Eagles blank Windom

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- It started just 27 seconds into the game.

Jocelyn Janni's goal in the opening minute ignited a five-goal first period Friday as the New Ulm High girls hockey team cruised to an 8-0 nonconference win over Windom at Vogel Arena.

The Eagles, now 10-2-1 on the season, will host Hutchinson Tuesday.

"It's tough to work on the things you should be working on when you know that you're going up against a team that's just starting out," Eagle coach Todd Nelson said of Windom, who has more junior high players (7) than upperclassmen (5). "It's tough to keep focused and work on things you need against tougher teams, but overall I'm pleased with our performance."

Janni beat Windom goalie Christina Flatebo at :27, off an assist from Caitlin Nelson, and Ashley Dietz would score a pair of goals just eight seconds apart -- at 6:06 and 6:14 -- to push the lead to 3-0. Other first-period goals for New Ulm came from Danelle Bode, off assists from Janni and Nikki Nelson at 8:13, and Mary Otis, from Dietz and Abby Johnson, at 12:17.

"We scored that first goal, then got happy again for about six minutes before we started to play again," Nelson said. "We're a young team still, and we have to learn to keep the pressure on opponents and work on things even though we're playing a team with a little less ability."

The Eagles seem to rest on that big first period as Windom kept it close throughout the second frame. Bode's second goal at 4:53, assisted by Amy Waldner, was the lone tally of the period.

"If there was a downfall, it was that second period," Nelson said. "We should have kept it going, but I'm proud that the third period we picked it up again and started doing the things that we need to do."

The third period was running time with the six-goal lead, but the Eagles would add to it as Megan Tess scored a power-play goal at 3:30 off a wrist shot from the top of the circle, assisted by Janni, and Nikki Williams added the final tally at 7:25 off an assist from Angie Seifert.

"We're very fortunate this year to have depth with three lines," Nelson said. "It's nice to see the scoring across all three lines, and not having just one or two kids doing it all. It was also nice to see the little passes -- the 3- to 5-foot passes that keep people going up the ice."

Goaltender Jenny Neveln was lonely for most of the night, stopping all six shots she faced.

"We did some good things tonight," Nelson said. "We just have to go out and work hard on Monday to get ready for Tuesday's tough game against Hutch."

WINDOM 0 0 0--0

NEW ULM 5 1 2--8

FIRST PERIOD

NU-Jocelyn Janni (Caitlin Nelson) :27; NU-Ashley Dietz (Nelson) PP 6:06; NU-Dietz (unassisted) 6:14; NU-Danelle Bode (Janni, Nikki Nelson) 8:13; NU-Mary Otis (Dietz, Abby Johnson) 12:17.

SECOND PERIOD

NU-Bode (Amy Waldner) 4:53.

THIRD PERIOD

NU-Megan Tess (Janni) PP 3:30; NU-Nikki Williams (Angie Seifert) 7:25.