Girls Hockey: Knights make it a long night

Kenna Cavanaugh 1st varsity goal

Last winter Irondale, a team that went on to play in the state tournament, paid a visit to Schmitz-Maki Arena and went home with a 1-1 tie in what Tiger coach Jon Holmes called his team's best effort of the season.

Saturday night the Knights returned to Schmitz-Maki and this time there no doubt about the outcome. The visitors, behind the seven-point (5 goals, 2 assists) performance of Samantha Donovan, rolled to a 7-3 non-conference victory.

"We had a series of mistakes that were positioning and support issues," Tiger coach Jon Homes said. "Historically, it seems that we have had a tougher time containing teams that have one outstanding player than those teams that come at you every line, every shift with great players. 

"I haven’t been able to pin point what that is yet, but certainly it is something I need to try and find a solution for."

Donovan scored a hat trick and added an assist in the opening period to stake the Knights to a 4-1 lead. The Tiger goal came from eighth-grader Ellie Moser (from Brooke Raske) who netted her third goal in as many games in the losing effort.

Donovan tacked on two more goals and an assist in the second period to stretch Irondale's lead to 7-2 heading into the final period. Kenna Cavanaugh scored her first career varsity goal to account for the Farmington score.

The Tigers recorded the only goal of the final period when Halea Wright scored unassisted with 5:32 to play.

Tiger goaltender Maddie Bowe had a rough night on the job, surrendering all seven Irondale goals on just 27 shots. Farmington finished the contest with 20 shots on net.

"The nice part about it is the girls were faced with a challenge going into the third already being down by five goals and they took that challenge head on and completed it and never folded it in.  We went out to the third with the intent of not allowing another goal and winning the period and we did both.

"It really showed that we have the ability to play with any team and to focus especially in times when most teams would throw it in. The next steps will be to get this rolling for a beginning period and making it last for an entire game."

Farmington (0-3) will open its Missota Conference season Tuesday with a home game with Northfield at Schmitz-Maki.