SAINT PETER, Minn. - Five different Gusties scored on Friday night as the team eclipsed five goals for the first time this season and got their first win of 2026. Gustavus got off to a hot start, scoring four goals in the first 30 minutes of game time to provide themselves the cushion to earn three crucial MIAC points.
Friday's game marked a special night in Saint Peter, partnering with Sophie's Squad, a non-profit which provides education and awareness to improve the mental health of athletes by encouraging open conversations and emphasizing that seeking help is a sign of strength. This is the third year the Gusties have partnered with Sophie's Squad and have gone 2-0 with a combined score of 11-1 in the prior two games.
Entering the weekend series, the Gusties (6-7-2, 3-3-2 MIAC) and St. Catherine (8-7-0, 3-5-0 MIAC) were both looking for points to stay in playoff position in the MIAC standings. For the Gusties, they were still looking for their first regulation win of the season after going to a shootout last weekend both times with Saint Mary's.
Senior
Lily Mortenson (Champlin, Minn.) gave the Gusties their first quality chance of the game less than three minutes in, skating into the zone with fellow captain
Kylie Scott (Dayton, Minn.) and drew a hooking penalty, setting up the first power-play chance of the game for Gustavus. The home team only forced one save by St. Kate's goalie Addie Oettinger, but just four minutes later the Gusties would go back on the player advantage. This time, the fourth most penalized team in the MIAC, St. Catherine would not be as lucky. Sophomore
Kaitlin Roberts (Hugo, Minn.) took a shot from the blue line and a juicy rebound fell to Mortenson, who calmly tucked it past the right pad of Oettinger to give the Gusties their first lead since December 12, 2025.
Seeing the puck hit the net seemed to be all Gustavus needed to open the floodgates, scoring again just two minutes later. Roberts followed the same formula to set up the second goal, sending a screened shot from the left side of the blue line into the crease and the Wildcat goalie could not find it before Scott, who doubled the Gustie lead. St. Catherine settled in a bit from there, forcing a good save from sophomore goalie
Lily Timmons and being set free on a breakaway, which was thwarted by junior
Hannah Thompson (Centennial, Minn.) to maintain a two-goal lead headed into the first intermission. Gustavus held every advantage possible in the first frame, leading in shots on goal, 17-7, and winning 14-of-18 faceoffs.
The line of Scott, Mortenson, and junior captain
Avery Braunshausen (Lake Elmo, Minn.) completed their line hat-trick just 6:15 into the second period, when Mortenson drove to the goal line and tucked the puck across the crease for Braunshausen to tuck it in. This was Braunshausen's first goal of the season and first point for the Lake Elmo native since being named captain by head coach
Mike Carroll on January 7th.
They say good things come in pairs and just like the first period, the Gusties scored their second goal under five minutes after the first, bringing the lead to four. Roberts seemed to have the secret sauce across the first two periods, assisting on the fourth goal as well with a shot from the point which Hemr redirected past the Wildcat goalie. The fourth goal of the game marked new territory for the Gusties this season, who hadn't found the twine four times in a game to this point. Also like the first, St. Kate's did not go quietly into the night, scoring two minutes later on a drive to the net that barely snuck past Timmons. Gustavus had to kill off three penalties in the period, only allowing one shot on goal across all six minutes down a player. The Gusties once again led in shots on goal and faceoff wins, this time 8-5 and 13-9, respectively.
The first quality chance of the final period went to St. Catherine, forcing two point-black, reaction saves from Timmons. After that one chance though and a few more half chances, Gustavus was able to settle in and establish the same level of control they had the first two periods. Just past the halfway point in the period, senior
Gianna Gasparini drew a penalty, setting up the fourth power-play opportunity of the contest for the Gusties. Junior
Kylie Ligday (Lake Elmo, Minn.) put her stamp of approval on the game to bring the lead back to four, taking a shot from the point which the goalie never saw. The goal was the defender's first of the season and fifth of her career.
Five different players scored in the emphatic win for the Gusties, the most all season. Roberts is the first player this season to have three assists in a game and is coming off a great weekend last weekend with the only goal on Friday in a tie against Saint Mary's and the shootout winner. Gustavus went 2-for-4 on the powerplay and held the Wildcats scoreless on the player advantage. In the faceoff dot, the Gusties dominated again, winning 40-of-57 faceoffs across the contest.
The teams face off again in less than 24 hours, this time in St. Paul for the second game of the weekend series at 2:00 p.m.
