5 hours Ago By Rocky Hulne
Published 9:54 pm Friday, January 31, 2025 By Rocky Hulne Austin’s Daran Plunkett makes a save during the second period against Winona at Riverside Arena. Eric Johnson/[email protected] Austin’s Maxx Joseph takes a shot in front of Winona’s Patrick Curtin during the first period Friday night at Riverside Arena.
Eric Johnson/[email protected] Austin’s Trent Rubin, left, controls the puck in front of Winona’s Aven Prodzinski during the first period Friday night in Riverside Areana. eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.
com Austin’s Alex Whipple gains control of the puck against Winona’s Myron St. George during the first period Friday night at Riverside Arena. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.
com Despite watching two one goal leads disappear in the third period, the Packer boys hockey team was unfazed as it held strong and beat Winona 3-2 in overtime in Riverside Arena Friday night. The Packers (11-7-1 overall) sealed the win when senior Gavin Brekke trailed junior Eli Krueger on a breakaway and after Krueger’s shot was deflected, Brekke glided in and slapped it home for the victory. “Our coach just preaches to crash to the net whenever there’s a shot,” Brekke said.
“I kind of crashed and I got lucky. It bounced right to me. It feels amazing.
” After tying the game at 1-1 early in the third period Winona (10-7-1 overall) held a five-on-three advantage after a pair of penalties on the Packers. Winona committed a penalty which cut its advantage to four-on-three and Austin sophomore Kade Overocker escaped for what looked like the game winner when he scored with 2:19 left in the game. But Winona responded just 14 seconds later when Myles Bruemmer scored his second goal of the night.
The last time Austin played the Winhawks, the Packers led 2-0 with five minutes remaining, but Austin got into penalty trouble in the late minutes and Winona won 4-2 on Jan. 9. “We thought we were going to have the same outcome tonight, so it feels good to put it away this time,” said Austin senior goalie Daran Plunkett, who had 28 saves.
“It’s really just grit and you’ve got to know you’re going to do it. You have to put in the effort and know you’re going to get it done.” Austin hammered out 41 shots in the win and it took a 1-0 lead in the second period when Grady Carney scored a goal off the post.
Austin’s shots came from all angles as many different players were on the attack throughout the night. “Everyone’s been able to chip in,” Brekke said. “Not having to rely on one or two guys has made a huge difference and you see it in the results.
” The Packers now have more wins this season than they had in their previous five seasons combined. Austin’s win total is the most it has had in a season since the team went 16-10-1 overall in 2005-2006. “It’s insane,” Plunkett said.
“The difference this year, the confidence level of the guys and the thought of being able to win and get it done is something we’ve never had before.” SCORING SUMMARY Winona 0 0 2 0 – 2 Austin 0 1 1 1 – 3 First period No scoring Second period (A) Gavin Carney (Trent Rubin) 11:43 Third period (W) Myles Bruemmer 10:11 (A) Cale Overocker 14:51 (W) Bruemmer (Even Prodzinski) 15:05 OT (A) Gavin Brekke (Eli Krueger) 3:20.
