St. Cloud, Minn. --- Minnesota State women's hockey scored three unanswered goals to erase a 3-0 deficit and salvage a 3-3 tie with St. Cloud State in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game, which was featured as part of Hockey Day Minnesota, on Saturday afternoon at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
St. Cloud State (7-16-3, 5-13-2-2 WCHA) won the shootout 3-2 in six rounds to earn the extra point in the WCHA standings.
The Mavericks (6-18-3, 3-15-2-0 WCHA) were the aggressor for much of the first period – outshooting the Huskies 14-11 – but were unable to get a shot past the Huskies' freshman goaltender Janine Alder (7-13-3), who made 28 saves in the game. Minnesota State's best scoring opportunity of the period came on a wraparound attempt by junior forward Hannah Davidson (2-7--9) that was ruled – after video review – to not be a goal.
St. Cloud State was opportunistic in the first period – scoring two goals in a 0:35 span. Junior forward Alyssa Erickson (8-3--11) scored the first goal at 11:03 – assisted by junior defenseman Brittney Anderson (1-6--7) and sophomore forward Hannah Potrykus (6-6--12) – and the second goal was scored by freshman forward Janna Haeg (3-3--6) at 11:38. Haeg's goal, which was assisted by senior forward Payge Pena (3-6--9) and freshman forward Kayla Friesen (5-5--10), put St. Cloud State up 2-0.
After the first intermission, Friesen struck quickly for the Huskies – scoring at 1:55 of the second period – to give St. Cloud State a 3-0 lead. Haeg and Potrykus assisted on the play.
The Mavericks responded with three unanswered goals of their own to tie the game and force overtime.
Sophomore forward Emily Antony (6-7--13) – the Mavericks' team leader in goals – scored on a forehand wrist shot, which was taken from the left circle, that beat Alder glove side to find the upper corner of the net at 7:21 of the second period. Sophomore forward Jordan McLaughlin (2-5--7) and junior forward Lindsey Coleman (5-8--13) assisted on the goal.
Sara Bustad (3-1--4) scored the second goal for the Mavericks at 15:58 of the period. Bustad – who scored the Mavericks lone goal in the first game of the series – skated into the slot and one-timed a pass from Davidson into the back of the net. Davidson and sophomore forward Corbin Boyd (2-9--11) tallied helpers on the play.
The Mavericks third and final goal of the game was scored by junior forward Emma Wittchow (1-0-1) at 6:34 of the third period. Wittchow scored her first goal since the 2014-15 season on a shot from the point that went through Alder's five hole and into the net. Davidson and Boyd each garnered their second assist of the afternoon on the play.
Neither team was able to score in the final minutes of regulation and the game headed to a 5:00 overtime period. Sophomore goaltender Katie Bidulka (3-5-1), who entered the game in relief of senior netminder Brianna Quade in the second period and made 15 saves in the game, made multiple stops on close-distance shots to keep the game scoreless. The Mavericks' top scoring opportunity came at the end of the period when sophomore defenseman Megan Hinze (5-1--6) launched a shot from the left point that ricocheted off of the post.
Both teams earned a tie and at least one point after overtime ended with no score, but the Huskies went on to garner the extra point for the WCHA standings with the 3-2 shootout victory in six rounds. The Maverick shootout goals were scored by Boyd, who scored five hole, and by freshman forward Sofia Poinar (1-0--1), who scored top shelf.
The Mavericks return to action next weekend when they face No. 1 Wisconsin in a two-game WCHA series on Friday and Saturday in Madison, Wis.
Listen to junior defenseman Emma Wittchow talk about her game-tying goal, the Mavericks' tie with St. Cloud State and the upcoming series with No. 1 Wisonsin below.
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