Park girls hockey: Wolfpack beats Hastings, Mound-Westonka

After stumbling out to a 2-8-1 start the Park girls hockey team has started to turn things around.

The Wolfpack (6-10-1, 2-7-1 Suburban East Conference) gained momentum with two wins at the Farmington Tournament, including a 3-2 victory over No. 8 (1A) Mound-Westonka. Park eventually fell 7-0 to Eastview in the final game of the tournament, but has gone 4-2 in its past six games.

In that six-game span the Wolfpack has given up more than three goals once and held opponents to three or fewer goals in five of those games.

Park goaltender Caitlin Tate had a big week in a 4-3 overtime victory over Hastings Thursday at Cottage Grove Ice Arena and kept things close in a 2-0 loss to No. 5 (2A) Mounds View Saturday at Cottage Grove Ice Arena.

Tate made 37 saves against Hastings and followed that up with 36 saves against Mounds View.

The Wolfpack had a three-game winning streak snapped in the loss against Eastview but bounced back against Hastings by getting goals from four different players.

Monica Martineau scored the game winner off an assist from Anna Keys against No. 18 (2A) Hastings. The win brought Park to within three games of .500, the closest it’s been to that mark since the sixth game of the season.

Keys, Ashley Wagenman and Abby Hennen added goals for the Wolfpack in the win.

Wagenman’s goal with 36 seconds left to play forced overtime. Sam Anderson assisted on the goal that gave Park momentum heading into overtime.

Hennen scored the game’s first goal 10 minutes, 49 seconds into the first period.

The Raiders (9-4-4, 4-3 SEC) tied it at 1-1 in the second period when Sami Claussen scored at the 2:12 mark on an assist from Natalie Simons and Kiki Radke.

Hastings grabbed its first lead of the game at 5:06 of the third period with a goal from Anna Williams off an assist from Nicole Klimek.

Keys tied it just 1:16 later but the Raiders regained the lead at the 14:12 mark with a goal from Erin Moses.

Hastings outshot Park 40-18 for the game and went 0-for-2 on the power-play.

At the Farmington Tournament Dec. 28 the Wolfpack pulled off a big victory over No. 8 (1A) Mound-Westonka with goals from Madison Nelson, Mary Turitto and Maddy Jeske.

Nelson, Martineau and Keys added assists.

Tate made 28 saves against 30 shots in the victory. Park opened the tournament Dec. 27 with a 5-3 victory over Apple Valley.

Turitto scored three goals and Alicia Wagenman recorded to goals to lift the Wolfpack past Apple Valley.

Keys assisted on two goals while Jeske, Paige Hill and Ashley Wagenman added assists.

Tate made 23 saves on 26 shots. Park faces White Bear Lake Tuesday in White Bear Lake and East Ridge Saturday at Bielenberg Arena in Woodbury.

Tags: sports, hockey, park, wolfpack, prep, updates