The Hastings Boys Hockey team remained undefeated on the season with a come from behind win on the road against Anoka on Tuesday night. The Raiders overcame a slow start, as Anoka got on the board first at 8:56 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The Raiders managed to outshoot the Tornadoes 10-6 in the period, but could not get goals past the Anoka goaltender. Anoka would add a second at 7:54 of the 2nd to make it 2-0, and the Raiders were pinned on their heels. But, the Raiders would get a power play and a short time later they would break through for their first power play goal of the season, when Connor Zgoda found the back of the net to make it 2-1, with Blake Vandehoef and Brody Larsen on the helpers. Two minutes later, the Raiders added another, when Vandehoef scored from Harris and Iovino and suddenly the game was tied. The Raiders then controlled the third period, preventing a few Anoka chances, and despite a few penalties, they were able to break the tie when Zgoda got a second goal to make it 3-2. Zaruba and McNamara assisted. The raiders then worked their shorthanded magic for the first time this season, albeit on an empty net, when Vandehoef found the back of the net on the team’s third crack at the vacant net to make it 4-2. The Raiders go to 2-0-1 on the season and face Century on Thursday in Rochester, before hosting Hill-Murray on Saturday.
Kody Niederkorn stopped 18 out of 20 shots in the win for Hastings, who was led by the 3 point night from Vandehoef and Zgoda’s two goals. The Raiders outshot the Tornadoes 34-20 in the W.
