Girls hockey roundup: Mounds View burning up the ice
BY RYAN SCHLEICHER – SUN NEWSPAPERS
The 2012-2013 season has started red hot for Mounds View who has gone undefeated going 6-and-0 currently placing them second in the far in this young season.
Led offensively by senior Kathryn Larson and her five goals and four goals from junior Bella Sutton, Mounds View’s early success is derived from timely offense in conjunction with stellar defense. Sutton, who was picked as one of the top-20 metro’s players to keep an eye has picked up from her outstanding sophomore season where she scored 11 goals, had 23 assists, and shut down opponents.
Quality play between the pipes have been the major key to success with time being split by Paige Kittleson and Mary Dingman. They have shut down opponents forcing two shutouts (Spring Lake Park, Woodbury) and holding three other opponents to only one goal. Mounds View has outscored their opponents 22-7 in the goals department so far this season.
Mounds View’s next two games are against Forest Lake (2-1-2) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Forest Lake Area Athletic Association Sports Center and on Saturday when they travel to play East Ridge (1-5-0) at the Bielenburg Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m.
North Metro Stars
Opponents in most sports, but teammates in girls hockey, the North Metro Stars are unique to the area. A team, composed of female hockey players from Brooklyn Center, Park Center, Fridley, and Columbia Heights has begun their season searching for their stride. North Metro (2-6-0) has been searching for all the positives so far in their young season.
One standout for the Stars is goalie Lauren Torborg and her 91-percent save percentage. She has been outstanding keeping the North Metro in games as she has been extremely difficult on opposing offenses. Offensively the Stars are led by senior forward Taylor Anderson and her four goals and seven total points.
North Metro’s next two games are against Blaine (6-3-0) on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Brooklyn Park Community Center and Anoka (4-2-1) on Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. at the Anoka Arena in Anoka.
Totino-Grace flies high
Totino-Grace has opened up its season in a fashion that has given them reason for optimism even though their overall record doesn’t have anyone running the opposite direction. Currently, TG has a record of 2-3-1 but is nearly equivalent in every crucial statistic. They are only minus five in total goals, goalie Logan Knip has an impressive 89-percent save rate compared to a 90-percent opponent save rate. TG has killed as many power-plays as they have been on.
Freshman forward Allison Parnell leads the Eagles offensively with five goals which is a major statement about the youthful nature of this team. TG has an opportunity to pull even (if not better) in the win/loss column and stop a two-game skid when they play Mahtomedi (3-2-1) at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Northeast Ice Arena.
TG has to then turn right back around and play a winless Minnehaha on Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis.
Irondale sits atop North Suburban Conference
The Irondale Knights sit alone atop the North Suburban Conference with a record 4-3-0. Irondale has outscored their opponents this year 19-12 behind the scoring frenzies of freshman forward Sena Hanson and junior forward Samantha Donovan who have six goals apiece.
Defensively the Knights have been solid being able to kill 89-percent of penalties with the help of outstanding goalie play of Anna Pate who has saved 94-percent of shots.
Irondale will continue to try and keep their first place North Suburban conference spot when they take on Saint Francis (1-3-0) on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the East Bethel Ice Arena.
