The North Shore Storm girls’ hockey team has been skating through a November packed with challenges, setbacks, and a surge of momentum, showcasing incredible resilience and teamwork from the start. They opened the season on November 8 against Hopkins/St. Louis Park, where the Storm’s own Reese Costley, a junior this year and a key offensive player, struck first in the opening period with a sharp shot from the slot.
Unfortunately, Hopkins answered on a power play in the 2nd period, capitalizing on a penalty to tie the game. They then pulled away with three unanswered goals in the third, ultimately handing the Storm a tough 4-1 loss, a challenging but valuable learning experience for the young team.
A few days later, the team traveled south to the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center for another road test. In a fiercely contested defensive battle, Duluth’s lone second-period goal proved enough to keep the North Shore off the board in a narrow 1-0 defeat, highlighting the team’s strong defensive effort despite the outcome.
Momentum shifted dramatically at Rukavina Arena on November 13, when the Moose Lake Area Rebels came to visit. The home crowd was treated to an offensive outburst as Berkely Hoff lit the lamp twice in the first period, displaying her sharp shooting skills. Fellow junior Hayden Bright added another early in the second, giving the Storm a commanding 3-0 lead.
Moose Lake fought back with a goal to narrow the gap, but Costley answered right before the period ended, restoring the three-goal cushion and seizing momentum back. Bright scored again in the third, Moose Lake responding back quickly, but Hoff capped the night off with a well-deserved hat trick to secure a decisive 6-2 capital “W”.
The Storm delivered its most dominant performance so far this season, five days later, against Hibbing/Chisholm. Raegen Hogenson, also a junior, scored twice in the first, including one on a power play, showcasing their special teams’ effectiveness, while Hoff added two more in the second. Costley’s shorthanded goal and senior Ella Peterson’s timely strike in the third sealed senior goalie Alexa Harrison’s flawless 6-0 shutout, a testament to the team’s comprehensive play on both ends of the ice.
Back at Sonju Arena on November 21, the North Shore Storm kept the streak alive against Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper. Hoff wasted no time, scoring in the opening minute, setting the tone for the game. It took Robbinsdale deep into the 2nd to tie it up with a resilient effort.
The third period, however, belonged entirely to the Storm, showcasing their superior conditioning and focus. Hoff scored again, just over a minute in, putting NorthShore ahead for good. Peterson followed with a crucial goal, and Hoff added two more in rapid succession, earning her second hat trick already this season and upping it with an impressive four-goal game. Though Robbinsdale managed another late consolation goal, the final score was 5-2, marking the North Shore’s third consecutive victory and solidifying their upward trajectory.
From Costley’s early-season spark and leadership to Hoff’s incredible scoring spree and Harrison’s impenetrable shutout, the North Shore girls are already showing they are a force to be reckoned with this season. Their blend of junior talent and senior experience promises an exciting path forward for the Storm.
