Lightning Wraps Up 2002 in Grand Fashion

The Lightning improved upon an impressive inaugural season by posting a 22-9-5 overall record. Playing three less games than a year ago, the Lightning recorded one additional win against three fewer losses. Statistically, the team improved in all areas. This year, the Lightning scored 15 more goals, allowed eight fewer, and spent 93 minutes less in the penalty box.

"I believe we were a more well balanced team this year," Forward Karen Rhein said. "We didn't have any superstars, but we also didn't have any players that weren't pulling their weight."

However, in league play the Lightning's finish fell short of the team's goals. The Lightning posted a 13-7-5 league record and finished fifth in what proved to be an improved Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota (WHAM) C1 Division. The team's fifth place finish left the Lightning looking in at the state tournament, but the team had the solace of knowing it was still among the C1 Division's best.

The Lightning won three and tied one game against the regular season champion Rockets and split the regular season series with the state champion Bladerunners. The Lightning's three wins versus the Rockets, one of which occurred in triple overtime, extended the team's undefeated streak to seven games versus its arch-rival.

The Lightning started the year with a tough schedule and a host of close games. The team faced upper division teams in six of its first eight contests and escaped the early weeks of the season with a 2-2-3 record.

But as the weather cooled off, the Lightning heated up. The Lightning lost only once, winning seven out of nine games through the holiday season and into late January. Included in the streak was a 2-0 win over the eventual league champion Rockets, a 3-2 win over the Mustangs, and a season sweep of Top Gun.

As the calendar changed to February, the Lightning stumbled, losing key games to the Bladerunners and the Mustangs. The team would pull things together, winning its last four regular season games, but it was too late to pull out a berth in the state tournament.

"We definitely gelled as a team, but maybe it came a week or so too late," Coach Dennis Endy said. "Towards the end of the season we had really come together. There were teams that we could've beaten and should've beaten, but we didn't. That's sports."

Once again, the Lightning made a strong showing in the Twin Ports Tournament, but the high point of the weekend wasn't the team's third place finish. Without a doubt it was a 1-0, triple overtime victory over the Rockets in the quarterfinals. Danielle Stolp ended the longest game in Lightning history, when she tipped in Katie Hilpisch's rebound two minutes and eight seconds into the third overtime period.

"That was a phenomenal game," Goalie Gina Magstadt said. "We never gave up and just kept playing and playing. (The Rockets) were first in our division, but they never beat us this year."

The Lightning played in two more tournaments before closing the books on the 2001 - 2002 season. The team finished fourth in the Stick It to Cancer Tournament and then ventured out west to appear in the Front Range Face-Off in Denver, Colo.

The Lightning tournament team, consisting of players from a combination of four different WHAM teams, ended the season with a bang. In route to the first tournament championship in team history, the Lightning went 5-0 on the weekend, downing its opponents by an average of more than four goals per game.

Tracy Holmes led both the Lightning and the tournament field in scoring and was named the tournament's most valuable player. Both Holmes and Cindy Scanlon logged double digit point totals for the weekend.

"The Colorado tournament was a total blast. It was a great group, and I can't wait to do it again next year," Defenseman Anne Steiner said. "I think I can safely speak for Toni and myself in saying that it was a great honor to have our last official duty as Lightning captains be accepting the championship trophy."

For the second consecutive season, Stolp, who appeared in only 22 games, led the team in scoring with 26 goals and 12 assists. Beth Amos notched 17 goals and eight assists.

Wings may have been the key to the Lightning's offensive improvement. Karen Rhein once again led the team in assists with 15 and added 7 goals. Anne Miller kicked in 10 goals and 10 assists, and Katie Hilpisch, Tamiko Thomas, and Anne Scanlon all improved on their 2000 - 2001 totals, logging 15, 14, and 10 points, respectively.

Steiner led the defensive corps in scoring with eight goals and nine assists and fellow blueliner Toni Melson had one goal and 12 assists. Lightning defensemen stepped up their offensive productivity, logging nine more points than they did a year ago.

Magstadt continued to distinguish herself as one of the league's best goaltenders. Appearing in 35 games, Magstadt posted a 1.69 goals against average, saved 90 percent of the shots she faced, and shut out the opposition in 12 games.

Special teams proved to be one of the Lightning's greatest assets. The team killed a whopping 92 percent of its penalties and allowed only two power-play goals through the first 33 games. On the flip side, the Lightning converted 17 percent of its power play chances.

But more important than scoring, special teams, or defense, teamwork and togetherness were what led the Lightning to success.

"I was very much impressed and pleased by the team unity we had," Melson said. "Not just our time at the rink but also our time away from the rink played a big part in molding us as a unit."

She went on to say, "This is a fun-loving group and doing tournaments with our group is second to none. There were long-lasting friendships formed that are going to remain strong away from hockey."

With changes on the horizon for next year, the Lightning will once again look to improve, but for now the team will rest and enjoy what it had this season.