29 saves in final game
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Goals were hard to come by during the regular season and the scoring drought continued in the playoffs as the Tigers lost 3-0 to Dodge County in the Section 1AA quarterfinals Wednesday night in Kasson.
Dodge County broke a scoreless tie with a second period goal and then added two in the final frame, including an empty net score in the final minute.
"We played pretty well, actually," coach Jon Holmes said. "I almost slipped and fell after the game because the ice was so clean in our defensive end. That is a true testament to how we did not give up and kept it in their end for the majority of the third period.
"The same thing that plagued us for much of the season plagued us against Dodge County by not being able to put the puck away. We had our chances and looks, but we just did not convert."
The winners outshot Farmington by a dominant 32-16, including a 24-10 bulge over the first two periods.
The game was the final in a Farmington uniform for four seniors: Betsy Anderson, Katie Burgess, Molly Friedlund and goalie Jessica Erchul who patrolled the Tiger nets for four years.
"Erch played well again and kept us in the game with a few huge saves early," Holmes said. "As I said earlier in the season, I've yet to coach a game in high school hockey that we've won without scoring a goal."
The loss left the Tigers with a final mark of 9-16-0.
