Chaska/Chanhassen coach Jeff Wahl said senior goalie Bailey Jackson is on a streak.

Jackson has had five consecutive games in which she’s allowed three goals or less.

Her skills were on display in the final two games of the Eden Prairie Mid-Winter Meltdown tournament this week, including in the championship on Wednesday where she made 30 saves in a 3-2 victory over Minnetonka to secure the Storm Hawks' first title in the event.

Jackson also stopped two shootout goals against Eagan to preserve a 3-2 win in the semifinals.

“We kind of did the 'Miracle on Ice' and hung on there,” Wahl said of the Minnetonka game. “Obviously, this wouldn’t be possible without her (Jackson).”

The stellar performance is a turnaround from where Jackson started the season.

After allowing 16 goals in the first four games, Wahl called for assistance from Jackson’s father Paul.

“Unfortunately, my dad was a goalie,” Jackson said.

Paul was quick to help. Following a team practice, he came on the ice and helped his daughter break down her saves.

“After that, my game picked up,” Jackson said.

Being a goalie is a family affair for Jackson, whose father and older brother Blake were hockey and soccer goalies. She didn't follow in the footsteps of Paul or Blake, who graduated in 2014, on the pitch, where she is a defender.

“Being a (soccer) goalie didn’t work out for me, so I block shots on defense instead,” Jackson said.

The plan after high school is to play college hockey, but the focus for now is on the current season and recording several more victories.

“I want to keep upsetting teams,” Jackson said. “I know if I can block these shots, I can help my team get the 'W.'”

Jackson also has a personal goal of finishing the year with a save percentage above .900. That goal is looking good so far, as Jackson has a .902 save percentage with 378 stops on 419 shots after the victory over the Skippers. 


Storm Hawk goaltender Bailey Jackson eyes a loose puck during action Wednesday night during the Mid-Winter Meltdown Championship game against Minnetonka. Photo by Korey McDermott

First Report

Senior goalie Bailey Jackson made 30 saves to lead Chaska/Chanhassen to its first Eden Prairie Mid-Winter Meltdown championship following 3-2 victory over Minnetonka on Wednesday night at Eden Prairie Community Center.

Senior forward Mollie Wise opened the scoring for the Storm Hawks (11-4-2), ranked No. 10 in the Class 2A coaches' poll, tallying a power-play goal with 4:20 remaining in the first period.

The No. 3-2A Skippers (14-2-1) set the tone in the second period. Junior defenseman Camille Von Steinbergs wasted no time in getting Minnetonka on the scoreboard, sliding in a goal among a scrum of players just 1:16 into the period. Two minutes later, junior forward Emma Bigham scored to give the Skippers a 2-1 lead.

Chaska/Chanhasson tied the game 2-2 with less than seven minutes to play in the second when Ashley Kirchoff set the puck up for senior forward Lexi Hanson, who sent in the slap shot for a power-play goal.  

At the 12:38 mark in the third, Wise netted the game-winner after taking a pass from Lydia Passolt, her second of the night.

Minnetonka senior goalie Tatyana Delaittre finished with eight saves.

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