Girls hockey: Wingers advance to play No. 2 Breck

In a Herculean effort, senior Rose Alleva netted a hat trick -- two of the goals she scored were short-handed -- to lift Red Wing to a 4-3 victory Monday over Mound-Westonka in the quarterfinals of the Schwan Cup tournament.

Alleva scored the game-winning goal with 31.7 seconds to play in regulation about a minute after teammate Lydia Wagner was sent to the box for holding at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. Presented with a 2-on-1 opportunity, Alleva beat the defender with a toe drag and then lifted a backhand over junior goalie Cassie Hall.

It was the first time Red Wing had led all game.

With the win, the ninth-ranked Wingers (8-3) won their eighth consecutive game. Red Wing will play Breck in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. It was the first loss of the season for the No. 4 White Hawks (9-1-3).

Alleva knotted the score at 3 with her first short-handed goal at 2:08 of the final period. Just like the game-winner, Alleva’s second goal came off the backhand. Paige Haley assisted on the goal, her third assist of the game.

Red Wing was credited with three shots in the final period. The Wingers scored on two of them.

Alleva’s first goal also came on special teams. At 11:36 of the second period she scored on the power play to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Alleva now leads the team in points (29) and goals (18).

Mound-Westonka scored first, getting on the board at 4:12 of the opening period. Sophomore Heidi Dotzenroth poked the puck away from Alleva in front of the goal and past goaltender Lisa Nibbe.

After Red Wing sophomore Maddie Olin scored her first goal of the season at 10:48 of the first period, the White Hawks didn’t wait long to regain the lead. Emily Halvorson scored at 12:20 of the first period.

Junior Taylor Kuehl assisted on her sophomore teammate’s goal and then scored one of her own at 3:29 of the second period. Kuehl leads Mound-Westonka with 43 points and 24 goals.

Nibbe made 16 saves in goal. Red Wing had a 26-19 edge in shots.

Tags: red wing, rose alleva, hockey, sports, wingers