Maple Lake junior scores first varsity goal

 

Maple Lake junior Tara Holmgren scored her first varsity goal for the Bison girls hockey team, Tuesday, Dec. 31, contributing to a 10-1 win over the North Shore Storm. It was the first in a string of wins for the Bison, that led to a 3-0 record in the Centennial Holiday Tournament.
The Bison kicked things off on Monday, Dec. 29, when they defeated Section 8 foe Moorhead 4-1.
“It was a great way to start a tournament, especially against a team from Section 8-2A,” Bison Coach Ray Dahlof said.
On Tuesday, the Bison met the Storm. A young cooperative of schools near Two Harbors and Silver Bay along the north shore of Lake Superior, they were no match for the Bison.
The home team quickly put themselves on the score board after only one minute into the game on a solo effort by Allison Roethke who skated into the zone on the right side and unleashed a slap-shot that found the lower corner.
Kirsten Olson added a short-handed goal at 4:31 assisted by Madi Jewell on a “nice play” coming into the zone, Dahlof said.
Bison’s Jillianne Hovland made it 3-0 on a “wicked wrister” from the left circle that beat the goalie’s glove side. Roethke then finished the scoring in the first period with a slap-shot from the point on a power play late in the period.
Freshman goalie Karly Schmidt only faced one shot in the first period. The Bison scored four more goals in the second period, started by Holmgren. Her goal came on a rebound assisted by Roethke at 10:31.
Ten seconds later Olson scored her second goal on a quick shot from 20 feet assisted again by Jewell. Taylor Thompson scored assisted by Calin Graunke at 12:43 and Abby Halluska scored the eighth goal with four seconds left assisted by Roethke.
Hovland got her second goal early in the third period assisted by Halluska as that line continued to score goals.
Senior Sydney Driver scored her first varsity goal at 10:30 from the left side, unassisted, to push the lead to 10-0.
The Storm ruined Schmidt’s shut-out bid with 1:30 left in the third period on a power-play rebound.
The Bison out-shot the Storm 31-10 for their 10th victory of the season.
On New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 31, the Bison earned their third straight tournament win by defeating host Centennial 3-2.
The Bison got off to a great start, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first period. They capitalized on a power-play opportunity at 5:56 of the period when senior captain Kirsten Olson scored on a rebound of a Roethke shot from the point for a 1-0 lead.
“We did a nice job of controlling the puck and got an open shot which Roethke put low on net, and the rebound came to the left to a wide open Olson who lifted her shot over the fallen Centennial goalie,” Dahlof said.
The Bison added another goal at the eight-minute mark on a wrist shot from the point by defender Ali Klein.
“Getting the first two goals was huge for us in the first period. We didn’t allow a shot until a slap-shot from the blue line with 20 seconds left. We really controlled the play and did a great job of D zone play,” Dahlof said.
The second period was more of a defensive struggle with Centennial getting four shots and the Bison getting five shots. The teams traded goals in the period.
The Bison scored at 11:54 when Thompson passed the puck to Halluska in the neutral zone.
“Halluska turned on the jets and deked past a defender, she pulled a quick move and flipped a back-hander into the top of the net. Really a pretty goal,” Dahlof said.
It appeared the Bison would carry a 3-0 lead into the third period, but Centennial found the goal with 24 seconds remaining in the second period on a back-door goal.
The late goal gave the Cougars some needed momentum going into the third. The play was very even until the Bison took a penalty with about seven minutes left in the period. Centennial ran a power play, but Bison goalie Carlson made some key saves.
The Bison had a late power play but couldn't get the all-important fourth goal. Meanwhile, Centennial pulled its goalie in the final minute-and-a-half, and after several good shots, finally scored with 21 seconds remaining with the help of a six-on-five skater advantage.
“It was a good win over a quality opponent. Both teams seemed a little tired until the third period when the pace picked up considerably,” Dahlof said.
The Bison improved their overall record to 11-5 going into the new year. The Bison return to action hosting another top 10 team, Wayzata, on Tuesday Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. On Friday, Jan. 9, they will travel to Isanti to face Cambridge-Isanti-Mora-Pine City, at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 10, they will host Hopkins at 2 p.m. and on Monday, Jan. 12, they will face St. Francis-North Branch at the East Bethel Arena at 7 p.m.

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