Red Wing junior forward Taylor Heise scored six goals in an 8-0 win over the Faribault Falcons in Section 1A semifinal action Saturday night.

The Prairie Island Arena was filled and Heise played hockey at an entirely different level than anybody else.

Shots on goal are not on the scoreboard, and I couldn't hear whether the public address announcer told the crowd how many shots there were on goal. The official game sheet lists 50 shots for Red Wing and 15 for Faribault. That would mean Faribault junior goalie Camryn Salmonsen had 42 saves on the night.

The first couple of Heise shots, Salmonsen did make impressive saves, but it appeared when Heise is determined to score, more often than not she is going to.

Her first goal was from just below the blue line high in the slot and the puck looked like it was shot out of a cannon. In fact all six of her goals were hard shots. Not a dainty one in the bunch.

The University of Minnesota is going to be very happy Taylor Heise chose them.

Faribault ranked 11th out of 12 teams in the Big Nine on the penalty kill during the regular season, and it was one of the bright spots of the game.

The Wingers scored just one power play goal (the first one) in five attempts. The Falcons were fourth on the power play during the regular season in the Big Nine but were 0 for 2 in Saturday's game.

Heise had a hat trick in the first period when Red Wing took a 3-0 lead into the locker room. Hats came flying onto the ice from the Red Wing student body section.

She added two more goals in the second period to make the score 5-0 after two periods and, after goals from teammates Sophie Schafer and Elle Bryant, scored her last and the team's last goal of the night at 10:32 of third period. Hats came flying onto the ice again.

The top seed and No. 7 Class A state-ranked Wingers had running time in the third period just as they did in their 11-1 first round win over Winona.

Our Faribault State Farm Insurance agents Faribault players of the game were the two seniors on the Falcon team, Madeline Drevlow and Alexis Ferris. They've been fun to watch over the past few years.

Ferris nearly made a shorthanded goal in the game and both seniors were great leaders for their team this season.

Thanks to Faribault State Farm agents Tony Langerud and Jason Krohn for sponsoring our player of the game selections again this season.

Red Wing will play Northfield on Thursday at 5PM at the Four Seasons Arena in Owatonna for the right to go to the State Girls Hockey Tournament.

That game will be followed by the Section 1 Class AA championship between Farmington and Lakeville South at 7:30PM.

 

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