Northfield head coach Brent Bielenberg can point to a single game in which junior goaltender Mallory Tidona turned her season around.

“Really the biggest turning point was the Hudson (Wis.) game n the Farmington tournament,” Bielenberg explained. “She shut them out and made like 30 saves,” Bielenberg continued. “Since then she’s just been rock solid.”

Rock solid might be an understatement.

Since the aforementioned game, played on Dec. 29, Tidona has yet to give up more than two goals in a game, with her resume including three shutouts in the Class A, Section 1 playoffs.

Tidona continued her impressive run with another shutout in the first round of the State Tournament, making 16 saves against Mound Westonka (21-7-0) on Wednesday night, as the Raiders snuck past the Whitehawks 2-0 to advance to the semifinals.

“I had a long talk with Brent (Bielenberg) after our (Proctor/Hermantown) game, ” Tidona said after the win, referring to a 5-2 loss on Dec. 16. “From that point on I started taking things more seriously and improved for myself and for the team.”

Tidona’s clean sheets have come with some help in the form of skilled defenders - senior Brynn Puppe and sophomore Kate Boland, who’s committed to Bemidji State.

Boland scored both goals for the Raiders, converting the first on a beautiful rush up the ice by herself and adding an empty-netter to ice the win.

Along with senior forward Maddie LaPanta, Puppe’s presence was felt more so on defense, as the Raiders (20-6-3) blanked Mound Westonka star Liz Schepers, who entered the tournament with 56 goals.

“Our big gun Schepers got a breakaway and she stonewalled her,” Mound Westonka head coach Jack Gravel said of Tidona. “She made some nice saves and she’s been their key coming down the stretch.”

“Towards the end of the second period and then all the third we just put Maddie LaPanta on her and said don’t leave her side,” Bielenberg said. “Brynn has just the last two years has just owned that position,” Bielenberg said. “Anchoring our ‘D’ and giving up scoring to do that,” Bielenberg added.

“She’s just the glue of our defensive team.”

Class AA Quarterfinals (Xcel Energy Center)

• Roseau vs. Blaine, 11 a.m.
• Eastview vs. Hill-Murray, 1 p.m.
• Farmington vs. Edina, 6 p.m.
• Forest Lake vs. Eden Prairie, 8 p.m.

Class A Consolation (Ridder Arena)

• Mankato East vs. Hibbing/Chisholm, 10 a.m.
• Alexandria vs. Mound-Westonka, Noon