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King scores twice, including the OT winner, for Elk River against Cambridge-Isanti

By Heather Rule, SportsEngine, 01/22/19, 2:30PM CST

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Senior center Kelsey King increased her state-leading season total to 40 goals while guiding the Elks past the Bluejackets.

Elk River's Kelsey King gets behind the Cambridge-Isanti defense for a scoring chance in the second period. King scored twice for the Elks including the game-winner 12 seconds into overtime Tuesday night. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Elk River's Kelsey King gets behind the Cambridge-Isanti defense for a scoring chance in the second period. King scored twice for the Elks including the game-winner 12 seconds into overtime Tuesday night. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Elk River's Madelyn Christian wins a faceoff against Cambridge-Isanti Tuesday night. Christian had a goal and an assist in the Elks' 3-2 overtime win over the Bluejackets. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Elk River's Madelyn Christian wins a faceoff against Cambridge-Isanti Tuesday night. Christian had a goal and an assist in the Elks' 3-2 overtime win over the Bluejackets. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Elk River/Zimmerman senior Kelsey King is the state’s leading goal scorer. She just has a knack for it, according to her coach, Brian Ballenger.

King scored her state-leading 40th goal of the season just 12 seconds into overtime to give Elk River a 3-2 victory over Class 2A, Section 7 rival Cambridge-Isanti/Mora/Pine City on Tuesday at Elk River Ice Arena.

“I was kind of just hovering in front because I saw Maddy (Christian) in the corner with it, and I know she’s a really good playmaker,” King said. “So I kind of waited for her to pick it up, and then I saw the opportunity, then I came down the slot and she gave it to me.”

The quick, game-winning goal was her second tally of the night. King, a senior center and co-captain committed to Minnesota State Mankato, also got her team on the board with her ninth power-play goal of the season just 1 minute, 51 seconds into the second period to cut into a 2-0 deficit. King rang a top-shelf shot off the iron and into the back of the net on the glove side for goal No. 39.

Cambridge-Isanti's Madelyn Skelton pulls the puck around Elk River goalie Megan Jung for a penalty shot goal late in the first period. Despite Skelton's two goals, the Bluejackets fell to the Elks 3-2 in overtime. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Cambridge-Isanti's Madelyn Skelton pulls the puck around Elk River goalie Megan Jung for a penalty shot goal late in the first period. Despite Skelton's two goals, the Bluejackets fell to the Elks 3-2 in overtime. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

There’s a good reason why Elk River/Zimmerman’s Kelsey King is the top goal scorer in the state. Put simply, she knows what to do with the puck.

King was camped out front and made no mistake scoring the overtime winner just 12 seconds into the extra session to give Elk River a 3-2 overtime victory over Cambridge-Isanti/Mora/Pine City in a clash between Class 2A, Section 7 rivals Tuesday at Elk River Ice Arena.

The Bluejackets (15-6, 8-1) took a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from the team’s leading scorer, junior center Madelyn Skelton (one was a penalty shot), and outshot the Elks 16-5 in the first period.

Elk River (14-6-3, 9-3-3) countered in the second by outshooting its opponent 17-8 and tying the game 2-2. King, a senior center, got the Elks on the board with a top-shelf shot for her ninth power-play goal this season, which was her 39th goal of the year. Freshman Madelyn Christian tied the game with 1 minute, 3 seconds left in the second period on a high shot from the slot.

In goal, senior Jayante Kotila made 28 saves for Cambridge-Isanti, and senior Megan Jung stopped 36 pucks for Elk River.

King also had a hat trick and a pair of assists when the Elks defeated the Bluejackets 5-1 in last year’s section quarterfinals.

With a victory in their regular-season home finale, the Elks improve to 4-1-1 in their past six games.

The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for the Bluejackets.

The MN Girls' Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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