Minnesota State University, Mankato used three straight power play goals to upset the No. 5/6 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team 4-2 Saturday afternoon at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Mankato, Minn. The Bulldogs will settle for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series split after offensively overpowering the Mavericks Friday night in a 7-0 win.
"It's frustrating, we felt like we were behind it, chasing it almost from the get go, " said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "It was tough, especially in the second period, to get any rhythm going. Obviously they were good on the power play tonight, and you know I liked that big second goal late in the third. We made a great push in the third but it wasn't enough, and credit Mankato with playing a good game today and bouncing back from last night."
UMD took the opening lead of the game 12:04 into the first period on senior defenseman Lizi Norton's goal over MSU goaltender Calle Frank's left shoulder, with the assist credited to Anneke Linser.
That 1-0 Bulldog lead lasted through the first intermission, but Saturday, it was MSU on the receiving end of multiple power plays, and the Mavericks made them count. MSU's first power play goal came at 6:21 of the second period, off a rebound knocked in by Madison Mashuga. Jamie Nelson gave the Mavericks their first lead of the weekend 36 seconds later, again popping in a rebound to put MSU up 2-1.
A third power play goal from the Mavericks by Kelsey King 37 ticks into the third period found MSU in front 3-1, but the Bulldogs weren't done yet. A late push and puck across the crease from senior forward Gabbie Hughes found Élizabeth Giguère on the far post, and Giguère netted her first goal as a Bulldog and 100th as a collegiate at 14:56 to draw UMD within one.
The Bulldogs 18-game unbeaten streak against the Mavericks officially ended, however, when MSU netted an empty net goal with five seconds remaining in regulation, and for the first time since the 2016-17 season, MSU defeated a UMD squad.
UMD senior goaltender Emma Soderberg had 17 saves for the Bulldogs, while Frank turned away 24 for MSU. Despite having outshot the Mavericks 26-21 in the contest, UMD was 0-of-1 on its lone power play attempt, while MSU was 3-of-5. The Mavericks improve to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the WCHA.
The Bulldogs (1-1, 1-1) will open up AMSOIL Arena next weekend when they host the No. 4 University of Minnesota in a Friday-Saturday series that will get underway Friday night at 6:01 p.m.
BULLDOG NOTES: Élizabeth Giguère became the 24th player in NCAA Division I women's hockey history to score 100 goals or more...that figure only counts career goals from players from the 2000-2001 season to present time, when the NCAA recognized women's hockey...the Bulldogs have four players who recorded 100 or goals over their UMD careers, including program leader Maria Rooth (119 goals in 124 games, Jenny Potter (108 goals in 102 games), Hanne Sikio (100 goals in 123 games) and Erika Holst (100 goals in 127 games), but their 1999-2000 goal totals are not counted by the NCAA.
