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Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
Six weeks ago the Forest Lake girls hockey team took on the 2-0 Woodbury Royals and promptly sent its Suburban East Conference opponent home with a 3-1 defeat. That would begin a 12-game run down the losers’ aisle for Woodbury, while also helping the Rangers open with a 7-0 record.
Last weekend the Royals evened the season series with an identical 3-1 victory over Forest Lake.
According to head coach Heidi Link, her team is dealing with injuries, illnesses, absences and uninspired play.
When Park came to town on Tuesday night, the Rangers were forced to sit goaltender Kim Fredrick, in hopes of keeping her in shape for the last month of the regular season, and beyond.
IN RELIEF: Lonna Anderson started in net for the Rangers, giving senior Kim Fredrick a breather, and the team a victory over Park.
“Everyone is not healthy,” Link said.
“(And) we had Audrey (Hanmer) gone for a week with her tryouts (the USA under-18 national team).
Link felt her squad had lost some intensity, which has put them in this slump.
“In every game we have plenty of opportunities,” she adds, with an emphasis on plenty. “We simply have not been able to capitalize.”
In the loss to Woodbury, the Royals took the early lead by scoring twice in the first period, and they would finish the night with a 38-27 shot advantage over the Rangers.
Torri Shelafoe was able to score in the second for Forest Lake, but so did Woodbury, and that would bring the game to its 3-1 conclusion.
“We have glimmers of brilliance and then we tend to struggle when the momentum shifts,” Link shared. “We have to get the girls to work through the tough times.”
Link was hopeful that her team would respond against Park on Jan. 8, which they did with a 5-4 win.
The game also provided goalie Lonna Anderson a chance to prove herself in front of the net, and the sophomore came through with 15 saves in the victory.
Forest Lake (10-7-1, 5-4-1) is on the road this weekend, with a game at Mounds View on Saturday night.
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