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Scarlets’ D holds off Austin 3-2
Coughlan makes 25 saves for West in Big Nine win
MANKATO — Trying to protect a one-goal lead with less than five minute left in the third period, Mankato West girls hockey defenseman Jana Christensen slipped and fell to the ice, creating what would be an almost-certain breakaway for Austin.
The 6-foot-1 senior looked up in time to see the puck within reach and tapped it across the ice an out of harm’s way to help preserve the 3-2 Big Nine Conference victory Thursday night at All Seasons Arena.
“I had to do something,” said Christensen, who is one of West’s three captains. “I had to do what ever I could to get back. Luckily, I have a long reach.”
Christensen had an assist on the Scarlets’ first goal and also logged plenty of special-teams time in a game that included 15 minor penalties.
“Jana’s playing the best hockey I’ve ever seen her play by far,” West coach Cara Samuelson said. “She has a lot on her shoulders, leading our defensive crew. She’s focused, she’s determined and she really takes on her role as a leader.”
The Scarlets did not score any 5-on-5 goals in the game, instead getting power-play goals from Katy Kvasnicka and Amanda Probach and a 4-on-4 goal from Kvasnicka. Vanessa Lloyd had two assists.
West outshot Austin 49-27 and survived a 46-save performance by the Packers’ Audrey DeVries.
Scarlets goalie Therese Coughlan made 25 saves, including a tough one with 9.3 seconds remaining in the game.
“Therese had an awesome game,” Christensen said. “She kept us in it for sure.”
Coughlan couldn’t be blamed for either Austin goal.
The first came on a mini-breakaway by Abby Gallaher that made a 2-1 game with 2:28 left in the first period. On the second, Coughlan skated into the high slot and tracked down a loose puck. But the puck squirted away in a pile up, and Carley Grunewald was able to slide the puck into an open net to make it 3-2 at the 4:37 mark of the third period.
“We want her to err on the aggressive side,” Samuelson said. “That was one of the things that didn’t go our way.”
From there, the Scarlets held on tightly to their lead, keeping Christensen and the defense back to try to limit the Packers attack.
“It’s nice being out there,” Christensen said. “I’m happy the coaches have confidence in me.”
Said Samuelson: “It’s always nice to see what the kids can do with some pressure on them.”
West (2-0-0, 1-0-0 in Big Nine) will play again at 2 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Mound-Westonka.
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