It was opening night in the Minnesota Girls High School Hockey world, here are your game recaps:

November 9, 2023
North St. Paul/Tartan 7
Rochester Century 2

In a high-octane Minnesota girls high school hockey matchup, North St. Paul/Tartan clashed with Rochester Century, delivering a game teeming with action right from the start. North St. Paul/Tartan’s Ellie Volkers quickly lit up the scoreboard, but Rochester Century’s Annika Torbenson and Megan Gamble kept pace, ending the first period in a 2-2 deadlock.  As the game progressed, North St. Paul/Tartan seized control, with Emily Knoblauch netting a hat trick, leading her team to a 6-2 lead by the end of the second period. The final period saw North St. Paul/Tartan cement their dominance with a power play goal by Caylee Sachs to wrap up a decisive 7-2 victory, highlighting a night of exceptional teamwork and individual prowess.

Park of Cottage Grove 4
Bloomington Jefferson 2

In a close scoring Minnesota girls high school hockey game, Bloomington Jefferson opened the scoring with Becca Brendalen finding the net just 37 seconds into the first period. The second period saw Park of Cottage Grove equalize through Alaina Post’s even-strength goal. The third period was a showcase of Park’s resilience and tactical play; Cassidy Moen put Park in the lead with a power play goal. Jana Lesch of Bloomington Jefferson responded, tying the game once again, but Park’s Lauren Osland took charge with two consecutive goals, one just seconds after Lesch’s effort and another on an empty net, sealing a 4-2 victory for Park of Cottage Grove.

Brainerd/Little Falls 3
Buffalo 0

In a tightly contested girls’ high school hockey game, Brainerd/Little Falls faced off against Buffalo and emerged victorious with a 3-0 shutout. The game began with a strong defensive stance from both teams, but Brainerd/Little Falls broke the deadlock late in the first period with a shorthanded goal by Hannah Neuwirth at the 16:40 mark.
The second period was a defensive battle with no scores from either side, maintaining the slim 1-0 lead for Brainerd/Little Falls. Tension mounted as both teams sought to capitalize on their opportunities, but goaltenders and defensemen on both ends kept the puck out of the nets.
The third period saw Brainerd/Little Falls secure their lead late in the game with two quick goals in the final minutes. Molly Pohlkamp scored on a power play with an empty net, assisted by Brynn Thoma, to double the advantage. Shortly after, Peyton LeMieur sealed the win with an even-strength empty net goal, clinching the 3-0 victory for Brainerd/Little Falls.

Prior Lake 5
Crookston 0

The scoring opened in the first period when Jonni Anderson of Prior Lake, assisted by Ciera Olinger, found the net at 9:04 with an even-strength goal, establishing an early lead. The rest of the period passed without further scoring, setting up a tense atmosphere as both teams looked for opportunities.
The second period continued in a similar vein, with both teams exhibiting strong defensive skills until Bella Sterns of Prior Lake broke through the opposition’s defenses, scoring at 14:56 with an assist from Raya Mathiason to double their lead.

The third period was a showcase for Prior Lake’s offensive prowess. Sterns notched her second goal of the game at 5:41, with Addi Heinicke and Ava Anderson providing the assists. The momentum firmly in their favor, Prior Lake continued their assault with Raya Mathiason scoring back-to-back goals within a span of 23 seconds, first at 9:50, assisted by Kallie Disrud and Addi Heinicke, and then at 10:13 with an assist from Sterns, who had a standout performance herself.
As the final buzzer sounded, Prior Lake skated off with a decisive 5-0 victory, a testament to their offensive execution and unyielding defense throughout the game.

Eden Prairie 2
Chaska/Chanhassen 0

Eden Prairie dominated this game in terms of shots, sending a total of 37 pucks towards the Chaska/Chanhassen goal, while Chaska/Chanhassen managed 15 in response, but the game remained 0-0 after the first period. The deadlock was finally broken in the second period when Eden Prairie’s Gianna Kowalkoski scored at the 15:20 mark with assists from Kate Petrie and Natalie McNeil. This goal opened up the game and was quickly followed by another Eden Prairie marker just 51 seconds later from Ava Moe, with Jordan Elvecrog and Ella Pinnow earning the assists.  There were no further goals, and the game ended with Eden Prairie securing a 2-0 victory over their west metro neighbor.

Mound/Westonka 4
LDC 1

New head coach Larry Olimb of  Mound/Westonka got his first win of the season as Greer Hardacre netted an even-strength goal at 6:53 in the first period, assisted by Natalie Minor and Camryn Hargreaves.  This early lead set the tone for the remainder of the game.

The second period saw continued success for Mound Westonka/Southwest Christian, with Camryn Hargreaves contributing a goal of her own at 5:40, followed by Elizabeth Callahan extending the lead to 3-0 with her strike at 7:56. LDC managed to respond with a goal from Camryn Iverson at 9:31, narrowing the gap and bringing the score to 3-1.

In the third period, Mound Westonka/Southwest Christian solidified their lead with Georgia Harmer scoring at 7:06, ensuring a comfortable advantage. The final whistle blew with Mound Westonka/Southwest Christian emerging as the victors with a convincing performance both defensively and offensively, as reflected in the final shot count (45-26) and scoreboard (4-1).

Minnetonka 8
Roseville/Mahtomedi 0

The top-ranked Minnetonka Skippers showcased why they are the team to beat in Class AA girls hockey with a commanding performance. Their game against RMHS started strong and only gained momentum as the periods progressed.

In the first period, Jemma McAlexander put Minnetonka on the board with a shorthanded goal at 7:42, setting the stage for what would become a trend for the Skippers. Kendra Distad, also shorthanded, widened the lead early in the second period, proving Minnetonka’s proficiency even when down a player. The power play then took center stage, with Ruby Rauk and Lauren Mack both capitalizing on their numerical advantage to bring the score to 4-0.

The third period continued in the same vein, with Allison Ryan adding an even-strength goal. Molly Ryan and Bella Finnegan continued the scoring run with power play goals, showcasing Minnetonka’s lethal efficiency. Lauren Mack rounded out the scoring with her second goal of the game, cementing an 8-0 shutout victory.
Minnetonka’s special teams were particularly notable, scoring multiple shorthanded and power play goals. The team’s depth and skill were on full display, reflecting their status as the top team in the state.

Champlin Park/Coon Rapids 2
Rogers 1

In a highly anticipated rematch from last season’s playoffs, Champlin Park/Coon Rapids faced off against Rogers in a game that was expected to be a close contest. Champlin Park/Coon Rapids, seeking to assert their strength early, managed to take the lead in the first period with Lily McKenzie finding the net at 13:33 with an even-strength goal, signaling their intent to dominate.

Maintaining their momentum, Champlin Park/Coon Rapids extended their lead shortly after the second period commenced. Lily McKenzie, once again, demonstrated her prowess on the ice by scoring her second goal of the game just 59 seconds into the period, this time assisted by Nola Milton, doubling their advantage to 2-0.

As the game progressed into the third period, Rogers showed resilience and a fighting spirit. Sydney Bailey managed to break through Champlin Park/Coon Rapids’ defenses, scoring an even-strength goal at 9:18, with assists from Avery Achterkirch and Erica Maida, narrowing the gap to 2-1.

Despite Rogers’ efforts to level the score, the game ended with Champlin Park/Coon Rapids holding onto their lead and securing a win in this playoff rematch.

Holy Family 4
Simley 1

In a game where expectations were high for both teams, Holy Family delivered an impressive game against the highly-ranked Simley Spartans. Holy Family commanded the ice with an impressive display of skill and strategy, starting strong with Ella Nonweiler scoring the opening goal at 16:09 of the first period, assisted by Jenna Allen.

The second period saw Holy Family’s lead solidify with Katya Sander finding the back of the net, making the score to 2-0 with assists from Addy Cowan and Ella Sharkey. Holy Family’s offense proved too much for Simley, as they outshot their opponents 52 to 13 by the end of the game.

Holy Family’s dominance continued into the third period with Sander scoring her second goal during a power play, followed swiftly by Nonweiler’s second power-play goal, each showcasing Holy Family’s 100% effectiveness with the man advantage. Simley’s efforts to rally were highlighted by Taylor Ralston’s power-play goal at 16:45, but it was not enough to bridge the gap.

The game concluded with a 4-1 victory for Holy Family, a testament to their offensive onslaught and power-play precision. Despite Simley’s best efforts, including a 25% power-play success rate, Holy Family’s consistent pressure and high shot count led them to a well-deserved win in this early-season matchup between two high-ranked teams.

Willmar 2
Marshall 0

In a defensive duel between Marshall and Willmar, the latter emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. Willmar established an early lead in the first period with Avery Olson netting the puck at 1:35, assisted by Ryah Gorans and Rebecca Dawson. This momentum continued as Lauren Eilers widened the gap to 2-0 at 8:06, once again with Olson and Dawson contributing on the assist.

The following two periods saw no additional scoring from either team, with both defenses tightening up and the goaltenders denying any further goals. Despite power play opportunities, with Willmar having one and Marshall three, neither side could capitalize, both recording a 0% success rate on their power plays.

Shot-wise, Willmar outpaced Marshall, tallying 22 shots over the course of the game to Marshall’s 13. Penalties were evenly distributed, with each team taking three infractions for a total of six minutes.

Ultimately, the game was decided in the first period with Willmar’s early offensive surge, followed by a lockdown defensive performance from both teams, leading to Willmar’s clean sheet victory.

Northfield 4
Gentry Academy 2

In a challenging matchup for the defending Class AA girls state champions, Gentry Academy faced off against a formidable Northfield team. Despite their champion status, Gentry Academy fell to Northfield with a score of 4-2.

The game commenced with swift action as Northfield’s Emerson Garlie scored quickly in the first period, only for Gentry Academy’s Naomi Winge to equalize shortly after. Northfield, undeterred, regained the lead with a goal from Olivia Rasmussen. The second period saw Northfield enhance their advantage with two more goals, one from Ayla Puppe immediately after the period started and a power play goal from Mia Miller.

Gentry Academy, showcasing the resilience of champions, fought back in the third period with a power play goal from Ana Myers, but Northfield’s solid defensive play preserved their lead until the end. Both teams had seven power play chances, with each team converting once, and shared an equal amount of penalty time with 18 minutes each.

Northfield outshot the defending champions 43 to 26, a testament to their offensive dominance in the game. Gentry Academy’s efforts to mount a comeback were stymied by Northfield’s steadfast defense, leading to a notable victory for Northfield and a rare defeat for the reigning state champions.

Albert Lea 4
Rochester Mayo 0

In a game that remained scoreless for the first two periods, Albert Lea’s girls’ hockey team broke out in the third to secure a 4-0 victory over Rochester Mayo.

The match began with both teams evenly matched in shots and defensive play, resulting in a goalless first period. The second period mirrored the first with neither team able to capitalize on their opportunities, including power plays, with Albert Lea going 0 for 2 and Rochester Mayo 0 for 4 by the end of the game.

The stalemate was shattered early in the third period when Albert Lea’s Olivia Ellsworth scored just over a minute in, with the Austinson sisters, Hanna and Haley, assisting. This goal opened the floodgates for Albert Lea, as Morgan Goskeson quickly followed up with another goal, once again assisted by Ellsworth. Shelby Evans and Haley Austinson added to the tally, with assists from Liley Steven and Aryah Hansen respectively, within just over three minutes of play.

Albert Lea’s third-period offensive explosion was complemented by their stout defensive play, which held Rochester Mayo to a total of 14 shots for the game, none in the third period. Penalties were a factor for both teams, but Albert Lea’s ability to overcome their eight penalty minutes without conceding a goal was key to their shutout.

The victory was marked by a significant third-period performance by Albert Lea, showcasing their ability to execute under pressure and maintain a strong defense throughout the game.

Centennial/Spring Lake Park 8
East Ridge 1

Centennial/Spring Lake Park delivered an overwhelming performance against East Ridge, concluding with an 8-1 victory. The game started off balanced, with both teams netting one goal each in the first period—Grace Laager for Centennial/Spring Lake Park and Kylee Paul for East Ridge.

The second period, however, marked a drastic shift in momentum. Centennial/Spring Lake Park’s Madeline Wolter initiated a scoring spree with a power play goal early in the period. Laager followed up with another power play goal, and Alexis Larsen added a shorthanded goal to the tally. The shorthanded goals continued with Teagan Kulenkamp and Noelle Hemr each finding the back of the net, and Laager scoring yet another, rounding out an explosive six-goal period for Centennial/Spring Lake Park.

East Ridge couldn’t find a response, failing to capitalize on six power play opportunities throughout the game. The final period saw only one goal, with Ayla Specht adding to Centennial/Spring Lake Park’s impressive scoreline.

The shot count favored Centennial/Spring Lake Park, who racked up 35 shots to East Ridge’s 20. Despite both teams accruing several penalties, Centennial/Spring Lake Park’s ability to convert on power plays and score shorthanded was the differentiator in this matchup. The game demonstrated Centennial/Spring Lake Park’s offensive prowess and their strong penalty kill, which contributed to their substantial victory.

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