January 12

Still trying to sneak in local events amid the continuing coverage of the Panama Canal cruise . . .

[Great to be back at the RCC.  Our Cards were hosting the Rogers Royals, an exurban team that has pretty good record against big school competition.  It appeared to be a good matchup.]

[And we’re off with Anna Doherty (7), Alexis Heckert (20), and McKenna Ellingson (24) on the forward line . . . ]

[Alexis on the goal porch, new linemates Calley Richardson (19) and Kaci Trosvig (25) have joined the fray, with Mayson Toft (19) back at the blue line . . . ]

[An attempted shove in . . . ]

[Calley crashes in . . . ]

[Clean up in aisle 4!]

[Here comes Kaci . . . ]

[Allison O’Kane (36) keeping the puck in the zone with Alexis on wait . . . ]

[Marki Oberg (10) joins Alexis and Kaci . . . ]

[It’s loose – Marki’s on the door step!]

[Pressure again . . . ]

[The puck exits, stage right . . . ]

[Mayson launches a shot from the point . . . ]

[Allison and Alexis swarm the net, but still no goals . . . ]

[Kristin Trosvig (15) gets off a shot in front of a falling Royal . . . ]

[And McKenna follows it toward the net . . . ]

[Where’d it go?]

[Ohhhh, behind the goal again . . . ]

[Cards try to keep it in the zone . . . ]

[They had some players who could really scoot too . . . ]

[Anna chases it into the zone . . . ]

[Get back, get back!!]

[McKenna hustles to get back on D . . . ]

[Better spot her . . . No. 13, Sami Scherling, had all 3 goals for the Royals . . . ]

[McKenna shoots, Anna looks for a rebound . . . ]

[The puck, please!]

[Oy!]

[Calley and Alexis crash the net . . . ]

[And Alexis jams in the goal!]

[We were now only behind only 2 – 1.  But Royals scored again soon after . . . ]

[We were behind by 2 after the 2nd period . . . ]

[The girls’ auction and fundraiser was going on at the same time . . . ]

[3rd period – time to find our legs.  This was our 4th game in 6 days – yet we really picked it up in the final period and dominated play the rest of the game . . . ]

[Early in the period, Olivia Kopp (13) scored on a shot from the point that hugged the ice all way, right down my sightline, and snuggled into the near corner . . . ]

[As a defenseman, Olivia doesn’t get to celebrate goals much – so she gets extra coverage.]

[Keep up the attack . . . ]

[Taylor Breitkreutz (34) is in deep from her defense position . . . ]

[Then young Kaci scored on a wrap around – we’re tied at 3!]

[We had the momentum now . . . ]

[Going to OT . . . ]

[On the attack early – we skated really well with crisp passing.  The guys at rail, there for the following boys game, were commenting on how well we were playing . . . ]

[About halfway into the 8-minute OT, McKenna and Anna had a 2-on-1 breakout – McKenna carried the puck up the right side and at the last second sent a perfect pass to Anna coming up the left. You can see in the photo Anna just had to put the puck in the upper left corner for the win! And they did it in front of a full house at the end as a girls fundraiser was ongoing and a boys game was following!]

[Hooray for us!!]

[Really fun, well-played game.]

[The final four photos courtesy of Echo Press.  Here McKenna celebrates her winning assist . . . ]

[Celebrate!!]

[Alexis . . . ]

[8th-grade goalie Hailee Bailey.]

You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.  ~  Herb Brooks

Up Next:  Havana