By: The Sports Guy
Proctor Journal

In a rematch of last season’s section final and in what may be the best girls hockey game of December, Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall takes on Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at Pine Valley in Cloquet tonight.

Last year, the Lumberjacks—behind the standout goaltending of now-graduated Paige Thunder—edged the Mirage 2-1 in the Section 7AA semifinal. CEC lost the 2007 final to Grand Rapids-Greenway.

“We’re really excited about playing CEC,” confirmed Mirage head coach Glen Gilderman. “They are one of three or four local teams that have a strong winning tradition and they are always tough at home.”

PHM, unbeaten save for a first-game loss to Forest Lake—a game in which they outshot FL 27-15, racked up two very big wins over the tough Twin Cities’ teams in back-to-back games last week. The Mirage won 2-1 at South St. Paul on Fri. Nov. 30 and beat North St. Paul 4-2 at Mars-Lakeview the next day. Both teams total 10 appearances in the state tournament, with South St. Paul notching 4 state championships (02, 03, 05, 06), 1 runner-up, and 2 bronze medals in 8 opportunities. North has 1 silver medal (2004) in two tries.

Going south for South; North heads north

Facing a team like the Packers on the road is challenging, to say the least. The Mirage met the challenge in sterling fashion, as Julia Gilbert—currently 3rd in the state with 11 goals—scored both goals, including the late third period game winner. Jami Weiss and Bekah Norton assisted on the respective goals.

Against North on Saturday, the challenge was first to get to the arena, as the first snowstorm of the season blanketed the Northland with over a foot of powder. First up for Gilderman was to make sure the visiting Polars would even try to get into town. But Minnesota toughness in the winter isn’t limited to the Northland, and North head coach Bill Halbrehder told Gilderman via telephone that, as long as the roads were being plowed and travel safe, the Polars were indeed coming to the head of the lakes.

“I was a little worried when we got to Mesabi Avenue,” Halbrehder confessed later.

Scheduling several back-to-back games against tough teams, Gilderman is clearly preparing his team for post-season play, a’ la the state tournament. But along with this comes the weariness from travel giving Gilderman added concern about the strength of the North team.

“Besides being simply a good team, North St. Paul is fast,” Gilderman had cautioned beforehand. “We are going to have to be sharp early or they’ll put us in a hole we may not be able to get out of easily.”

Almost by Gilderman’s script, the Polars came out flying. The first period was a North St. Paul clinic on how to beat your opponent to the puck. But the Mirage had an ace in the hole: Katie Gilderman in the net.

The PHM

“secret” weapon

Sometimes deceiving in light of the powerful Mirage scoring machine is the ongoing strength of the Mirage goaltending duo of Katie Gilderman and Jen Coyle. Gilderman has lately played the role of Ironman—or Ironwoman, if you prefer—following a severe ankle twist that put normal net rotation partner Jen Coyle on crutches. Coyle, clearly chomping at the bit to return, is now off crutches and should be back in action soon.

But for now Gilderman is covering the netminding duties well, currently ranking in the state top 5 for performance. Although enjoying several games requiring relatively few saves, Gilderman has risen to the occasion against the Cities’ teams, recording 19 saves against the Packers on Friday and then keeping her team in the game on Saturday by holding the Polars to a 1-1 tie at the first break. Gilbert scored the Mirage goal, assisted by Jami Weiss. The second period found the Mirage playing tighter defense. North St. Paul was still getting to the puck, but weren’t able to do much afterwards, thanks to PHM forechecking. Meanwhile, the powerful Mirage offense finally flexed its muscle, pulling ahead to 3-1 at the second break off an unassisted goal by Weiss and an unassisted shorthanded score by Hannah Buchite. An insurance goal by Gilbert, with assist by Emma Stauber, midway through the third period was needed, as the never-say-die Polars returned to their strength—their speed—and got one back when a Mirage miscue led to a North pass out front from behind the net for a point-blank goal just above the leg pads that Gilderman had no chance stopping for a final score of 4-2.

“This was very important for us,” said Glen Gilderman. “We have some high team goals this season and playing these great teams from outside the area will only help us get to a higher level.”

The North St. Paul game also heralded the return of sophomore forward Steph Strapple after a lengthy viral illness. Strapple’s presence adds to the Mirage offensive depth—depth needed for the match up tonight with area powerhouse Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, a competition the PHM girls are anticipating with relish.

“Immediately after the (North St. Paul) game, the girls started talking about Cloquet,” smiled Gilderman. “We’ve played two of the best local teams in single A in Hibbing-Chisholm and Silver Bay/Two Harbors/Cook County, two of the best from the Twin Cities, and now we want to play the best from the bigger area schools, like CEC, Grand Rapids-Greenway, and the Duluth team (Northern Stars).”

PHM plays the Thunderhawks at Grand Rapids on Tues., Jan. 15 and the Stars at Proctor on Tues., Jan. 22.

On Tues., Nov. 27, the Mirage beat Superior 7-1 at the Hermantown arena, with PHM goals coming by Gilbert and Weiss (2 each), Stauber and Elly Power (both shorthanded), and team newcomer Kaylee Strom—a transfer from a Twin Cities area school and daughter of former Rails boys swim team member Chris. Assists came from Weiss, Power and Brooke Morin (2 each). Gilderman recorded 7 saves to the 38 of embattled Spartans goalie Janine Seifert.