There was good news and bad news this weekend for the Minot United girls hockey team.

The bad news was they were unable to pick up any points in the standings after a pair of lopsided home losses. Minot United opened the weekend with a 9-1 loss to Fargo North/South on Friday, Feb. 13, and followed that up with a 12-1 defeat at the hands of West Fargo United on Saturday, Feb. 14.

The good news is that Minot United continues to hold the eighth and final spot in the state tournament field at the moment with two games remaining in the season. Minot United can’t finish higher than the eighth spot with Mandan locked into the seventh seed.

Minot United (5-14-2-0 overall, 4-14-2-0 state) holds a one-point lead over Williston and a two-point lead over Jamestown. Minot United and Williston both have two games remaining on their schedule and Jamestown has three. Minot United has games left against Dickinson and Mandan. Williston will play Bismarck Century and Dickinson, and Jamestown still has to play Fargo North/South, Devils Lake and Grand Forks.

It was a weekend to forget on the ice, as Minot United surrendered 21 goals on 98 shots. On Friday, Minot United allowed five first-period goals, with Kenleigh Fischer getting the Spruins on the board in the first minute of the contest. Fischer scored four goals on the night, earning the hat trick less than nine minutes into the first period. She added her fourth shorthanded at 13:32 in the second period.

Maggie Ackerman avoided the shutout for Minot United, scoring off an assist from Chelsey Zieska at 8:01 of the second period.

Minot United again would fall behind early on Saturday against West Fargo United, allowing two goals in the first 2:33 as part of a four-goal first period. Emerson Diede netted a hat trick, scoring her third with 15 seconds left in the third period. Seven West Fargo United skaters finished with at least three points.

Brynn Hanson netted Minot United’s lone goal of the contest at 10:45 of the second period, with Zieska earning the assist. Hanson now has 14 goals this season.

Minot United travels to play Dickinson on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. at the West River Ice Center.