[May as well start with these Echo Press photos.  At top is Alexis Heckert (20) and McKenna Ellingson (24), and on the bottom is Kristin Trosvig (15).  As you will note from the following amended rosters, these are the Baby Birds.]

[It was great to be back home after our weekend in The Cities.  Haven’t spilled a thing on myself while eating since we’ve been home!  Oh, a score?  Cards are now 4 – 0 on the season with a solid 3 – 1 win over the Moorhead Spuds Tuesday night! Two goals by Kristin Trosvig with the capper by McKenzie Revering, backed by the goaltending of Amy Jost. The Card defense held the Spuds to only one shot on goal in the 2nd period and only 5 over the last two periods (I believe the Cards went 8-8-8 in shots, great symmetry!)]

[Amy Jost]

[McKenzie Revering]

[Lauren Niska]

[The Defense]

[Mari Wosepka]

[McKenna Ellingson]

[Alexis Heckert]

[The Offense and The Team]

[Mash the Spuds!!  Naw, too predictable and boring.  Puree the Spuds!!  Getting closer.  Fricassee the Spuds!!  The best we’re gonna do before the puck drop.]

[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? McKenzie and Lauren are in their 4th varsity year of being paired together on defense. They probably finish each other’s sentences . . . ]

[And they’re off . . . ]

[Hanah Hansen (11), senior forward is back and delighted to have her.  Lest you forgot, she’s the leading returning scorer from last year’s team and Oscar-nominated actor John Hawkes’s grand niece (I think I got that right).]

[Face-off taken by Alexis in the offensive zone while Mari and McKenna attempt to pin the Spuds’ sticks.]

[There it is . . . ]

[Now where’d it go?]

[The bench seems to think it’s in our right-hand corner?]

[Mari shoots!  It appears to be heading toward the 5-hole.  Lauren’s in close looking for a rebound.]

[Tristin and Lauren smother the goal.]

[Mari’s in position for a shot.]

[Mari and McKenna are all over it.]

[Finally, GOOOAAALLLL by Kristin from Hanah and other linemate Megan Pesta (8), junior forward.]

[CELEBRATION]

[Two home games, 2 penalty shots, go figure – sophomore defense Allison O’Kane (36) did everything good, but sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the goalie. There was a big scrum in front of the Spud net, whistle blew, long ref discussions with both benches, the penalty shot ensued, we do not know why?   In 12 previous years of going to high school hockey games, I think I saw two penalty shots, total?]

[Period 1]

[McKenna and Mari in the offensive zone early in the 2nd period.]

[Mari sweeping in along the far boards.  Vinnie (beard), the RCC manager, keeps an eye on the play.]

[OK, what’re we all doing back here?]

[GOOAAAALLLL!!!  Kristin’s 2nd, again from Hanah.  Hate shooting at such an angle through the glass – always distortions at the seems.]

[Kaitlin Leary (26), junior, and Karina Carlsen (31), senior, man the posts.  Allison is in the mix of the 5 varsity defensemen.]

[Mari shoots . . . ]

[Alexis tries to hold position in the slot.]

[Period 2]

[Cards try to keep the Spuds from escaping their own zone.]

[Mackenzie Abrahamson (17), senior forward, is a good story like we seem to have every year.  She hasn’t had a lot of varsity playing time until this year.  Now she’s on a regular shift and got her first ever varsity goal this year.  Cheers for Mackenzie!]

[A Card at a Spud party – No. 11 was a player for them.]

[Looks like Lauren moving in with Hanah.]

[Rev wrapped it up.  She tried a slap shot that deflected back to her, so she stick handled in a little closer and rifled a wrist shot over the goalie’s shoulder.  Assists to Abrahamson and Sam Klimek (37), senior forward.]

[And the JV won by the same score!  🙂   ]

[At DL on Thursday, Mound Westonka at home on Friday.  Cover for us!]

Time and trouble will tame an advance young woman, but an advance old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.  ~  Dorothy L. Sayers

Up next:  Aloha!  Keep an eye on things, back in a couple of weeks, likely with lightly toasted skin.