Eagles advance in first round with win over Northfield

By DAVE CLARK

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - The New Ulm Eagles girls hockey team was forced to do something different in Tuesday night's 4-1 first round Section 1 playoff win against the Northfield Raiders.

All year, Eagles coach Todd Nelson and staff had told the girls to aim the puck low to the ice. But after watching Raiders goalie Maegen Trebelhorn stop 13 shots in the first period by staying low and holding the Eagles scoreless, Nelson told them to readjust and aim higher.

The result was two goals each in the second and third periods for the Eagles, who eventually outshot the Raiders 48-7 and advance to face either Marshall or Austin Saturday night at home in Vogel Arena at 7 p.m in the playoffs' second round.

"We couldn't buy a goal in the first period," said Nelson. "We finally told them to forget what we said all year and go upstairs, and that's when the goals started to go in. We didn't really have a good game coming into the tournament, so this week we'll work out the bugs. When you have 48 shots on goal, more than four have to go in."

The first period was certainly frustrating for the Eagles, as the Raiders didn't show much on offense, but played stellar defense. Trebelhorn stopped New Ulm's Ashley Dietz twice on breakaways, and the rest of the Raiders seemed determined not to give the Eagles a clear shot at the goal.

The Eagles came out fast and furious in the second period, though. :43 into the period, Liz Bode had an open shot on Trebelhorn from the right side of the blue line after taking a pass from Danelle Fischer. Bode's slapshot whizzed by Trebelhorn's right shoulder and gave New Ulm a 1-0 lead.

The Raiders tied the game five minutes later as a long shot from Jill Rowan slipped past Eagles goalie Jenny Neveln. But at 10:16 Bode stood in almost the same spot she got her first goal and again put the puck past Trebelhorn, this time with an assist from Jocelyn Janni.

At 2:36 of the third period, New Ulm extended their lead to 3-1 as Fischer pushed the puck through a crowd and past Trebelhorn a crowd in front of the goal that saw assists from Dietz and Tammy Cordes.

The third time was a charm for Dietz, who would not be denied another goal on a breakaway, this one coming unassisted at 6:52 that made it 4-1.

The win moves the Eagles record to 16-6-1.

NEW ULM - 0 2 2 - 4

NORTHFIELD - 0 1 0 - 1