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Down early, North Wright County scores four unanswered goals to topple Grand Rapids/Greenway

By Heather Rule, SportsEngine, 12/26/19, 12:00PM CST

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Mackenzie Bourgerie scored the game-winning goal for the River Hawks in a quarterfinal matchup at the Walser Invitational in Edina.

North Wright County's Mackenzie Bourgerie (10) tries to track down a rebound against Grand Rapids/Greenway Thursday afternoon. Bourgerie had a goal and an assist in the the River Hawks’ 4-1 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

North Wright County's Mackenzie Bourgerie (10) tries to track down a rebound against Grand Rapids/Greenway Thursday afternoon. Bourgerie had a goal and an assist in the River Hawks’ 4-1 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

North Wright County senior Mackenzie Bourgerie couldn’t convert on a breakaway chance early in the game against Grand Rapids/Greenway after shooting the puck into the goaltender, trying to go five-hole. So, Bourgerie adjusted when she got another chance.

“She loves to shoot the puck, and then I looked at her and she said, ‘yeah coach, I think I’m going to try and move next time,’” said North Wright County coach Cailyn McCauley.

That move was a pretty stickhandling play in alone in front of the net, faking the goaltender down to the ice and allowing for Bourgerie to easily put the puck in the net for her 13th goal of the season. Her unassisted tally put the River Hawks up 2-1 late in the second period of an eventual 4-1 victory in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday at the 13th annual Walser Girls Hockey Invitational at Braemar Arena in Edina.

North Wright County (7-4-1, 1-3-0) didn’t let an early 1-0 deficit stand, as it scored four unanswered goals.

Bourgerie’s move to net the winning goal is a bit of a go-to for her.

“Fake shot, pull around, try to go up,” Bourgerie said. “Sometimes works, sometimes not. It’s been working lately.”

North Wright County's Maddy Skelton (12) goes to her backhand for a goal against Grand Rapids/Greenway Thursday at Braemar Arena. Skelton had a goal and an assist in the the River Hawks’ 4-1 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

North Wright County's Maddy Skelton (12) goes to her backhand for a goal against Grand Rapids/Greenway Thursday at Braemar Arena. Skelton added an assist in the River Hawks’ 4-1 victory over the Lightning. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

North Wright County didn’t let an early 1-0 deficit get it down. Instead, the River Hawks came back to tie the game, then controlled play for much of the way to score three more unanswered goals for a 4-1 victory over Grand Rapids/Greenway.

The River Hawks (7-4-1, 1-3-0) defeated their fellow Class 2A, Section 8 opponent in the quarterfinals of the 13th annual Walser Girls Hockey Invitational on Thursday at Braemar Arena in Edina.

North Wright County senior Mackenzie Bourgerie scored her 13th of the season to give her team a 2-1 lead late in the second period. Then, the River Hawks took a two-goal lead 1 minute, 24 seconds into the third period on a point shot through traffic from junior defenseman Mackenzie Dunn for her second goal of the season. Senior Maddy Skelton added another goal a few minutes later with a backhanded shot.

The River Hawks, ranked No. 9 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, have won four of their past five games, while the Lightning (6-6-1) have lost three in a row.

The game was a rematch of last year’s consolation championship at the Walser Invitational. The River Hawks shut out the Lightning 2-0 with goals from Sydney Lemke and Dunn, and 21 saves in net from Anna LaRose.

This year, LaRose got the victory with 24 saves. Grand Rapids/Greenway senior goaltender Emily Trast stopped 37 shots.

The River Hawks will face Breck at 5 p.m. on Dec. 27 in the semifinals. 

Grand Rapids/Greenway's Ellie Tillma (17) circles behind the River Hawks' net Thursday afternoon. Tillma had the Lightning’s goal in their 4-1 loss to the River Hawks in the Walser Invitational at Braemar Arena. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Grand Rapids/Greenway's Ellie Tillma (17) circles behind the River Hawks' net Thursday afternoon. Tillma had the Lightning’s goal in their 4-1 loss to the River Hawks in the Walser Invitational at Braemar Arena. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

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