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New Prague girls' hockey contribution to U.S. team pays off at home, too

By Ellis L. Williams, Star Tribune, 12/04/16, 1:53AM CST

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Catie Skaja’s trips to play for a U.S. national team are helping elevate her game at home, too.


Catie Skaja went for a shot on goal during practice on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, in New Prague, Minn. ] RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER • renee.jones@startribune.com

When Catie Skaja traveled to Canada last January to compete as a member of Team USA in the Under-18 Series against Team Canada, she returned to America as a different player.

Skaja, then a sophomore forward for the New Prague girls’ hockey team, scored 21 goals and totaled 41 points in the Trojans’ final 10 games, including five in the postseason. New Prague made the state tournament for the first time since 2008 and, after losing in the first round, came back to win the consolation tournament behind Skaja’s eight goals in two victories.

Before she joined Team USA, Skaja had scored 19 goals in 16 games. An impressive stretch, but not close to her two-goals-per-game average she achieved after skating with the best players at her age group in the world.

“I learned a lot about myself as a player while there,” Skaja said. “When I first got there I wasn’t very confident with the puck, but as I started to play more I got more confident. That helped a lot coming back to [New Prague] because I thought if I can do it there then I can do it here too.”

For New Prague coach Andrea Peterson, watching Skaja grow from one of the best players in the Wright County Conference to one of the best players in the nation was a leap she knew Skaja was capable of doing.

Peterson, who was Skaja’s seventh-grade physical education teacher, said she could see the future Team USA member’s potential even back then. But it took the boost in swagger of representing America for Skaja to “break out of her shell,” Peterson said.

“Catie was getting five to six scoring chances a game before she went to the USA team, and she maybe scored on one or two,” she said. “When she got back, she was getting 10 to 12 [scoring chances] and she was scoring on three to four.”

As an all-conference, all-state and Class 1A all-tournament team member, Skaja will help lead the Trojans as they seek back-to-back state tournament berths for the first time since 2004-05.

New Prague graduated six seniors, including last season’s second-leading scorer, Jordan Anderson, and four defensemen.

Returning with Skaja is co-captain and top defenseman Carly Madigan. Though losing a top scorer is difficult, Madigan said replacing four key defenders is proving to be even harder five games into the season.

The Trojans are not where they want to be. In a 4-0 loss to Prior Lake on Nov. 26, Skaja was injured on a checking from behind play.

Skaja returned to the Trojans’ lineup Thursday, scoring three goals in a 4-1 victory against Orono. The victory ended a four-game winless streak and improved New Prague’s record to 2-3-1. Skaja now has nine goals and three assists for the season.

Skaja will leave to play for Team USA again in January. Madigan said not having Skaja on the ice during parts of the season actually benefits the Trojans.

“It is really good for us to be able to learn how to play without such a key player,” Madigan said. “To not rely on her as much made people step up and play how they should be playing.”

When Skaja returned last season, New Prague won nine of its final 10 games. The team hopes it can capture similar momentum this season.

“[Our conference] gets a taste of what we are going to be with her,” Peterson said. “Then they will see us without her and they’ll see our growth. And when she comes back, it will be an explosion of our anticipation.”

Ellis L. Williams • 612-673-4689

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