WARROAD SCORES 3 THIRD PERIOD GOALS TO BEAT PIRATE GIRLS HOCKEY 3-2 IN SECTION FINAL

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Hockey team scored two first-period goals, but the eight-time defending Section 8A champion and defending state champion Warroad Warriors scored three third-period goals to win the Section 8A Girl’s Hockey Championship 3-2 at a jam-packed Crookston Sports Center.

FIRST PERIOD
Crookston started the game with a ton of energy in front of a packed Crookston Sports Center. The Pirates got the puck in the zone, and Adley Vigness got a shot on goal from the point, and the rebound was loose in front of the net. Crookston eighth-grader Jocelyn Field (from the Sacred Heart coop) was tripped up before the shot on goal and was on one knee and swiped her stick at the puck and knocked the puck into the right side of the net to give Crookston a 1-0 lead 28 seconds into the game.
Warroad came back with a shot on goal about a minute later, only for Pirate goalie Kambelle Freije to make the save. The teams played even, and each team added three shots apiece over the next eight minutes, and Crookston led 1-0 halfway through the period.
Crookston committed two penalties within 90 seconds of each other. Warroad had a 5-on-3 advantage, but Crookston killed off the first penalty to give the Warriors a 5-on-4 advantage for 1:26. Warroad came close to scoring with a few seconds left on the power play as they tried stuffing the puck in. Still, Freije was there to make the stop, and Crookston officially killed off the power play. Warroad continued to pepper the net with shots, but Freije made save after save, and Crookston held on to a 1-0 lead.
With 3:17 remaining, Crookston had a great play from sophomore Taylor Field (also part of the Sacred Heart coop), who got the puck along the boards at center ice, flew into the zone, and snuck past one defenseman, skated in front of the Warroad net and rifled a wrist shot into the net for a 2-0 lead.

SECOND PERIOD
Warroad continued to get shots on the net, but the pirates continued to do a great job of not giving up rebounds and clearing the front of the net, and the Warriors still hadn’t found the back of the net. Warroad fought off a penalty while only giving up one shot on goal and continued to put pressure on the Pirate defense. Warroad tried stuffing the puck in several times over a three or four minute span. Crookston was finally able to get some sustained pressure for a couple of minutes halfway through the period, and the Pirates led 2-0.
With just over six minutes left in the period, Warroad recorded their 20th shot on goal in the game, but once again, Freije was able to make the same with no traffic in front of her.
Crookston committed a penalty with 5:11 remaining in the period, giving Warroad a 5-on-4 advantage. 18 seconds into the power play, Warroad had a shot on goal, and Freije made another save. Warroad had another shot on goal from the side of the net, and the puck was in front, and a Warroad player was getting ready to slap at the puck when Addie Fee poked the puck away. With 24 seconds left in the Warroad power play, Brynley Coleman dumped the puck down the ice, and Crookston was able to kill off the penalty. Crookston being back at full strength didn’t stop Warroad from pressuring the Pirate defense as they had a shot on goal within seconds of the power play expiring, and about a minute later, they tried to stuff a rebound in, but you guessed it, Freije was there to make her 28th save of the game.
Crookston was outshot 16-4 in the period and 28-9 over the first two periods but led 2-0.
 
THIRD PERIOD
Warroad started the third period strong and was finally rewarded on their 32nd shot on goal when Maddie Skogman slid a pass to Vivienne Marcowka at the point. She blasted a shot through traffic and into the net to get within a 2-1 deficit at 2:16 into the period.
Warroad committed two penalties within a minute of each other, and Crookston had a 5-on-3 advantage, and the Pirates put pressure on with a handful of shots, but they weren’t able to find the net. Warroad killed the penalties, and the score remained 2-1.
Warroad continued to control play as they scored two goals in 70 seconds to take a 3-2 lead. Warroad tied the game at 2-2 when Sophie Johnson got a pass back to Marcowka at the point, and she let a wrist shot go that sailed into the upper right-hand corner of the net for a goal as Freije was screened and couldn’t see the puck. 70 seconds later, Karlee Kalbrenner got a pass at the top of the circle and blasted a one-timer into the net to take a 3-2 lead with 5:48 left in the game.
Crookston had some quality scoring chances in the final minutes, but Warrior goalie Payton Rolli came up with some big saves, and Warroad held on to win 3-2 to win their ninth straight Section 8A Championship.

Crookston’s outstanding season comes to an end with a 17-9-1 record and will say goodbye to seniors Brekken Tull, Reese Swanson, Natalie Narvaez, Brynley Coleman, Morgan Nelson, and Cassie Solheim. Warroad improves to 19-8 on the year and advances to the State Tournament. It will play on Wednesday at the Excel Energy Center.

CLICK HERE to hear Coach Emily Meyer’s post-game comments.

1st Period
0:28 – Crookston – Jocelyn Field (Taylor Field, Adley Vigness)
13:44 – Crookston – Taylor Field (Jocelyn Field)

2nd Period
No scoring

3rd Period
2:16 -Warroad – Vivienne Marcowka (Maddie Skogman, Kaiya Sandy)
10:04 – Warroad – Vivienne Marcowka (Sophie Johnson)
11:14 – Warroad – Karlee Kalbrenner (unassisted)

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