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Tigers Mount Momentum Making 14-1 Playoff Win their 5th Win in a Row

By Paul Rock, 02/08/18, 11:45AM CST

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Tigers Mount Momentum Making 14-1 Playoff Win their 5th Win in a Row

By Paul Rock

 

Heading into the playoffs, Coach Jon Holmes’s team was sitting on a four-game winning streak including a three game back-to-back-to-back run the last week of the regular season.  Momentum is always paramount in the post season and the Tigers built some more with their Section 1AA Quarterfinal route over 9th seeded Rochester Century.  Century had just come off a playoff win of their own two days prior when they defeated their crosstown rival and 8th seeded Rockets from Rochester John Marshall 2-1 in the eight and nine seed play in game. 

The Tiger’s scoring started early and often.  Over a course of two periods the Tigers put up 13 goals and Izzy Zwart capped off the scoring netting her first career varsity goal in the final period to round out the 14-1 final tally.  Going into the quarterfinal matchup the heavily favored Tigers had a plan to execute specific offensive, defensive, and neutral zone objectives looking to put emphasis on precision and timeliness according to Coach Holmes.  “The playoffs are the absolute best time of the year.  All the planning, preparation, and trial runs get put into motion and this group of girls is very dedicated and they put in an astronomical amount of preparation all geared for February.”  Coach Holmes also added that, “Playing with a target on your back is a different mindset than being the underdog.  The girls have learned that each night we are going to get other team’s best and we have done a phenomenal job getting through adversities out of our control to get momentum on our side heading into playoffs.”

The Tigers’ senior co-captain and future Bemidji Beaver was on the board early netting a hat trick before the half-way mark of the game, and finishing with seven points in the contest.  Junior linemate to Moser, Jenna Gerold, ended up with six points of her own adding a goal and five assists.  Both junior center Marissa Agerter, and freshmen defender Brenna Fuhrman, contributed four points by the end of the second period with Agerter getting two goals and two assists and Fuhrman netting a goal and three assists.  “It was great to see every line and every defenseman register points in the game.” Holmes said.  He also added that the intensity remained high throughout the game and Holmes gave credit to the grittiness of Century.  Abby Bollig guarded the pipes for the Tigers in the Quarterfinals and she stopped nine of ten shots thrown her way.  The lone goal for Panthers came off a high floating knuckler from the blue line that awkwardly found its way over Bollig’s shoulder.  Coach Holmes said, “I know Abby would have loved to have that one again.  It was more like a pop fly a catcher has to field, but with a goalie, you have to worry about backing into the net and getting caught off balance.  It was just one of those weird shots that seemingly had eyes.”   

All in all, it was a good start to the post season for the Tigers.  Every skater on the roster was able to register significant time on the ice and contribute to the scoring in some fashion.  The Tigers finished the game off with a decisive 57-10 edge in shots and will look to take their five-game winning streak and their momentum to Saturday when they host the Panthers from Lakeville North at Schmitz- Maki Arena in the Section 1AA Semi-Finals.   

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