February 14, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
Wildcat hockey girls end season with loss to top-seeded Thunderhawks in section play
Wildcat hockey girls end season with loss to top-seeded Thunderhawks in section play
The second-ranked Grand Rapids/Greenway boys' hockey team showed why it's seeded first in the section, beating the eighth-seeded Wildcats 7-1 at Grand Rapids in the opening round of the Section 7AA playoffs. The loss, the second of the season to the Thunderhawks, knocked the Wildcats out of the playoffs.
The Wildcats' only goal came in the second period and may have given Wildcat fans another glimpse of the future. Eighth-grader Megan Lushanko carried the puck down the right side into the Thunderhawk zone and passed it to fellow eighth-grader Marisa Peterson, who drove the puck home to get the Wildcats on the board.
However, Thunderhawk senior Emily Erickson was too much for the Wildcats, getting five points (three goals, two assists) to lead the Thunderhawks to victory. The Wildcats got a glimpse of the Grand Rapids future, too. The Illikainen sisters, eighth-grader Molly and freshman Morgan, combined for five points (two goals, three assists).
While Grand Rapids will continue to have star players, the Wildcats won't have to face Emily Erickson. Erickson will join Wildcat alumnus Lexy Parenteau at Division 1 Bemidji State next year.
"Grand Rapids is obviously a very good team," said Wildcat head coach Jason Mahlen. "I expect them to win the section and to have a great shot at winning the state tournament. They're just one of the better girls' teams I've seen in a while. Even though the score of the game ended up what it did, I'm proud of our girls. They skated hard for three periods. And, getting 20 shots against Grand Rapids is pretty good."
SCORING SUMMARY
Chisago Lakes/PC 0 1 0-1
GR/Greenway 3 2 2-7
1st Period
GR 1 Mor. Illikainen (Erickson) 5:12; GR 2 Erickson (Mol. Illikainen) 14:149; GR 3 Erickson (Horgen) 16:57
2nd Period
GR 4 Mol. Illikainen (Arola, Horgen) 4:20; CL 1 M. Peterson (Lushanko) 4:39; GR 5 Erickson (unassisted) 9:16
3rd Period
GR 6 Mor. Illikainen (Mol. Illikainen, Arola) 1:37; Gallop (Degrio, Erickson) 8:15.
Saves: CL Pitzen 42, GR Havel 20
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