Girls Hockey: Wingers start season 3-0

Another day, another victory.

Red Wing continues to win comfortably as the fifth-ranked Wingers coasted to a 5-1 victory Thursday against Mahtomedi at Prairie Island Arena in Red Wing.

“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” Red Wing forward Nicole Schammel said. “We’re making it look a little easy but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves like that.”

After the Wingers won 10-1 win in the season-opener and followed with a 6-1 win, it might be more difficult to stop Red Wing’s potent offense than it is to stay humble.

“It’s nice to win comfortably, but it worries me,” Red Wing head coach Scott Haley said. “It would be nice to get battle-tested because I know it won’t be like this the whole way.”

Three players scored all five goals for the Wingers (3-0). Emily Stegora tallied two goals, Reagan Haley had two goals and Schammel finished with one goal and three assists to lead Red Wing with four points.

“Our skill players really made the difference,” Scott Haley said. “I thought they were really a decent team. The best we’ve played so far.”

Stegora got the scoring started quickly for the Wingers 18 seconds into the opening period with the assist to Schammel.

“That’s always a relief almost,” Schammel said of getting the first goal. “It always brings momentum to your team.”

With 5 minutes, 24 seconds remaining in the first period, Schammel and Reagan Haley completed a nice give-and-go with Haley putting Red Wing up 2-0.

In the second period, the Wingers committed two penalties in the first three minutes, but killed the 5-on-3 power play. More than 10 minutes later, Schammel unleashed a perfect wrist shot into the top-left corner of the goal to give Red Wing a 3-0 lead. The assist went to Taylor Heise with 7:40 remaining in the period.

Schammel was at it again two minutes later as she danced around a pair of Zephyr defenders on the power play before taking a shot that bounced loose in front of Reagan Haley. Haley quickly put the puck into the open net for a 4-0 Wingers’ advantage.

Red Wing scored first again in the third period when Stegora exited the penalty box and promptly received a long pass from Paige Haley to start a breakaway. Stegora deked the goalie and sneaked it inside the post for a 5-0 lead.

Mahtomedi tallied its only goal on the power play with 3:05 remaining in regulation on a rebound goal by Kelli McAlpine. The Wingers were unable to clear the puck away from goalie Ashley Corcoran and were frustrated to come so close to a shutout for the third consecutive game.

Corcoran made 24 saves, and Angela Boreen made 30 saves for the Zephyrs.

“I really wanted it for Ashley,” Scott Haley said of the shutout. “We’ll get it for her eventually. I thought that was the best of game (she’s played) of the three.”

“She’s only let in second-chance goals,” Schammel added. “She makes the first save every time and that’s all you can ask for from a goalie. We, almost, let her down at the end.”

Red Wing was outshot 12-8 in the third period, but finished with a 35-25 edge over Mahtomedi in the game.

The Wingers host St. Paul United Tuesday to conclude their four-game home stand to begin the season.

Tags: girls hockey, red wing, sports, prep