Huskies Set Up Conference Championship Showdown

With their 8-1 win at Austin Tuesday, the Owatonna High School girls hockey team will play for a share of the Big Nine title Thursday at Northfield. While OHS dominated the first period at Riverside Arena with a 25-6 shot advantage, they only led 2-1. An early power play goal in the second period started a four-goal outburst that left the Huskies in control.

Chloe Schmidt scored 29 seconds into the game on the rebound of a Syd Hunst shot. Ezra Oien added an unassisted breakaway goal at 7:02, the first of her three goals. Austin trimmed the lead to 2-1 as Jordyn McCormack grabbed a stray puck and scored a wrap-around goal at 12:02.

Molly Achterkirch scored a power play goal at 1:04 of the second period with helpers from Sarah Snitker and Abby Vetsch. Oien, Olivia Herzog, and Schmidt added goals for a 6-2 lead after two.

Herzog scored midway through the third from Samantha Bogen. Oien got her hat trick goal and 30th of the season with three minutes to go on assists from Herzog and Grace Wolfe.

Owatonna out shot Austin 58-12. Asia Buryska started in goal. Ava Wolfe took over in the third period.

Northfield beat Owatonna 4-0 on December 17. The rematch Thursday, January 30 at Northfield Ice Arena has multiple story lines. A win for Owatonna would mean a share of the Big Nine title for the first time since 2010-11. Northfield is the defending conference champ and has won it twice in the last four winters. A tie would give the Raiders the outright title.

The Owatonna-Northfield winner should also wrap up a home playoff game, possibly to host the team that loses Thursday's match up. Lakeville South and Farmington have the top two seeds wrapped up in Section 1AA. The question remains where the coaches will seed Dodge County, who has defeated both Owatonna and Northfield, but remains behind them in the QRF rankings.

The Owatonna boys hockey squad topped Albert Lea Tuesday on Stick it to Cancer Night at Four Seasons Centre. Collin Pederson scored two goals and added an assist. Dom Valento scored one goal and had two assists. The Huskies host Northfield Thursday, January 30 at 7 pm in a key match up in the Big Nine title chase for those teams.

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