ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota State (4-5-1, 0-5-0) lost to St. Thomas (MN) (4-5-0, 2-5-0) 4-1 on Friday at Tommie Ice Plex in the first game of their home and home series. The Mavericks scored on their only first-period power play but were held without a goal over the final two periods. The Mavericks finished with 23 shots and 17 blocked shots, while St. Thomas had 28 shots and won 34 faceoffs to the Mavericks' 19. Minnesota State has recorded at least 17 blocked shots in two consecutive games.
Ayla Puppe scored a power-play goal and added two shots. Puppe's goal was her team-leading sixth of the season, continuing her strong offensive start.
Zoe Lopez recorded an assist, one shot and one blocked shot. Lopez has recorded at least one point in four consecutive games.
Mia Miller added an assist and one blocked shot.
Hailey Hansen got the start in net and finished with 24 saves.
Makayla Moran registered a season-high five shots, and
Neely Hawn recorded a season-high four blocked shots.
During the first period, Hansen helped the Mavericks through St. Thomas' early pressure with multiple saves, while
Payton Finnie and Hawn added blocked shots before the Mavericks earned their first power-play chance. The Mavericks would strike first converting on the skater advantage after a Whitney Horton penalty at 6:20 when Puppe scored off assists from Miller and Lopez for a 1-0 lead. The lead was short lived as the Tommies would win the faceoff and get the puck right to the net. Teagan Kulenkamp answered, finishing off a feed from Jenessa Gazdik and Ella Boerger to tie it 1-1 just seven seconds after Puppe's goal, swinging the momentum right back to the Tommies. The Mavericks came back with chances of their own, including
Sophie Stramel hitting the pipe and shots on goal from Miller,
Mika Cichosz and
Ava Guillemette.
Mercury Bischoff later had an opportunity for a penalty shot, but her forehand shot was saved by Dani Strom at 14:01. The Mavericks added late looks from
Kamryn Van Batavia and
Anika Stromme before the first period ended tied 1-1.
The Mavericks were held scoreless in the second period as they struggled to create looks while St. Thomas scored three times, beginning with Boerger's even-strength goal at 4:21 that put the Tommies in front 2-1. Earlier, the Mavericks generated six attempts on an early power play after Jenessa Gazdik's tripping penalty, with Bischoff,
Lauren Zawoyski, Cichosz and Moran all involved before the chance ended without a goal. After Lopez was called for tripping, St. Thomas converted its power play as Cara Sajevic's redirected a shot right out in front of Hansen at 6:48 with assists from Chloe Boreen and Kenleigh Fischer to make it 3-1, and Cailin Mumm added an even-strength goal at 13:42 for a 4-1 score. The Mavericks blocked several attempts down the stretch through
Audrey Garton, Hawn and Miller, and Moran recorded two late attempts in the final 33 seconds, but the period ended with St. Thomas ahead 4-1.
The Mavericks held St. Thomas scoreless in the third period, with Hansen credited with 11 saves and the penalty kill was able to kill off two St. Thomas power plays. The Mavericks had the first special-teams chance after JuliAnna Gazdik's interference penalty at 16:47, but a Lopez attempt went wide and
Kendall Hassler's shot was saved by Dani before the power play ended. After Puppe was sent off for cross-checking at 11:32, the Mavericks blocked two shots and saw another St. Thomas attempt hit the pipe before the penalty expired, then killed off Moran's tripping penalty at 4:25 behind two Hansen saves. The Mavericks put pucks on Strom late, including saved shots by Moran, Puppe and Van Batavia in the final two minutes, but the scoreless period left St. Thomas with a 4-1 final.
Up next, the Mavericks will host St. Thomas tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato, Minn as they look to split the two game series and get their first WCHA win of the season.
3 Stars of the Game:
1. UST #22 Teagan Kulenkamp
2. UST #20 Chloe Boreen
3. UST #4 Cailin Mumm
