Though the North Shore Storm hockey team is still “navigating the early part of the season,” head coach Mike Hoff feels the girls have found their stride, recently celebrating a 13–0 shutout in International Falls. Already 11 games into the season, the win pushed the Storm to a 7–4 record and extended their current winning streak.
“We’re starting to win a few games and so the kids are getting a little more confident, a little more bought into the coaching system,” said Hoff. “We’re starting to get things accomplished and working towards a goal of being a good hockey team in February. Our team goal is to reach that section final and a chance to go to state.”
The road to that goal won’t be easy. The Storm will face some tough opponents along the way, including Proctor/Hermantown, a program Hoff noted has made trips to the state tournament roughly five years in a row.
“They’re a good team,” Hoff said. “It’ll be a tough task up on them, but we’ll give it our best.”
One of the Storm’s strengths this season has been their confidence to shoot the puck. In International Falls, they put 86 shots on goal, a number that underscored the team’s growing offensive pressure. Defensively, they were equally sharp, with goalie junior Michaela Lindgren earning the shutout.
“We were buzzing pretty good,” said Hoff, who is in his second year leading the Storm after previously serving as an assistant coach and working within the youth hockey program at the pee wee level.
Part of that early-season navigation, Hoff explained, is simply the process of the girls finding their rhythm together after time apart.
“They’re starting to gel a little bit better,” said Hoff. “We’ve pulled from three different towns. So it takes a little while for us to actually gel and get back reacquainted with everybody because everybody has their own sports they play in the fall from each town. They love to play soccer and volleyball and they don’t get to see each other. But when we come for hockey season it takes us a good month to gel and mesh with everybody again.”
The North Shore Storm draws players from Silver Bay and Two Harbors, along with three athletes from Duluth Marshall. This marks the second year Marshall players have been part of the mix, and Hoff said they have been a welcome addition to the program.
The roster looks different this winter after the graduation of some key contributors, and Hoff acknowledged the challenge of replacing that experience. The Storm has just three seniors this season, alongside a group of 13 juniors who provide a strong foundation moving forward.
“We lost our senior goalie, Alexa Harrison,” said Hoff. “We lost Nina Thorson, a big part of our offensive scoring. We’re dealing without that, but we’ve got other kids that are stepping in and filling the role. They’re doing well.”
Those stepping into leadership roles this season include captains Guilia McGiffert from Marshall, Hayden Bright of Two Harbors, and Berkeley Hoff from Silver Bay. All three are part of the large junior class making up this season’s roster.
Hoff describes them as “quiet” leaders.
“They lead more by example,” he said. “They’re not the rah-rah, pump you up and go type, but they just lead quietly.”
The Storm’s roster has also shrunk from 35 players last season to 24 this year, a change Hoff sees as beneficial when it comes to managing lines and ice time.
“Last year we had a few more players on the team and it was hard to juggle everything,” said Hoff. “With a few less players, it’s more manageable to juggle lineups and see what everybody needs.”
Depth within the program is evident beyond the varsity level as well. Junior varsity has gotten off to a strong start, which Hoff said bodes well for the future of the Storm.
“JV is doing really well, as well. They are 10 – 1,” Hoff said. “A lot of kids are getting a lot of ice time and we’re seeing a lot of improvement.”
The coaching staff this season includes Mike Guzzo, Steve Gradine, Amelia McGifford, Rick Hoganson, and Everly Bauck. Bauck is a North Shore Storm alum who went on to play at St. Scholastica before returning to help coach the program. Callie Hoff, who assisted last season, has moved on to join the women’s program at St. Scholastica as an assistant coach, marking an exciting next step in her career.
Hoff echoed a sentiment shared by many coaches in the region: North Shore athletes are coachable and dedicated.
“It’s fun going to the rink every day with kids that want to be there and get better,” he said. “It’s easy to coach kids that want to get better.”
Looking ahead, the Storm will take part in their annual trip to the Warroad Holiday Hockey Classic from December 29–31.
“It’s going to be a real good competition,” said Hoff. “We’ll play two top 10 teams in the state in Class A. It’ll be a good competition and a good getaway for our team for a little bonding.”
Since the last Storm report, their previous winning streak was snapped by Westonka/Southwest on November 28, followed by a loss to Mounds View/Irondale the next day. December, however, brought signs of momentum as the team edged longtime rival Cloquet/Esko/ Carlton 2–1 on December 2, followed by a 4–1 win over the Superior Spartans on December 9.
Before heading to Warroad, the Storm will face Rock Ridge, Pine City Area, and Princeton/Big Lake/ Becker — matchups that should provide a strong test before the tournament and close out the 2025 portion of the season.
