BROOKINGS – League-leading Aberdeen beat the Rangers 5-4 on Sunday following a 9-0 victory Saturday during SDAHA girls’ action at Larson Ice Center.
The Cougars improved to 18-0, as they’ve outscored their opponents a combined 166-11 this season.
Brookings (14-4), which is in third place behind Sioux Falls (15-4), plays at Sioux Center, Iowa, on Friday at 9:45 p.m. and Saturday at 12:40 p.m., before wrapping up the regular season playing host to Mitchell on Sunday at 2:15 p.m.
Sunday
• Aberdeen 5, Brookings 4
Hailey Holland had a goal and an assist, while Taylor Mauer tallied a pair of assists to lead the Cougars.
Klara Beinhorn scored two goals for the Rangers.
Aberdeen’s Rhiannon Abel scored on an assist from Mauer at the 8:01 mark of the first period.
Brookings pulled even on Beinhorn’s power-play tally with 4:51 to go in the first. Jordyn Peterson assisted.
Bethany Rennich’s unassisted goal with 10:46 remaining in the second put the Rangers ahead 2-1.
The Cougars countered with three consecutive goals – Kaitlyn Holland scored with 8:47 to go in the second, Hailey Holland with 7:31 left and Kensington Eckhoff with 29 seconds showing on the clock – to open up a 4-2 advantage. Madyson Ogdahl and Taylor Mauer assisted on the first goal, while Hailey Holland was credited with a helper on the latter.
Beinhorn cut the deficit in half with her second goal of the game at the 12:08 mark of the third stanza. Jadyn Peterson assisted.
The Cougars again opened up a two-goal advantage – 5-3 – on Haiden Stoltenburg’s unassisted power-play goal with 7:03 to go.
Brookings’ Carlie Kruse found the back of the net with 21 seconds remaining to provide for the final margin.
Aberdeen’s Hailey Huff made 15 saves to earn the win in goal. Jadyn Runge stopped 33 shots for the Rangers.
The four goals were the most allowed by the Cougars in a game this season.
Saturday
• Aberdeen 9, Brookings 0
Hailey Holland had three goals and two assists, while Huff made 12 saves to earn the shutout win for the Cougars.
Kaitlyn Holland added a goal and three assists. Ogdahl lit the lamp twice and notched an assist. Mikayla Santjer was credited with a goal and an assist.
Eckhoff and Abel had Aberdeen’s other goals.
For the Rangers, Runge stopped 43 shots.
It marked the Cougars’ 12th shutout of the year.
