SAINT PETER, Minn. – Six different players registered a multi-point game Friday evening, as the No. 3 Gustavus women's hockey team shut out Saint Mary's 6-0 at Don Roberts Ice Rink. Led by the four-point performance of
Brooke Power (5th, Lakeville, Minn.), the second of which helped her to 100 career points, the Gusties dominated play against the Cardinals (8-5-0, 3-4-0 MIAC), for their 10th win of the season to improve to 6-1-0 in the MIAC.
In a rematch of last year's MIAC Playoff Championship, Gustavus controlled the pace of play from puck drop, scoring just 1:49 into the game. After a number of Gustie chances on SMU goaltender Celeste Rimstad,
Hannah Thompson (So., Lino Lakes, Minn.) was able to catch the netminder off guard, sending a shot through the five-hole for an early 1-0 lead and her second of the season.
The Gusties doubled their lead 13 minutes later, as
Ellie Groebner (Fy., Apple Valley, Minn.) created a scoring chance for
Grace Schuck (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.) in front of the crease. Groebner walked into the Cardinal zone from the blue line and sent a tough-angle shot on Rimstad that bounced around in front of the net before Schuck claimed her second of the year on the rebound.
A tripping call brought up two of the best special team units in Division III at the end of the first frame, as the Gustie power play – ranked fifth in the NCAA in conversion – faced the Cardinal penalty kill, which had allowed just two power play goals in 12 games. SMU was no match for the play-making of the Gusties' top line, though, as
Lily Mortenson (Jr., Champlin, Minn.) needed just 17 seconds of the player advantage to put one behind Rimstad. Power claimed point 99 of her career on an impressive cross-ice feed to Mortenson, who put home her eighth of the year into a wide-open net, ending the period with a 3-0 Gustavus lead.
Period two was more of the same, as Power claimed point 100 on her second assist of the night five minutes after the break. After a faceoff win from Mortenson, Power sent a diving shot attempt that ultimately ended on the stick of
Kaitlyn Holland (Sr., Aberdeen, S.D.), who roofed one to put her team up 4-0.
And, 100 was not nearly Power's ceiling, as Mortenson quarterbacked the next goal, walking around the zone before finding Power on the back door for her seventh goal of the year for a 5-0 lead at the end of the second.
Gustavus added one more for good measure in the third period, as Holland put away another rebound chance out front, this time on the power play, thanks to a pair of shot attempts from Power for point 102, and
Abby Elliott (Sr., Lino Lakes, Minn.).
The Gusties went 2-for-4 on the power play, doubling the number of goals SMU has allowed all season on the penalty kill. Gustavus finished out-shooting Saint Mary's 58-13, including a mark of 41-9 in shots on target. The home team also dominated the faceoff circle, winning 43 of 60 faceoffs (71.7 percent).
Almost every Gustie in the line-up recorded a shot on goal, led by none other than Power, who registered seven on Rimstad in a career-game. The fifth-year collected a goal and a trio of assists, while Mortenson totaled a goal and a pair of helpers for three points, as well as five shots on goal. Elliott collected a trio of assists, with Groebner chipping in two. Schuck (1 G, 1 A) and Holland (2 G) completed the multi-point scorers on Friday.
Lily Timmons (Fy., Stillwater, Minn.) collected eight saves in her 10th win, while
Claire Bronson (Fy., Lakeville, Minn.) added one in the third period for the combined shutout.
Power became the 15th member of the Gustavus women's hockey
100-point club, joining the likes of her teammates
Hailey Holland '24 and Tina Press '23 to become the third player to accomplish the feat in as many years. Her four-point performance moved her into a tie for 13th on the program scoring leaderboard, passing her sister Erica '18 with her fourth and final point of the night.
The Gusties complete the MIAC series against the Cardinals Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Winona.
