Packer hockey team fights hard in 3-2 loss to Dodge County

Published 10:54 pm Thursday, December 10, 2009

The last 10 seconds of Austin’s hockey game against Dodge County had it all — a skirmish of shoves, a late flurry of shots and a last second game-tying attempt.

Unfortunately for the Packers (2-2 overall) the last shot didn’t connect as they fell to Dodge County 3-2 in Riverside Arena Thursday.

“It was really close. The net was wide open and the puck was right there,” Austin head coach Tim Peterson said of Austin’s several attempts to tie the game in the last seven seconds. “We just missed it a couple of times. It was exciting and that’s what’s fun with this group right now. The whole team battled hard tonight.”

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Dodge County had the puck on Austin’s side of the net with 10 seconds left in the game when an elbow led thrown by a Wildcats player led to a shoving match, with several punches thrown. In all, six players — three from each team — were disqualfied and a minor was called on Dodge County, which put the face-off on Dodge County’s end of the ice.

The Packers won the first face-off and fired a slap shot that was glove saved by Dustin Stevens and they won the second face-off, where they had multiple attempts to tie the game come up short.

Dodge County was shutouot in the first and third periods, but it scored three times in the second period to take a 3-1 lead.

Two of those goals came on rebounds and one was on a power play. The Wildcats were 1-for-5 on power plays Thursday.

“Penatlies have kind of been our achilles heel so far this year, but our penalty kill was good tonight,” Peterson said. “We’ve got a better team defense this year and it showed tonight because we were in this game.”

The Packers pulled to within 3-2 early in the third period when Isaac Gorman tapped in a rebound on a shot from Bobby Astrup. Gorman almost tied the game up with one minute left, but his shot went just wide off the net. Freshman Marcus Stoulil got Austin on the board in the first period with a slap shot that came off a deflection.

“We had quality shots and that’s important,” Peterson said. “Their confidence is building and you can see that in their game. They’re starting to come a little harder and we brought it in the third period.”

Aaron Dooley had 40 saves in net for the Packers, including a diving glove save with 13:32 left in the contest.

Austin’s three players who were disqualified — Gorman, Joe McBeain, and Cameron O’Connor — will miss the team’s Dec. 15 game at Mankato Loyola. Dodge County (2-2 overall) will be missing Austin Head, Tanor Quam, and Ben Langan in its next conest as they were disqualified.

Dodge County 0 3 0 — 3

Austin 1 0 1 — 2

First period

(A) 3:15 Marcus Stoulil (Cameron O’Connor, Isaac Gorman)

Second period

(DC) 6:17 Ben Langan (Austin Head)

(DC) 9:34 Nic Enerson (Charlie Snyder, Zach Possehl) (PP)

(DC) 15:16 Head (Possehl)

Third period

(A) 1:34 Isaac Gorman (Bobby Astup)

Shots: Austin — 26; Dodge County — 43