The Gustavus women’s hockey team skated to a 6-2 victory over UW-Superior Tuesday night at Don Roberts Ice Rink. First-year Melissa Mackley (Burnsville, Minn.) led the Gusties with one goal and one assist. Gustavus improves to 1-1-0 on the season while UW-Superior suffers its first loss and falls to 6-1-0.
Gustavus took a one-goal lead in the opening minute of the first period while on a power play. Just four seconds into the extra-player advantage Andrea Peterson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) shot the puck over UW-Superior goaltender Rikki Nespor’s left shoulder and into the corner of the net. Jessica Doig (So., New Prague, Minn.) was credited with an assist on the play that gave the Gusties a 1-0 lead. Gustavus held the Yellowjackets to just five shots in the period and successfully killed off a 5-on-3 advantage.
Gustavus scored four goals in the second period to pull away from the Yellowjackets. Less than two minutes into the period Mari Gunderson (So., Shoreview, Minn.) carried the puck down the ice while being defended on a breakaway and passed to an open Christine Wicker (So., Burnsville, Minn.) who pushed the puck past Nespor for a goal and a 2-0 Gustavus lead. Margaret Dorer (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) (5:38), Mackley (7:18), and Sarah Heinbigner (So., Stillwater, Minn.) (9:10) each chipped in with a goal to extend the Gustie lead to 5-0.
UW-Superior cut the lead to three goals in the third period with back-to-back goals that came nearly 30 seconds apart from each other. Erin Kegley scored the first goal and Gina Baranzelli recorded the second goal to make the score 5-2. However, Gustavus answered back at the 13:11 mark when Danny Blacker (Jr., Chisholm, Minn.) shot the puck on net and Jenny Pusch (So., Minneapolis, Minn.) stuffed the rebound past Nespor for a final score of 6-2.
Kitty Hurley (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) recorded 15 saves in net for the win, while Nespor saved 32 shots in the loss for the Yellowjackets. The Gusties managed two power-play goals in five opportunities, and UW-Superior was 0-for-3 on power-play chances.
Gustavus begins conference play against Concordia on Friday in St. Peter.