Red-hot Rogers, winners of seven straight including a Jan. 29 triumph over top-ranked Andover, had its home crowd in a Saturday afternoon frenzy.

No. 6-2A Moorhead was in town, and Rogers, one of the fastest-growing brands in the state, was intent on slaying another dragon. 

But the Spuds have had plenty thrown at it them this winter. New ideas to digest, tactics to solve and skill sets to overcome as they criss-cross the state playing elite competition.

In front of a full house, the No. 13-2A ranked Royals hit the ice with a tremendous amount of speed, and showed a commitment to make it part of the fabric their upset bid.

Rogers struck first when leading scorer Sam Ranallo buried his 22nd goal, registering his 51st point of the year to energize the Rogers Community Center. 

And, though minutes later Moorhead would get one back, there was a buzz of confidence and optimism around the rink amidst the Rogers faithful.

Then came the second period.

Moorhead came out flying, scoring three goals while taking control. The north-south game the Spuds pride themselves on, a heavy forecheck with a relentless backcheck, took hold.

While Moorhead likes to skate in straight lines up and down the rink, as fast and as deep as it can, Rogers wanted to work its speed and interchange with circling and swapping.

The Spuds' solution was simply to get in the Royals' way, and eventually it worked.

Aaron Reierson scored twice, as did Harper Bentz, and Moorhead tuned out all the noise as it earned a 5-2 road victory. The Spuds (16-5-1) pushed their unbeaten streak to 13 games, a stretch that dates to a week before Christmas.

“That’s a fast team and they came guns blazing, and they were extremely aggressive in all zones,” Moorhead coach Jon Ammerman said. “But we were able to withstand the punch and our defensemen were able to make plays consistently.

"The second period was some of the best hockey we’ve played.” 

Reierson scored the first and last goals of the second and the Spuds were in control the rest of the way.

“We just kind of settled down in the second, and then we started getting the puck bounces,” Reierson said.  “We want to play the right way. Play hard, make simple plays and just show up every shift.”

Reierson’s production injected life and energy into the Spuds, who continue to see goal production slowly adding up outside the incredible numbers from their top line. The trio of Bentz (28-22-50), Gavin Lindberg (15-34-49) and Carson Triggs (16-22-38) are the focal point of any opponent’s defensive approach. 

But Reierson’s performance Saturday put teams on notice. With 13 goals and 23 points in 21 games, the 6-foot-1 junior is coming into his own as one of Moorhead's "other guys.' 

“With Aaron stepping up and scoring for us, it changes what kind of team we can be,” Ammerman says. “He’s a big strong forward with a strong shot and he’s still learning that. If the puck is on his stick, it’s a good time to shoot.”

Harper Bentz and Aaron Reierson each scored twice as No. 6-2A Moorhead battled through a sloppy first period before finding its way in the second.

From there, the Spuds were all business, physical and aggressive en route to a 5-2 road victory Saturday afternoon at Rogers Community Center over No. 13-2A Rogers.

With the score tied 1-1 after 17 minutes, Reierson scored twice in the second period, with a goal by Bentz sandwiched between, as the Spuds seized control.

Moorhead (16-5-1) pushed its unbeaten streak to 13 games, a stretch that dates to a week before Christmas. The Royals, on their own tear, brought in a seven-win streak that included head-turning victories over No. 1-2A Andover and No. 7-2A Maple Grove.

Against the physicality of Moorhead, Rogers struggled to execute its game plan, and frustration grew. Moorhead, locking down prime areas of the ice, neutralized Rogers’ speed, while quickly seizing upon turnovers to feed its own transition.

Moorhead's Kai Weigel stopped 18 of 20 shots, including many under heavy fire early that allowed the Spuds to find their footing. 

Sam Ranallo and Matthew Lomen both scored for the Royals (15-7-1), who lost for just the second time since Dec. 28.