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Chisago Lakes 4

Spring Lake Park 0

It's still not where Al Magnuson wants it to be, but last Tuesday versus Spring Lake Park, the Wildcats offense was good enough to skate past the Panthers 4-0.

Chisago peppered Spring Lake Park with 17 shots on net in the first, controlling the tempo of the game from the opening face-off.  The Wildcats scored their first two goals of the game in the opening period, striking four minutes apart.  The first goal came off the stick of Chantel Duffney with the assists going to Lexi Medellin and Rhiannon Sauter at the 11:06 mark.  Then less than four minutes later, Sauter again factored into the scoring by converting short-handed, pushing the Wildcat lead to 2-0. 

After a scoreless second, the 'Cats got back on the scoresheet with two more goals in the third, once again coming from Duffney and Sauter, giving each of them two goals for the game.  Sauter's second tally was the final score of the contest, coming with 1:21 left to play, solidifying Chisago's 4-0 win.  In addition to their four goals, the Wildcats outshot the Panthers 40-12 in the game.

“The girls played good, it how how we should have been playing against those types of teams all along,” said Magnuson, Chisago Lakes head girls hockey coach.  “All three lines played well and Jackie Weiden made some big saves when she was tested.  The girls were out to prove that they're a good team.  We controlled the zone and we controlled the game.”

It was a game filled with almost all positives.  The only negative was the fact that, despite 40 shots on net, the Wildcats weren't able to score more than four times.  Their goal production continues to be a concern.

“It’s the kind of team we should be putting up 6-8 goals against not four, but hopefully we don't have the team we will have in January right now,” commented Magnuson.  “We still have to get Parenteau back, Morgan (Baumgard) is still sore, Lucas is back but she's not even close to 100 percent yet.  We're still not where we want to be so I’m hoping we'll be able to turn things around once we get all of our pieces back.”

Despite being shorthanded, the Wildcats improved to 5-4-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the North Suburban conference.

Chisago Lakes 4

Spring Lake Park 0

1 2 3 F

Chisago Lakes 2 -- 2 4

Spring Lake Park -- -- -- 0

Scoring:

First Period-

1) CL- Duffney (L. Medellin, Sauter) 11:06; 2) CL- Sauter (Greene) (sh) 7:14.

Second Period-

No scoring

Third Period-

3) CL- Duffney (L. Medellin) 10:40; 4) CL- Sauter (unassisted) 1:21.

Saves-

Weiden- 12

Hibbing 6

Chisago Lakes 2

How important is the absence of Lexy Parenteau?  Al Magnuson thinks that last Saturday's game versus Hibbing provides the answer.  After torching the Wildcats on the ice, the Bluejackets Kayla Hagen was the difference in the 6-2 Hibbing win.

“That's where you miss Parenteau.  Hagen literally killed us. Parenteau is the kind of player who can shut players like Hagen down. She was the difference in the hockey game.”

Maybe the biggest difference maker but certainly not the only one. Special teams play also hurt the Wildcats.  Four of Hibbing's goals came on either the power play of the penalty kill, meaning that without those goals, the game would've been tied 2-2.

“Our special teams did not play well.  We played the umbrella on the power play and who is on top?  Parenteau,” replied Magnuson.  “When we're shorthanded, who plays all the time?  Parenteau.  We just need to find someone to take her place.  Right now, we miss her more than ever."

The game was 1-0 Hibbing after the first period and 2-0 after the second.  The Bluejackets then increased their lead to 4-0 early in the third before goals from Nicole Grossmann and Sauter trimmed the Hibbing lead to two.  However, Hagen and the Jackets answered back immediately on the penalty kill as Hagen scored the second of two shorthanded goals in the game for Hibbing, putting them back in front by three, 5-2.

Hibbing then finished off the 'Cats with another goal late in the period en route to a 6-2 win, handing the Wildcats their fifth loss of the season.

“That shorthanded goal really killed us.  We had some momentum and it took that away," said Magnuson.  “It was a 2-2 game if you take away the special teams part of it, but we're going to have to work on that because it killed us, and we're also going to have to learn how to play against a player like Hagen.  If we want to make back to state, we're going to be playing against players like that all year long.”

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