Muskies hang tough at Holiday Cup

The Muskie girls’ hockey team won’t mind a small case of razor burn after a series of close shaves last week.
In a season decorated with a number of lopsided losses so far, the black-and-gold proved themselves legitimate competitors at the Minnesota Girls Holiday Cup tournament in Blaine, Mn., finishing with a 1-2 record in the Orange division of the varsity portion of the event.
The Muskies lost their opener 5-3 to the Long Prairie-Wadena-Deer Creek Blue Devils on Thursday afternoon, having to lace up their blades mere hours after enduring a five-and-a-half hour bus ride.
Angie Johnson and Lacy Ostendorf each tallied twice for the Blue Devils, with Amanda McManigle adding a single. Krystine Marchuk had a goal and an assist for the Muskies while Katie McTavish and Darcy Smith, in her first game back from a sprained knee, also scored.
Fort High then rebounded with a 3-1 win over St. Bernard’s on Friday night on goals by Tara Lloyd, Hannah Firth, and Marchuk. Andria Fuerst had the lone tally for St. Bernard’s.
In their final outing, the Muskies engaged in a tight defensive struggle with Andover before succumbing by a 1-0 score Saturday night.
Andover’s Hillary Gerster intercepted a cross-ice pass inside the Muskie blueline and raced in on the breakaway to score the game’s only goal a minute into the third period.
Fond Du Lac-Waupun captured the Orange division title with a 3-0 mark, while Andover and Moose Lake tied for second at 2-1.
The Muskies and Long Prairie-Wadena-Deer Creek both posted records of 1-2, with the Minnesota squad getting the nod for fourth place because of their head-to-head victory against the black-and-gold.
St. Bernard’s brought up the rear with an 0-3 record.
The Holiday Cup is the largest high school girls’ hockey tournament in the U.S., with 82 teams participating this year in varsity and junior varsity divisions.
The Muskies return to NorWOSSA action Jan. 7 here against the Dryden Eagles.