35-Second Lapse Costs Owatonna Girls’ Hockey
Northfield scored a pair of goals 35 seconds apart in the closing minute of the second period and went on to a 3-1 win over Owatonna in a girls' hockey game at the Four Seasons Centre Thursday night. The Raider's fortune erased the Huskies 1-0 lead established on Margo Achterkirch's 28th goal of the season midway through the second frame.
Achterkirch's goal came with an assist from Maylynn Prokopec at 8:18. The Raiders tied the game at 16:04 on a scrum in front of Owatonna net minder Laura Ebeling with Johanna Taylor notching the goal. A short time later, an Owatonna turnover led to a 2-on-0 for Northfield and McKenna Nelson scored top shelf.
Northfield finished the scoring off another turnover at 15:00 of the third period. Jessica Boland slipped the puck past Ebeling and it slowly trickled across the goal line. The win was worth four points in the conference standings for Big Nine-leading Northfield. Before the game Raiders' coach Brent Bielenberg dismissed his team's chances of winning the league crown, believing the Red Wing will ultimately end up on top.
Owatonna coach Dan Paur said the Huskies played very well except for a couple of mistakes that led to the back-to-back goals. OHS had a pair of power plays in the third period. Paur said the Raiders did a good job of preventing Owatonna from getting anything started in the offensive zone during the player-advantages.
The Huskies came close to a couple of breakaways in the third period. Paur credited the Raiders with a strong back check to keep either opportunity from resulting in a shot on goal. OHS (14-6, 10-4 Big Nine) plays at Rochester Mayo Tuesday, January 30.