After a 0-6 blowout to Woodbury, Boys’ hockey head coach Matt Penner said that the team’s mistakes early on cost them the game.

“You look at the scoreboard, it doesn’t look good. But there was a common theme where we got a little too aggressive and put ourselves in a tough spot… Woodbury capitalized off the chances they got and it hurt us,” Penner said.

Reminiscing on his hockey career for Park, senior captain Ben Olson said the game was sentimental due to it being the last home game. 

“Growing up and playing here for over 10 years, it’s gonna be sad leaving this place,” Olson said. “I love it so much, it has been my second home, so I had to stay back and really take it in at the end.”

With Sections coming up, Penner said a way for the team to improve is handling their emotions during the game.

“We need to improve how we handle ups and downs in the game. You know, we can’t get too high or too low. That’s sports and being able to handle those ups and downs. We got to work twice as hard to get it back and not let that affect us,” Penner said.

Olson said Woodbury’s defense was able to effectively contain Park’s offense through consistent marking of its wing players.

“Woodbury did a very good job shutting down our wings. I don’t know if I’m spilling team secrets here, but wings are a big part of our game, but they shut them down really well,” Olson said. “Made us go through the middle, which we’re not as good at, so that definitely was one of the weaknesses for us that they really exposed.”

According to Penner, although on paper the 0-6 defeat gives the impression of a blowout loss, it was a multitude of small mistakes that added up.  

“They capitalized on their chances, and they’re high scoring chances, and we can’t give those up. When we’re giving up four or five goals to breakaways and two on ones, that’s not going to be good for us,” Penner said. “It’s about shoring those things up and playing a little better position and better communication as a whole. That in itself was the reason why it was six to zero, not because they dominated the entire game.”

According to Olson, his favorite moment of his Park hockey career was his first goal.

“Just alone, on top of circles against (Minnetonka), (the) first goal of the game, got the boys pumped. We got smoked, but it didn’t matter,” Olson said.

The Orioles are set for Sections 7 p.m. Feb. 25. It’s opponent and location of the match are to be determined.