In an intriguing matchup between the top two boys hockey teams in the North Suburban conference, Totino-Grace lost to Benilde-St. Margaret's Saturday afternoon by a lopsided score of 9-2.

The Eagles lost their second game of the season on their home ice. The Red Knights have now won seven of eight games.

It was clear after a 5-1 Benilde-St. Margaret's (13-2-0, 6-0-0 conference) lead at the first intermission that Totino-Grace (12-2-0, 8-1-0 conference) was going to have a tall order to fill.

"They had a lot of speed, and we really didn't have an answer for it," Totino-Grace head coach Mark Loahr said. "But they're a really good team; that's why they're fifth in the state."

The game opened with a quick score and another, short-handed goal for Benilde-St. Margaret's—each from sophomore T.J. Moore, who ended the game with a hat trick. Then Totino-Grace's Andrew McDonald trimmed the lead to one with a goal set up from Donny Kealy.

But the Red Knights tallied three goals within the final two minutes of the first period. The last goal of the trio came with only five seconds remaining. Those quick goals "turned the whole game around," Loahr said.

The Eagles improved their scoring chances in the second period, especially on the power play. They got better as the game went on and as they got used to the speed of Benilde-St. Margaret's, Loahr said.

Totino-Grace tried to create chances to fire pucks at the net. But the defense of Benilde-St. Margaret's kept them at bay. The Red Knights also held a 42-25 advantage in the shot column.

"I think Totino's got a nice team," Benilde-St. Margaret's head coach Ken Pauly said. "I think they're better than what they showed today."

The offensive depth of the Red Knights proved to be too much for the Eagles to handle. Goals came from seven different players, and the offense didn't let up.

"I think that depth was difficult for [Totino-Grace] to deal with," Pauly said.

"Let's face it," Pauly added. "It was rolling our way today. That happens in high school."

Senior captain Xavier Fust scored the other goal for Totino-Grace. But at seven minutes of the running-time in the third period, that was a small consolation.

Because Totino-Grace and Benilde-St. Margaret's are usually at the top of the North Suburban, the games they play against each other during the season can seem like conference championship games.

"We came into the game thinking if we want to win the conference, we've got to definitely win this game," Moore said.

The Eagles and Red Knights will meet again Feb. 17 on the Knights' home ice. Benilde-St. Margaret's will need to maintain its high level of play, while Totino-Grace will have to work out a few kinks to be ready for the rematch against its rival.

As for the next few games, Benilde-St. Margaret's will play Osseo, Holy Angels and Moorhead, while Totino-Grace faces off against the highly-ranked Breck, Edina and St. Thomas Academy teams.

"It's up to us to just keep getting better," Loahr said. "I think we can do that. I think we have the players to do that."