First off, I apologize for the lack of posts lately.  It’s been a pretty busy couple of weeks, and I just couldn’t find the will to sit down and write something.  I promised myself I would write up something while on the bus to our game in Minot.  I could write about the NHL season being back, Brian Burke being fired, or one of the never-ending topics in college hockey.  However, I can’t get my mind off of the huge win that the high school team I help coach just had.  So while the team is “cellying hard” on the bus ride back and reliving each and every moment of the game, I’m attempting to capture it in writing for all of you to read. 

Disclaimer:  Yes, this will be biased.  For an unbiased recap see willistonherald.com or minotdailynews.com

Coyote Girls Hockey Beats Minot in 2-1 Thriller!

                Ralph Engelstad once said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get."  While every North Dakota kid has heard these words hundreds of times, the frustration was obviously starting to settle in on the Williston Coyote Girls’ Hockey team.  The last few weeks it seemed like no matter how hard they worked, they couldn’t catch a bounce.  However, head coach Mat Ekblad was not willing to accept the “bad luck” excuse when he walked into the locker room at the Maysa Arena to address his team before the game.  Coach Ekblad spoke about making your own luck and emphasized that there was still more the girls could give to create the bounces they needed.  It turns out he was right, and the girls responded by controlling the play and coming away with a huge 2-1 road win.

                The Coyotes came out flying in the first period putting up twelve shots and limiting Minot’s chances.  They established a strong forecheck and were controlling the play, but couldn’t get one past goalie Sydney Swanson.  The first period ended 0-0, and despite controlling most of the period, the Coyote girls knew they had more to give.

                At the start of the 2^nd period, everybody in the building could tell that the Williston squad wasn’t content with being tied 0-0 and simply controlling play.  They threw more pucks at the net, crashed the net on every opportunity, and battled even harder.  Halfway through the period, Amanda Nelson put the Coyotes on the board.  Linemate Kayla Buck came down on a 2 on 1, drew the defenseman to her, and slid the puck to Nelson who sniped it top shelf.  The Magette’s, starting to get frustrated, took a penalty and the Coyotes went back to work.  Kayla Buck came off the side boards looking to pass the puck up to the Miller, but she was covered.  Buck found the opening in the middle of the ice, cut in to the scoring area, and rifled one past Swanson for a 2-0 lead.  The Magette’s had a couple of good scoring chances, but couldn’t get one past Maddy McLees, and the Coyotes ended the second period up 2-0.

                In the third period, Minot came out with more heart trying to get back in the game.  They got on the board with a Sydney Boyce goal at the halfway point of the period.  However, it wouldn’t be enough as McLees and the Coyotes went back to work and finished the hard-found game 2-1.  There were hugs, cheers, and tears in the locker room and on the bus.  “Why?” you might ask.  Yes, this was just one game, but the excitement comes  from 19 players giving everything of themselves for fifty-one minutes against their biggest rival and it being enough to yield the result they desired.  That’s the beauty of sports.  Tonight they got to live out the quote “The harder you work, the luckier you get!"