Tigers snap skid with 2-1 win over Hopkins/St. Louis Park

By Pat Rupp

It wasn’t exactly the offensive breakout that the Tigers (1-3) were hoping for, but Saturday night’s 2-1 home ice win over Hopkins/St. Louis Park provided just what the doctor ordered for coach Jon Holmes’ previously winless squad.

“We played well defensively again,” Holmes said. “We had the usual suspects on the board offensively and that was good to see. Obviously we didn’t light the lamp over and over but we did play a solid game in both ends of the rink.

“Hopkins has traditionally been, and still is, a very good team. They come from a stout Lake Conference and are usually in the conversation for being a top-rated team.”

Both teams had their chances in first period but the scoreboard didn’t light up until 1:20 into the second when Kylie Hanley scored for the visitors.

That seemed to get the attention of the Tigers who rattled off two goals in a span of 1:36 midway through the second to account for the remainder of the night’s scoring.

Bailey Kelley knotted the count with her first goal of the season at the 8:18 mark, taking a blocked shot the length of the ice. Ellie Moser scored the eventual game-winner a minute-and-a-half later in similar fashion on the penalty kill, also her first score of the young season..

Farmington outshot its guests by a 31-22 margin for the game and 9-5 in the third period but again had trouble finishing off quality scoring opportunities. In four games, the Tigers have managed to score a total of four goals.

Despite the sluggish offensive performance, the defense and goaltending remained solid. The opposition has scored 10 times in the four games, two of them coming on empty-net scores late in the action.

Farmington netminder Abby Bollig stopped 21 of 22 shots to post her first win of the season while lowering her season goals-against average to 1.75 and raising her save percentage to .926.

“In all four games we have put ourselves in a position to win going into the final period,” Holmes said. Against Hopkins we proved that we can defend that one-goal lead as well. 

“We have a lot of pieces to our season puzzle ready to be inserted. It’s just a matter of time until the picture begins to fill in and the offensive side of the coin starts to fire on all cylinders.”

The Tigers won’t have much time to dwell on their first victory as they return to the rigors of their South Suburban Conference schedule Tuesday night at Schmitz-Maki Arena when they entertain league rival Eastview.