By Jake Schroer
Crow River News Sports
The River Hawks finally got Cailyn McCauley her first pair of wins as head coach with a 6-3 win over Benilde-St. Margaret’s and a 6-2 win over Rochester John Marshall/Lourdes
Friday’s game turned from good to bad in the first period for the River Hawks. Samantha Och (Megan Sullivan, Paige Jensen) tallied the first goal of the game only for BSM to score three; an even strength goal from Amanda Nylander (Grace Peluso) and power play goals from Grace Peluso (Nylander) and Megan Cornell (Maria DeCesare).
The River Hawks needed a response. Early in the second period, they got it from Mackenzie Bourgerie (Och) as she put home a power play goal. Heading to the third period, the score still read 3-2 in favor of BSM.
Och tied the game very early in the third (Bourgerie) and began a North Wright County offensive explosion. Three more goals followed; Molly Young, Brinna Martin (Sullivan, Och) and Bourgerie (Och, Payton Allen) capped the scoring with her second PPG.
Anna LaRose saved 36 shots.
ROCHESTER
The River Hawks again came out firing and came away with a 6-2 win on Saturday.
This time, it was them who got off to a big start on the scoreboard. Brooke Johnson (Mackenzie Bourgerie), Samantha Och (Bourgerie) and Mackenzie Bourgerie scored the first three goals of the contest and held a big lead in the second period.
Katie Montrose broke the shutout in the same period (Renee Saltness, Sarah Montrose), only for Payton Allen to answer back (Bourgerie).
In the third, Lexy Fuerstenberg (Paige Jensen, Sydney Lemke) and Och (Bourgerie) scored to put the game away. Renee Saltness collected one more for RJML.
The pair of wins evened up NWC’s record at 2-2.
The River Hawks played Cambridge-Isanti Tuesday night. They host St. Francis Thursday night and Moorhead on Saturday.