PHM Falls In First Round Action

Wes Vork-NSO

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Feb 25

Wes Vork-NSO

St. Paul – Making their first ever state tournament appearance, the Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall Mirage had high hopes. A bit of a slow start and a hat trick by Roseville’s Kayla Capistrant dashed those hopes, however. The Mirage fell in opening round action to Roseville by a score of 7-2.

Roseville opened the scoring at the 6:25 mark of the first period on a goal by Lee Stecklein. Before the period was over, the Raiders got three more goals, one each from
Bethany Brausen, Hanna Brodt and Capistrant.

“I think we were a bit intimidated early,” PHM head coach Glen Gilderman told NSO following the game. “We got there early and took a look around, which I thought would help, but we started out slow.”
Roseville head coach Vic Brodt thought the same of his squad, stating, “From a standpoint of goals we started out great, but I thought we were a bit nervous and played sloppy, which showed up in the second period.”

PHM appeared to have shaken off the jitters and came out strong in the second period. Abby Fox got the Mirage on the scoreboard at the 11:35 mark of the period with a goal assisted by Reilly Fawcett.

The Mirage also got a bit of help when the Raider’s star player Brausen, a University of Minnesota recruit, was called for a checking from behind penalty which brought with it a10 minute misconduct. Less than a minute into the power play, Emma Stauber capitalized for the Mirage
with a power play goal at 13:33. Stauber was assisted on the goal by Nichole Mathews and Julia Gilbert which sent a re-energized Mirage to the locker room, having cut the lead to 4-2.

The Raiders started the third period on the power play with their
best player Logan still in the penalty box. But with just 53 seconds into the third period, Roseville’s Capistrant scored to snatch the momentum back. “We knew someone had to step up. Our star player was in the box so I took it into my own hands and got it done,” Capistrant mentioned after the game.

Before the third period was over, Roseville added goals by Kate Flug and Capitsrant, her third which brought the hats out onto the ice. But it was clearly Capistrant’s second goal that was the backbreaker. Gilderman agreed the fifth Raider goal coming early in the period took its toll. “We bounced back and got the score to 4-2, but it’s hard to bounce back twice. We didn’t quit but the momentum definitely shifted.” Although they lost 7-2 Gilderman complimented his squad, telling NSO, “The girls could have quit, but they kept coming back. I am very proud of them”.

The loss sends PHM to Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota campus Friday at 12:00pm to face Hopkins. The Royals lost the nightcap to Burnsville by a score of 6-3.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com