On Thursday night, the girls hockey team fiercely battled their rivals, the Breck Mustangs, at Blake’s home arena. SPA is part of a co-op hockey team hosted by Blake that includes Minnehaha, Providence, and Blake, in addition to SPA. The Bears, hoping to avenge their earlier 2-1 loss on Dec. 29, came into this game determined. The arena was packed with supportive and cheerful Bear student and parent fans, and each player received plenty of love as the announcer called out the starting lineup.
From the puck drop, the Bears played a swift and aggressive game in the first period. Junior Ella Bond started on the first line. Breck, leading with the majority of puck possession, got an early goal, which set the tone for the rest of the game. Despite Breck’s early lead, shots on goal were even throughout the first period. Nearing the end of the first, Breck got two minor penalties, making the game a five-on-three with Blake on the power play. By the end of the first period, the score was 1-0 with Breck leading. However, Blake was ahead in shots on goal, 11-9.
Starting the second period, Bond tied the game for the Bears, assisted by Blake player Addie Wethington. Breck, still leading with possession, managed 21 shots on goal, but Blake maintained a strong defense as junior goalie Janie McGawn, who has over 1,500 career saves, stood tall. Near the end of the second period, Blake player Callie Arthur shot the puck, hitting the bar before it bounced downward on the edge of the goal line. It was initially called a goal but was soon overturned because the puck didn’t fully cross the line, so the score remained 1-1 going in to the third period.
In the third period, both teams battled for the winning goal. With five minutes left, Blake was trailing in shots, 32-20. Neither team scored, sending the game into an eight-minute overtime period. In overtime, the game follows sudden death rules: if no team scores during the first overtime, it moves into a second overtime. If the score is still tied, the game concludes with a shootout.
Going into overtime, Breck received two penalties, making it a five-on-three with Blake on the power play. However, Blake was unable to capitalize. With just a few minutes left in the first overtime, a Blake player received a penalty, giving Breck the advantage. This foul proved critical as Breck scored their second goal of the game, ending the match with a 2-1 victory.
The Bears’ next game is at 2 p.m. on Jan. 14 against Delano/Rockford at Blake’s ice arena.