The Minot High School girls hockey team couldn't recall the last time it had been on the winning side when playing Fargo South-Davies.
The answer: Dec. 5, 2009.
After a disappointing result against Jamestown Friday, it took just 21 seconds for the Majettes to match their goal output from that game and only 5:40 to best that mark in a 2-1 victory over the Bruins on Saturday at Maysa Arena.
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Daniel Allar/MDN
Minot High School senior forward and co-captain Jessie Kongelf attempts to move the puck up ice as Fargo South-Davies’ Gabby Miller defends during Saturday’s game at Maysa Arena.
"It's huge for us and for our program," MHS assistant coach Levi Bjertness said. "It's been a long time since we've gotten a win against them. It's exciting for the girls."
MHS senior forward and co-captain Jessie Kongelf scored both Majettes goals and senior goaltender Karlee Galvin withstood a barrage of shots to preserve the victory.
Kongelf put the Majettes on the scoreboard in the opening minute after tapping in a rebound attempt in front of the net. MHS senior forward Angie Lothspeich fired a shot from the left-side faceoff circle that FS-D goaltender Emily Grothmann could not control with the glove. The puck came out to Kongelf, who buried the rebound.
"Other teams are going to look at us differently," Kongelf said. "Coming into this season they had the impression of us being young and inexperienced, but now we have confidence and that's going to make some noise around the state."
The Bruins tied the game at 5:04 of the first period when senior forward Brittany Potas found senior forward Nevada Wilson with a centering pass from behind the net. Wilson lifted a wrist shot over Galvin's stick-side shoulder.
Kongelf helped the Majettes (3-2 overall) recapture the lead and the momentum just 36 seconds later and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
"I wanted the hat trick so bad, but I'm happy with two," Kongelf said.
The Majettes were on the defensive for the majority of the second period. The Bruins registered 11 shots on Galvin, who had to deal with heavy traffic in front of the net. Galvin denied FS-D's Alli Thomas on a breakaway attempt with under four minutes in the second to keep Minot in front. It was Galvin's first game since sitting out most of last season with a concussion.
"Last night was a blow to our confidence since we lost to a team we shouldn't have lost to," Galvin said. "And now we're ecstatic. We have to still work hard in practice and we can't take any days off. We have to work as hard as we did today."
The Bruins (5-1), who pulled Grothmann, played the final 40 ticks with a two-player advantage after FS-D's Kara Tupa came out of the penalty box while MHS senior defender Alexandra Harrom continued to serve her penalty for hooking. The Bruins crashed the net looking for a chance to send the game into overtime, but Galvin kept the puck in front of her until the final buzzer.
"That was the longest 40 seconds of my life," Galvin said.
The Majettes play at Williston at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.