January 30

. . . to a precious few.

[The penultimate game of the season.  A season that so far has more than lived up to my expectations.  I expected us to be good; I expected us to be entertaining to watch.  And on this night the Cards would win their 10th consecutive game – avenging an earlier season loss to a class AA team, St. Cloud, by the same score, 3 – 0, by which they avenged a similar earlier season loss to another class AA team, Grand Rapids/Greenway, last weekend.]

[A concern was some regular shift players were on the bench in civvies – Hadlee Hansen and Kaci Trosvig, for sure, and I believe also Erin O’Kane.  We want to wish them all a speedy recovery.]

[OK, saddle up!!]

[And we’re off . . . ]

[The Icebreakers have also had a very good season so far, entering this game with a 15 – 5 record among the big schools.]

[Allie Cornelius, senior No. 6, for St. Cloud appeared to be a special player . . . ]

[But the Cards come at you in waves . . . ]

[Here Anna Doherty (7) and McKenna (24) are on the ice together – but we seemed to mix up the lines all game.  There doesn’t seem to be the standard 1st, 2nd, or 3rd lines.  Eight different players have double digit points for the season.]

[Here Kristin Trosvig (15) and Marki Oberg (10) were on the ice together – I don’t think they were paired that often.]

[Marki, incidentally, had two of the three goals against Grand Rapids (Kaci had the other).]

[Here Taylor Breitkreutz (34) and Mayson Toft (14) are paired on defense – but we play 5 defenseman.]

[Marki circling in the offensive zone . . . ]

[Here Alexis Heckert (20) is on the forward line with Kristin . . . ]

[A scene played throughout the game – the Icebreakers are good but the Cards just continually swarm . . . ]

[A Card is lost among the Icebreakers . . . ]

[Looks like Allison O’Kane (36), a defenseman making an offensive charge . . . ]

[Kristin pirouettes toward home . . . ]

[The Cards crash again . . . ]

[Alexis is on the goal porch . . . ]

[Just before the period ended, Calley Richardson jammed one home during a big scrum in front of the goal . . . ]

[We looked good . . . ]

[Anna and Alexis chase the puck . . . ]

[A lone Card among the Icebreakers . . . ]

[Kristin’s on the wing . . . ]

[She was able to get off numerous shots during the game . . . ]

[Here Josie Minnerath (6) is enjoying a face-to-face with the goalie . . . ]

[As Kristin gets off another shot . . . ]

[A stick is in the goal and Josie is down . . . ]

[Meg Shercliffe (5) begins a goal celebration . . . ]

[As McKenna Ellison had just scored from the right flank . . . ]

[Looking even better . . . ]

[In in the 3rd, Meg got her first ever varsity goal.  I think she got more playing time this game to cover for those in civvies.  Good for her.  It was a nice pass from Taylor on the point that she was able to tip in from the far side . . . ]

[Winding it down with Marki . . . ]

[And Kristin . . . ]

[A solid win!  Up next, hosting Breck this Saturday.  It’s the headline game from the Minnesota Hockey Hub in class A as the 3rd-ranked Cardinals host 2nd-ranked Breck.  Quite a game to end the regular season.]

Every day is a great day for hockey.  ~  Mario Lemeiux

Up Next:  Cardinals . . . or Panama?