Maggie Flaherty knows something about scoring overtime goals, and the fifth-year senior defenseman delivered another massive game-winner Thursday night in Canton, N.Y.
Flaherty's snipe 1:55 into overtime lifted the No. 4/5 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team past St. Lawrence University 3-2 at Appleton, Arena. The non-conference showdown showcased a come-from-behind win for the Bulldogs, who used a power play goal to pull even before using another to put the Saints away for good to stay unbeaten through UMD's first three games.
"I'm really happy with the way it ended, I thought that was a really good test," said UMD head coach
Maura Crowell. "I think St. Lawrence is a good team and they have some highly skilled players. They push the pace, their transition game is good and they tested us. Four-on-three in the overtime, similar to last year. That's the way it ended last year as well, so kinda kind of ironic."
The Bulldogs found themselves in unfamiliar territory when the Saints took the first lead of the game just 3:15 into the opening period. But
Gabby Krause shoveled home a rebound from
Gabbie Hughes just 12 seconds later to draw even at 1-1. SLU went up once more late in the opening frame on a power play goal from Kristina Bahl at 18:59, and for the first time this season, UMD trailed an opponent after a single period of play.
Just over five minutes into the second period, senior defenseman
Ashton Bell buried a long rebound from
Mannon McMahon on the back post for her third power play goal in two games to knot the contest at 2-2. But despite having outshot the Saints 13-6 in the third period and having managed to kill off four-consecutive minutes of SLU power plays in the final six minutes, the Bulldogs and Saints need extra time to resolve their differences.
It was déjà vu all over again for the Bulldogs, who were awarded a power play of their own just 27 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime. After a plethora of scoring attempts with the extra skater, Flaherty delivered. The blueliner ripped a shot from the top of the circle and beat SLU goaltender Lucy Morgan over her right shoulder for the game-winner -- almost a year to the date of Flaherty's last overtime game-winner against the University of Minnesota on Oct. 8, 2021.
Emma Soderberg earned the win for UMD between the pipes with 21 saves, while Morgan had 35 for SLU. The Saints were outshot by the Bulldogs 38-23 overall and 5-0 in the overtime. UMD went 2-of-3 on its power play, while the Saints were successful in just one-of-five attempts with the extra skaters. SLU falls to 1-2-0 on the season with the setback.
UMD (3-0-0) will hit the ice against its first nationally ranked opponent -- Penn State University -- tomorrow, Friday, in Appleton, Arena in Canton, N.Y. The puck is set to drop on the contest at 3:00 p.m. CT.
BULLDOG NOTES: Ashton Bell,
Gabbie Hughes and
Mannon McMahon have all logged points in each of their first three games of the season ... Bell leads all scorers with seven points on four goals and three assists, while Hughes has one goal and five assists for six points over three games ... McMahon has had an assist in each UMD skate for a total of three helpers so far ... Hughes has record two points in each of her first three games for a 2.00 ppg average ... UMD is a whopping 5-of-14 on its power play for a 35.7 conversion rate.
