The Austin girls hockey team finished with a flurry, but it couldn’t get the equalizer as it lost 2-1 to Rochester John Marshall in its home opener Riverside Arena Tuesday.

Austin freshman Erin Bickler brought Austin (2-1 overall, 2-1 Big Nine) within one goal when she scored a put-back goal with 12:52 left in the third. The Packers out-shot the Rockets (2-2 overall, 2-0 Big Nine) 15-10 in the third period, but they weren’t able to tie the game.

“We slowed down going into the third period, but we picked it up in the end,” said Austin senior Chloe Summerfield. “It was kind of tough not to get that goal back. But we play them another time this year and hopefully we can get them then.”

The Packers fell behind 1-0 in the first period when JM’s Emma Christensen scored a power play goal and the Rockets took a 2-0 lead when Ashley Koehler scored in the second period. JM out-shot Austin 16-3 in the second.

“We were kind of down in the second and we need to get more shots on net,” Austin head coach Brett Vesel said. “Part of that is that JM is a good team and the other part of it is we were kind of bumbling with the puck a little bit.”

The Packers have quite a few freshmen working their way into the lineup this season and the team has shown some potential early on.

Austin senior Mara Overby had 31 saves in the loss for Austin.

“I liked the way we skated and I thought we forechecked real well. I thought Mara played a great game and kept us in it,” Vesel said.

SCORING SUMMARY

JM 1 1 0 — 2

Austin 0 0 1 — 1

First period

(JM) Emma Christensen (power play) (Mara Dealing) 5:47

Second period

(JM) Ashley Koehler (Taylor Hoadenfield, Allison Dee) 12:42

Third period

(A) Erin Bickler (Madison Overby) 4:08

Shots: Austin — 24; JM — 33

Power plays: Austin — 0-for-2; JM — 1-for-4