 7 p.m.

Jan. 20 — HIBBING/CHISHOLM (SB), 7 p.m.

Jan. 25 — at Mora/Milaca, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27 — INTERNATIONAL FALLS (SB), 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 — at Hibbing/Chisholm, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7 — at Ely, 6 p.m.

Feb. 8 — MOOSE LAKE, 7 p.m.

Feb. 10 — at Proctor, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15 — at International Falls, 6 p.m.

2020-21 RESULTS • RECORD: 6-12

Jan. 14 — HIBBING/CHISHOLM, L, 7-4

Jan. 16 — GREENWAY, L, 5-2

Jan. 19 — EVELETH-GILBERT, L, 4-0

Jan. 21 — at International Falls, L, 6-4

Feb. 6 — DULUTH DENFELD, L, 15-0

Feb. 9 — INTERNATIONAL FALLS, W, 6-5

Feb. 11 — at Eveleth-Gilbert, L, 7-1

Feb. 16 — at Greenway, L, 3-2

Feb. 20 — VIRGINIA/MIB, L, 3-0

Feb. 23 — ELY, W, 11-0

Feb. 25 — MOOSE LAKE, W, 10-4

March 1 — PROCTOR, W, 4-1

March 4 — DULUTH MARSHALL, L, 5-0

March 6 — at Virginia/MIB, L, 9-0

March 9 — at Hibbing/Chisholm, L, 7-1

March 11 — at Moose Lake, W, 4-2

March 12 — PROCTOR, W, 6-4

March 18 — PROCTOR, L, 5-2

Jamey Malcomb, News Tribune

North Shore’s Nate Bilben fires a shot on goal during a 2021 game against Eveleth-Gilbert. Lisa Malcomb / File / For the Duluth News Tribune