SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus women's hockey team erased an early deficit in dramatic fashion on Friday, using a four-goal second period and a lethal power play to defeat Concordia 5-4 at Don Roberts Ice Rink in the first game of the MIAC series. Concordia (0-3-0, 0-3-0 MIAC) erupted for three goals in the first, and added another in the second period, but four unanswered, three of which came on the power play, helped the Gusties (3-1-0, 3-0-0 MIAC) complete the comeback for the conference victory.
The Gusties certainly didn't get the start they wanted on Friday, as the long bus ride didn't slow the Cobbers down on the ice, taking an early lead over the No. 2 team in the nation. Morgan Sauvageau established herself as the biggest threat of the game early on, scoring her third of the season just 1:18 into the game, and in highlight reel fashion, nonetheless. Sauvageau picked the top right corner over the shoulder of
Maya Marston (So., Dellwood, Minn.) for the first of nine goals Friday night. Just a few shifts later, Sauvageau did it once more, roofing the puck on a 2-on-1 rush. Concordia added another as time expired on a Gustie penalty to take a commanding 3-0 lead after the first period.
The Gusties entered the second needing an early momentum shift, and
Kayla Woytcke (Jr., Waconia, Minn.) was up to the task. Woytcke and
Grace Schuck (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) entered the Cobber zone with speed, exchanging the puck to put it on the stick of Woytcke. The junior sent a shot toward the goal, and an unexpected bounce off the Concordia defender sent the puck between the legs of Cobber tendy Ashlea Arvidson to get the Gusties on the board. Just 29 seconds later, though, Gustavus fell victim to a nearly identical play, as a shot off
Abby Elliott (Sr., Lino Lakes, Minn.) ended up behind
Lily Timmons (Fy., Stillwater, Minn.), who got the nod between the pipes for the second period. Concordia maintained its three-goal lead until a series of penalties gave the Gusties the player advantage – exactly what they needed to turn the tides.
Kaitlyn Holland (Sr., Aberdeen, S.D.) scored her first of the night to cut the Cobber lead to two, as
Kylie Scott (So., Dayton, Minn.) and
Lily Mortenson (Jr., Champlin, Minn.) executed a near-perfect power play set-up. Scott and Mortenson touched the puck back-and-forth until the Cobber defender was pulled out of position, allowing Mortenson to send a perfect pass across the slot to Holland, whose first of the night was far too quick for Arvidson to save. Seven minutes and two Cobber penalties later,
Noelle Hemr (Fy., Blaine, Minn.) added her second of the season to cut the lead to just one. Hemr scored a minute into the first penalty off a feed from
Brooke Power (5th, Lakeville, Minn.), as she and
Kylie Ligday (So., Lake Elmo, Minn.) recreated the same play Holland had scored on just minutes earlier. Forty seconds later, Holland added her second of the game, cleaning up a Mortenson and
Hannah Gray (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.) rebound for the team's third power play goal and a 4-4 tie after the second period.
Hemr completed her second collegiate multi-point game in the third period, as the first-year created the play that led to the
Lindsay Berggren (Jr., Shoreview, Minn.) game-winner. Following a defensive zone faceoff, Hemr collected the puck and carried it into the Cobber zone along the wall. With a defender over her shoulder, she was still able to send a backhand pass to Berggren in the slot, who tapped the ninth goal of the night in the net just a minute into the third. The Gusties had three more power play opportunities in the final period, including another 5-on-3, but came up empty, ending the game with a 5-4 victory.
Gustavus out-shot Concordia drastically, putting up 42 shots to the Cobbers' 14, holding Concordia to single digits in all three periods. The Gustie power play went 3-for-7 with 15 of the team's 42 shots on goal coming with the player advantage. Gustavus killed off all three of its penalties, allowing just one shot while on the penalty kill.
Mortenson (two assists), Holland (two goals), and Hemr (goal, assist) led the Gustie offense with two points each. Seven other Gusties picked up a point in the victory. Holland led the squad with seven shots on goal, while Power and Gray each had six. Timmons finished with eight saves to earn her third career victory.
The Gusties and Cobbers will turn right back around for a 2 p.m. game in Saint Peter to wrap up the series.
