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A lot of defense and a little offense can sometimes be just enough to get a team by. Case in point, despite scoring just three goals in two games last week in the first two rounds of the section playoffs, because of their defense, the Chisago Lakes girls hockey team finds themselves in the section finals this Thursday versus Cloquet/Esko/Carlton.

Section 7AA Playoffs

First round-

Chisago Lakes 2

Duluth East 1

Al Magnuson wanted to see the game over with. As he addressed his team before overtime in a 1-1 tie with Duluth East last Thursday, the veteran head coach turned to one of his players and challenged her to get it done. Lexy Parenteau took the challenge and ran with it- or skated anyway.

“I was talking to the kids and I told the defense they needed to clear the puck out of the zone and all of that stuff, and then I looked at Lexy and I told her I was sick of this game and I wanted it to be over with,” remembered Magnuson. “I told her that if she gets the puck, to take it and finish the game. And she did.”

She did indeed. Midway through the first overtime session, Parenteau gathered the puck and began to head up-ice. The junior weaved through Greyhound defenders like they were cones. She skated across the blue line and headed towards the net, beating Duluth East goalie Jane Gilbertson with one flick of the wrist, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 overtime win.

It was a goal that had been in the making for a long time. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal from Amanda Rammer, East charged out of the locker room in the second and evened the score. The Greyhounds actually out-shot the ‘Cats in the second, forcing a 1-1 tie with one period left. Or so they thought.

“They played a lot more physical in the second period and I think it took a lot of our players out of the game,” replied Magnuson. “We challenged them to get back to their game before the third period and they did. We really dominated from that point on.”

They dominated play, but the scoreboard was still 1-1. Chisago peppered the East net with 13 shots on goal in the third to the Greyhounds five. Still, at the end of 51 minutes of hockey, the game was tied 1-1. A few minutes later, Parenteau did her thing, giving the Wildcats the win and a shot at St. Francis/North Branch in the section semifinals.

“They were pumped after the game but they knew we still had work to do, we were far from finished” said Magnuson. “We’re not scoring a lot of goals right now but our defense has really been solid. Jackie (Weiden) is playing just fantastic, she’s really kept us in games lately. She’s been playing her best hockey of the season.”

Chisago Lakes 2

Duluth East 1

1 2 3 OT F

Duluth East -- 1 -- -- 1

Chisago Lakes 1 -- -- 1 2

Scoring:

First Period-

1) CL- Rammer (L. Medellin, Sauter) 14:27.

Second Period-

2) DE- #6 (#11, #19) 15:42.

Third Period-

No scoring

Overtime-

3) CL- Parenteau (unassisted) 2:09.

Saves-

Weiden 16

Section 7AA playoffs

Section semifinals-

Chisago Lakes 1

St. Francis 0

Last Saturday in Cloquet, the Wildcats actually went backwards in terms of goals scored, however, their defense was went in the other direction- they were even better. The result was a 1-0 win over St. Francis/North Branch and a meeting with Cloquet for the section title this Thursday in Lindstrom.

Things didn’t start well for Chisago. Worried about a letdown on the heels of a thrilling overtime win over Duluth East, Magnuson’s fears were realized when the Saints took it to the ‘Cats early. Fortunately for the Wildcats, Weiden kept Chisago in the game with her play between the pipes, keeping the game scoreless. The first period finished that way as both teams skated into the locker room 0-0.

“The first six-seven minutes of the game, they really took it to us,” remarked Magnuson. “Then the girls just caught fire, we actually ended up out-shooting them in the first. They just got some momentum going, and I think nerves played a part in it as well. They looked nervous early.”

Nicole Grossmann settled some nerves in the second period when the senior scored the first goal of the game on the power play, putting Chisago in front 1-0. As it tuned out, it was the only goal of the game. Despite having their chances, both teams were snake-bitten the rest of the way. It was an emotional roller-coaster for Magnuson and the Chisago Lakes fans the rest of the way.

“Anytime it’s a one-goal game, anything can happen in the game of hockey,” commented Magnuson. “You can get a bad bounce, a deflection. We were playing good, the puck just wasn’t going in the net.”

Thanks to Weiden, the puck wasn’t going into the net for St. Francis either as Weiden and the Wildcat defense continued to shut the door. They held on to the very end, slamming the door shut on the Saints en route to a 1-0 win.

“This has been Jackie at her best, her being confident,” replied Magnuson. “She’s got it in her eyes, she’s confident on every shot. You can just tell that she’s in the zone. We know she’s going to be there for us.”

Two down and one to go. Next up, top-seeded Cloquet this week for the right to advance to the state tournament. The Lumberjacks defeated the Wildcats 2-1 in the only meeting between the two teams in late November. Last year, Cloquet (who was the sections #1 seed), lost in the section semifinals to Duluth East.

“Last year I didn’t want to play Cloquet, but this year, I wanted to play them. I didn’t want to see an upset like last year,” said Magnuson. “We want to play the best and earn our way to state. I think it’s going to be close, another one-goal game. I also think we’re saving all of our goals for Thursday.”

The drop of the puck is slated for 7:30 pm at the Chisago Lakes Arena. The winner will advance to the state girls hockey tournament next week at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

Chisago Lakes 1

St. Francis/North Branch 0

1 2 3 F

St. Francis/NB -- -- -- 0

Chisago Lakes -- 1 -- 1

Scoring:

First Period-

No scoring

Second Period-

1) CL- Grossmann (pp) (Fredrickson) 9:04.

Third Period-

No scoring

Saves-

Weiden 23

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