Girls erupt late in win over Northfield

The New Prague Trojan girls hockey team split a pair of key games last week, losing to Red Wing and defeating Northfield. Both games were important in that they were against teams that are in both Section 1A and the Missota Conference.

The Trojans (8-4, 1-1 Missota) were ranked No. 9 in Class A as of the most recent poll by Let’s Play Hockey magazine. Red Wing was ranked No. 2. New Prague was scheduled to play at Waseca Tuesday, Dec. 18. They will host Farmington Thursday, Dec. 20. The Trojans compete in the Austin Holiday Tournament Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 27-29. They will face Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony at 3 p.m. Thursday, Austin at 11:30 a.m. Friday and Tartan at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Wingers 8, Trojans 2 New Prague had its biggest test of the season, hosting the No. 2-ranked team in Class A, the Red Wing Wingers on Tuesday, Dec. 11.

The Trojans were unable to contain the Wingers’ Nicole Schammel. She had a hand in seven of her team’s eight goals, finishing with four goals and three assists in an 8-2 thumping of the Trojans.

The Trojans actually had a 28-24 shots on goal advantage, but the Wingers struck early and scored four times in the first period.

Red Wing scored first, but Taylor Anderson countered with a goal to tie the game at 1-1.

Red Wing scored three goals in a two-minute span to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission. They extended the lead to 6-1 after two and added two more before the Trojans got the game's final goal, with Jordan Anderson scoring on assists from Mikaela Algren and Taylor Anderson.

“Red Wing has three or four Division I players and they were able to take advantage of our mistakes. Seven of their eight goals came directly off of turnovers,” coach Matt Miller said.

“We feel we can play with them, but we’ve got to get a better game plan and execute better if we want to achieve our goal of going to state.” Sophie Puente took the loss in goal, stopping 16 shots.

Trojans 7, Raiders 2 New Prague bounced back from the loss to Red Wing with a 7-2 win over Northfield Thursday, Dec. 13.

Lindsay Paschke scored at 3:36 of the first period to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead. Northfield tied it just 27 seconds into the second period, also on a power play. Dani Kocina answered with a goal for the Trojans to make it 2-1.

Northfield tied the game at 2-2 early in the third, but the Trojans got that one back less than a minute later on a goal by Paschke, making it 3-2. That’s the way it stood until a Trojan barrage resulted in four goals in the final three minutes.

Paschke had two goals and two assists, while the Trojans also had a goal and two assists from Catie Skaja and Kocina, a goal and an assist from Sticha, goals by Sami Witt and Kasey Marquardt and an assist from Taylor Heid.

“Northfield is a good, physical team,” Miller said. “Any time we can get out of their arena with a win it’s a good thing.”

Puente stopped 21 of 23 shots to take the win.

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