Austin Packers girls’ hockey falls to Northfield 9-0 Thursday evening

In our 2021-2022 winter sports season opener on AM 1480 KAUS Thursday evening, the Austin Packers girls’ hockey team played host to defending Big 9 Conference champion Northfield at Riverside Arena, and the Raiders gave every indication that they intend to try to repeat as champions this year as high-scoring sophomore Ayla Puppe and 8th grander Mia Miller each tallied a hat trick in a 9-0 Raider win.

The Packers were held to only nine shots on goal for the game as the Raiders tallied three goals in each of the three periods Thursday evening.  Besides Puppe, who added an assist to go along with her three goals and Miller, starting forward Emerson Garlie chipped in a goal and two assists, Isabelle Stephes tallied a goal and an assist and Keira Hauskins scored one of two Raider goals during a five-minute body checking major that had been called on Austin late in the third period.

Packer netminder Kyia Radford-Garcia had a very busy night, turning away 44 of the 53 shots she faced, while Raider goaltender Maggie Malecha stopped all nine shots she faced for her second shutout of the season.

Austin is now 2-3 overall on the season and 1-3 in the Big 9 Conference.  The Packers return to action Saturday night in Owatonna versus the Huskies at the Steele County Four Seasons Centre, with face-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.