The Gustavus women’s hockey team picked up goals from five different players on the way to a 6-0 win over Augsburg in St. Peter on Friday night. With the win, the Gusties secured their seventh consecutive MIAC championship and the number one seed in the 2011 MIAC Playoffs.
The game started more than an hour later than scheduled, as the Gustavus men’s hockey team went to double overtime in their game against Augsburg. Once the teams took the ice, the Gusties got off to a bit of sluggish start. “We were all very disappointed with how we started the game,” Coach Mike Carroll said. “We talked long and hard about not having that game before affect us, but we didn’t come out and play like we were a team that was going to go take the conference.” The teams went into the first intermission scoreless, as Gustavus outshot Augsburg 12-1 in the opening frame.
The Gusties regrouped between periods and came out strong in the second, as Amanda Cartony notched the first goal of the night on the power play just 22 seconds into the period. The goal was Cartony’s ninth of the season and was assisted by Mollie Carroll and Lindsey Hjelm. After Augsburg’s Hillary Volkman was whistled for tripping at the 14:01 mark, Hjelm was able to take a Kirstin Peterson pass and work the puck past Auggie goaltender Alex Hall for the 2-0 lead at the 14:57 mark. Hjelm leads the team in points scored this season with 23 (10 goals, 13 assists). Less than three minutes later, Melissa Doyle was able to tally a goal (her fifth this season) after a scramble in front of the net at the 17:11 mark. Jess Harren picked up the assist for the Gusties.
In the third period, Gustavus kept up the pressure, as Whitney Schaff scored at the 11:30 mark to push the lead to 4-0. Jenna Christensen and Kayla Ingbretson picked up assists on the goal, which was Schaff’s second of the season. After Hall picked up a slashing penalty as the goal was scored, the Gusties were able to pick up another power play goal from Doyle at the 13:43 mark, with Harren picking up the assist. And in a fitting conclusion to Senior Night, senior blueliner Peterson scored the last goal of the game with less than a minute left to play to seal the 6-0 victory. Fellow senior Sara Yungner and Hjelm assisted on the goal, which came at the 19:11 mark.
“It was really nice for her (Peterson) on her Senior Night to get a goal,” Carroll said.
After picking up two points in the win, which was Danielle Justice’s sixth shutout of the season, the Gusties will have home ice throughout the MIAC Playoffs. “That’s the most important thing,” Carroll said. “It’s much easier on everyone to be in our own beds and just get in our own routine and use our home ice for our advantage.”
In a short post-game ceremony, the Gustie underclassmen presented the seniors with a bouquet of flowers and said a few kind words to the seniors, who played their last regular season home game at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The three seniors on the team are Kirstin Peterson (St. Paul, Minn.), Kelsey Johnson (Stillwater, Minn.), and Sara Yungner (Maple Grove, Minn.).
“I’m really proud of those girls,” Carroll said.
The Gusties will wrap up the regular season tomorrow night at Augsburg, as they travel to Minneapolis for the 7:00 p.m. contest.