The Gustavus women’s hockey team survived a close one-goal game to Wisconsin-River Falls by the score of 1-0 Wednesday evening on Don Roberts Ice Rink. Andrea Peterson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) scored the game-winning goal in the second period and Gustavus goaltender Sarah Windhorst (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn.) shut out the Falcons for the victory. Gustavus improves to 8-1-0 overall, while UW-River Falls drops to 7-2-3 this year.
In the first period, neither team was able to put the puck in the net. Despite the Gusties’ 9-4 shot advantage, play went back-and-forth throughout the period. With 15:33 left, Falcon Kelly Jensen had a quality scoring opportunity for UW-River Falls. While on a breakaway, Jensen sent a shot to the left of Windhorst, which the Gustie goalie snagged with her glove. Peterson gave Gustavus its best scoring opportunity at the 3:10 mark by splitting the defenders and putting a hard shot on net, but Falcon goaltender Amber Lindner deflected it away to keep the score at 0-0 heading into the intermission.
The Gusties used a power play at the 11:03 mark of the second period to take a 1-0 lead. Falcon Abby Sunderman hauled down Mari Gunderson (So., Shoreview, Minn.) on her way to the net, which resulted in a hooking penalty. Just 18 seconds later, Melissa Mackley (Fy., Burnsville, Minn.) passed to Peterson whose shot from the top of the slot sailed past Lindner to give the Gusties the lead. Gustavus controlled the puck for a majority of the period and had another power play opportunity with 2:45 left, but was unable to extend the lead.
UW-River Falls was unable to score in the third period and the Gusties held on to the victory. Despite multiple opportunities, the Falcon offense was unable to find a way to get a shot past Windhorst.
Windhorst recorded 15 saves for the Gustie victory for the Gusties and improves her record to 3-0-0 on the season. Lindner posted 37 saves and allowed one goal in the loss for the Falcons and falls to 6-2-3 this year.
Gustavus will leave for its European Tour on December 26 and return January 2. Their next game will be January 12 at Lake Forest College.