Troy Holtz could not have envisioned his first season as head coach starting this way, but he's glad it did.

Holtz's Austin boys' hockey team ended Rochester Mayo's reign over the Packers with a 10-5 Big Nine Conference victory Tuesday night at Riverside Arena. Austin had not defeated the Spartans in 12 years, earning at best a tie over that span.

"It's been 12 years since … it's that big," Holtz said.

Austin's season-opener was more than just a win, it was a statement.

"We're known as a powerhouse now, we took out Mayo," said AHS senior defenseman Eric Hansen, who scored a natural hat trick in the Packers' opener. "It's unbelievable. I couldn't believe I had three goals before the game was half over."

Hansen's three consecutive goals -- including two power-play tallies -- came within a seven-minute span during the first and second periods, sparking the Packers to a 3-1 lead. Sophomore winger Quinn Ellingson added his first varsity power-play goal to stake Austin to a 4-1 lead at the 4:18 mark of the second period.

"We knew that Mayo's defense is not that strong," Holtz said after his head coaching debut. "They are basically one line deep.

"Ten (goals) surprises me. I couldn't believe all the goals the defensemen scored."

Four Austin defenders accounted for six goals and four assists, including the first two goals in the young career of freshman Tim Kirby. He scored back-to-back goals to push Austin's lead to 6-2 at the 45-second mark of the third period.

But Mayo, an annual Big Nine powerhouse, came back with a flurry. Division I prospect Scott Thauwald scored a power-play goal and Mike Kavros added a goal to cut Austin's seemingly insurmountable margin to 6-4.

Packer junior Kevin Madson marked his first goal just 52 seconds after Kavros' score, and Austin's lead ballooned back to three. Mayo winger Ben Martini netted a soft goal from the blue line for his hat trick and Austin's lead of 8-5 was still in question with half of the third period to play.

Brad Wiechmann's line made sure the lead took by scoring the game's final three goals. Wiechmann scored at 7:05 and assisted on goals by Williamson and Cole Hughes to close out the lopsided victory.

"I expected a 2-1 game," Hansen said. "It was back and forth, and that third period was just crazy."

Mayo outshot Austin 11-7 in the final period, but Austin netted five goals in the last 15 minutes. Kirby, Madson and Wiechmann scored goals on the Packers' first three shots of the period.

"In three games we've given up 25 goals," said Mayo co-coach Lorne Grosso. "Defensively this is probably one of the worst starts in 10 or 12 years.

"This was a great game for Austin. For them there's nothing better than beating Mayo and for our kids there's nothing better than for them to beat Austin."

The Packers play their first road game Thursday

at 7:30 p.m. at the Rochester Recreation Center against Class A's second-ranked Lourdes Eagles. Lourdes routed Mayo 10-4 last Friday night.

"The kids are happy right now, and tomorrow we've also got to prepare for a team that also hung 10 goals on Mayo in Lourdes," Holtz said. "I think the kids will have to work awfully hard."

Summary:

Mayo113--5

Austin145--10

First period--1, MAYO, Ben Martini 1 (Josh Brady, Scott Thauwald), 8:07. 2, AUS, Eric Hansen 1, 12:17 (pp). Penalties--Thauwald, MAYO (tripping) 11:52; Ross Riley, AUS (interference) 14:14.

Second period--3, AUS, Hansen 2 (Cole Hughes, Willie Granholm), 3:20. 4, AUS, Hansen 3 (Hughes), 3:53 (pp). 5, AUS, Quinn Ellingson 1 (Brad Wiechmann), 4:18 (pp). 6, MAYO, Martini 2 (Mike Kavros, Tom Senne), 6:15. 7, AUS, Tim Kirby 1 (John Bastyr), 12:16. Penalties--Nick Canzanello, MAYO (holding) :24; Riley, AUS (high sticking) :24; Andy Braun, MAYO (roughing) 1:14; Kirby, AUS (tripping) 1:27; Thauwald, MAYO (cross checking) 2:44; John Cicora, MAYO (delay of game) 3:36; Brady, MAYO (interference) 6:39; Senne, MAYO (holding) 13:02; Hughes, AUS (roughing) 13:02.

Third period--8, AUS, Kirby 2 (Dallas Williamson, Riley), :45. 9, MAYO, Thauwald 1 (Brady), 3:11 (pp). 10, MAYO, Kavros 1 (Andy Roberts), 4:01. 11, AUS, Kevin Madson 1 (David Seibel, Hughes), 4:53. 12, MAYO, Martini 3 (Bryan Canfield), 6:27. 13, AUS, Wiechmann 1 (Ellingson), 7:05. 14, AUS, Williamson 1 (Wiechmann), 11:30. 15, AUS, Hughes 1 (Wiechmann), 13:46. Penalties--Bryan Schaefer, AUS (high sticking) 2:23; Bastyr, AUS (high sticking) 8:36; Granholm, AUS (roughing) 9:09; Wiechmann, AUS (roughing) 14:24; Thauwald, MAYO (cross checking) 14:24.

Shots on goal--Mayo 9-7-11--27; Austin 8-12-7--27.

Power-play Opportunities--Mayo 1 of 4; Austin 3 of 4.

Goalies--Mayo, Jacob Sokol 0-2-1 (26 shots-16 saves), Casey Moffit (:33 of third period, 1-1); Austin, Jack Lynch 1-0-0 (27-22).