An assistant coach’s promise proved true for the Austin girls hockey team Tuesday night in Riverside Arena.

Austin freshman Kennedy Thompson came into the game looking to score and she was told it would come at the right time.

“I was mad that I hadn’t been scoring in games, but coach (Erin) Enger said that it would come when it’s important to come,” Thompson said. “I guess that was an important time for it to come.”

Enger’s prophecy came through with 4:25 left in overtime when Thompson knocked in an open shot off on a rebound from a shot attempt that bounced off Winona’s goalie’s skate. Vanessa Talamantes had the initial shot that helped give the Packers a 3-2 win over Winona.

“It was really intense and pretty exciting,” Thompson said of the game-winner.

Thompson’s shot came three seconds after Winona had thwarted a breakaway attempt by Ashley Arhart. Austin’s Abby Gallaher won the ensuing face-off to set up the winning goal.

Thompson’s shot almost never happened, but Austin goalie Audrey DeVries, who had 37 saves on the night, made a save on a wide open slap shot from Winona just minutes earlier.

“Audrey made a big save,” Austin head coach Denny Bray said. “She’s been the backbone of this team all season. Hopefully we can help her out more and we don’t have to see these close wins.”

The Packers (3-4-1 overall, 1-2 Big Nine) came into the game coming off two losses in the St. Cloud Invite last week.

“I didn’t know how we’d bounce back,” Bray said. “Winona has a very good team and they’re an older team than we are.”

Austin led 1-0 going into the third period after Carley Grunewald scored in the second, but Winona’s Autumn Hayes scored 22 seconds into the third period. Kirsten Stanek scored a shorthanded goal for Austin early in the third, but Winona tied the game up with 1:36 left in the game when Borkowski scored.

“The girls were fired up this whole game and it was great to see they were eager to get going tonight,” Bray said. “But our immaturity showed tonight, we ran into each other a little bit and we started chasing (Hayes) when she had the puck instead of playing in position.”

Bray had the ultimate advice for his team before the overtime period started.

“I told the girls going into overtime that they were the best hockey team on the ice in Minnesota at this time,” he said. “They went out and did a great job in overtime.”

The Packers had 40 shots on goal on the night and they out-shot the Winhawks 5-2 in the extra session.

Winona 0 0 2 0 — 2

Austin 1 1 0 1 — 3

First period

No scoring

Second period

(A) 5:04 Carley Grunewald (Ashley Arhart, Kirsten Stanek)

Third period

(W) :22 Autumn Hayes (Lauren Borkowski)

(A) 4:13 Stanek (Grunewald, Vanessa Talamantes) (SH)

(W) 15:34 Borkowski (Carly Moran)

OT

(A) 3:25 Kennedy Thompson (Alix Borland, Talamantes)