“We did something unique, we gave them Monday off, which we don’t normally do,” said Red Wing head coach Scott Haley. “At this time of year, if we get six-day weeks, we try to give them Monday off. That was interesting because we didn’t look as sharp as expected. But I think that’s because we didn’t practice (on Monday). But we’re just trying to keep them fresh and keep them happy when they’re at the rink and not make it such a grind.”

The short layoff resulted in some sloppy play from the Wingers, who managed 19 shots on goal over the opening 17 minutes, but also allowed the Falcons several good looks as well.

Neither team could score for 15 minutes, until Haley decided to mix things up by placing Maddy Hardyman on the top line. That move paid immediate dividends as Hardyman scored at the 15-minute, 2-second mark of the first on a pass from Taylor Heise.

“Every once in a while, Scott will switch me with Jenna (Gillund). Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” Hardyman said. “Today it worked. And those first 15 minutes, that’s what happens when you don’t have a practice the day before. We knew that was going to happen, and we knew we would still have to jump right on it. And we eventually did.”

Heise and Reagan Haley would connect at 16:13 to make the game 2-0, and Hardyman sent Red Wing to the locker room on a high note, burying a loose puck at 16:59.

The second period started much the same way as Hardyman beat a defender before scoring on a backhand 49 seconds into the frame. Reagan Haley (6:34) and Heise (8:03) closed the scoring later in the period.

The six-goal outburst also set the game clock to running time, which shortened the game, but lengthened the Wingers’ bench as the coaches rolled three lines throughout the final 17 minutes.

“Just in case anyone gets hurt, it’s really nice to have (that third line),” Heise said. “They’ve learned a lot this year, and they’ve improved so much. They keep the puck in the zone, they pass the puck so much more, and they’re even getting a lot of shots.”

And in a game that saw Faribault dress 11 skaters, that depth, and ability to play three lines, kept the Falcons to nine shots in the second and third periods.

“When you see that, you want to get the puck deep and tire them out. Then, at the end, pass the puck around and they won’t be able to skate with you,” Heise said. “We noticed that at the beginning to get the puck deep, change lines and get those quick shifts so we can play three lines and they’ll only have to and be much more tired than we were.”

Hardyman finished with three goals, while Heise had two goals and three assists. Reagan Haley added two assists to her one goal while Gillund and Katelyn Hadler had one assist each.

The Wingers (18-4, 12-0 Big Nine) will head to Mankato West on Jan. 29, then host Rochester John Marshall on Jan. 31 in what could be for the conference championship.