WELL ROUNDED PERFORMANCE LEADS CROOKSTON GIRL’S HOCKEY OVER NORTHERN LAKES

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Hockey team used timely scoring and strong goaltending to snap a four-game skid beating Northern Lakes 3-2 in a non-Section game played at the Crookston Sports Center.

1st Period –
Both teams shared offensive zone time and power-plays in the opening period that featured far more passing than shots. Northern Lakes failed to capitalize on its first power-play before the two teams played just under two minutes of four-on-four hockey. After both sides returned to even strength for the closing minutes of the period, Crookston went back on the power-play where Catherine Tidemann sent a pass in the slot to Grace Fischer. Fischer collected the puck and fired a wrist shot past the Northern Lakes’ goaltender, giving Crookston a 1-0 lead with 2:44 to play in the opening stanza. Pirates goaltender Grace Koshney stopped all five shots she faced in the opening period keeping the hosts in front 1-0 after one period of play. “We gave up a couple of power-plays to them,” added Moe. “That’s where a lot of their shots came from. I thought we did a pretty good job overall where once we took a couple of those penalties, we let them back in the game a little bit. We were controlling large portions of the game. Our kids were playing fantastic in the offensive zone and just couldn’t get it past their goalie. Towards the end of our power-play, Grace Fischer, who was actually out there by mistake for me because I was trying to mix her in and out. I wasn’t going to put her out for a power-play, because she hasn’t practiced there at all. All of a sudden she’s out there on the power-play and I thought I’d messed up pretty good. Now it looks like a great coaching move on my part because she found a loose puck out in front and that was after a lot of good hard work by Catherine (Tiedemann) and Aleah (Bienek) fighting down low in the zone to break down the defense and get the puck in front.”

2nd Period –
Crookston failed to convert on a power-play halfway through the second period, but the Pirates added to their lead soon after.  Raina Satrom sent a pass to Nora Peterson before Peterson tucked a wrist shot from the left-wing circle under the blocker of the Lightning goaltender with 8:48 to play in the period increasing Crookston’s lead to 2-0. “(Nora Peterson) was able to walk out of the corner there, and really no one picked and she took the space given to her,” said Moe. “She knew what she was doing there and skated in fired a hard shot, and it went in. Any time Nora shoots the puck it’s good for us.” Northern Lakes responded with a shorthanded goal with 4:00 to play in the period. Rose Aldridge fired a puck on net before Alyssa Kosloski slapped the rebound into the net, trimming the visitors’ deficit down to 2-1. Northern Lakes went on the power-play with 1:11 to play in the period, but it was Crookston that would capitalize. Nora Peterson skated a clearance up the ice using her speed along with line-mate Raina Satrom to create a two-on-one break. Peterson sent a pass to Satrom who deposited a wrist shot into the net, increasing the Pirates’ lead to 3-1. “It was a nice job by Raina (Satrom) to use Nora (Peterson) as a decoy,” explained Moe. “Raina was able to put a nice shot past their goalie.” Crookston picked up two penalties late in the second period giving Northern Lakes a five-on-three advantage going into the final period trailing 3-1.

3rd Period – Crookston managed to kill off the rest of the five-on-three power-play to open the final period, but the Lightning continued to pressure the Pirates’ defense. Northern Lakes put on a frantic rush in the closing minutes of the third period trying to tie the game. Caitlyn Gutzman scored with 4:10 to play trimming the Lightning’s deficit down to 3-2. Northern Lakes continued to pepper Crookston goaltender Grace Koshney with shots, but the junior netminder made eleven saves in the final period to preserve the Pirates’ 3-2 win. “Northern Lakes had a tough time getting their goalie off the ice until there were about ten seconds left,” said Moe. “This was a good game for us to be in. To have confusion at the end and to be frantic. To be needing to get a puck out and block a shot I think that’s something that is good for us to be in. I’m proud of how our kids responded and reacted.”

Crookston improves to 7-11. The Pirates return to the ice on Friday when Crookston hosts Bemidji at 7:30 P.M. Northern Lakes falls to 8-11.

1st Period
2:44 – CROX – Grace Fischer (Catherine Tiedemann) PP

2nd Period
8:48 – CROX – Nora Peterson (Raina Satrom)
4:00 – NL – Alyssa Kosloski (Rose Aldridge) SH
0:53 – CROX – Raina Satrom (Nora Peterson) SH

3rd Period
4:10 – NL – Caitlyn Gutzman (Emily Brunkhorst)