CROOKSTON PIRATE GIRLS HOCKEY FREIJI SHUTS OUT WEST FARGO UNITED 2-0 FOR HER SECOND SHUTOUT

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Hockey team scored two third period goals and Pirate goalie, Kambelle Freiji had 16 saves for her second shutout of the season to lead the Pirates to a 2-0 win over West Fargo United in the first game of the Thief River Falls Ralph Engelstad Arena Holiday Classic.

The first six to seven minutes of the opening period, West Fargo United playing their first game of the season jumped out and dominated the opening minutes in the offensive zone, but didn’t really get any shots on goal, but had some good opportunities that missed the net or were broken up by the Pirates defensive play. “That is what we were expecting,” said Crookston head coach Emily Meyer, “it was West Fargo’s first game, so we knew they were going to come out flying and we just needed  to compete. We threw the puck around a little too much, but the moment we found our composure and calm it down a bit is when we started get things going.”  The moment was probably about 10 minutes into the period, when Crookston was just killing a power play and they had their third line, Jenna Seaver with Grace Fischer and Parker Strand that got the puck in the offensive zone and had three or four chances with great pressure that was stopped by the West Fargo All-State goalie, Maggie Seeley, with three saves and another shot just missed the net. “This morning in our walk around practice at home we were working on breakouts and that line went four for four, doing all the right things. They have to find their role on the team and going out there and doing their best,” said Meyer, “Every chance that they had today, they had opportunities and that is something we love to see.”  Crookston and West Fargo ended with a 0-0 tie after the first 17 minutes, outshooting West Fargo8 to 1 in the period. “Coach said we struggled getting going in the first period,” said Crookston defensemen, Morgan Nelson on a post game interview on KROX RADIO, “I was happy with the shots on goal when I heard them, but I think we could have used more shots.”

The second period was the same as the first period with the Pirates getting more chances to score but Seeley was tough in goal for West Fargo again and Freiji was tested a little more in the second and looked steady and solid in net. Both teams were skating two lines and inserting their third lines to give their top two some rest.  The second period also seen a number of penalties on both sides, with Crookston going zero for three on the extra man while West Fargo zero for one. “We weren’t scoring but there wasn’t anything we were really doing wrong,” said Meyer, “just making sure we had that tenacity, that chip on our shoulder, not being afraid to get into those gritty areas. Like going into the corner, making sure we were strong on our sticks in front of the net. Just the little things and making sure we win the little battles around the ice.” Crookston outshot West Fargo again in the second period by an 11 to 5 margin, but it was 0-0 after two periods.

It didn’t take long for the Pirates to get on the scoreboard to start the third period, when red hot Brekken Tull scored 15 seconds into the period! Tull was carrying the puck into the West Fargo zone and when she looked around, she found that she was the ONLY Pirate in the zone and from the right circle decided to wrist a shot toward net and it caught Seeley by surprise and went through the five hole to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. The Pirates are 4-0 this year when they score the first goal of the game, this probably a little later then they wanted. “When you shoot the puck on goal you never know what’s going to happen,” said Coach Meyer, “that’s what happened on Brekken’s goal and it’s something we have to do more of, shooting the puck and shooting with a purpose. The goal was Tull’s third goal in two games as she had picked up two in the win over Fort Frances on Saturday. West Fargo had a good flurry of chances in the third period but were stoned by the Pirate sophomore goaltender, Freiji who stood tall taking all of the shots, steering them aside. Freiji, showed why she was the top goaltender at the Bantam AA BOY’S HOCKEY team in Grand Forks, N.D. last year. Technically strong, stands up and oozing confidence.  Crookston almost had insurance goal with just over nine minutes left when freshman, Taylor Field, who is from Sacred Heart High School and part of the Crookston coop with Sacred Heart and Mayville-Portland and Hatton, N.D., has tremendous speed and used it to garner a breakaway and was in alone but her shot labeled for the top right was snagged with a great glove save by Seeley.
The Pirates would get that big insurance goal when Crookston’s Cassie Solheim was walking up the slot in the West Fargo zone and a defensemen was in her zone and was trying a pass to her right side and did not see Solheim, who picked it off and was in alone and buried it for a 2-0 lead with just over six minutes to go in the game. “That is something with Cassie in that she just has that composure, that swagger when she goes out there and knows what to do with it,” said Meyer.  Crookston had the only power play of the third period and were unable to score and although West Fargo had 10 shots on goal in the third period, they were nullified by Freiji who ended with 16 saves and her second shutout of the season, giving up one goal in three games in net!!
Crookston is now 4-0 on the year and will play a very powerful Northfield team Saturday morning at 10:00 AM in Thief River Falls!! Northfield Raiders defeated Thief River Falls 7-1 in the second game of the evening to raise their record to 3-2 on the season. Their losses have come against #7 ranked in Class A, Mound-Westonka 3-1 and 5-3 to Blake, ranked #8 in Class AA. The Raiders wins besides Thief River Falls include 6-2 over Chisago Lakes who received some votes in Class A and #15 in Class A, Mankato East 2-0.
Northfield is ranked #18 in Class AA in Minnesota. They are defending Section 1AA champs and were in the State Tournament last year losing to Edina and Metro South. The leading scorer for Northfield is Ayla Puppe, a junior who had two goals and an assist against Thief River Falls last night along with three penalties, but she has eight goals and four assists for 12 points. Puppe led them last year with 39 goals and 31 assists for 70 points including 11 power play goals. She has been listed as one of the 15 top players in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for this year as a junior.
Game time tomorrow is 10:00 AM and it will be on KROX RADIO and also can be heard around the World by going to the LISTEN LIVE link on kroxam.com.

1st Period
No Scoring

2nd Period
No Scoring

3rd Period
00:15 – Crox – Brekken Tull (3) (Ashlyn Bailey)
10:49 – Crox – Cassie Solheim (2) unassisted