MNHockeyTv delivers balanced win over Fortis 4-1

The Dangle League continued its competitive march through the summer schedule Tuesday night at Braemar Arena as MNHockeyTV used balanced scoring, timely goaltending, and opportunistic finishing to earn a 4-1 victory over Fortis Academy.

While the final score favored MNHockeyTV, the game was far more tightly contested than the scoreboard indicated. Fortis generated 37 shots on goal compared to 31 for MNHockeyTV and carried stretches of play throughout both halves, but MNHockeyTV's defensive structure and goaltending repeatedly turned away dangerous opportunities.

MNHockeyTV opened the scoring midway through the first half when Sarah Johnson found the back of the net at the 21:40 mark. Maddie Baker and Avery Wagner combined on the setup as MNHockeyTV grabbed the early 1-0 advantage.

The lead doubled less than 14 minutes later when Ella Fugazzi converted the eventual game-winning goal at 8:25. Emerson Rock earned the assist on the play as MNHockeyTV carried a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Fortis Academy continued to push offensively and finally broke through early in the second half. Jillian Borgmeier finished a play created by Angie Cody and Bonnie Zhao at 4:07 to cut the deficit to 2-1 and inject life into the Fortis bench.

Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly answered.

Just over two minutes later, Emerson Rock restored the two-goal cushion, finishing a chance from Sarah Johnson to make it 3-1. The goal proved to be a pivotal turning point as MNHockeyTV regained control of the momentum.

Johnson then put the game away in the closing minutes. With Fortis pressing and eventually pulling the goaltender for an extra attacker, Johnson scored her second goal of the night into the empty net with 1:39 remaining. Kira Prange collected the assist on the insurance marker.

Johnson finished with two goals and an assist to lead the MNHockeyTV attack, while Rock contributed a goal and an assist. Four different players recorded points in the balanced offensive effort.

The goaltending tandem of Clara Milinkovich and Alyssa Polaski was equally important to the victory. Milinkovich handled the first-half duties before Polaski took over for the final 36 minutes, combining to stop 36 of 37 Fortis shots. Their work was especially important against a Fortis team that consistently generated pressure and finished the night with the edge in shots on goal.

Fortis netminder Ilamay Draheim was strong despite the loss, facing numerous quality opportunities and keeping her club within striking distance throughout the contest.

With the win, MNHockeyTV improved to 1-1 on the season, while Fortis Academy suffered its first loss after opening the campaign with a victory.

The result reinforced a trend that has become common in the Dangle League this season — depth scoring, disciplined team play, and quality goaltending continue to be the difference makers in a league where every game has proven highly competitive.