River Lakes put on a commanding performance against Morris/Benson Area in last night’s Minnesota girls hockey game, securing an impressive 11-3 victory. Morris/Benson Area initially took the lead with an early goal from Elizebeth Day, but River Lakes quickly responded with a goal from Sophie Olson. The first period was a back-and-forth affair with Karlie Bruns scoring for Morris/Benson Area, only for River Lakes to answer with goals from Abby Storms, Sophia Hess, and Aubree McDonagh, ending the period at 4-2.
River Lakes continued to dominate in the second period, despite another goal from Morris/Benson Area’s Bruns. Storms scored twice more for River Lakes, completing a hat trick, and with additional goals from Hess and McDonagh, the period closed at 8-3.
The third period was all River Lakes, with no response from Morris/Benson Area. River Lakes added three more goals, courtesy of Dalayne Hattlestad, Bria Larson, and another from Hess, who completed her hat trick. The final shot tally of 72-12 in favor of River Lakes illustrated their offensive dominance throughout the game. Both teams had a power play opportunity but neither converted, and penalties were minimal with each team committing just one infraction.
Breck 5
Duluth 2
Breck School secured a comfortable 5-2 win over Duluth in a Minnesota girls high school hockey game, showcasing their offensive capabilities and maintaining control throughout the match.
The game began with Duluth taking an early lead with a goal from Ellie Marciniak at 3:03. However, Breck responded decisively later in the first period with a trio of goals within just over a minute of play, starting with Mary Knoll finding the net at 15:41, followed by Lauren Strothman scoring twice at 16:36 and 16:59, flipping the game to a 3-1 lead for Breck.
The second period saw Breck extending their lead with a goal from Maggie Wallander at 1:21. Heading into the third period, Duluth attempted a comeback with Mae McCall scoring on a power play at 0:12, but that would be the last time Duluth found the back of the net.
Breck closed the game with an empty-netter from Alexis Ulrich at 16:48, sealing the victory. While Breck didn’t capitalize on their single power play opportunity, their even-strength performance was more than enough to carry the day. The final shot count favored Breck with 34 to Duluth’s 23, reflecting Breck’s offensive edge. Despite both teams having few penalties, Duluth’s power play success was a lone bright spot in a game dominated by Breck’s strong play and multiple contributors on the scoreboard.
Mankato West’s girls hockey team put out a strong performance against Fairmont, securing a decisive 4-1 victory. The game began with Mankato West establishing an early lead thanks to Penny Gorman, who scored a power play goal at 5:32 and followed up with an even-strength goal at 8:07, both times assisted by Maleah Giesen.
Maintaining their momentum into the second period, Anna Olsen added to Mankato West’s tally with another even-strength goal at 5:57, pushing the score to 3-0. Maree Zimmerman provided the assist, contributing to the team’s solid offensive display.
Fairmont showed signs of life in the third period with Karissa Newville netting a shorthanded goal at 10:25, with Madison Sokoloski assisting. However, any thoughts of a comeback were put to rest when Tori Tosch scored for Mankato West at 15:40 with an empty-net goal, finalizing the score at 4-1.
Mankato West was dominant in shots, taking 40 to Fairmont’s 20, and capitalized on one of their three power play opportunities. Fairmont, on the other hand, failed to convert on their single power play chance and accumulated more penalty time. Mankato West’s victory was a comprehensive team effort, highlighted by strong offensive plays and effective penalty killing.
In a closely contested girls hockey game, St. Paul/Two Rivers edged out a victory against Rock Ridge with a final score of 2-1. The first period saw both teams exchange goals, starting with St. Paul/Two Rivers taking the lead through Grace Magnuson at 15:31, with assists from Ella Johnson and Isabel Hernandez. Rock Ridge quickly responded with a shorthanded goal from Mayme Scott, assisted by Natalie Bergman, at 16:56, leaving the teams tied at the end of the first.
The second period was a defensive battle with neither team able to score, despite St. Paul/Two Rivers racking up more shots than in the first period. The third period brought the deciding moment when St. Paul/Two Rivers’ Mia Cheesebrough, with an assist from Isabel Hernandez, scored what would become the winning goal at 5:27.
Both teams had opportunities with power plays, but neither team was able to capitalize, with St. Paul/Two Rivers going 0 for 2 and Rock Ridge 0 for 5. The shot count ended even at 17 each, indicating a well-matched game. Penalties were more frequent for St. Paul/Two Rivers, who incurred 10 minutes on 5 infractions, compared to Rock Ridge’s 4 minutes on 2 infractions, yet they managed to maintain their lead for the win.
Duluth Marshall secured a solid 5-2 victory over Roseau in a well-fought Minnesota girls high school hockey game. The game kicked off with Duluth Marshall setting a strong pace, as Ilsa Lindaman capitalized on two power plays in the first period, scoring at 12:42 and 14:15, with assists from Nina Thorson, Hailey Cummins, and Sarah Stauber.
The second period saw a quick response from Roseau, with Lily Erickson scoring on a power play just 27 seconds in, assisted by Payton Remick and Summer Byfuglien. Shortly after, Karina Christianson leveled the score with an even-strength goal at 0:48. However, Duluth Marshall regained the lead when Annie Bachand found the back of the net at 6:52, assisted by Lindaman and Avery Lian.
Duluth Marshall’s power play was effective, going 2 for 5, while Roseau also took advantage of the power play once in three attempts. The shot count was close, with Duluth Marshall slightly outshooting Roseau 23 to 22. Penalties played a role, with Duluth Marshall serving 6 minutes on 3 infractions and Roseau 10 minutes on 5 infractions.
The scoring in the third period by Duluth Marshall sealed the deal, ensuring their triumph over Roseau with a three-goal lead by the game’s end. Lindaman’s contributions were pivotal, factoring in three of the five goals for Duluth Marshall.
The defending Class A state champions, Warroad, clinched a narrow victory over Proctor/Hermantown with a final score of 2-1. Warroad established an early lead in the first period with Jaylie French netting an even-strength goal at 12:55, assisted by Katy Comstock and Linnea Harren.
Maintaining their lead into the second period, Warroad’s Taylor Reese extended the gap with another even-strength goal at 9:26, with Kaiya Sandy and Comstock contributing assists. Proctor/Hermantown increased their offensive pressure in the second period, reflecting in their shot count, but couldn’t break through Warroad’s defense until the third period.
Proctor/Hermantown’s Izy Fairchild finally put her team on the board at 5:42 of the third period, assisted by Anika Burke, bringing the score to 2-1. Despite a late push from Proctor/Hermantown, Warroad’s defense held strong, ensuring their victory.
Neither team managed to capitalize on their power play opportunities, with Proctor/Hermantown going 0 for 1 and Warroad 0 for 4. The game was relatively even in terms of shots, with Proctor/Hermantown totaling 21 and Warroad 20. Penalties were more frequent for Proctor/Hermantown, who served twice the minutes of Warroad. In the end, Warroad’s early goals were enough to secure their win in defense of the state title.
Hopkins/St. Louis Park delivered a commanding performance against Visitation, triumphing with a convincing 6-1 score in their girls high school hockey game.
The scoring commenced in the first period with Hopkins/St. Louis Park’s Hazel Schenkelberg finding the net at 14:47, followed by Katy Geiser at 16:41, leaving the team with a 2-0 advantage heading into the second period.
Visitation showed some life early in the second period with a power play goal from Dani Krech at 3:59, but Hopkins/St. Louis Park quickly regained control. Ella Koethe scored at 6:13, and Linden Loos capitalized on a power play at 16:15, extending their lead to 4-1.
The third period saw Hopkins/St. Louis Park continue their offensive push. Koethe added her second goal of the game at 8:45, and Avery Shaw contributed with a shorthanded goal at 14:18, sealing a 6-1 victory.
Hopkins/St. Louis Park not only outscored Visitation but also outshot them with a total of 41 shots to Visitation’s 19. Both teams had multiple power play opportunities with Hopkins/St. Louis Park converting 1 of 5 and Visitation 1 of 4. Penalties were a common thread throughout the game, with Hopkins/St. Louis Park accruing 8 minutes on 4 infractions and Visitation 10 minutes on 5 infractions. The game was a showcase of Hopkins/St. Louis Park’s strong offense and effective penalty kill.
