SAINT PETER, Minn. – In a game that featured 27 combined penalty minutes, the Gustavus women’s hockey team stood tall against a physical UW-Superior squad, claiming a 3-0 victory at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The No. 6-ranked Gusties (15-2-1) complete the series sweep over the Yellowjackets after a 6-0 win back on Nov. 23 and increase their NCAA-leading shutout total to 12 games, which is also one shutout shy of the Gustavus program record.
“We handled the physical aspect of this game well,” Head Coach Mike Carroll said. “There have been other games in the past where we had to do some soul searching, but tonight we really stepped up on that end of it. We didn’t let it affect us and kept playing hard, and we started winning some battles, too, and that was really good to see.”
After a scoreless first period, Steph Anderson (Sr., Blaine) knocked in what proved to be the game-winner just in front of the crease with the help of Kayla Vrieze (Sr., Eagan) and Emily Howard (Fy., Savage) at the 7:54 mark of the second. Holding a one-goal advantage over halfway through the third, Brooke Power (So., Lakeville) scored her MIAC-leading 14th goal on a power play with assists going to Molly McHugh (Jr., Minnetonka) and Vrieze. And with 2:20 remaining and a Yellowjacket empty net, Tina Press (Sr., Cottage Grove) worked her way through a pair of defenders for the empty net goal, her 12th total goal of the season, assisted by McHugh.
“I told the team after the game that this was the most nervous I had been before a game because we had beat them 6-0 earlier in the season and that was not a 6-0 game,” Carroll said. “That can play into the psychological aspect of the game but we settled down and really played well. As the game wore on, I was happy to see our compete level, determination, and our will to just battle. It was really fun to see Tina at the end off the faceoff win two battles, make a move and get the empty netter.”
Maria Widen (Fy., Burnsville) started in goal and made seven saves in 29:30, while Katie McCoy (Jr., Grafton, Wis.) finished the game and made six saves for the combined shutout. Gustavus outshot UW-Superior 32-13. The Gusties went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed off all five Yellowjacket power plays.
Gustavus next has a home-home MIAC series against Augsburg with the first game at 7 p.m. Friday in Saint Peter.