By Derek Simon

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The Hastings girls hockey team travelled to Richfield on Tuesday, January 26th for a game against The Academy of Holy Angels. The Raiders were 0-3 on the season overall and 0-3 in the Metro East Conference. The Stars were 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in the Metro West Conference.

The first period was very even with both teams recording eight shots on net. The Stars took two penalties in the period, but the Raiders were unable to score on either power play. This would be a recurring theme throughout the game. In the second period, on their first power play of the game, Holy Angels would score at 11:40 to take a 1-0 lead. They would keep Hastings off the scoreboard and lead 1-0 after two periods. The Stars outshot the Raiders 10-7 in the second period. In the third period, Hastings would get three more power play opportunities, but where turned away each time. Holy Angels would score at 4:41 of the third period to take a 2-0 lead. The score would remain the 2-0 until 54 seconds remaining, when the Stars would score an empty net goal to win the game by a score of 3-0. Both teams had six shots on goal in the period. For the game, the Stars held a narrow 24-21 lead in shots on goal. A key difference in the game was Holy Angels was 1-2 on the power play, while Hastings was 0-5. Nicole Vander Heyden got her first start of the season in goal and played well. She stopped 21 of 23 shots she faced.

On Thursday the Raiders again went on the road, this time to Minnehaha Academy to take on Minnehaha United. United was 2-0 on the season and had only allowed one goal in two games. Hastings had scored just five goals in their four games, so goals were expected to be at a premium in this one.

The Raiders came out flying in the first period, as they dominated play for most of the period. Unfortunately United would score on one of their few chances of the period at 8:00, to take a 1-0 lead. Hastings would answer at 15:46 on a goal from Kiki Radant to tie the score at 1-1. A single assist was awarded to Kaitlin Petrich. The game would remain tied after one period at 1-1. Hastings had a season high 16 shots in the period to just four shots for United.

The second period saw more chances for both teams, with the Raiders cashing in first. Kaitlin Petrich fired home a goal at 4:46 of the second period to give Hastings the 2-1 lead. Petrich’s goal was unassisted. Just over a minute later, on the power play, United tied to score at 2-2. Both teams would fire 12 shots on goal in the period.

The third period saw an early goal by United at 1:29 of the period. The Raiders would put nine more shots on net in the third period, but were unable to get on by the goaltender. Despite a season high 37 shots on goal, the Raiders fall in another close game 3-2. United would tally 29 shots for the game. Hastings was 0-1 on the power play, while United was 1-6.

Hastings returns to action Tuesday February 2nd against Visitation in another non-conference game, this time in Hastings. The Raiders then travel to Tartan for a game against North St. Paul/Tartan on Friday.