OK, this is just a tease. The supervisor and I are off today for a weekend of following the Gopher women’s hockey and basketball teams, so I don’t have time for a full report right now.
Last night. Detroit Lakes. Section finals. Against Fergus Falls, a team we had beaten twice, 3-0 both times, during the regular season. It’s tough to beat a team 3 times in one season.
[Well, that’s how the story line began the morning after. Now the rest of the story.]
[The band (hard to fool me!) In fact, both bands were there. We love bands. But it is impossible to communicate with your next door neighbor when they are playing.]
[This was our pre-game nosh destination (the one in Alex is open now). We somehow ended up at a place two blocks away called the Lakeside Inn. We had GPS? Very similar venue. Then we had to ask directions to the arena. Well, we’re old.]
[Cheer, oh cheer for Alex.]
[Aaaaaaayyyyyyyy! Or words to that effect.]
[Introducing Shelby]
[Anna]
[Becca]
[Shanee’]
[McKenzie]
[Amy]
[Everybody]
[Go Cards!!]
[Fergus Otter Fall!!]
[Let’s play hockey!!]
The game in a nutshell: The Otters caught us in a line change early in the 1st period and scored – and then out played us the rest the period. The Cards took control of the game in the 2nd period – all we had to do was to put some pucks in the net. That turned out to be a real challenge. We had a lot more shots than the shots-on-goal would indicate, but they were either missing or not getting through to the net. Shelby finally tied it for us early in the 3rd, but we couldn’t get that go ahead goal.
Teddy Hockey was relishing the thought of OT. He said Danielle loved OT’s and shoot-outs – but Danielle’s a goalie and does crazy stuff like rock climbing and sky diving. 😉 Meanwhile, I had to go change my dainties.
Our season-long secret weapon, Melissa, hit the game winner barely 2 minutes into OT – and the Cards were off to state. Opening round game will be Wednesday, 11:00 am, at the ‘X’ against No. 2 seed, Red Wing – and we’ll be there! 🙂
[1st period in our zone.]
[Shelby’s line.]
[Hanah. The 3rd line had some good early shifts. Later in the game, we used mostly a two-line strategy.]
[Action by the Otter bench. I’m sure pleasantries were exchanged.]
[We’re in the Otter zone.]
[Anna battles to keep it in.]
[And she did as Shelby gives it chase!]
[Shelby and Becca had it close.]
[Becca’s at the front door again.]
[Then Taylor and Melissa give it a try.]
[Nope, not quite either.]
[Madi and Mel try to keep it in.]
[“The Voices” warm to their task!]
[After 1, we weren’t worried (yet).]
[In the 2nd period, the momentum switched to the Cardinals where it remained for the rest of the game.]
[Shelby’s line applied early pressure.]
[Face-off in the Otter zone.]
[Becca and Lauren manning the points.]
[Taylor’s line in the zone.]
[Mel, Madi, and Taylor circle.]
[Anna and Mel – a line change in progress.]
[Keeping the pressure on in the Otter zone – we can change lines, the defense can’t.]
[Shot by Anna.]
[And another stop by the Otter goalie.]
[Cards continue to keep it in.]
[Into the 3rd. The Cards are wondering what it’s going to take to tie it up?]
[Pressure, pressure, pressure. The Otters were wearing down.]
[YES!! Finally, we tie it up a few minutes into the 3rd. Shelby on a rebound.]
[OK, now let’s go tell the bench what we did!!]
[A final push to win in regulation.]
[Looks like OT.]
[Oy, I don’t like period 4!!]
[But a little over 2 minutes into it, Melissa scored and sent us to state!]
Let’s just sit back for a few moments and enjoy the celebration:
[We’re going to the ‘X’!!]
[Another note to novice fans. If your team’s hats are all over the ice, you’re the champions!]
[Hockey moms, Shanee’s and Becca’s, rush the ice for photo ops.]
[Good job, coaches!]
[The Otters made us earn it.]
The ladies receive their individual hardware:
[Rachel]
[Melissa]
[Kaila]
[Hanah]
[Madi]
[Mari]
[Lauren]
[Nicole]
[Taylor]
[Marisa]
[Sara]
[McKenzie]
[Anna]
[Amy]
[Micaela]
[Bailey]
[Becca]
[Shelby]
[Shanee’]
[AD Hartmann hands out the hardware.]
[They took my plaque! 😉 ]
[WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!]
[Meet you at the glass!]
[Rachel, Shelby, and Shanee’ skate off with the prize.]
[Wheeeeee!]
[Parents move in for the scrapbooking ops.]
[I hope one of them sends me a good shot . . . for older people do not venture onto the ice!]
[The kids did good! 🙂 ]
The following photos are from a certain M. Herd, who went ice-side:
[The Team (again, hard to fool me!)]
[Captains Iverson and Herd]
[Defense pair of Herd and Revering, with older men]
[The Defense – Amy, Lauren, Shanee’, McKenzie, and Bailey; Nicole had moved on to the lockerroom]
[The Seniors – Shanee’, Shelby, Sara, Becca, Anna, and Madi]
[“The Voice” interviews Shelby and Shanee’]
[Shelby with Britni DelCastillo, from last year’s team. Britni infortunately had to move to the Cities because . . . her dad is now the coach of the Hamline men’s hockey team!]
[At state, don’t forget your “Shanee’ (or whoever)-on-a-stick”!]
And, finally, a note from Danielle “Roadblock” Justice (goalie for the 2008 state champions):
[From her New Zealand blog.]
alexandriacardinals 
