When Morris/Benson Area junior center Dani Schultz assisted on Caroline Westberg's goal with 2:04 left in the third period in a 16-0 win over Redwood Valley last Friday in the season opener, she shattered the all-time boys and girls hockey school and area scoring record.
The previous record holder? Her older brother, Tony, who had 167 career points.
"She kept reminding me all the time so I knew she was getting close," laughed Tony, a sophomore at St. Cloud State University. "But it's kind of nice because I helped teach her how to play. You don't really want your sister breaking your record, but it happens. I'm happy for her."
Dani amassed her 168 total points (98 goals, 70 assists) virtually in three seasons. And she still has the majority of this season and her senior year remaining.
The area's all-time girls scoring leader was Chelsey Wierschem of Willmar with 165 points (95 goals and 70 assists) and the career goal leader is Allison Slinden of Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato who finished her career in 2002 with 114 goals and 27 assists for 141 points.
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"It is pretty cool to break my brother's record," said Schultz. "It was fun because it was a competition between the two of us. We played together in Mites, but we have always played at home on our outdoor rink together."
Schultz, who lives in Morris, first laced up her skates at age four and began her hockey career the year after.
While she admits that Tony tried to "rough her up" on the rink, as most brothers would do to their sister, she always said he has been a big influence in her career.
"He, along with my dad (John), taught me how to play," said Dani.
They must been good teachers as Schultz has scored at least five points in a game 10 times in her career game for the Storm.
"Dani has a motor that won't quit," said MBA coach Jeff Mahoney. "She just goes and goes and goes. And she is the most unselfish player I've ever seen. She's had opportunities to score a lot more, but she'll set someone else up."
A good example of her unselfishness came last season when everyone on the team had scored a goal except a seventh-grader. In a game late in the season, it appeared Schultz had scored on a rebound and was credited with the goal. But she made sure the official scorer credited the seventh-grader with the goal.
Schultz is hoping to continue her career in college some day. Her choices right now would be Bemidji State, St. Cloud State or possibly the Minnesota Gophers. And she is planning a career in the Health Science field.
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"She's a good skater and puck handler, as well as a good sharp-shooter," said Mahoney. "She can hit the corners. And she studies the goalie. She's really good at figuring out their tendencies."
Schultz is a standout in her other two sports as well. She was Morris' starting setter this season in volleyball. And she was named to the All-Area softball team as a sophomore catcher last spring.
The Storm host Alexandria Saturday in Morris. Schultz isn't the only member of the team that can put up numbers. Sara Rajewsky has 102 career points, Sam Falk has 89 and Brooke Anderson 79.
Now Schultz is bearing down on 100 career goals, needing only two more to become the second player in the area to eclipse the century mark.
Schultz, with her non-stop motor, is similar to a pesky fly that incessantly keeps bothering you. And they are both hard to fend off because they're small, quick and elusive.
Shultz is only 5-foot-5 and 130 pounds. A small frame, but a big engine.
