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South Holds Off Huskies

By Derek Sullivan, 02/16/11, 9:59AM CST

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LAKEVILLE — One of the most successful eras in Owatonna girls hockey came to an end on Tuesday night.

South holds off Huskies

DEREK SULLIVAN
dsullivan@owatonna.com


South holds off Huskies

Tim Hunst
OHS girls hockey coach
LAKEVILLE  — One of the most successful eras in Owatonna girls hockey came to an end on Tuesday night.

Genny Caswell, Taylor Disher, Aimee Goodew, Paige Lysne, Cailyn McCauley and Keshia Reuvers   played their final high school games against Lakeville South at Hasse Arena. South knocked the Huskies out of the Section 1AA playoffs with a 6-1 victory.

The seniors helped Owatonna claim back-to-back Big Nine titles, break a seven-year losing streak to Mayo and win 36 games the past two seasons.

“They meant a lot to us,” said junior Emily Cochran. “This has been the best year of my life. They were such great seniors this year. We’re going to miss them so much. It’s going to be hard to fill their shoes next year on and off the ice.

“They’re a great example for us to follow and we want to be like them next year. They set a high standard for all of us younger girls.”

In a game eerily similar to the one South won 3-1 on Feb. 5, the two teams were scoreless after one period, but the Cougars grabbed the lead by scoring on their penalty kill. South’s Mara Post and Ari Reid scored short-handed goals 39 seconds apart early in the second period to give South the lead for good.

Once the Cougars (23-2-2) had the lead they had no intention of letting Owatonna back into the game. Cochran, Disher, Goodew, Payton Noble and McCauley were all leveled by a Cougar defenseman as they got within a couple of feet of South goalie Chelsea Laden. The physical play in front of the net led to seven South penalties. Owatonna played more than three minutes Tuesday night with two extra skaters. Not that the Cougars’ coaching staff minded. South killed 93 percent of power plays on the season and scored four short-handed goals against Owatonna up to that point.   

“They play good, hard hockey,” Hunst said. “They play to their strengths. They know their strengths. Once they got their lead, they were going to make sure we didn’t have any good scoring opportunities. To their credit, they played a heck of a game tonight.”

Owatonna did finally take advantage of South’s physical play midway through the third period. Ninth-grader Payton Noble scored a power-play goal with 8 minutes, 56 seconds left in the game to pull Owatonna within 3-1.

With 1:35 left and OHS down 4-1, Reid tripped McCauley from behind as the OHS senior prepared to fire the puck.

McCauley was awarded a penalty shot, but Laden slapped her shot away.

“If we get a penalty shot, we’ve are having Cailyn take it,” Hunst said. “It would have been awesome for her to make it. It didn’t happen, but it doesn’t make me any less proud of her. That’s for sure.”

Owatonna ended the game with a 20-7 record and a standing ovation from the large Owatonna crowd.

“When we were coming out in the second period, I heard a lot of noise and I thought the Lakeville girls were being really loud in the hallway,” Cochran said. “But then I came out here and it was all of our fans cheering, ‘Go Big Blue.’ It was awesome. It was like we were at home.”

After McCauley’s failed penalty shot, Hunst pulled goalie Keshia Reuvers. South quickly scored two empty net goals. For the final minute of the game, Hunst put his six seniors on the ice together.

“It’s been a fun ride with these guys,” Hunst said.

Owatonna scoring: Third period: 1, Payton Noble (unassisted) 8:14 (pp). Owatonna goalie: Keshia Reuvers (38 saves).