Westonka Girls Top Holy Family, Stay Undefeated

The Westonka High School girl’s hockey team opened conference play with a win against Holy Family-Waconia at Thaler Ice arena on Dec. 6. 
Holy Family came out strong against No. 5 ranked Westonka and outshot the Whitehawks 5-0 early in the game. Senior goaltender Samantha Scobee continually shutdown the Wildfire and gave the Whitehawks time to regain their skating legs.

Midway through the first period, the Whitehawks broke into the scoring column when Abby Brustad found a rebound off Kia Johnson’s shot and put the puck in the back of the net.

Play continued to be dominated in the home team’s zone, and the Whitehawks had difficulty getting the puck past center ice. With one minute left in the opening period, Grace Holemen from deep in the Whitehawks zone found Jess Nhkata alone at center ice. The dish hit Nhkata's’s stick while she was in full stride, and Nhkata raced into enemy territory on a breakaway and beat the goalie above the blocker to give Westonka a 2-0 lead.

The second period was evenly played with both team trading penalties and neither team able to score with the man advantage. Mackenzie Kratch scored her second goal of the season midway through the frame, when she skated end-to-end and forced the puck underneath the goalie's pads as she crashed into the net. In a controversial call, the refs consulted each other and awarded the goal to the Whitehawks. At the end of the second period, the home team was ahead 3-0 but was outshot 18-19.

Holy Family came out strong in the final period and scored early to make it a 3-1 game. With the home team back on their heels after taking an interference penalty, Grace Holmen (assist Emily Halvarson) scored a shorthanded goal to take the pressure off Westonka. Late in the third period Samantha Burris scored her first goal of her varsity career when she pinched in hard from her left defense position, battled the puck way from the Holy Family player and took a sharp angle shot from below the face off dots that beat the goalie between the stick and the goal post.

Final score was 5-2, with Westonka outshooting the Wildfire 30-29. 

Westonka's junior varsity team beat Hutchinson 6-3, with Whitehawk goals scored by Hannah Oborsky (2), Amanda Wabbe, Lindsey Minnahan and Rachel Lee. 

Next up is an away game against St Paul United on Dec. 8 and a game against No. 20 ranked AA Irondale at Ridder Arena Dec. 10 after the Gophers women’s game.

Photo: Holy Family forward Megan Burke, in black, trying to work the puck around Westonka defender Samantha Burris (3) and goalie Samantha Scobee.