The Hastings Raiders girl’s hockey team faced a challenging schedule during the 2025–26 winter season, finishing with a 6-18-1 record while continuing to compete hard against a series of strong opponents throughout the year. Despite the results, the Raiders showed resilience, steady effort, and moments of strong team play that highlighted the growth of a young roster.

The season opened with a difficult stretch as Hastings worked to find consistency while facing several experienced programs early in the schedule. Losses to teams such as Farmington and St. Croix Valley came against opponents that controlled possession and generated heavy shot totals, forcing the Raiders to rely heavily on their defensive structure and goaltending.

Senior goaltender Addison Lanning quickly became a central figure in the Raiders’ season. Night after night she faced a high volume of shots and kept Hastings competitive in games where the defense spent long stretches under pressure. In several games early in the year, Lanning recorded save totals well into the 20s and 30s while helping keep the score within reach.

As the season progressed, the Raiders began to find momentum through a combination of offensive contributions and steady team play. One of the early bright spots came in a stretch of games where Haley Siebenaler provided a spark offensively, including a hat trick performance in a tight overtime loss to Hudson.

Those individual performances were paired with continued development from several younger players. Skaters such as Mackenzie Krauth, Sophie Thorkelson, and Olyvia Erickson began to find more consistent scoring opportunities as the season moved forward.

A turning point came just before the holiday break when the Raiders snapped a long losing streak with a gritty overtime win against Visitation. Erickson scored twice in the game, including the overtime winner, while Thorkelson added a shorthanded goal and Lanning delivered another strong performance in net to secure the victory.

Following the break, Hastings tested itself against strong competition during the New Hope Holiday Tournament. The three-game stretch included matchups with Bemidji, Bloomington Jefferson, and St. Paul/Two Rivers. Although the Raiders did not come away with a win during the tournament, they battled through difficult matchups and showed improvement in puck movement and offensive pressure.

One of the most memorable moments of the season came on Jan. 24 during Hockey Day Minnesota in Hastings. Playing outdoors in temperatures near -15 degrees, the Raiders opened the day’s festivities against Park of Cottage Grove and delivered a memorable 2-1 victory.

Haley Siebenaler scored both Hastings goals in the win, including the game winner midway through the third period. Lanning turned aside 28 shots to hold off a late push from Park and secure the outdoor victory in front of the hometown crowd.

The Raiders continued to battle through the final stretch of the regular season and produced their most explosive offensive outing in a 12-0 road win against Morris Benson Area. Hastings fired 48 shots on goal and received scoring contributions from throughout the lineup, including multi-goal performances from Krauth, Otto, and Thorkelson.

Even with those highlights, the season remained a grind as Hastings frequently found itself in close games where scoring chances did not always translate into goals. Several contests were decided by narrow margins or late goals, reinforcing the competitive effort the team brought to the ice even when the results did not fall their way.

The Raiders closed the regular season at 6-18-1 and entered the Section 3AA playoffs as the eighth seed. Hastings drew a difficult opening-round matchup against top-seeded Apple Valley.

In the section quarterfinal, the Raiders briefly cut into the early deficit when freshman Mackenzie Krauth scored in the first period off assists from Anni Schriefer and Sophie Thorkelson. Apple Valley eventually pulled away, however, and Hastings’ season came to an end with a 7-1 loss.

Despite the final record, the season reflected a team that continued to compete through adversity. Lanning anchored the defense with consistent play in net, while younger players gained valuable varsity experience that will help shape the program moving forward.

With several players graduating and a core of younger skaters returning, the Raiders will look to carry the lessons from this season into the offseason as they prepare for the next chapter of Hastings girls’ hockey.