ST. CLOUD, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's hockey team defeated St. Cloud State, 4-2, Saturday to get its first win of the 2020-21 season.
MSU's freshman forwards Jamie Nelson and Sydney Langseth each recorded their first three collegiate points to help the Mavericks (1-3-0, 1-3-0 WCHA) salvage a split against the Huskies (1-1-0, 1-1-0 WCHA).
After being shutout in Friday's affair, freshman forward Jamie Nelson scored MSU's first goal of the weekend 11:54 into the first period. Assists went to Claire Butorac and Langseth after Butorac won a face-off to Langseth before giving it back to Butorac who then found Nelson in the high slot where she ripped one past SCSU's netminder, Sanni Ahola. MSU rode the 1-0 advantage through the end of the opening period.
St. Cloud State tied the game at one 1:41 into the middle period. Mackenzie St. Bourgerie tallied the game-tying goal off an assist from Linnea Melotindos. Five minutes later, at 6:24 of the second, the Mavericks took back the lead, 2-1, when Lanseth chipped a puck over the right shoulder of the Huskies' netminder and into the top corner to score her first career goal. At the 7:01 mark, SCSU forward Klara Hymlarova tied the game at two after getting a breakaway feed came from Jenniina Nylund where she slid one to the right and past Mavericks' goaltender Calla Frank. Middle-period scoring finished with MSU defenseman Charlotte Akervik bouncing in her first goal of the season off an SCSU defender and into the net at the 17:28 mark of the second period. With that, MSU held a 3-2 lead going into the second intermission.
Nelson recorded her second goal and third point of the night 3:38 into the third period. Again on the assists were Butorac, with her second helper, and Langseth, with her third point of the night. MSU held on to secure its first win of the season, 4-2, over SCSU.
Frank (1-3-0) stopped 21-of-23 shots while opposing goaltender Ahola (1-1-0) saved 38-of-42 shots.
After putting 37 shots on Ahola Friday night, Minnesota State set another season-high for shots on net with 42 to St. Cloud State's 23 shots in the contest. MSU went one-for-six on power play opportunities and remained perfect on the penalty kill over the weekend, killing off each of SCSU's four power play chances, Saturday.
Next weekend, Minnesota State is headed to Bemidji State to take on the Beavers. Games are slated for 6:07 p.m. Friday and 3:07 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
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