For the second night in a row, a senior defender scored a game-winning power play goal in the third period to help the Gustavus women’s hockey team defeat UW-River Falls 3-1 in River Falls, Wis. on Saturday. Captain Laura Vannelli (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.) broke a 1-1 tie with 1:09 remaining in the contest on the Falcons’ tenth power play of the night.
Gustavus got on the scoreboard at 4:15 in the first period when Stefanie Ubl (Sr., Blaine, Minn.) scored her first goal of the season on a Molly Doyle (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) pass during the Gusties’ first power play of the night. Both squads would skate a large amount of time short one skater as both teams combined to commit 16 penalties. The Falcons would not be able to score on three power play chances in the period.
The score remained 1-0 heading into the third period when the teams would score three goals in under three minutes. UW-River Falls evened the score at 1-1 when Kacie Anderson assisted Ashly Berner at the 17:56 mark. However, Berner would be called for a hooking penalty 45 seconds later to give Gustavus the skater advantage for the remainder of the contest. Vannelli found the back of the net shortly after going on the power play at 18:51 as Jenny Pusch (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) and Kirstin Peterson (Fy., St. Paul, Minn.) were credited with the assists. Linda Evans (Fy., Fairbanks, AK) found Lisa Sablak (Fy., South St. Paul, Minn.) for an empty net goal with 20 seconds remaining to give Gustavus an insurance goal.
UW-River Falls goaltender Ryann McCarthy kept the Falcons in the game making 24 saves and allowing two goals. Gustie goaltender Breanna Scavo (So., Blaine, Minn.) was equally to the task as she made 19 saves, while giving up one goal. Scavo, who improved to 2-1-0, was big between the pipes as she made 11 of her 19 saves in the third period.
Gustavus improves to 2-1-0 overall, while UW-River Falls drops to 1-1-0. Gustavus will begin MIAC league play against Hamline when the Gusties will travel to St. Paul on Friday, November 16 for a 7:15 pm puck drop and host Hamline on Saturday, November 17 at 2:00 pm.