Faribault Girls Hockey Wins Without Top Goalie

About a month ago Faribault Falcons senior Ellie Knutson told KDHL on the Faribault Coaches Show at KFC she was the emergency goalie for the Falcons. Knutson said she played the position in her youth and was "terrible" at it. Junior goalie Mikayla Bohner was sick and couldn't play in LeSueur Thursday night against Minnesota River so Knutson went between the pipes.

The third baseman on last spring's state championship softball team had 21 saves in her varsity goalie debut in a 7-4 win over the Minnesota River Bulldogs. The Falcons jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first period but it was a bit hectic when the Bulldogs pulled to within a goal at 5-4 after two periods.

Junior Olivia Williamson had a hat trick for Faribault, scoring twice in the first period and another time in the third. Minnesota River got the first goal of the game when Keely Olness scored 4:24 into the game assisted by Kylie Dunning. Williamson scored the next two goals. An unassisted power play goal at 5:05 and another goal at 10:33 assisted by Abigail Goodwin. Less than 30 seconds later (11:00) Olivia Morelan scored assisted by Haley Lang. 96 seconds later Regan Bulger got a goal assisted by Bergen Williamson.

Minnesota River scored 2:42 into the second period when Olness got a goal assisted by Whitney Weick and Nicole McCabe. At 9:50 Anna Pavlo scored for the Bulldogs assisted by Elle Davis. The Falcons Rylie Starkson answered less than a minute later (10:48) assisted by Tori Pavel. Pavlo got her second goal for Minnesota River at 13:10 and it was 5-4 going into the third period.

Williamson got her hat trick 3:30 into the final period assisted by Goodwin and Morelan and Haley Lang finished the scoring at 8:39 unassisted.

The official game sheet had Faribault with 56 shots on goal and Minnesota River 25. The Falcons outshot the Bulldogs 16-6 in the first period, 14-12 in the second and 26-7 in the third.

Faribault was 1 for 2 on the power play and Minnesota River 0 for 2. The Falcons now have 16 wins on the season. Their next game is January 19th at Owatonna.

Minnesota River is now 5-13 and hosts Windom on January 18th.

The official game sheet listed Bohner as the goalie but Todd Rost has the proof of Knutson between the pipes. He was nice enough to send us a photo.

Ellie Knutson Dealing with a Bouncing Puck. Photo by Todd Rost

Falcon Abigail Goodwin Rushes Net at LeSueur. Photo provided by Todd Rost

Other girls hockey scores Thursday night: