Mari Gunderson scores her second of three goals on the evening.
Sarah Heinbigner attempts to push one past Hamline.
Alyssa Saunders handles the puck for Gustavus.
Gustavus talks strategy during a timeout.
The Gustavus women’s hockey team defeated Hamline 8-1 on Friday evening on Don Roberts Ice Rink. Sophomore Mari Gunderson (Shoreview, Minn.) scored three goals to lead the Gusties in the victory. Gustavus improves to 4-1-0 on the season and 3-0-0 in conference play. The Pipers fall to 1-2-2 overall and 1-1-1 in the MIAC.
Gustavus put the pressure on Hamline early in the game by scoring three goals in the first period. Scoring the first goal was Gunderson, who slid the puck from the slot past Hamline goalkeeper Andria Pinkerton for a 1-0 lead at the 4:47 mark. Margaret Dorer (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) scored a power play goal at the 8:28 mark when she emerged from a scuffle in front of the net and hoisted the puck over Pinkerton’s glove. Christine Wicker (So., Burnsville, Minn.) scored the third goal at the 14:20 mark when she deflected a shot from Kelly Crandall (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) into the net for a 3-0 Gustie advantage.
The second period consisted of three goals that came within a span of 45 seconds. Gustavus took a 4-0 lead at the 16:43 mark when Gunderson scored her second goal of the evening on a breakaway. Hamline lit the lamp 23 seconds later on a goal Sophie Davidson’s goal to cut the lead down to 4-1. The Gusties answered back 22 seconds later on Melissa Mackley’s (Fy., Burnsville, Minn.) third goal of the season. Mackley scored the power play goal when she got her own rebound and backhanded it past Pinkerton for a 5-1 Gustie lead.
Gustavus did not let up in the third period by scoring three goals. Mackley scored her second goal of the night at the 5:48 mark with the Gusties shorthanded. Brigitte Bartholdi (So., Cloquet, Minn.) increased the Gustavus lead to 7-1 when she stole a pass, skated into the zone uncontested, and scored on Pinkerton’s stick side. It was Bartholdi’s first goal of the year. Gunderson finished out the scoring and completed her hat trick on a goal with two minutes to play in the game.
Gustavus goalkeeper Sarah Windhorst (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn.) started the game in goal and recorded eight saves for her first collegiate victory. Kitty Hurley (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) played more than three minutes in relief for the Gusties and recorded one save. Pinkerton stopped 42 shots for the Pipers and falls to 0-2-0 on the season.
Gustavus out-shot Hamline 50-10 in the game, and scored two power-play goals in four opportunities. The Pipers were blanked on their nine power-play chances.
Gustavus and Hamline will face each other on Saturday at 2:00 pm in St. Paul to finish the two-game series.