Since the first of the year, the StormHawks girls’ hockey team extended a very successful run with a 5-1 win over Bloomington Jefferson.
The StormHawks entered the Saturday, Jan. 24 game against the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars (9–13) with a 4–2 record, with one of those losses coming late in overtime. After defeating Jefferson at home 5–1 in mid-December, the StormHawks (11–10–1) were looking to keep pace in the Metro West Conference.
Playing a matinee game at the recently updated Bloomington Ice Arena, the StormHawks encountered a motivated Jaguars squad honoring its seniors. The first period featured tight play from both teams, with much of the action taking place in the neutral zone.
The StormHawks didn’t record a shot on goal until the ninth minute, but it proved productive as sophomore Hailey Freche scored at 7:52 off a pass from freshman Teagan Bros. Jefferson answered late in the period with a power-play goal to tie the game 1–1.
With the opening period behind them, the StormHawks settled in and took control. Senior Claire Lawler gave the StormHawks the lead at 3:26 of the second period, beating the goalie on the left side from the slot.
About 10 minutes later, junior Katie Harrison scored what appeared to be another StormHawks goal, though the puck quickly bounced out of the net and initially went unnoticed by officials. After a conference, Harrison was awarded the goal, with Bella Hendel-Solis earning the assist.
By the third period, the early pace appeared to take its toll on Jefferson. The StormHawks consistently entered the offensive zone and controlled the puck. Junior Evie Lundeen extended the lead at 5:58 with an ESPN-highlight-worthy move that faked out the goalie. She was assisted by sophomore Haylee Coulson and Lawler. Freche added her second goal of the game at 10:40 of the third period to cap the scoring.
The StormHawks completed the season sweep with another 5–1 victory, outshooting the Jaguars 37–31. The game featured few penalties—two for the StormHawks and one for Jefferson—and showcased intense, back-and-forth puck movement throughout.
Coach Cameron Jones was behind the bench Saturday and said, “It was a hard skate today. The team played well. It took us a bit to get locked in, but we got there with good tape-to-tape passing and focused play in the corners and in front of the net.”
Team captains Harrison and Lundeen echoed those sentiments after the game.
“They came out pretty chippy, and we told the team not to let them get to you—keep your cool,” Harrison said.
“We hit our stride in the second with Claire’s and Katie’s goals. When we zone in, we have fun and we play our best,” Lundeen said.
A key factor in the StormHawks’ progress this season has been the play of goaltender junior Regan Conrad. That was evident against Jefferson, as she made several key saves through heavy traffic and in one-on-one situations.
“I’m a student of the position,” Conrad said. “I’m always looking for ways to better handle the puck. It helps to have the team in front of me. I never let the score or number of shots get to me—one shot at a time. ‘Be a goldfish’ (don’t dwell on things – from Ted Lasso) and have fun.”
With the win, the StormHawks improved to 12–10–1 overall and sit atop the Metro West Conference at 8–2, ahead of BSM at 7–1. The StormHawks remain on the road for the rest of the regular season, with games at Orono on Jan. 29 and Holy Angels on Jan. 31. Section playoffs follow in February.
