Lady Stars advance to section title game

Coming into the Section 2A girls’ hockey tournament on a season-long four-game losing streak, the top-seeded River Lakes Stars created more than the separation they needed over less than a minute and a half stretch of game play over the first and second periods in the section semifinals versus fifth-seeded Hutchinson Saturday, Feb. 8. 

With 1:07 left in the first period, Abby Storms scored a goal to give the Stars a 1-0 lead. This edge quickly grew to 2-0 – just 10 seconds into the second period – on a Sophia Hess goal. The Stars halted its losing streak and in the process earned a 4-0 victory Saturday, Feb. 8, from Koronis Civic Arena in Paynesville to advance to the section championship game.

Sophia Olson added a goal in the second period and another in the third period to provide for the final margin.

Stars goalie Kaydence -Roeske made 18 saves in the shutout victory.

Leading the Stars -offensively, Olson posted two points behind those two goals, Hess two points behind one goal and one assist, and Peyton Roeske two points behind two assists. Storms recorded one point behind one goal, and Ayla McLellan, Adelie Greeley, and Millie Korneck each one point behind one assist, according to numbers provided on the Minnesota Star Tribune Minnesota Girls Hockey Hub.

With the win, the Stars advance to the section championship Friday, Feb. 14, versus third-seeded Willmar at Runestone Community Center in Alexandria. The Stars defeated Willmar, 4-0, to become the Section 2A Champions going into the State Tournament that begins Feb. 19.