by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Four days after a 3-2 win over Bemidji that felt more like a loss than a win, the Thief River Falls girls hockey team notched its fifth consecutive victory in a dominant 6-2 outing at Detroit Lakes.
The Prowlers opened the season with home shutout wins against both teams, defeating Bemidji 3-0 on Nov. 15 and Detroit Lakes on Nov. 16.
Head Coach Brett Johnson feels that the second Bemidji game was the worst his team has played this year.
“We were puck watching and chasing,” Johnson said. “Not playing our positions and doing our jobs.”
Saturday, the Prowlers righted the ship against the Lakers in Detroit Lakes.
Hannah Magnusson and Khloe Lund scored first period goals to give the Prowlers a 2-0 lead.
Shelby Breiland added two more in the second to make it 4-0. Joining her with second period goals were Ava Sturgeon and Dakota Klosterman to make it 6-0 in favor of the Prowlers.
Detroit Lakes got its offense going in the third period with goals by Abagail King and Payton Carlblom on the power play.
Thief River Falls goalie Faith Porter saved 25 of the 27 shots she faced in the win.
“I thought the girls played well and skated hard,” Johnson said of the 6-2 win. “It was nice to see the things we have been working on in practice be executed in the game. Thought we moved the puck well and supported the puck better than we have to this point all year.”
Picking up assists on the day for the Prowlers were Breiland (2), Lexi Huot (2), Sturgeon, Magnusson (2) and Lund.
Two of the Prowlers’ six goals came from the power play. Lund scored on a power play at the 6:55 mark of the first period that made the score 2-0 at that point, and Sturgeon scored a power play goal at the 11:46 mark of the second period that made it 5-0 at that point.
“We changed a few things on the power play and tried to simplify the options for the girls,” Johnson said. “Again I thought we moved the puck faster which had the PK out of place and we took advantage of the opportunity.”
Thief River Falls 6, Detroit Lakes 2
First period – TRF, Hannah Magnusson (Shelby Breiland, Lexi Huot) 0:55; TRF, Khloe Lund (PP) (Breiland, Sturgeon) 6:55.
Second period – TRF, Shelby Breiland (Magnusson, Daniella Niebuhr) 3:39; TRF, Shelby Breiland (Lexi Huot) 5:42; TRF, Sturgeon (PP) (Magnusson, Lund) 11:46; TRF, Dakota Klosterman (UA) 16:18.
Third period – DL, Abagail King (Emma Coley, Sydney Brininger) 8:45; DL, Payton Carlblom (PP) 16:20.
Shots – TRF 9-17-10 – 36; DL 10-15-2 – 27.
Power plays – TRF 2/5; DL 1/5.
Penalties – TRF 5 (10 minutes); DL 5 (10 minutes)
Goalie saves – TRF, Faith Porter 25; DL, Leah Honer 30.