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Ries had a big season for New Ulm girls’ hockey program

New Ulm Eagles girls’ hockey goalie Karlie Ries is the top goaltender in Minnesota, be it Class 1A or Class 2A.

Ries, a junior, led the state in two categories. She had the highest save percentage at .960 and also was tops in Minnesota in goals against average at 0.82.

Ries recorded nine shutouts as she had a record of 15-2-4.

“She is a great addition for our team,” her coach Kristen Faber said. “She is a quiet leader — she is one who is relaxed before games.”

Faber said that Ries — who stopped 411 of 428 shots this season — is a legitimate college goalie and has been contacted by several D-III schools as a junior.

STEEL PREP FOR PLAYOFFS: The New Ulm Steel and Breezy Point are tied with 51 points each prior to the Steel’s road game last night [Wednesday] at Alexandria and just one point behind Alex for the second place spot in the Western Divison.

After last night’s game the Steel are off until they travel to Wisconsin for games March 3 and 4.

They then end their regular season March 10 at Willmar and March 11 at Granite City before playoffs begin March 18.

“We are right in there” Steel coach Jay Witta said. “Wilmar has a tough haul (10 points behind New Ulm). I think that one more win and we clinch a playoff spot.”

And the Steel are probably one of the hottest teams in all of the Western Conference since December as they have gone 14-3 and have earned 31 points.

That winning record has also brought out crowds in their last five home games that have been over 600 each game.

Those who were at Sunday night’s game against Willmar saw the most physical game of the year, especially when Willmar — who was in a do-or-die game for the playoffs — fell behind and got frustrated.

“Those were the first two fights on the ice here in New Ulm this year,” Witta said. “And they were warranted — one of their guys went after Fritz (Belisle, Steel forward) and Fritz stuck up for himself. Later Vinnie (Billing, Steel forward) got crosschecked pretty bad after the whistle and got up and defended himself.”

The Steel do play at Willmar March 10.

“With them being out of the playoffs it could get stupid but we will watch that and maybe put some of our leading scorers on the bench for that game,” Witta said.

Before the Steel meet Willmar, they will have a trip to the Xcel Energy Center this Sunday where they will tour the Minnesota Wild’s facilities and then have an intra-squad scrimmage there. “Bruce (Boudreau, Wild head coach) will coach one team while myself and Andrew (Kolb, Steel assistant) will coach the other team. See how we can do against the legend in Bruce. And there may be some Wild players around.”

Witta sees Granite City and North Iowa along with the Steel as the top teams in the playoffs along with the Metro Stars out of Detroit who currently are 42-0.

“We played them last year in he Silver Cup and lost 2-1,” Witta said. “And Yellowstone is also strong.”

Quarterfinals and all of the rest of the playoffs are in Chicago.

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