PIERRE – The Oahe Capitals scored early and often on the way to a 7-2 boys’ hockey victory over the Aberdeen Cougars on Sunday afternoon.

The host squad scored four goals in the first seven minutes of the game and produced the first six goals in all. The Capitals outshot Aberdeen 18-3 in the opening period.

“It was just not a good day. We came out flat and put ourselves in a 5-0 deficit in the first period and just couldn’t recover,” said Cougars coach Jeremey Backous. “We have to be better from the initial puck drop.”

Aberdeen did come to life in the final two periods. The Cougars got on the board midway through the second period when Devon Fischbach scored on assists from Talan Dutenhoeffer and Brady Huff. Aberdeen outshot Oahe 10-7 in the second period.

Aberdeen’s Seth Malsom scored the final goal of the game on assists from Fischbach and Austin Dabney.

The Cougars fell to 8-9-1 in league play and are 12-9-1 overall. Aberdeen will host Watertown in its final home game of the season Friday night at the Odde Ice Center.

The Cougars are currently in sixth place in the league standings. Backous would like to see his team finish strong as it prepares for next month’s state tournament.

“We still have three really winnable games remaining,” Backous said, “so hopefully we can start finding our groove. Now is the time!”

Aberdeen Cougars 0 1 1 – 2

Oahe Capitals 5 1 1 – 7

First Period: 1, Oahe, Ashton Griese (Andrew Couglin, Barrett Schweitzer), 15:29; 2, Oahe, Griese (Aidan Dozark), 15:09; 3, Oahe, Schweitzer (Jarron Beck), 12:03; 4, Oahe, Andre Carbonneau, 10:47; 5, Oahe, Carter Gordon (Jayce Anderson, Keller Herman), 5:00.

Second Period: 6, Oahe, Dozark (Schweitzer, Griese), 14:06; 7, AC, Devon Fischbach (Talan Dutenhoeffer, Brady Huff), 8:43.

Third Period: 8, Oahe, Devin Dodson (Carbonneau, Dylan Dodson), 5:45; 9, AC, Seth Malsom (Devon Fischbach, Austin Dabney), 2:23.

Shots on Goal: Aberdeen Cougars 22; Oahe Capitals 38.

Goalies: Aberdeen Cougars, Colton Townsend (31 saves); Oahe Capitals, Colin Lee (20 saves).