Hastings (1-1) opened the week at home on Nov. 18 against Dodge County and never quite found its footing in an 8–1 loss to the Wildcats. Dodge County carried the play from the opening puck drop, using speed on the wings and quick movement out of the defensive zone to keep Hastings on its heels. The Wildcats scored four times in the first period, building a lead the Raiders could not recover from despite a hard effort to slow the game down and clean up their defensive zone structure.

Dodge County’s scoring started at 2:52 when Taryn Wernecke found the net on an even-strength play, followed just over three minutes later by a pair of goals from Zoe Heimer. The Wildcats’ pressure kept Hastings pinned deep, and Bryn Spreiter added the fourth of the period at 12:30. The Raiders continued to battle behind the play and tried to swing momentum late in the period, but Dodge County kept up its possession advantage through rapid puck movement and continuous cycling in the zone.

Hastings finally broke through in the second period on its lone power-play chance. At 10:50, Haley Siebenaler stepped into a clean look and put home the Raiders’ only goal of the night, set up by Kyndra Otto. Dodge County answered minutes later on an even-strength goal from Willow Harens, stretching the Wildcats’ lead back to five and keeping Hastings on the defensive for the remainder of the period.

The third period opened with another quick strike as Maysie Koch scored just seven seconds after the puck dropped. Dodge County kept up its attack, adding two more goals at 4:47 and 5:33 to complete the eight-goal night. Hastings continued to search for second and third-chance opportunities around the crease but could not solve the Wildcats’ defensive presence.

The game leaned heavily in Dodge County’s favor on the shot counter. The Wildcats finished with 43 shots and Hastings managed only 11. Both teams had 6 penalty minutes on three infractions, and the Raiders converted on their only skater advantage while Dodge County did not receive a power-play chance. Hastings successfully scored with the extra skater while Dodge County did not have a skater advantage opportunity.

The Raiders shook off the loss and returned to action Saturday for Girls Hockey Day Hastings, one of the favorite traditions of the local hockey community. The day is filled with games from youth levels to the high school varsity, and between contests, young skaters take the ice to join their older role models in celebration of the sport. One of the highlights is the All Girls Hockey photo, where every player from first-year skaters to varsity athletes gathers on the ice for one giant picture, showing how many players are growing through the program. It is a moment players and parents look forward to each year, and the varsity team used that energy as motivation heading into their matchup against Red Wing.

Hastings responded with a dominant 7–1 victory. The Raiders controlled possession from the start, buzzing the offensive zone and wearing down defenders with extended shifts. Freshman forward Anni Schriefer opened the scoring at 6:11 on a pass from Delaney Solberg, with Olyvia Erickson also assisting. Hastings took that spark and turned it into a powerful second period.

Hastings began the middle frame with three goals in the first ten minutes. Erickson scored just one minute into the period, followed by a goal from Sky Woodwick at 3:16 on a play created by Schriefer and Sophie Thorkelson. The Raiders continued to push and the pressure paid off as Mackenzie Krauth scored twice in twenty-seven seconds, the first assisted by Otto and Solberg and the second set up by Haley Siebenaler and Josie Hamann.

Red Wing broke through early in the third period on a power-play goal by Peyton Nelson, but Hastings answered again. Woodwick scored her second of the night, assisted by Schriefer and Bentley Stoffel, before Krauth completed her hat trick at 13:48 on a setup from Molly Magnuson.

The game leaned heavily in Hastings’ favor on the shot counter. Hastings finished with 44 shots and Red Wing managed only 16. Goaltender Addison Lanning played 38:13 of game time and stopped 10 of the 11 shots she faced for a .909 save percentage. Madalyn McNamara finished the final 12:47 in goal and stopped all five shots she faced. Both teams finished with heavy penalty minutes as Red Wing had 10 minutes on five infractions and Hastings totaled 14 minutes on seven calls. The Raiders were blanked with the extra skater while Red Wing converted once, scoring their lone goal on the power-play. Hastings successfully killed four of the five Red Wing skater advantages.

The week showed two very different results for Hastings, but the bounce-back performance on Girls Hockey Day Hastings showcased the team’s skill, depth, and ability to regroup after a tough loss. With multiple goal scorers, strong defensive support, and steady goaltending from Lanning and McNamara, the Raiders closed the week with momentum and a memorable celebration of the future of girls hockey in Hastings.

Up next, the girls travel to Apple Valley on back-to-back days. Nov. 28, they head to Eastview for a 2:00 p.m. start then on Nov. 29, they take on the Eagles at 12:15 p.m. Both of those games are scheduled at the Apple Valley Sports Arena. Dec. 2, St. Paul/Two Rivers comes to town for a 6:30 p.m. puck drop and then, Dec. 5, the ladies head to Inver Grove Heights to take on Simley at 7:00 p.m.