PHM Advances To Semi-Finals With 2-1 Win Over Duluth Northern Stars

Wes Vork-NSO

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Wes Vork-NSO

HERMANTOWN – When a #4 seed matches up against the #5 seed in the playoffs of any sport, a terrific game is nearly guaranteed. Such was the case on Thursday night in Hermantown when Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall squared off against the Duluth Northern Stars in Section 7AA girls playoff hockey. In a tight back and forth match-up Reilly Fawcett scored just: 16 seconds into the third period to give the Mirage a 2-1 win.

Thursday’s game was the rubber match between the two Lake Superior Conference rivals. The Duluth Northern Stars won a close 2-1 game back in January when the two met in the first ever high school game at the new Amsoil Arena. In the rematch last week, PHM used three quick first period goals, including a power play and a shorthanded goal to quickly blow the game open and cruise to a 4-1 win.

After the game PHM Head Coach Glen Gilderman talked about the rivalry, “We’ve always had good games against them. There’s a lot of emotion between these 2 teams, it’s tougher to play them because of the emotion, but a playoff win is a playoff win. I give them a lot of credit, they played a great game.”

Alyssa Wargin got things started for the Mirage with a goal at 6:40 of the first period with the assists going to Melinda Nelson and Emy Albert. Sarah Lyle answered right back for Duluth however, scoring just a half a minute later with Claudia Gagnon picking up the assist. Although PHM outshot the Stars 17-7, the first period ended in a 1-1 tie.

Duluth picked up the tempo in the second period and evened out the shot clock a bit at 21 to 17. But stellar goaltending at both ends of the ice kept the second period scoreless.

Most people were still returning to their seats when Fawcett scored what would prove to be the game winner only 16 seconds into the third period. Nicole Mathews and Emma Stauber were credited with the helpers on the goal.

Although there wasn’t any additional scoring in the third period the game still proved to be both intense and entertaining. Perhaps the play of the game came midway through the period when Alexia Klaas received a pass from the right side and got off a point blank shot directly in front of the Mirage net. PHM senior netminder Anya Morris got into perfect position and made the save on what looked like a sure goal.

After the game Morris explained “I didn’t see it (the shot) the whole way, but the best thing you can do on a one timer is to get square with it, I got square and was able to make the save.” Although none were as difficult as Klaas’ shot, Morris made several additional quality saves with time running out to secure the 2-1 playoff victory for the Mirage.

For the game Morris made 26 saves on 27 shots while her counterpart also came up huge, stopping 24 of the 26 shots she faced.

Following the game, Coach Gilderman talked about his goaltenders huge save and overall third period performance. “It was going in the net and she came up huge.” Gilderman explained of the huge third period save, Adding, “Anya’s story is very interesting. As a sophomore she played against Cloquet in the section finals and she wasn’t quite ready to do that as a goalie. She focused on that game and used that game two years ago to motivate her to be a better player. She’s the hardest worker I know. She asks the varsity players to stay after practice and shoot on her, so it’s fitting she would basically win the game for us tonight.

Of the section loss to CEC, Morris further explained. “I didn’t like the way I felt after that game. I decided that I never wanted to experience that kind of a loss again. I decided I wanted to work hard and I wanted to push others to work hard so that we can make sure that wouldn’t happen again.”

Now Morris and the Mirage will face #1 seed Elk River on Saturday in the Semi-Finals. PHM finds themselves facing the same roadblock as last year when the then #2 seed Mirage knocked off the #1 seeded Elks for their first ever section title and trip to the Minnesota High School Hockey Tournament.

On the trip to Elk River, Coach Gilderman said his team is more than up for the challenge. “We’re excited to play them. It’s a team we lost to early in the season by a score of 5-3 with an empty net goal. It will be a fun game.”

For the Mirage to advance to the section finals, Morris will need to keep the Elks Jonna Curtis out of the net. Curtis, who scored a hat trick in the previous meeting against PHM, comes in with 39 regular season goals and 23 assists for a total of 62 points, more than three times the totals of any other Elks player. On the plus side, the Mirage feature a balance scoring attack with six players in the double digit point column. If past performance is any indicator, look for another tight entertaining game from these two Section 7aa powers.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com