Tigers Make Statement in 3-1 Win over North

by Pat Rupp

Farmington made a statement, not only for a first division finish in the South Suburban Conference but also a top two seed in next month’s Section 1AA playoffs with a 3-1 win over Lakeville North Tuesday night at Ames Arena.

The win boosted the Tigers’ season record to 12-6-3 and their conference mark to 7-5-3, the latter good enough for a virtual tie in a three-way battle for fourth place in the South Suburban. Shakopee stands at 8-5-2 and North 8-6-1.

“This was also a huge win in terms of section seeding,” coach Jon Holmes said. “A loss here could have put us in limbo, but a win gives us a very good argument for a top two or three seed with (likely top seed) Lakeville South still on the schedule.”

The win over the Panthers didn’t come easily as the Olympic-sized rink plus a very physical opponent proved a challenge.

“The officials called it like a boys’ game and so things got a little physical,” Holmes said. “I can only imagine if we see them in playoffs the intensity will pick up from where it left off.”

The Tigers struck first, scoring twice in a span of 62 seconds early in the first period. Ellie Moser (from Marissa Agerter) notched her 24th of the season and then a little over a minute later Bailey Kelley scored shorthanded for a 2-0 cushion.

North’s Morgan Manes cut the lead to one with a power play score midway through the period and the visitors headed to the first break with a precarious one-goal advantage.

Perhaps the most interesting stat from the first 17 minutes of play was that Farmington only registered four shots on goal (but connected on half of them).

The pace picked up in period two but neither team could find the twine until Agerter (from Dani Wright) slipped the puck past North goalkeeper Abby Hatcher with under two minutes to play.

Farmington outshot North 9-5 in the scoreless third period.

Emily Auge turned in her second straight quality start in goal for the Tigers, stopping 25 of the 26 shots she faced. The Panthers won the shots-on-goal battle 26-22.

“Defensively we had a hard time adjusting to the Olympic-sized ice,” Holmes said.  “It takes some real mindset adjustments since delays in reacting get compounded in terms of being able to win a battle for the puck since the corners are bigger and deeper. 

“But all in all, I thought we did a nice job of also using that to our advantage.  We were able to generate some solid offensive chances and per usual we found some solid iron offensively… One would hope those will start hitting the net as we enter the playoffs.”

Before the playoffs, however, the Tigers have some work to do. Saturday and next Tuesday come back-to-back conference games at Apple Valley and Rosemount followed by next Friday’s conference and home finale against Lakeville South. Saturday the girls close out the 2015-16 campaign with a non-league road match-up at Hastings.