Tayah Otterness scored a pair of goals as the Park Rapids-Menahga-Nevis-Walker-Hackensack-Akeley girls hockey team opened the season with a 4-1 win over Morris/Benson at Morris Saturday afternoon.
After a scoreless first period, Otterness opened the scoring with an assist from Tara Johanning at the 4:57 mark of the second period. Kinley Nordin set up a shorthanded goal by Lexi Hinkley-Smith at the 10:29 mark while Hinkley-Smith assisted on a goal by Johanning at the 15:11 mark to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
Otterness pushed the lead to 4-0 at the 15:04 mark of the third period. The Storm avoided a shutout when Hollie Christians scored a power-play goal with 39 seconds to play.
Goalie Julia Smith made 12 saves for the Panthers, who held a 33-13 advantage in shots on goal.
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Park Rapids 0 3 1…4
Morris/Benson 0 0 1….1
FIRST PERIOD: No scoring. Penalties: None.
SECOND PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Otterness (Johanning), 4:57. 2, Park Rapids, Hinkley-Smith (Nordin), 10:29. 3, Park Rapids, Johanning (Hinkley-Smith), 15:11. Penalties: Park Rapids 2, Morris/Benson 2.
THIRD PERIOD: 4, Park Rapids, Otterness, 15:04. 1, Morris/Benson, Christians (Watzke), 16:21. Penalties: Park Rapids 3, Morris/Benson 2.
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Smith) 4-2-6-12. Morris/Benson (Hoffman) 11-11-7-29.
