Girls hockey team looking forward to Austin tourney

Coming off two tough Missota Conference losses, the New Prague Trojan girls hockey team will be looking to turn their season around at the Austin Invitational Tournament beginning Monday, Dec. 29.

The Trojans (3-8-1, 0-3-1 Missota) defeated Mankato East in a non-conference game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 4-1, then lost to Prior Lake Thursday, Dec. 18 and Farmington on Saturday, Dec. 20. They open the Austin tournament against Albert Lea at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29. Other first round games in the tourney include Austin vs. Willmar at noon, Minneapolis vs. Northfield at 2:30 p.m. and Tartan vs. Simley at 5 p.m.

Games on Tuesday, Dec. 30, are at 9 and 11 a.m. (consolation bracket) and 1 and 3 p.m. (championship bracket). Games on Wednesday, Dec. 31 are at 8 a.m. (seventh place), 10 a.m. (consolation championship) and 2 p.m. (third place and championship). Games are being played at both Packer Arena and Riverside Arena.

Trojans 4, Cougars 1

After going scoreless in their two previous games, the Trojans got out of their offensive funk with 60 shots on goal in a 4-1 win over Mankato East.

The Trojans peppered the East goaltender with shots throughout the game and played most of the first period in the East zone. They were turned back time and again until Nicole Prokes scored her first varsity goal, deflecting a hard shot by Brooke Bartelt into the net at 12:18. Jamie Bisek also picked up an assist.

New Prague still led 1-0 in the third period when Hallie Paschke connected for two goals. The first one came unassisted on a breakaway at 4:49, the second came at 7:16, with assists from Sam Lijewski and Shannon Meyer.

After East scored on a 2-on-1 at 10:43, Bartelt finished the scoring with assists from Paschke and Brittany Sticha, at 14:35

Brittany Sickmann got the win in goal, stopping nine of 10 shots as the Trojans outshot the Cougars 60-10.

Mankato East 0 0 1 - 1

New Prague 0 1 3 - 4

December 16, at New Prague

First Period: NP-Prokes (Bartelt, Bisek) 12:18

Second Period: no scoring

Third Period: NP-H. Paschke (unassisted) 4:49; NP-H. Paschke (Lijewski, Meyer) 7:16; ME-Quandt (Colbrun) 10:43; NP-Bartelt (H. Paschke, Sticha) 14:35

Saves: ME-Anderson 56 of 60; NP-Sickman 9 of 10

Lakers 3, Trojans 1

The Trojans outshot their opponents 36-19, but this time couldn't get the scoring they needed as Prior Lake claimed a 3-1 win in Prior Lake Thursday.

All the game's scoring came in a seven-minute stretch of the first period. Bartelt opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 2:29, but the Lakers tied it at 6:46, then added two more goals in the period to take the win.

Shyler Sletta was in goal for New Prague and stopped 16 of 19 shots.

New Prague 1 0 0 - 1

Prior Lake 3 0 0 - 3

December 18, at Prior Lake

First Period: NP-Bartelt (unassisted) 2:29; PL-Kuester (Jeurissen) 6:46; PL-Brit. Schulz (Kuester) 7:43 pp; PL-Jeurissen (Colluci, Clark) 9:31

Second Period: no scoring

Third Period: no scoring

Saves: NP-Sletta 16 of 19; PL-Bria. Shulz 35 of 36

Tigers 3, Trojans 0

Farmington scored once in the first and twice in the second and took a 3-0 win from the Trojans.

Sletta stopped 23 of 26 shots for New Prague. The Tigers outshot the Trojans 26-12.

New Prague 0 0 0 - 1

Farmington 1 2 0 - 3

December 20, at Farmington

First Period: Far-Severson (Gavin) 10:35.

Second Period: Far-Baumann (Peroutky) 2:26; Far-Alexander (Dahl, Baumann) 15:30 pp

Third Period: no scoring

Saves: NP-Sletta 23 of 26; Far-Braatz 12 of 12