Fusion advance to sectional final

• Kalli Armagost

St. Croix Valley Fusion goaltender Kalli Armagost makes a glove save in the first period of the Fusion’s 3-1 victory over the ECA Stars in a WIAA Sectional semifinal game Tuesday night in Baldwin. Armagost finished with 28 saves to help the Fusion advance to the sectional final for the fourth straight season. Bob Burrows photo.

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Hailey Rock’s penalty shot goal with 1 minute, 36 seconds remaining snapped a 1-1 tie, and the St. Croix Valley Fusion added an empty-net insurance goal in the final minute to post a 3-1 victory over the Eau Claire/Altoona Stars in a WIAA Sectional semifinal game Tuesday night in Baldwin.

Rock’s goal came just 15 seconds after the Stars had tied the score. Following the faceoff, Rock broke free on a breakaway and a Stars player threw her stick at her feet, prompting the referees to award a penalty shot. Rock slipped a back-hander into the lower left corner of the net for the game winner.

Heather Shew scored an empty-net goal in later in the third to make the final 3-1.

Allie DeMotts gave the Fusion a 1-0 lead midway through the second period and Fusion goaltender Kalli Armagost made the lead stand until the Stars’ Macki Fadness tied the score with 1:51 remaining in the third. Rock’s penalty shot game winner came just 15 seconds later.

Armagost finished with 28 saves as the Stars outshot the Fusion, 29-21.

Second-seeded St. Croix Valley will now face top-seed Hayward-Spooner in the sectional final Friday at 7 p.m. at the New Richmond Sports Center for a spot in next weekend’s state tournament.

The Hurricanes (20-2-1) are currently ranked No. 2 in the Wisconsin Prep Hockey girls’ state poll while the three-time defending state champion Fusion (16-9-1) are No. 6. The two teams have met twice this season with the Hurricanes winning both games by scores of 4-2.

Tags: sports, hockey, wildcats, prep, fusion