Patience pays off as Packers earn first postseason win since 2019
Published 10:02 pm Tuesday, February 18, 2025
A group of Austin Youth hockey players celebrate the varsity team’s playoff win in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Will Fox (6) controls the puck for the Packers. Rocky Hulne/sports@ausgtindailyherald.com
Austin’s Gavin Brekke pulls away from Faribault’s Cole Goodwin in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Landon Hill advances the puck for the Packers in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Kade Overocker pursues the puck. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Cooper Jacobsen skates past Faribault’s Riley Slinger. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Grady Carney skates past Faribault’s Tommy Kunze near the bench Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin freshman Talan Hall fends off Faribault senior Jonny Simon in Riverside Arena Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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The No. 7 seeded Austin boys hockey team’s seniors have stayed patient for the last four years and they kept that mantra when the Packers ran into a hot goalie against No. 10 seeded Faribault in a Section 1A play-in game in Riverside Arena Tuesday night.
Despite being denied on all 20 of their first period shots, the Packers kept hammering away and they eventually found the net as they scored three third period goals to put away the Falcons 5-1.
Senior Gavin Brekke gave Austin a 2-1 lead when he scored a breakaway goal, just 49 seconds after Faribault (5-19-1 overall) had tied it up at 1-1 in the second period.
“We knew their goalie Dustin (Boyd) was having a good game, so that helped us not get discouraged. When he’s on his game, it’s hard to score, but we found the open holes at the end and we were able to take advantage of it,” Brekke said.
Senior Will Fox scored early in the third period to give the Packers a 3-1 lead and Bryar Flanders added two third period goals to ice the game.
The win was a big one for the Packers (17-8-1 overall), who had just nine wins in the last three seasons combined. This is the first time Austin has won a postseason game since 2019.
“It meant everything. To finish our senior season at our barn and come out in that fashion in the third period, I can’t say how much this team means to us,” Fox said. “The coaches were a big part of this and their attitude towards us was great. It’s just discipline. The turnaround has been great; who would’ve thought?”
This has been the most enjoyable and most successful varsity season that any of the current varsity players have experienced and it’s been a true team effort.
“It’s kind of like a full 180. We started getting kids from the youth program and we’ve been able to fill up some spots,” Brekke said. “They’ve played their roles well.”
Daran Plunkett had 17 saves for the Packers, who attempted 44 shots on goal.
Austin will now play at No. 2 Waseca (20-3-2 overall) in a Section 1A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Thursday.
SCORING SUMMARY
Faribault 0 1 0 – 1
Austin 0 2 3 – 5
First period
No scoring
Second period
(A) Kade Overocker (Eli Krueger) 1:11
(F) RJ Wasilowski (Tommy Kunze) 7:49
(A) Gavin Brekke 8:38
Third period
(A) Will Fox 1:51
(A) Bryar Flanders (Brekke) 8:00
(A) Flanders 9:05
