The Storm boys hockey team recently took on a challenging slate of opponents. On January 13th, they traveled to the Moose Lake Riverside Arena to face off against the Moose Lake Area team. In a hard-fought battle, the Storm ultimately fell short, enduring a 4-2 defeat.
Freshman Kade Norman got the Storm off to a strong start, scoring the team’s first goal within the opening five minutes of the game, assisted by senior Hunter Tikkanen. However, Moose Lake answered back with a shorthanded goal just five minutes into the second period, evening the score and setting the stage for a competitive match.
The Rebels capitalized on their momentum, adding two more goals in the second period and another in the third. Despite the uphill battle, senior Ayden Althaus narrowed the gap with a power-play goal late in the third period, assisted by senior Jacob Carpenter.
A rematch against the Rebels at Rukavina Arena will give the Storm a chance to resurge on February 4th.
On Friday, January 17th, the Storm faced off against St. Paul Johnson. Although St. Paul Johnson struck first, their lead was fleeting—lasting less than ten seconds—before Althaus quickly tied the game with an assist from fellow senior Cooper Anderson.
Another senior, Albin Lindner, found the back of the net next, with Anderson picking up his second assist of the game. Carpenter and junior Josh Johnson also contributed assists on the play, showcasing the team’s collaborative effort.
Senior Cade Peterson capitalized on a power play opportunity, scoring a shorthanded goal with Anderson earning his third assist of the game, further solidifying his playmaking impact.
Althaus struck again early in the second period, completing his hat trick just minutes into the frame. Johnson assisted on both goals, with Lindner adding an assist on the latter.
Carpenter and senior Ethan Meeks teamed up to set up freshman Kade Norman for a goal that extended the Storm’s lead to five. Although the Governors managed to score once more in the third period, the game was long won.
Not satisfied with just a regular old hat-trick, Althaus capped off his stellar performance with another goal, earning a Texas hat trick with assists from Lindner and Johnson. The Storm triumphed with an impressive 7-2 victory, outshooting their opponents with 20 shots on goal. Sophomore goaltender Haydn Stahl stood strong in the net, blocking 12 of the 14 shots he faced to help secure the win.