Allison Eder-Zdechlik scored in the final second of Wednesday’s 2-2 tie with UW-River Falls.
River Falls, Wis. – Allison Eder-Zdechlik (So., Stillwater, Minn.) scored a goal with just one second left in the game to tie the score at 2-2, which would salvage a tie for the Gustavus women’s hockey team when it took on tenth-ranked UW-River Falls at Hunt Arena on Wednesday night. With the tie, Gustavus moves to 7-1-2 overall, while UW-River Falls is now 6-3-2.
Gustavus took advantage of its first power play opportunity of the game when Emily Reibert (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) found the back of the net with just less than a minute remaining on the skater advantage. Reibert’s goal was her third of the year and put the Gusties in front 1-0 at the 5:07 mark of the first period. Courtney Boucher (Jr., Hastings, Minn.) and Halie Gudmonson (Fy., Albertville, Minn.) assisted Reibert on the goal.
The Gusties would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission after holding a shot advantage of 10-8 in the first half.
UW-River Falls then came back to score back-to-back goals in the second and third period to take a 2-1 lead. Karleigh Wolkerstorfer scored with just less than three minutes remaining in the second period to tie the game and Alice Cranston had the go-ahead goal 5:39 into the second period to put UW-River Falls on top.
The Falcons held on to that lead through most of the remaining 14-plus minutes of the game. With their backs against the wall down a goal late in the third period, the Gusties were forced to pull goaltender Lindsey Hibbard (So., Princeton, Minn.).
Gustavus got off just one shot with the extra skater, but it was all the Gusties would need as Allison Eder-Zdechlik buried the puck in the back of the net with just one tick of the clock remaining to tie the game at two goals apiece. Melissa Doyle (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) assisted on the goal, which was Eder-Zdechlik’s ninth of the season.
Neither team was able to score in the overtime period, and the two squads were forced to settle for the tie.
For the first time this season, the Gusties were held to a disadvantage in shots on goal. UW-River Falls recorded 32 shots on net compared to 25 for Gustavus.
Lindsey Hibbard recorded the tie for the Gusties in net. The sophomore tied her career-high with 30 saves on the night, while allowing both goals. Ashley Kuechle registered the tie for the Falcons, making 23 saves on the evening.
These two teams will square off again on Friday night in St. Peter. That contest is set for a 7:00 p.m., start at Don Roberts Ice Rink.