Gustavus senior forward Allie Schwab scored a career-high four goals Friday night in Minneapolis as women’s hockey rolled to a 9-0 shutout over Augsburg. The Gusties increased their win streak to seven games and move to 7-0-0 overall and 5-0-0 in the MIAC, while the Auggies fall to 3-3-1 overall and 2-3-0 in league play. With seven-straight wins, the Gusties are off to the best start to a season in the 15-year history of the program.
Schwab’s four-goal night marked her first career hat trick throughout her four seasons wearing the black and gold. Adding to her career night, Schwab tacked on an assist for a five-point performance, the first five-point game by a Gustie since January 27, 2006 when Kelly Crandall scored two goals with three assists in a 12-2 win over St. Olaf.
The scoring rout didn’t get started until the 16:09 mark in the first period when Schwab put in a power play goal on an assist from Lindsey Hjelm. Schwab scored another power play goal with :45 remaining in the first with the help of Courtney Boucher and Mollie Carroll, giving the Gusties a 2-0 lead headed into the first intermission.
Boucher tallied her third goal of the season in the seventh minute of the second with the assist credited to Schwab and Carroll. Assistant captain Jess Harren put Gustavus up 4-0 at the 13:40 mark with her first goal of the season – Kelsey Kennedy and Kayla Ingbretson each tallied a point with the assist. With just over two minutes remaining in the second, Schwab scored yet another power play goal – her third on the night – with the help of Boucher and Kelly Thotland.
After the second break, Ingbretson continued the scoring affair on a power play in the eighth minute – Thotland and Hjelm with the assist. Schwab then tallied her eighth goal of the season at the 11:45 mark on Kennedy’s second assist of the game. Perhaps the most impressive goal of the night came off the stick of Carroll during an Augsburg power play. The senior captain took the puck up the left side of the Auggie zone and spun 360-degrees to her right in front of the goal and flipped in the short-handed goal. Meagan Wanecke and Ingbretson found Jenna Christensen at the 18:37 mark, bringing the game to a 9-0 final. The nine-point spread was Gustavus largest margin of victory since a 10-1 win at Hamline on Nov. 16, 2007.
Danielle Justice earned her fifth win in goal for the Gusties after 40:00 of work, not allowing a goal on three shots faced. Marah Sobczak came in for the third period and didn’t allow a goal, also on three shots faced. Augsburg netminder Briana Schulz was peppered with 50 shots and made 41 saves.
The Gusties and Auggies conclude the regular season series in St. Peter on Saturday. Face off is set for 2:00 p.m. at Don Roberts Ice Rink.