By Nick Gerhardt
Guess who’s back.
Northfield might have entered the Section 1AA tournament with some question marks as the No. 4 seed but no one can question its playoff moxie after knocking off top-seeded and No. 13-ranked Lakeville South Saturday 5-2 in the semifinals at Hasse Arena in Lakeville to advance to the Section 1AA title game as the reigning section champion.
The No. 17-ranked Raiders last met the Cougars in last year’s section title and came away with a 2-1 overtime win to secure their first state tournament appearance in Class 2A and first since 2017 when they reached the Class A tournament for the second consecutive year. Northfield had defeated Lakeville South 4-2 earlier in the 2022 season as well, 4-2 in Northfield.
Now, the Raiders (20-7) have a chance to earn repeat trips to the Class 2A state tournament Thursday when they meet second-seeded and No. 15-ranked Lakeville North at 5 p.m. at Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna. The Panthers (20-7) defeated Big 9 Conference champion and third-seeded Owatonna 2-1 Saturday in Lakeville in the other semifinal matchup.
Ninth-grade defender Mia Miller provided the game-winning goal for the second straight game. Miller scored her eighth goal of the season with 4 minutes, 42 seconds left to play on the power play to put Northfield up 3-2 with assists from junior defender Grace McCoshen and junior center Ayla Puppe. Miller followed her shot from the left circle and got the rebound for the game-winning goal 13 seconds into the power play. The Raiders scored both times on their power play opportunities.
Junior winger Emerson Garlie scored an empty-net goal from center ice with 1:56 left to play after Lakeville South pulled its goaltender with 2:10 to play and senior winger Tove Sorenson added an empty-net goal with 28 seconds left for the 5-2 final.
Miller’s second-period goal Wednesday against Farmington in the Section 1AA quarterfinal put the Raiders up 2-0 and proved the game winner in a 5-1 final.
Puppe, a University of Minnesota recruit, who has the second most points in the state, scored the game’s opening goal 6:46 into the first period on the power play from just inside the right faceoff dot after a quick deke for her 50th goal of the season with Miller and junior winger Isabelle Stephes assisting.
Lakeville South senior forward Theresa Soltys tied the game late in the second period at 13:59 with a breakaway forehand gloveside goal but Puppe’s second goal of the game and 51st of the season came from the left faceoff circle dot with 1:59 left in the period put Northfield in front 2-1 with Miller and McCoshen picking up assists on the go-ahead goal.
The Cougars responded midway through the third period to set up a dramatic finish. Senior forward Hana Fowler scored a game-tying goal at 7:42 of the period to make it 2-2 with 9:18 left in the game.
Raiders sophomore goaltender Macy Mueller faced pressure the rest of the way but turned away 26 of the 28 shots she faced to help Northfield advance. Mueller came up big early as the Raiders got outshot 15-8 in the first period and the defense in front of her tightened up in the second period to limit Lakeville South to four shots. Northfield outshot the Cougars 33-28 for the game and killed three penalties.
The Raiders ended the regular season with a 4-2 loss to the Huskies to lose the conference championship to Owatonna and the season series to enter the playoffs with a 5-3 record against section opponents. Despite the finish, Northfield head coach Paige Haley felt the section remained up for grabs among the top four seeds. Now the Raiders will get a chance to defend their section title.
All photos curtesy of Jim Wellbrock. Link to the entire games photos is below.
Link to Jim Wellbrock photo’s.https://jim-wellbrock.smugmug.com/Sports/Hockey/2022-23-Season/RGH-at-Lakeville-South-Sec-1AA-SF-11-Feb-2023/i-B7663Zf