Women's Hockey Loses Pair to Open Conference Season
by Dan Myers
Issue date: 10/10/06 Section: Womens Sports
Three seasons ago, the Minnesota State women's hockey team won a pair of games over then three-time defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth. It was one of the most stunning upsets in the history of college hockey.
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, they haven't beaten the Bulldogs since.
That trend continued this weekend, as the Bulldogs used a strong power play en route to a pair of victories over the Mavericks at All Seasons Arena, winning 3-1 Friday and 6-1 Saturday.
Special teams was the difference both days, as the Bulldogs used a pair of power-play goals in both victories.
"We definitely need to improve in that area," said Mavericks head coach Jeff Vizenor of his team's penalty kill.
"We didn't play very well," said Maverick forward Lindsay Macy, kept off the scoreboard just one week after she was named the WCHA's Offensive Player of the Week.
In their win over Robert Morris a week earlier, the Mavericks were able to take advantage of an early lead, as well as an abundance of shots.
MSU was unable to accomplish either all weekend, as Duluth never trailed during the series.
"We just didn't play our game," said MSU sophomore Maggie Fisher. "We could have gotten our bodies in the way and out muscled them, but we just didn't do that."
UMD was expecting a physical battle with the Mavericks, and got what they were looking for. The teams combined for 23 power plays on the weekend. Once on the manpower advantage, the Bulldogs made MSU pay, converting on just under 40 percent of their opportunities.
"The power play we are using is very effective," said UMD head coach Shannon Miller. The Bulldogs scored four goals on the power play in an exhibition win last weekend against the Minnesota Whitecaps. "If you have people who are sharing the puck, then you can put together a good power play. I give the credit to the players because they are doing a good job of finding each other on the ice."
"I think we are going to be a really good team," added Bulldogs forward Noemie Marin, who had three goals among five points on the weekend. "All the teams in our league are good. But we wanted to come out and show people we are a team that people are going to have to watch."
It was Minnesota State watching early as Marin scored just over four minutes into Saturday's game to take a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes after that, Saara Tuominen scored her first of two goals, putting UMD up two after the first period.
"Right now, it's a confidence thing," Vizenor said. "When we get a lead, we start moving our feet better and we gain confidence. We just didn't do the little things, and they were moving at a faster speed than us."
After Tuominen's second goal of the afternoon and an even strength tally by Sara O'Toole, Kristina Bunker made the game 4-1. Christina Lee earned the only assist a day after her first career goal was MSU's only score of Friday's game.
Brit Kehler started both games in net for MSU, stopping 71 shots in two games. While she earned a loss in both games, it was Kehler's efforts Friday that kept the Mavericks in the game until late. But the Mavs could not find the net until Lee's goal with less than two minutes to play. By then, it was too little, too late.
"I really think we hung Brit out to dry way too many times, especially [Saturday]," Vizenor said. "Overall, I think she made a lot of big saves, even more [Saturday]. It doesn't show on the scoreboard, but we know she's going to be a big part of our team all year long."
The Bulldogs started Olympian Kim Martin and All-American Riitta Schaublin once each in the series. Both allowed only one goal and earned their first victories of the season.
"I think we have the two best goalies in the league," Marin said. "It's good to know we can go out there and score goals and they are back there and can make all the saves."
Dan Myers is the Reporter Sports Editor