Last season Hill-Murray lost just three games en route to the program's first state title.

The good times didn't carry through to the start of this season. Through their first five games the Pioneers had matched their loss total from last season.

Hill-Murray has rattled off four straight wins since losing to Edina on Dec. 5, and much of the leadership -- and scoring -- has come from senior captain Becca Zarembinki.

“She has been our best player all year,” Pioneers’ coach Bill Schafhauser said. “We’ve had some tough games, battled through a lot, but she has been there every night for us.”

Zarembinksi scored two goals as Hill-Murray, ranked No. 6 in the state Class 2A coaches' poll, defeated No. 5 Dodge County 4-2 on Saturday at Aldrich Arena.

Zarembinski and Mekenzie Steffen, who also scored twice, lead the Pioneers (6-3-0) with seven goals.

Zarembinksi flashed a goal scorers' touch on her first goal in the second period and provided the grit and toughness needed in the third when she sealed the victory for Hill-Murray.

Her first was highlight-reel quality when she forced a turnover in the Wildcats zone, picked her head up and fired a wrist shot that beat sophomore goalie Gabby Suhr in the upper shelf.

“When I got the puck I saw Lindsey (Featherstone) may have been open, but saw an opening high and went for it,” Zarembinksi said. “I knew she (Suhr) had a good glove, but it was open so you have to take it.”

Dodge County (9-2-0) pressed in the third period down 3-1 and was on the verge of pulling within a goal.

However it was Zarembinksi who dashed any hopes of a comeback when she buried her second of the afternoon from the right post to give the Pioneers a 4-1 lead.

“She does it all for us,” Schafhauser said. “She can score those pretty goals, but you need players to get in tight and get the tough ones for you as well. Becca does that for us.”

Zarembinksi does not only provide the scoring punch for Hill-Murray. She is one of the team's key penalty killers. She also had to help contain Wildcats’ top goal scorer Dana Rasmussen, who was held scoreless until late in the third period.

The Pioneers have played five teams this season that, at the time, were ranked among the state's top 10 in Class 2A. Zarembinski has led by example on both ends of the ice through that difficult stretch.

“It’s not all about scoring goals, and we put a lot of that on her,” Schafhauser said. “She scores a lot for us, but she is one of our best penalty killers, we put her out there for a key draw, to make a big defensive play when we have a late lead.”

Hill-Murray’s four-game win streak comes at a perfect time. The Pioneers play Class 2A, Section 4 rival Stillwater on Dec. 23 and then travel to South St. Paul for a three-game tournament.

Hill-Murray's three losses this season each were by a single goal. The Pioneers, who have won their last four by a combined 23-3, appear to be on track for a midseason push.

“It has been great to play a lot of those great teams early to see where we are at,” Zarembinksi said. “We were in all those games and now I think we are in a great position to get even better for when we play those teams again.”

Becca Zarembinski and Mekenzie Steffen each scored two goals for Hill-Murray (6-3-0), ranked No. 6 in the state coaches' association Class 2A poll, in its 4-2 win against No. 5 Dodge County (9-2-0) on Saturday at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood.

Steffen opened the scoring for the Pioneers, breaking a scoreless tie with 17 seconds left in the first period. The goal was Steffen's team-leading seventh of the season. Zarembinski also has seven goals.

Dodge County closed to within 2-1 midway through the second period on a goal by Magdalyn Wick. Steffen and Zarembinski each scored within the first 8 minutes of the second period to push the Pioneers ahead 4-1.

Dana Rasmussen also scored for the Wildcats.

Hill-Murray goalie Leah Patrick made 19 saves. Dodge County's Gabby Suhr turned aside 25 shots.

Hill-Murray started the season 2-3-0 through its first five games, but are now on a four-game winning streak.

The Pioneers' next game is on Dec. 23 against Class 2A, Section 4 rival Stillwater at the St. Croix Rec Center. The Wildcats will travel to New Ulm on Dec. 23.

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