In an interview last season with the seniors of the North Shore Storm girls hockey team, they shared that beating Cloquet for the first time in North Shore history was a highlight of their high school hockey careers during the 2023-24 season. Fast forward almost exactly a year later, and the team knew they could do it again—even on the Lumberjack’s home ice.
After a scoreless first period, Berkley Hoff ignited the game with a flurry of goals in the second—oh, what a flurry it was! Early in the period, the sophomore scored an even-strength goal with help from senior Nina Thorson. The two would repeat their performance about two minutes later, this time with Hayden Bright, a sophomore, also contributing an assist.
Just a couple minutes later, Hoff completed her pure hat trick with an unassisted goal. Bright then found the net on a power play, with Sarah Stauber, a junior, and Thorson providing the assists. Thorson secured her fourth assist of the game when Hoff scored again before the period ended.
I was today years old when I learned that when one player scores four goals in a game it is called a “haul.” In all my years of being a hockey fan, it’s not something I’ve seen happen very often!
In the third period, the Lumberjacks rallied to avoid a shutout, but the Storm closed out the game with a 5-1 victory. Alexa Harrison was solid in goal throughout the game, saving 16 of 17 shots on goal as the Storm peppered 24 shots on the net against the Lumberjacks.
Next, the Storm traveled to Pine City on December 7th, where they carried the momentum from the previous win into a matchup against the Dragons. Pine City struck first, but the Storm responded with two quick goals. Ella Peterson, a junior, scored first, assisted by sophomores Reese Costly and Reagon Hogenson. Then, Hoff found the back of the net, with Thorson and Stauber on the assists.
Pine City scored the next two, but the period ended with the Storm holding a 4-3 lead. In the third, Hoff struck again on a power play, with Thorson and Bright setting up the score. Less than a minute later, Hallie Komarek, a freshman, scored on another power play with Stauber’s help, extending the lead to 6-3. Bright added the final goal of the night, assisted by Hoff and Thorson. The game ended in a 7-3 victory for the North Shore which I’m sure makes their predecessors proud.
According to mngirlshockeyhub.com, Hoff leads the team in goals, scoring 10 already this season while also collecting 7 assists. She is second only to Thorson in points, Thorson having 6 goals and 13 assists.
The Storm faced the Superior Spartans, International Falls, and Sartell/ Sauk Rapids the week of December 9th, with the results to be featured in a later issue of the Northshore Journal.
