Summer workouts, captains practices, tryouts in Minnetonka and a final review in Moorhead with scrimmages against Moorhead, Breck and Burnsville have finally been completed and we are ready to begin the 2008-2009 Skipper hockey season! With the departure of a very talented senior class, the young Skippers will be looking for scoring from 3 balanced lines this year. Last year's team played one of the toughest schedules in the state and this year will be no different. Coach Urick believes the only way you can go deep into the sectional tournament is to play the very best teams during the hockey season.

 

This past Saturday night, Tonka traveled to Chaska to take on a much improved Hawks team. The Chaska Community Center was packed with Tonka fans who came out to support their team. The Skippers controlled play at the drop of the puck as Max Gardiner scored only 0:45 seconds into the first period. Andrew Prochno and Thomas Schutt assisted on the Gardiner goal. Midway through the first period, Chaska tied the game on a power play goal. With 5 minutes left in the first period, Sam Coatta made a nice pass to Troy Hesketh, who blasted a shot from the blue line. The Chaska goalie was in position to make the save, but Gardiner deflected the puck in mid air to go high blocker side. Gardiner's second goal gave the Skippers a 2-1 lead ending the first period.

 

The second period was all Tonka. Tommy Lundquist lit the lamp first with couple of nice assists from Erik Baskin and Nick Helmer. Tonka was applying pressure as Coatta was digging pucks out of the corners all period long. Chaska had a tough time staying up with the speed of the Skippers and this resulted in three Hawks penalties. Coatta was able to work the puck to Gardiner in the front of the net, and he buried it for his third goal of the game, a power play goal, and hat trick! Chaska didn't back down as they answered with a power play goal of their own two minutes later making the score 4-2 Skippers. Baskin and Lundquist were able to work the puck to Prochno who put the game away with a shot from the top of the circle, beating the Chaska goalie through the five hole.

 

Jim Kruger stopped 23 of 25 Chaska shots to record his first victory of the season.

 

This Friday Tonka hosts #19A ranked Hibbing for the season opener at Pagel and a big crowd is expected. Saturday night, the team travels to Park Cottage Grove, before leaving for Duluth for a highly touted game with the Greyhounds on December 11th. This will be first game at the new home of the Greyhounds, the Heritage Arena. The game is expected to be a sell out.