Hockey: Packer girls score a win on senior night
Published 10:10 pm Thursday, January 24, 2019
- Austin goalie Faith Sayles notches a save during a scramble in front of the net against Rochester Century Thursday night in Riverside Arena. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
As the lone junior on the Austin girls hockey team, Jordyn McCormack has always blended in with her seven senior teammates. So it was fitting that McCormack played a key role in giving those seniors a boost as the Packers beat Rochester Century 6-3 on senior night in Riverside Arena Thursday.
Austin, which has now won three straight games, had lost to the Panthers (10-8-2 overall, 7-6 Big Nine) by a score of 7-3 on Dec. 13.
McCormack gave Austin (7-13-1 overall, 4-11-1 Big Nine) a 4-2 lead in the second period when she connected on a slap shot and she put the Packers up 5-2 when she converted a short handed goal on a breakaway with 9:51 left in the game.
Austin’s Kylee Hanlon chases down the puck in the second period against Rochester Century. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“This was probably one of our better games,” McCormack said. “We knew this was a beatable team from the last time we played (Century) and we really wanted to win it for the seniors.”
Austin seniors Hannah McMasters, Jaiden Schuster and Lily Holtz all scored a goal in the win and Faith Sayles stopped 19 of the 21 shots she saw.
McCormack said she will always have an appreciation for the senior class that’s been helping her along ever since she was brought up to varsity as an eighth grader.
“I’ve played with them for a long time and they’re very important to the team. They’re our leaders,” McCormack said. “They helped me a lot. I didn’t really know anyone when I first got here, but we grew up together. We all connect together now.”
Austin will wrap up its regular season next week as it plays at Owatonna Tuesday and at Rochester Mayo Thursday.
Austin’s Hannah McMasters brings the puck across the Rochester Century zone Thursday night at Riverside Arena. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
SCORING SUMMARY
Century 2 0 1 — 3
Austin 3 1 2 — 6
First period
(A) Lexi Stitch (Kylee Hanlon, Lily Holtz) 2:00
(C) Elizabeth Oyen 2:09
(A) Hannah McMasters (Stitch, Lily Holtz) 6:57
(C) Kennedi Bielenberg-Howarth 11:59
(A) Jaiden Schuster (Jordyn McCormack) 12:07
Second period
(A) McCormack (McMasters, Bickler) 11:30
Third period
(A) McCormack (short handed) 7:09
(C) Lauren Luhman (Kasey Klouser, Katherine Thorvilson) 12:25
(A) Holtz (short handed) 15:32
Shots: Austin — 36; Century — 24
Power plays: Austin — 0-for-1; Century — 0-for-4
Austin’s Kate Holtz reaches for the puck in the second period against Rochester Century Thursday night in Riverside Arena. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
