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Red Knights try Plan B

By Loren Nelson, MN Hockey Hub editor, 04/23/12, 9:56AM CDT

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Benilde-St. Margaret's forced to revamp lineup after losing top two scorers for season


Benilde-St. Margaret's senior Christian Horn suffered a ruptured spleen that ended his season in an April 14 game against Eagan. Photo by Helen Nelson

Not even the most far-reaching of coaches’ contingency plans cover losing their top two scorers for the season.
 
So here’s Benilde-St. Margaret’s Colin Mulcahy with the very same doomsday scenario staring him square in the eye.
 
“I guess I’ll tell you when we are all done,” Mulcahy said about how the two-time defending state champion Red Knights are coping with losing senior attackmen Christian Horn (ruptured spleen) and Will Hoesley (torn knee ligaments) for the season.
 
Both Horn and Hoesley suffered their injuries in the second half of an April 14 game against Eagan. The Wildcats won 10-9 to end the Red Knights’ 24-game winning streak. 
 
An attackman, Horn caught a long pass in front of the Eagan goal and was turning to shoot when he was leveled by Eagan goaltender Lucas Petersen.
 
“I give credit to him, he rocked me,” said Horn, who was taken to the hospital immediately, where he had surgery to remove part of his spleen. “He hit me really hard. He got all of me.”

Christian Horn, Benilde-St. Margaret's career scoring leader, has committed to play hockey at the University of Minnesota. Photo by Helen Nelson

Horn scored 38 goals and added 24 assists in 18 games for the Red Knights in their unbeaten run to the state title last season. He said his activity will be limited for four weeks. His lacrosse season is over.
 
Hockey now becomes the sport of emphasis for Horn, who on Thursday, April 19, committed to join the University of Minnesota program.
 
Mulcahy said Hoesley, who scored 65 goals and added 15 assists last season, is scheduled to have knee surgery the first week of May.
 
“We’re digging through the depths of the program to find a couple of guys who we can replace them with,” Mulcahy said. “We had over 100 guys try out. It’s just a matter of trying to find the right ones to replace those two. Trying to fill those shoes is not a task we can take lightly.”
 
Benilde-St. Margaret’s has gone 2-0 after losing Horn and Hoesley, beating Apple Valley 10-4 on April 14 and Edina 12-8 on April 19. The Red Knights are 3-1 heading into a Tuesday, April 24 matchup with Irondale.
 
“It’s hard news to take,” Horn said about missing the bulk of his senior season. “Especially when I was in the hospital. I was moaning and screaming from the pain, and my mom gets a text saying Will Hoesley injured his knee. 
 
“I still believe they can pull it off and everything.”
 
Mulcahy said the Red Knights have leaned heavily on the scoring and leadership of Simon Gondeck as they revamp their lineup and rewrite their playbook.
 
“To lose them both, we are going to have to change the way we do some things,” Mulcahy said. “We are going to be patient as we work our way through.”