Sticking to a similar script from Friday night, the No. 8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team used a three-goal second period to break open the University of St. Thomas for the eventual 4-1 win at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., sealing the series sweep for the Bulldogs.
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"I'll credit the players, you know, with what they did after the first period," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell, who remains unbeaten against the Tommies all-time. "We weren't very happy with our first and you know, sometimes at this point in the season they have to figure it out, and I think the captains and the players figured it out that wasn't how we wanted to play, and they took care of business and got it done and turned the tides. I think it's simply understanding that it's gonna be tough,.and in not getting away from discipline, structure and fighting through some of the things that happen against teams in our league. You have to be mentally tough as well as physically tough, and just stick with our game plan, persevering and finding the back of the net with some really pretty goals today."
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Just three games into her return from injury, senior forward Katie Davis tipped a Hanna Baskin shot past UST goaltender Calla Frank 9:12 into the opening period for the early lead. The Tommies equalized at the 17:15 mark courtesy of Brieja Parent, and after the first 20 minutes, neither team had a scoring advantage on the scoreboard.
That all changed for the Bulldogs early in the second frame when Olivia Wallin from behind the extended goal line fed Reece Hunt for her fifth goal of the series and a 2-1 UMD go ahead goal at 5:36. The Bulldogs then used a power play goal from Nina Jobst-Smith to extend that lead to 3-1 at 16:00, and then struck again just 1:40 later when sophomore forward Jenna Lawry carried the puck into the UST zone and picked apart Frank for her fourth goal of the season to push the Bulldogs ahead 4-1 after two periods of play.
Wallin, who dished out a whopping five assists in the series, netted UMD's fifth goal 18:34 into the third, one-timing a backhanded feed from Hunt to give the Bulldogs their 5-1 final against the Tommies.
Rookie goaltender Ève Gascon made 23 saves in her seventh win of the season, while UMD's defense again shut down UST's power play, holding it scoreless on two attempts on the night and without a goal in five attempts in the series. The Bulldogs outshot the Tommies 32-24 – Frank had 27 saves for UST, who falls to 8-21-1 overall and 2-20-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Bulldogs (16-11-2, 13-10-0) will have a chance to clinch home WCHA playoff ice next weekend at AMSOIL Arena when they host No. 10 St. Cloud State University on Friday and Saturday. Both games will get underway at 3:00 p.m.
BULLDOG NOTES: In all, the Reece Hunt, Olivia Wallin and Clara Van Wieren line accounted for six of UMD's nine goals on the weekend, with Hunt punching in five and Wallin assisting on five along with one assist … at least 10 players logged points this weekend, including five that had two or more … In addition to Hunt, Wallin and Van Wieren, Jenna Lawry had a goal and an assist Saturday, while Hanna Baskin had two assists … UMD has now scored power play goals in four-straight games … both UMD goaltenders posted saves percentages of .958 and 23 saves in their outings … UMD is 11-0-1 all-time against UST and averaging 4.42 goals a game in those contests … the Tommies have never scored more than a goal in their 12 skates against the Bulldogs … UMD is a perfect 12-0 against teams not ranked nationally this season.
