Westonka Girls Continue Hot Streak

Westonka's varsity girls hockey team opened the season with eight straight victories and was ranked No. 4 in the most recent hockey poll.

The Whitehawks beat a fast St. Paul United team Dec. 8, where the skills of Alev Baysoy, who was named a top ten forward for the U15 national team, were on full display but not enough to topple the red-hot Whitehawks.

Westonka's senior team leaders combined to score a power play goal less than two minutes into the game when Emily Halvarson found the back of the net, with assists from Kia Johnson and Nina Chase.

The Whitehawks found themselves in the penalty box for a large chunk of the first period after taking three back-to-back penalties but went up 2-0 early in the second period when Jess Nhkata dug the puck out from behind St. Paul's net and stuffed it in the corner of the net for an unassisted goal.

St. Paul made it a 2-1 game after the Whitehawks found themselves with two players in the penalty box and St. Paul on a 5-on-3 power play.

Halvarson, Johnson and Chase combined on their second goal of the game when Kia Johnson took a shot from the blue line that the United goalie did not see because Jess Nhkata was firmly planted in front of the net and providing a perfect screen.

Final score was 3-1. 

Of note, Lana Fitz scored four goals in the junior varsity games to propel Westonka to a 7-1 victory.

After ripping off eight straight wins to begin the season, the Whitehawks lost their first game of the year over the weekend to Irondale.

Played after the Minnesota Gophers game at Ridder arena on the U of M campus, Westonka found themselves out of sorts against a stronger and faster team. The Whitehawks opened the game with several scoring chances but soon found themselves in penalty trouble.  

Irondale scored a power play goal less than two minutes into the game and made it 2-0 later in the first period when Westonka team gave them a 5-on-3 advantage after taking two more penalties.

Coaches opened the second period with a revamped forward lineup, and the Whitehawks held their own for most of the period.  

Irondale made it a 3-0 game on another power play goal late in the third period before Westonka finally lit the lamp through the third frame when team scoring leaders Jess Nkhata and Emily Halvarson combined to make it a 3-1 game.

Final score was 4-1, and Westonka was outshot 40-24.

Conference play continued with a home game against Hutchinson on Tuesday, and the team travels north to play Grand Rapids and Pequot Lakes this weekend.