BY AARON HAGEN
The Globe
WORTHINGTON -- Even though Worthington had defeated Windom Area already this season, that didn’t mean the Trojans were overlooking the Eagles in Thursday night’s girls hockey game.
“We were actually very nervous because we know they beat Marshall and tied with Luverne,” Worthington’s Hannah Barrie said. “We lost to both of them, so we were really nervous coming into this game. I think that helped us wanting to skate and push ourselves harder.”
The game lived up to its billing as the Trojans outlasted the Eagles 2-1.
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“Overall, I would say the girls brought the game that they needed to compete,” WHS head coach Chad Nickel said. “I told the girls, ‘Windom is bringing their A game and they were going to have to bring it too.’ After the win up there, they weren’t going to be a slouch.”
Both teams had a slow start in the first period, as neither found the net in a scoreless tie.
“For the last week and a half we told them the Windom game is not going to be easy,” Nickel said. “The first period, we pressured and they kept the pressure. In the second period we kind of laxed a little bit. The end of the second period, Windom flat-out controlled the last three minutes of the period. Our girls were in panic mode. Fortunately in the third period our girls came back out and played aggressively.”
The game’s first goal came with 10:07 remaining in the second. Worthington’s Kya Nickel put in a rebound off the shot of Kessy Aljets as the Trojans led 1-0.
The goal, Barrie said, took a little pressure off.
“I feel like we always get relieved but then we get into our minds that we need to keep going because if they get one then it’s still tied again,” she said. “We didn’t let down at all, which is good.”
WHS took a 2-0 lead in the third off a goal from Barrie.
“We were more comfortable, but it’s happened to us before,” Barrie said. “During the timeout we were talking about it because it happened where we’ve been up and they’ll come back and score two and we’ll end up losing. We told ourselves we need to keep pushing to get the win.”
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Windom Area answered with 2:59 remaining in the game as Katrina LaCanne scored with Ellyson Bang assisting.
With 1:10 to go, the Eagles pulled goalie Emily Steen and played with six skaters.
“(The last minutes were) very scary,” Barrie said. “They told us to tie up and since the net was open try to get it down there on net. I think we did a good job of keeping them tied up so we couldn't get any shots.”
But even with six skaters, the Eagles weren’t able to get another shot past WHS goalie Bailey Kruse.
“The goalie played excellent,” WA head coach Bill Fredin said. “She was making plays where it looked like she was screened and all of a sudden her glove is out there. I don’t know how she even saw it. She played really well.”
For Worthington, it was the sixth win of the season.
“It’s awesome from going to getting no wins the past few years to getting six now,” Barrie said. “That feels really good.”
Windom Area 0 0 1 -- 1
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Worthington 0 1 1 -- 2
