By Derek Simon

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The Hastings Raiders Varsity girls’ hockey team played well this season with nothing to show for it. The Raiders entered their game against Visitation with an 0-5 record. Three of the five Raiders opponents were ranked teams, so the schedule had been very difficult. Still, in the losses, Hastings showed it could play with anyone on their schedule. The Raiders lost two game by one goal, one game by two goals, and two more games by three goals.

Visitation entered the game winless as well with an 0-5 record. The difference was that while Hastings was losing games 3-2 to Mahtomedi and Simley, Visitation’s closest loss was 7-1 to Rochester Lourdes. That game was also the only game Visitation had scored in, as they entered the game being outscored 49-1!

The Raiders would dominate this one almost right from the drop of the puck. The Raiders would pepper the Visitation goalie with shots all night long, while Hastings goalie Lauren Dubej was a spectator for most of the evening. Kiki Randant would get the Raiders on the board with an unassisted goalie at 5:36 of the first period. The goal gave the Raiders even more confidence as they swarmed the Visitation zone. Just 41 second later, Makayla Berquist would put the Raider up 2-0, assists to CC Bernard and Kylie Gruden at 6:17. The Raiders would again score 58 seconds later when Kaitlin Petrich made the score 3-0 at 7:15. Assists were awarded to Ireland Zaruba and Lexi Ramsbacher. At 10:15 Lauren Hubbart would score her first varsity goal to give the Raiders a 4-0 lead. A single assist was given to Jaida Hanson. The Raiders scored four goals in 4:39 to take command of this game. Hastings would lead 4-0 after the first period, with a huge advantage in shots 19-4!

The Raiders continued their dominance in the second period. At just 1:33 of the period, Lauren Skov put the puck past the Visitation goaltender making the score 5-0. Assist to Hubbart on the play. As they did I the first period, the Raiders again scored less than a minute later. This time, Zaruba would score on an assist from Skov at 2:11. The Raiders now lead 6-0. Later in the period, with the Raiders on the power play, McKenna Benson blasted hardest shot I have seen this year, just missing the upper left corner of the net. The crowd was buzzing from the shot, the Raiders kept the puck in the zone. Benson would then score from right in front of the net. The senior who has played a lot of defense and some wing in her varsity career, netted her first varsity goal. The power play goal made the score 7-0 at 7:07 of the second period. Assists to Petrich and Hanson. Hastings would give up a goal a few minutes later and lead 7-1 after two periods. Hastings held a 16-3 advantage in shots in the second period.

The third period the Raiders again would dominate. But with the game decided long ago, the Raiders may have let up a bit. The only goal of the period was at 5:00 when Randant scored her second unassisted goal of the game. Hastings would win easily 8-1. The Raiders held a 13-1 shot advantage in the third period, and a 48-8 advantage for the game.

Three night later, the Raiders would be back on the ice in a Metro East Conference showdown with North St. Paul/Tartan. North-Tartan was 1-2 on the season and would be playing in their first conference game of the season. Their lone win was a season opening 10-0 win over Visitation. They also beat the Raider twice last year in close games. North-Tartan won 3-1 in Hastings and then won the rematch 2-1 in overtime at Tartan.

As they have most of the season, Hastings came out and played well in the first period. Skov found the back of the net at 4:10 to give Hastings a 1-0 lead with an assist to Madyn Hanson. North Tartan would tie the score late in the period at 15:38 and the score would be 1-1 after the first period. The Raiders held a slim 7-6 advantage in shots.

The late goal and momentum North-Tartan had in the first period carried over to the second period as they would take a 2-1 lead at 1:37 of the second period. Skov would get free and score on a rebound at 2:51 to tie the game. She would roof a shot over a sprawling goaltender. A single assist was given to Jaida Hanson. Skov had figured out the North-Tartan goaltender. The goalie was going down early and giving up the top of the net. She would again score at 9:30 of the second period and complete the hat trick. The unassisted goal would give the Raiders a 3-2 lead. North-Tartan would score the equalizer at 13:20 and the teams would again be tied at intermission. After two periods, the game was 3-3. Hastings would again hold a small lead in shots in the period at 6-4.

Hastings and North-Tartan would trade penalties throughout the game. Hastings finished 0-7 on the power play while North-Tartan was 0-6. The Raiders passing was excellent on the night and they continued to put pressure on the North-Tartan backend. As the third period progressed, the Raiders cycling game really took over. At 10:31 of the period, Hastings finally took back the lead on a Radant goal assisted by Jaida Hanson and Skov. It was Skov’s fourth point of the game! The Raiders continued to cycle the puck in the North-tartan end and would score the final goal of the game at 13:09. Aryana Klaren would score, with a single assist to Lexi Ramsbacher. It was Ramsbacher’s team leading fifth assist of the season. The Raiders win their first conference game of the season 5-3. They again held a small 10-8 shot advantage in the third period, and a 23-18 advantage for the game. Dubej earned her second win of the season in net.

Hastings will play two more conference games this week, Wednesday in a rematch with Mahtomedi in Hastings and another home game Saturday against South St. Paul. Next Tuesday, February 16th, the Raiders travel to the Ice Gardens in a non-conference match up with the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.

Hastings Girls hockey lines up against Visitation on Tuesday, February 2nd. The Raiders dominated the game, winning 8-1. Photo by Bruce Karnick