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Otters Dominate Cougars to Advance to Consolation Finals

By Craig Olson, 02/21/19, 12:15PM CST

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The first line of Sophie Rausch (2G, 3A), Ellie Andersen (3G, 1A) and Jade Zierden (5A) combined for five goals and nine assists on Thursday morning as the Fergus Falls girls hockey team advanced to the consolation finals of the Class A State Tournament with a convincing 7-1 win over Mankato East/Loyola at the Tria Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul.

Andersen struck first for the Otters, converting a power play goal from Rausch and Zierden at 3:48 of the opening period.

 

The Cougars pulled even on an unassisted goal by Madison Davis at 7:08 of period number two, her thirty-sixth goal of the year, but after that it was all Otters.  At 11:41 Andersen scored from Zierden and less than a minute later Piper Andrews found the back of the net with Rausch assisting at 12:33.  At 16:42 of the period, Andersen completed her hat trick with Rausch and Zierden earning assists, giving Fergus Falls a 4-1 lead heading to the intermission.

 

Rausch got the first two goals of the third period, the first one at 3:13 from her linemates, Zierden and Andersen, the second from Zierden while the Otters were shorthanded.  Hallie Sheridan finished the scoring with a full ice rush of the puck, resulting in another shorthanded goal at 11:06.

 

Jadyn McKeever stopped 12 of 13 shots on goal and the Otters had 31 shots in the game.

 

Fergus Falls will play for the consolation championship at 9:30am Saturday at the Tria Rink against the winner of the game between St. Paul United and Rochester Lourdes.  The Otters are 22-7 on the season.


Sophie Rausch controls the puck. (PHOTO by MIKE WELDE)


Ellie Andersen looks for the rebound as the Cougar goalie covers the puck. (PHOTO by MIKE WELDE)


Senior Captain Hallie Sheridan looks to clear the puck from in front of an attentive Jadyn McKeever in goal. (PHOTO by MIKE WELDE)


Vivian Karsnia clears the puck. (PHOTO by MIKE WELDE)