Girls hockey team celebrates seniors

Posted 1/25/23

The girl’s hockey team started the week 8-10 overall and 2-4 in the conference with games against the cooperative team of Tartan and North St. Paul (7-10) then against South St. Paul (16-41). …

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Girls hockey team celebrates seniors

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The girl’s hockey team started the week 8-10 overall and 2-4 in the conference with games against the cooperative team of Tartan and North St. Paul (7-10) then against South St. Paul (16-41).

Against Tartan, the two teams seemed very evenly matched overall, much like the last game they played where Hastings lost 1-0. This time, Tartan was able to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. In the second, Madyn Hanson scored at 4:09 to cut Tartan’s lead in half. Jade Schauer and Addie Seleski each earned a point for the assist.

Hastings took the 2-1 score into the second intermission, and it looked as though it was going to be a difficult task to complete the comeback as the third went on. With under three minutes left in regulation, Schauer and Emily Thuet setup another goal by Hanson to send the game into overtime.

During the extra eight-minute period, Hastings managed to get five shots on the Tartan keeper, thanks in part to a foolish mistake on the Tartan bench when they got caught with too many players on the ice. That gave Hastings a 2:00 player advantage, but they were not able to capitalize on it. Defensively, the Raiders kept Tartan out of the offensive zone and Bree Balster did not see a shot for 7:35 of the eight minutes in the extra period. A checking penalty was called on the Raiders at 7:16 of overtime, giving Tartan a one skater advantage. Tartan capitalized 20 seconds later with their first overtime shot on goal that squeaked into the net, giving the Titans the win at 7:36.

The game was another relatively clean game penalty wise with both teams only having two infractions for four minutes. Hastings was able to kill one of the two penalties and Tartan successfully killed both of theirs.

Hastings had 30 shots on goal to Tartan’s 28, so it was also very balanced there, the 3-2 final also shows how the teams are close to each other. Balster stopped 25 of the 28 shots she faced for an .893 save percentage.

The game against South St. Paul was the second time the two teams faced each other this season. The last outing went the way of the Packers 6-1 back on Dec. 16th at Doug Woog Arena. This time, it was on Raider ice and the Packers were in town for Senior Night.

The Raiders are graduating 13 girls this year, including seven who have seen varsity time.

1 -Alexis Steinke -G 4 -Libby Knoll -F 6 -Kylie Gruden -F 9 -Makayla Berquist -F 17 -Jorja Riches -F 23 -Sam Brunner -F 25 -Karissa Thompson -F 15 -Catie Zaccardi -D 16 -Alex Zaccardi -D 18 -Alivia Otto -D 27 -Mikaylah Steele -D 38 -Briella Munson -F Gigi Degree -Manager The seniors are certainly a forward-heavy group with some of the varsity’s top point earners, but the younger athletes have been playing very well this season and should transition well next year.

The game against the Packers did not go well for Hastings. South St. Paul scored three in the first and senior keeper Steinke was replaced to start the second. Balster kept the Packers off the board in the second but faced the same challenges that Steinke had in the first and South St. Paul was able to capitalize and score three more to make the final 6-0.

Steinke faced 12 shots in the first period, stopping nine for a .750 save percentage and Balster faced 22 and stopped 19 for a .864 save percentage. Overall, Steinke has a 2.44 goals against average for the season and a .894 save percentage. Balster has a 3.33 goals against average and .893 save percentage.

Berquist still leads the team for goals with nine and she also leads the team with total points, 19. Kyra Erickson lead the team for assists with 13.

After the game, parents, players and friends gathered in the lobby to share pizza and stories and enjoy the senior posters before lighting the flying lanterns outside to celebrate the graduating seniors.

The girls are down to their final four regular season games, Jan. 26 at Blaine, 7:00 p.m., Jan. 28 at Owatonna at 3:00 p.m., Jan 31 at Farmington at 7:00 p.m. and they close out the regular season against Hill-Murray on Feb. 3 at 4:00 p.m.