Concerns of struggling on the road went quickly to the wayside as the Austin girls' hockey team tossed in six goals and eighth-grade goalie Amy Snyder stopped 14 shots for her first career shutout in a 6-0 Big Nine Conference victory for the Packers.

Austin played its first five games in the friendly confines of Riverside Arena, going 3-2 and winning the second-annual Weyerhaeuser Tournament. The Packers ran their win streak to three games with a decisive victory at Faribault Tuesday night.

Eighth-grade center Kristin Faber and junior left wing Courtney Hughes each scored a hat trick and accounted for nine total points in the lopsided victory. Faber scored back-to-back goals in the first and second period to spur Austin to a 2-0 lead, and Hughes scored two goals -- including a power play goal at 2:09 of the third period -- to push the lead to 4-0.

Faber tallied her hat trick first, marking a goal at 7:03 of the third, and Hughes scored her third at the 10-minute mark.

Hughes assisted on Faber's game-winning goal at 5:08 of the first period, and Faber assisted twice on goals by Hughes. Junior defenseman Tracy Petersen added two helpers, Emily Quealy had one assist, and Jenny Nemitz's first point of the season was an assist on Hughes' power-play goal.

Austin outshot Faribault 24-14, scoring on three of six shots in the third period. Snyder stopped all 14 shots she saw for her first career shutout.

The host Falcons were whistled for four penalties and Austin committed only two, marking the first time in six games this season that the Packers were in the penalty box fewer times than their opponent.

Now 4-2-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the Big Nine Conference, Austin hosts Rochester Mayo tonight at 7 p.m. back at Riverside Arena.

Summary:

Austin123--6

Faribault000--0

First Period--1, AUS, Kristin Faber 7 (Courtney Hughes), 5:08.

Second Period--2, AUS, Faber 8 (Tracy Petersen), 9:46. 3, AUS, Hughes 3 (Faber, Emily Quealy), 12:09.

Third Period--4, AUS, Hughes 4 (Jenny Nemitz), 2:09 (pp). 5, AUS, Faber 9, 7:03. 6, AUS, Hughes 5 (Faber, Petersen), 10:00.

Shots on goal--Austin 9-9-6--24; Faribault 2-5-7--14.

Power-play Opportunities--Austin 1 of 4; Faribault 0 of 2.

Goalies--Austin, Amy Snyder 2-1-0 (14 shots-14 saves). Faribault (24-18).