Adapted Trojans to host playoff game Thursday

The New Prague Trojan adapted floor hockey team defeated Stillwater and Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville last week.

The Trojans are 8-0 and tied with South Washington County for the Southern Conference lead. The teams were scheduled to play their twice-postponed regular season finale Tuesday, March 5, in New Prague, with the winner getting the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.

The team, which has players from New Prague, Tri-City United, Le Sueur Henderson, Belle Plaine and Jordan, will host a playoff game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7, against a team to be determined after Tuesday’s games. The game will be played at the CEC gym.

Trojans 17, Ponies 1 New Prague defeated Stillwater 17-1 in a game in New Prague Tuesday, Feb. 26.

“Stillwater is a newer team to our conference and they are just getting their program off the ground,” Coach Shellie Kriha said. “Our kids did a really nice job of staying focused and working on things as the game progressed.

“It was nice to get all of our kids in to a varsity game. Against some of the more physical teams we are not able to rotate kids through to get them all in a varsity game, but today we were able to give significant time to every one of our kids.”

Evan Minar and Seth Dorner each had four goals for New Prague, with Dorner adding an assist. Dylan Rahn and Blake Perry added two goals, with Aaron Adamson, Johnny Carson, Leo Fahey, Shane Freidrick and Cory Geelan each scoring one. Rahn and Adamson had assists as well.

Trojans 5, Blazing Cats 4 Dylan Rahn and Garret Gagner each scored two goals and Evan Minar added another to give New Prague a 5-4 win over Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Minar had two assists along with his goal.

“Lakeville is always a tough team, every time we face them it is a very physical and fast paced game,” Kriha said. “Tonight we played really well all around. We have kids that are a little under the weather and kids that are playing new positions and they all did very well tonight against a very tough team.”

Kriha noted that this was the first real tough game her team has played and said the team did an excellent job in facing the challenge.

“Seth Dorner has really stepped up to play defense for us. Along with Blake Perry, the two have made our team stronger through their consistent play. Garrett Gagner has done an excellent job at center all year and this game was no different, he really does a nice job controlling the middle of the floor both on offense and defense.” Kriha also said goaltender Brianna Stark had another outstanding game.

“She hasn't faced a ton of shots in our previous games and hasn't really been tested, but she came up big for us on many occasions tonight when we needed her.”