Austin Packers girls hockey team falls to Mankato West 9-3 Thursday evening

The Austin Packers girls hockey team was on the road to Mankato Thursday evening for a Big 9 Conference matchup versus the West Scarlets at All Seasons Arena, and a hat trick for West’s Shelby Jones and four second-period goals helped to spark the Scarlets to a 9-3 win.

Junior forward/defensman Brenna Haedt tallied two of Austin’s three goals in the game, as her second of the season at 8:11 of the first period, with an assist to Kate Fox tied the game at 1 apiece at that point, and she tallied her third goal of the season at 3:44 of the second period, with an assist to Camille Dunlap to make the score 3-2 in favor of West at that point of the game.  Austin’s other goal came from freshman forward Lauren Bowe, her second of the season at 14:46 of the third period, with an assist from 7th grade forward Alexcia Austin, her first of the season to account for the 9-3 final.

Mankato West outshot Austin 39-18 for the game, with Packer netminder Lily Haedt making 30 saves, while Alayna Smith turned away 15 of the 18 shots she faced to earn the win in net for the Scarlets.  The Packers were whistled for four penalties for eight minutes, while the Scarlets were called for two penalites for four minutes, and West was 2 for 4 on the power play, while the Packers were 0 for 2.

With the loss, the Packers are now 0-4 overall on the season and 0-2 in the Big 9 Conference, and the Packers are back at Riverside Arena Saturday afternoon versus the Rochester Mayo Spartans, with face-off at noon.  You’ll hear the game live on AM 1480 KAUS, with the pre-game show getting underway at 11:45 a.m.