Lake Cowboy Survives MNHockeyTV’s Push in Goaltending Duel to Stay Perfect

Braemar Arena – July 22, 2025

In a stark contrast to their first meeting—a record-setting 11-0 Lake Cowboy rout—Tuesday night’s Celly League nightcap between undefeated Lake Cowboy and a battle-worn MNHockeyTV squad turned into a defensive chess match highlighted by brilliant goaltending and gritty resolve.

Lake Cowboy ultimately emerged with a 2-1 victory to improve to 7-0 and maintain their perfect record, but MNHockeyTV delivered a gutsy performance in their second game in under three hours, showcasing how far they’ve come since their expansion franchise debut.

The game was a goaltending masterclass from start to finish. Lake Cowboy’s Annika Lavender (St. Michael's) turned aside 19 of 20 shots, including several high-danger chances in the second period to preserve the lead. On the other side, Sedona Blair (UNH)—subbing in net for her second full game of the night—continued her red-hot form with 21 saves on 22 shots. Blair was flawless through the first 19 shots she faced, keeping MNHockeyTV in it against the league’s most lethal offense.

Lake Cowboy opened the scoring early in the first period when Alexa Hanrahan (Assumption) buried a feed from Taylor Koeppl (St. Anselm) and Bella Fanale (UM) at 3:27. But MNHockeyTV settled in defensively and matched Lake Cowboy’s pace stride-for-stride for much of the game.

 At 7:08 of the second, Ryane Kearns (LIU) got her MNHTv team on the board with a hard-earned goal assisted by Lauren Karl (LIU) and Emma Hoen (Lindenwood). The tally energized the bench, and MNHockeyTV applied steady pressure down the stretch but couldn’t solve Lavender a second time.

Lake Cowboy responded with 5:21 left in the second half thanks to Josie Linn (UNH), who pounced on a pass from Lola Reid (BU) and Josie Hemp (Vermont) for what would become the game-winner. The goal was an impressive response to MNHTv's game tying goal less than two minutes after the game was tied. 

Despite the loss, MNHockeyTV’s effort was nothing short of commendable. Playing on tired legs against a well-rested juggernaut, they showed structure, resilience, and continued growth, falling to 2-4-1 but gaining respect with their performance.

Lake Cowboy, now 7-0, has clinched the regular season title and the top playoff seed, but Tuesday’s win proved they can grind out tight games too. For MNHockeyTV, the effort was a statement—even in defeat.

3 Stars of the Game:

1. Sedona Blair (MNHockeyTV) – 21 saves on 22 shots, stellar back-to-back performance

2. Annika Lavender (Lake Cowboy) – 19 saves, poised in the crease to preserve the win

3. Josie Linn (Lake Cowboy) – Game-winning goal, sparkplug in transition play