Wingers blank Packer girls hockey team

Published 9:52 pm Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The Austin girls hockey team had trouble controlling the puck in the first two periods as it lost 4-0 to Red Wing in its home opener in Riverside Arena Tuesday.

Austin’s Jaiden Schuster tries to advance the puck past Red Wing’s Meg Grove in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Jaiden Schuster tries to advance the puck past Red Wing’s Meg Grove in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

The Wingers (1-1-1 overall, 1-0 Big Nine) took a 2-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game when Taylor Heise scored two early goals. Red Wing finished with a 34-8 shot advantage in the first two periods as they led 4-0, but the Packers (1-1 overall, 1-1 Big Nine) bounced back to play much better hockey in the third period.

“Their whole team can skate well,” Austin head coach Brett Vesel said. “I thought we did a good job of skating tonight and we obviously don’t have the skaters that they have, but we played hard and worked hard. If we get more shots on net and rebound, who knows what the difference of the game could be.”

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Faith Sayles, a sophomore, had 39 saves in the loss for the Packers. Vesel credited Austin assistant coach Carley Grunewald for putting in some time and helping Sayles out in her first year as the starter in net.

“Carley’s been working her hard in practice and Faith’s getting better,” Vesel said. “It would be nice if we had a second goalie so they could push each other, but she’s doing a nice job of covering the net and we’re working on some things with her.”

Erin Bickler controls the puck for the Austin girls hockey team against Red Wing in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Erin Bickler controls the puck for the Austin girls hockey team against Red Wing in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

SCORING SUMMARY

Red Wing 2  2  0  —  4

Austin 0  0  0  —  0

First period

(RW) Taylor Heise (Solveig Roth, Sophie Schafer) 5:34

(RW) Heise 9:05

Second period

(RW) Elle Bryant (Heise, Roth) :45

(RW) Emily Hart (Heise, Gabby Magill) (power play) 3:52

Third period

No scoring

Shots: Austin — 14; Red Wing — 43

Power plays: Austin — 0-for-3; Red Wing — 1-for-3

Austin’s Kylee Hanlon defend’s Red Wing’s Nicole Oberding in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Kylee Hanlon defend’s Red Wing’s Nicole Oberding in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com