Behind two goals less than three minutes apart late in the third period, the No. 7/8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team completed a 2-1 comeback over Bemidji State University at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
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The Bulldogs, who had trailed from the 2:55 mark of the first period until 14:49 of the third, overwhelming out shot the Beavers in the game 44-15, but could not breakthrough BSU goaltender and reigning Western Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week Abbie Thompson until late in the third period.
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"Hard game, you know, as we know when we come here, it's never something that they're gonna give to you," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "We talked a lot as a team about it being extra emotional with, you know, Reese and Emma being here, extra emotional for the Bemidji locker room, and to expect exactly what we got. They came out firing, and they scored that early goal. I actually thought our response was really good to that goal. We knew we could be more dynamic and moved some things around in the third period to create a little bit of energy for our team and then scored those two massive goals. That's how you grab momentum and you run with it, and you close the door on an opponent that was very motivated tonight."
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BSU's Taylor Nelson struck early and redirected a rebound past UMD goaltender Hailey MacLeod at 2:55 of the opening period. From there, the Bulldogs steadily out shot the Beavers, and after two periods of play, UMD had a 30-8 shots on goal advantage but nothing to show for its efforts.
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That all changed at 14:49 of the third period when graduate forward Mannon McMahon skated the puck over the BSU blueline and through the circle to find senior Clara Van Wieren in the slot. Van Wieren snapped a wrist shot past Thompson for the 1-1 equalizer with the Beavers, her fourth goal of the season.Â
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Enter graduate forward Reece Hunt, whose college career at the Sanford Center includes a resume of game-changing goals, delivered the eventual game-winner against the Beavers after she tracked down a rebound from a Olivia Wallin shot. The tally was just 2:53 after Van Wieren's goal and gave UMD its first lead of the game, and sealed the Bulldogs eventual comeback win.
MacLeod backstopped the Bulldogs with 14 saves for her third triumph of the season, while Thompson had 42 for the Beavers, who fall to 0-8-1 overall and 0-5-0 in the WCHA.
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The Bulldogs, now on a three-game winning streak, improved to 5-2-0, and 3-2 in league action and will finish up the series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. from the Sanford Center.
