MANKATO, Minn. — No. 15 Minnesota State (2-1-1, 0-1-0) lost to St. Cloud State (3-0-0, 1-0-0) 5-2 in their WCHA opener on Friday at Mayo Clinic HSEC. MSU allowed three power-play goals on five St. Cloud State chances and went 1-for-3 on its own power-play opportunities. The Mavericks scored both of their goals in the second period and were outshot 29-16 and lost 53.2% of faceoffs. The Huskies looked like the faster team on the ice and controlled the majority of the game.
Ayla Puppe scored a power-play goal and finished with two shots. Puppe has maintained a points streak by scoring in three consecutive games to open the season. Bella Shipley added her second goal of the season on one shot and posted a +1 rating. Audrey Garton recorded an assist, won eight faceoffs, and led MSU with four blocked shots; her four blocks set a career high. Zoe Lopez collected an assist and put four shots on goal. Tori Anderson dished out an assist for her first career point.
MSU spent much of the first period answering St. Cloud State power-play pressure, with two Mika Cichosz penalties leading to goals by Maria Mikaelyan at 3:29 and Anna Sviridova at 10:27 as St. Cloud State built an early 2-0 lead. Mikaelyan's first goal came with assists from Alice Sauriol and Sofianna Sundelin, and Sviridova scored from Regan Bulger and Laura Zimmermann. Earlier in five-on-five play, MSU generated attempts from Mia Miller, Makayla Moran, Anderson, Mercury Bischoff, and Lopez, but Emilia Kyrkkö handled the shots that reached goal. St. Cloud State added an even-strength goal from Mikaelyan at 13:06, after the goal Kaydence Roeske entered the game after Hailey Hansen was pulled. MSU earned a late power play with 1:15 left and put pressure on as Puppe, had a few final-minute chances including a saved shot and a blocked attempt, but the first period ended with St. Cloud State ahead 3-0.
MSU absorbed two St. Cloud State goals in the first part of the second period but matched the visitors' scoring in the period, getting a power-play goal from Puppe and a late even-strength finish from Shipley. St. Cloud State pushed the score to 4-0 on Hannele Tarkiainen's even-strength goal, they made it 5-0 shortly after on Mikaelyan's power-play goal from Siiri Yrjölä and Sundelin on the power play after a Bischoff tripping penalty. Mikaelyan's goal gave her a hat trick on the night as MSU answered on its next power play 76 seconds later, with Puppe scored from Anderson at 8:29 as her shot deflected off a Huskies defender to make the score 5-1. Roeske made a series of saves through the middle of the period, and MSU kept generating attempts before Shipley scored with two minutes remaining with assists from Garton and Lopez to send the game to the intermission with a 5-2 score.
MSU kept St. Cloud State off the board in a scoreless third period, with Roeske making 10 saves and MSU skaters blocking six attempts. Roeske recorded 17 saves in the game after stepping in for Hansen. St. Cloud State generated much of the early pressure, but Sophie Stramel, Bischoff, Cichosz, Anika Stromme, and Lauren Zawoyski all blocked shots before the midpoint of the period. Lopez tested Kyrkkö but she was up to the challenge, right after Moran's goalkeeper-interference forced the Huskies backup goalie in. An interference penalty 40 seconds later made it four on four. Zawoyski put a shot on goal during MSU's abbreviated power play, and MSU finished with five shots on goal in the period, including two from Lopez and consecutive late chances from Katie Olfert and Ava Guillemette. After Lila Deis was penalized for slashing at :46, St. Cloud State's final power play ended with Roeske making a save at the horn in a 5-2 MSU loss.
Up next, the Mavericks look to even the series against St. Cloud State on tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. at Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato, Minn.
3 Stars of the Game:
1. SCSU #44 Maria Mikaeylyan
2. SCSU #34 Sofianna Sundelin
3. SCSU #4 Alice Sauriol
