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CROOKSTON PIRATE GIRL’S HOCKEY FALLS 8-1 TO #1 RANKED ORONO

This morning the Crookston Pirate Girl’s Hockey team thought they were going to be playing the #2 Class A Girl’s Hockey team in the state of Minnesota. As the day went along and a new poll came out and it had Orono ranked as the #1 ranked Class A school, knocking Warroad to number two!!! After playing Orono for 51 minutes, the Pirates are arguing with the pollsters as Orono defeated Crookston 8-1 in a game played at the Orono Ice Rink in Long Lake, Minnesota.

The first period looked like it was lopsided with Orono outshooting the Pirates 19-4, but Crookston didn’t see it that way. “We knew the girls would have butterflies playing the top team in the state,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer, “Even though the shots were to their advantage, we thought we had outstanding goaltending from Jacey (Larson) and had a couple of good chances ourselves where we could have put one in but we didn’t connect to put it on net.” Orono’s top players, senior captain, and center Iyla Ryskamp scored a power play goal just short of six minutes into the period as she patrolled the blue line on the man advantage and saw that a couple of her teammates were screening in front and distracting the goalie Larson who gave a bit of the top left side open and that is where the sniper Ryskamp put it for her eighth goal of the year. “We knew with a team like this we had to stay out of the penalty box, but we had a reaching stick that tripped up their player and they showed us a very good power play,” said Meyer. Orono also took a penalty later in the period but was able to skate that off. The period ended up with Orono leading 1-0. “Not too bad a start for us coming out of their trailing by one,” said the Crookston coach.

Orono would strike first in the second period when a good-looking freshman defenseman, Alex Paulsen received a partner pass on the blue line and snapped a shot that Larson might of had a piece off, but it trickled off and into the net to give Orono a 2-0 lead just over three minutes into the period.  Crookston would counter less than a minute later when Pirate defenseman Morgan Nelson did a very good job of keeping the puck in the Spartans zone and was able to get a shot off from the blue line and her teammate, Addie Fee was able to get a stick on the puck and tip it past the left pad of the goalie to make it a 2-1 game. “It was a good defensive play by Morgan that she turned into an offensive play getting the shot away and Addison was in the correct spot to get her stick on the puck and change the direction enough to score,” said Meyer, “it was nice to see those two connect like that.” The Pirates used the momentum for just a few minutes or maybe it was seconds, because it seemed to put Orono into that next gear as they exploded for four goals in a seven and a half minute span. First, Zoe Lopez scored on another power play, followed by goals from Alexa Niccum and Macy Rasmussen. Then it was capped off by another Ryskamp goal with 53 seconds left in the period. Oh, by the way, Ryskamp assisted on the three previous goals and then finished with a goal of her own for two goals and three assists. “She is a very good player,” said Coach Meyer, “has good speed, handles the puck well and has teammates that get her the puck in good situations.” The second period ended with a 6-1 lead for Orono.

Orono was two for two on the power play, but Crookston was able to skate off an early Pirate penalty, but a minute after they did, Zoe Lopez scored her second goal of the game six and a half minutes into the third period to make it a running time game. Crookston took a couple more penalties and was shorthanded five on three for about 46 seconds and with running time, whistles and such, the first penalty went off quickly, but Orono scored their third power-play goal of the game and it was Ryskamp getting her hat trick! “We getting a little frustrated with Orono skaters getting in the face of our goalie all the time and then the usual pushing and shoving put ever after the whistle they seemed to continue it,” said Meyer, “we told the girls that they aren’t going to call any penalties so let’s get after it and don’t let them get to us.” There was no more scoring and Orono finished off the 8-1 win and run their record to 7-0. “We will take the good things out of this game and there was some to talk about and then forget about the other parts for now and address them in practice on Monday,” said Meyer, “we have to get the girls to bed and up early for our game tomorrow and a chance to play Pirate hockey.” Crookston is 4-1 on the season and will go down the road about 12 miles tomorrow to play Delano/Rockford in a varsity-only game and NOON. It will be on KROX RADIO starting at 11:30 AM.

Orono has played quite a schedule in their first seven games!! They beat #2 ranked at that time Proctor-Hermantown 6-3, #8 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 4-1, #4 South St. Paul 3-0, #9 Chisago Lakes 9-1, and last night they defeated Holy Angels Academy ranked #5 3-1!!! So,  they don’t shy away from competition and when asked if they play Warroad this year, fourth-year head coach Sean Fish said, “No, I called to try and get a game but it was too late, they had filled their schedule already.” The only way they would meet would be the State Tournament and that could certainly be a possibility. Orono was beaten in overtime for the Section title last year so they have a lot of reasons to take nothing for granted. 

Crookston will be about 12 miles down the road tomorrow to take on Delano/Rockford. The Tigers are 2-4-1 on the year and the tie game tonight 3-3 overtime with Thief River Falls. The Pirates then will host the #2 ranked team in the state at home on Tuesday night hosting Warroad!!! Thief River Falls will be at Orono tomorrow afternoon. 

1st 2nd 3rd Total
CROOKSTON 0 1 0 1
Orono 1 5 2 8


1st Period
:
10:35 – Orona – Iyla Ryskamp (Hannah Jones) (PP)

2nd Period
13:49 – Orono – Alex Paulsen (Alexandra Pleimann)
12:43 – Crox – Addie Fee (3)  (Morgan Nelson)
8:26 – Orono – Zoe Lopez (Alex Paulsen, Iyla Ryskamp) (PP)
5:20 – Orono – Alexa Niccum (Iyla Ryskamp)
3:47 – Orono – Macy Rasmussen (Iyla Ryskamp)
0:53 – Orono – Iyla Ryskamp (Josie Raiche, Kaeli Koopman)

3rd Period
10:33 – Orono – Zoe Lopez (Alexandra Pleimann)
4:58 – Orono – Iyla Ryskamp (Alexandra Pleimann) (PP)

Saves 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Jacey Larson – Crox 18 14 15 47
Celia Dahl  – Orono 4 5 4 13

 

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