Luverne girls' hockey team takes fourth place in Herb Brooks Holiday Classic - gold division

The Luverne Cardinals girls’ hockey team traveled to Blaine Dec. 26-28 to play in the 2022 Herb Brooks Holiday Classic.
Last year the Cardinals were crowned tournament champions in the silver division, beating University of Milwaukee 8-1, Moose Lake 6-3 and Marshall 5-1.
This year LHS returned to the tournament but played in a bracket above, the gold division.
This division includes teams from Delano, Mankato East, Marshall, Duluth, River Lakes, Mounds View/Irondale and Dodge County.
The Cardinals played tough against some larger metro teams, placing fourth overall in the tournament with a record of 1-2.
“The other teams made us pay for our mistakes and ultimately cost a couple of losses,” said head coach Tony Sandbulte.
 
Game 1 – Dec. 26
Luverne 2, River Lakes 0
In the first game, Luverne faced River Lakes, once again having recently beat them 3-1 at home Saturday, Dec. 17.
This game would be little tighter.
Kamryn Van Batavia scored early in the first period at 4:01. The goal was a historic one, her 400th career point.
This puts Van Batavia near the top three all-time career points scorers in Minnesota girls’ hockey.
At the end of the first period the Cardinals led 1-0.
The second period would see no goals.
In the third period Luverne found the net once again. Tenley Behr scored at 16:43 with an assist by Ella Apel and closed out the game with a 2-0 win for Luverne.
Goaltender Mallory Von Tersch played a great game, stopping 20 shots on goal from River Lakes.
River Lakes goalie stopped 26 of 28 shots from Luverne.
 
Game 2 – Dec. 27
Mounds View-Irondale 3, Luverne 2
In the second round Luverne skated against a strong Mounds View-Irondale team.
Once again Kamryn Van Batavia started the scoring off in the first period at 3:37 with an assist from Payton Behr.
Only 57 seconds into the second period, Van Batavia scored again.
Mounds View-Irondale answered with two goals of their own at 8:34 and 9:58, closing the second period tied at two goals apiece.
In the third period Mounds View/Irondale made a heartbreaker goal at 15:07, giving them a 3-2 win over Luverne.
 
Game 3 – Dec. 28
Mankato East 2, Luverne 1
Game three pitted Luverne against Mankato East for third place in the tournament.
The first period would decide the game.
Mankato East scored first at 6:03 in the first period.
Luverne tied it up with a goal from Ellie Van Batavia at 10:27.
Mankato East scored once again at 13:04, making the score 2-1 at the end of the first period.
The second and third periods had no scoring from either team.
Mankato East won the game 2-1 and took home third place.
 
The Cardinals girls’ hockey team is now 9-3 for the season and ranked ninth overall in Class 1A.
Luverne is scheduled to host Fairmont Tuesday, Jan. 3, and travel to Albert Lea Tuesday, Jan. 10.