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Benilde-St. Margaret's had the stars, they had the rankings, they had the stats.- they even had a state title.  Rated number one in state class “A”, the Red Knights were the overwhelming favorites.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the rink, Chisago Lakes had nothing to lose.  Yes, the Wildcats had their own ammunition to brag about, rated 15 in the state in class “AA” according to Let's Play Hockey Magazine, but still, most who attended last Friday's game at the Chisago Lakes Arena didn't necessarily expect a barnburner, but they got it. 

Fighting maybe more for respect than a win, the ‘Cats took arguably the best team in the state down to the wire before falling 4-2. The game was actually 3-2 in the third before the Knights scored their fourth and final goal of the game with 30 seconds left. It was close the entire way.

Chisago Lakes actually held the advantage through the first four minutes of the game, holding Benilde without a shot for the first two and a half minutes.  However, the tides turned quickly as the Red Knights fought back, helped out by an early power play.  During that power play, Shannon Reilly converted on a power play goal, giving Benilde a 1-0 lead. 

Despite putting themselves shorthanded again late in the period, the ‘Cats weathered the storm the rest of the way, finishing the first period down 1-0.  The Red Knights outshot the Wildcats 10-3 in the opening period.

“We knew that we had to stay out of the box, but we didn't know how the game was going to be called with the new rule change,” said Al Magnuson, Chisago Lakes head girls hockey coach.  “We knew we had to go out and see how it was going to be called. I told the girls to be aggressive and see how things worked out.”

The aggressiveness started to work out just fine in the second.

Disappointed with three shots on net in the first period, the Wildcats goal in the second was shots and a lot of them.  In all, Chisago peppered the Red Knight net with 17 shots in the second period alone.

Nicole Grossmann led the charge, sneaking one past Benilde's Sarah Windhorst at the 5:34 mark.  The blast from the point brought the Wildcats even 1-1.  However, Benilde came right back, pulling in front 2-1 on a goal just five minutes later.  Still, despite the score, Chisago held the edge the entire period, scoring less than two minuteslater, once again coming from Grossmann.  The goal, her second of the game, came with a host of bodies in front.  It tied the score 2-2.

“Their goalie never saw it, she didn’t even make a move on the puck,” replied Magnuson.  “It was just shoot the puck and hopefully things will happen.”

In terms of playing a perfect period, Chisago came awfully close, however their one and only mistake of the second was a big one.  To most who watched the game, it was the difference.  Just 48 seconds after the Wildcats tied the score, four of the five Wildcat skaters on the ice went off on a line change.  Benilde, who was skating out of their defensive zone, took advantage, springing Reilly free on a breakaway.

The sophomore beat Wildcat goalie Jackie Weiden for her second goal of the game, putting the Knights back in front 3-2 after two.

“Parenteau (Lexi) was shot, she was just dog tired.  She was the first one going to the bench,” remembered Magnuson.  “I don't know if everyone took that as a line change, but all of a sudden they all were heading to the bench.  That really hurt us.  That was the turning point in the game no question about it.”

It also proved to be the difference.  Despite outshooting the Knights in the third, Benilde got the only goal of the period, that came with 31 seconds left of the clock, completing the 4-2 win.

“We had our chances.  The girls kept working, we had some pucks come across.  If we would’ve been able to get a stick on it, well who knows?  And also, a lot of our shots were right in their goalie’s belly.  We didn’t do a real good job finding  the openings,” remarked Magnuson.  “But I told the girls after the game, they had nothing to hang their head about, they should walk out of that locker room with their heads held high.  They played a hell of a game.  But you know what?  We're still not satisfied.”

For the game, Chisago Lakes outshot the Knights 32-31.  Between the pipes, Weiden finished the game with 27 saves.  Up next, the Wildcats will take a break from the state rankings this week with Forest Lake and Wright County.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s 4

Chisago Lakes 2

1 2 3 F

BSM 1 2 1 4

Chisago Lakes 0 2 0 2

Scoring:

First Period-

1) BSM- Reilly (Johnson) (pp) 11:07.

Second Period-

2) CL- Grossmann (Parenteau, L. Medellin) 5:34; 3) BSM- Burg (Gaskins) 10:54; 4) CL- Grossmann (Sauter, L. Medellin) 12:10; 5) BSM- Reilly (unassisted) 12:58.

Third Period-

6) BSM- Burg (Gaskins) 16:29.

Saves-

Weiden- 27

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