The boys hockey season continued on Dec. 17, when the Royals improved their record to 8-1 with a 7-4 victory over Spring Lake Park.

With help from Josh Laven, senior, who scored two goals in a two-minute span, and two more from seniors Jonah Gagnon and Joe Nelsen, the Royals jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second period.

The Panthers would get one back, though, as Adam Bachmeier, junior, put a puck past Royals goalie Josh Kuehmichel, senior.

Spring Lake Park would not go down easily as they scored two more unanswered goals and cut the Royals’ lead to one.

However, Nelsen’s second goal of the game pushed the Royals’ lead to 5-3.

The Panthers retaliated only thirty seconds later with a second goal from Devin Sunell, senior.

Leading 5-4, the Royals went back to the player that scored their first two goals, as Laven recorded a hat trick. Gagnon would score again with just over five minutes left in the game to seal the win for the Royals and give them the best record in the Lake Conference.

The Royals will have 11 days off before they start a tournament in Blaine on Dec. 29. Their first game is against the 2-4 Orono Spartans.