News Tribune Pre-Bemidji Series Story

College women's hockey: UMD kills 22 St. Cloud State penalties
Andy Greder Duluth News Tribune
Published Saturday, October 13, 2007

Minnesota Duluth coach Shannon Miller said sophomore center Saara Tuominen flawlessly fulfills her role on the penalty-kill unit.

“[Tuominen’s] discipline and ability to take away passing lanes makes her exceptional,” Miller said. “She anticipates what the other team is going to do very well. She sets the example and does exactly what you’re supposed to do.”

Behind Tuominen’s defensive lead, UMD was impeccable in killing all22 penalties in its Oct. 5-6 sweep at St. Cloud State. The Bulldogs will take their penalty-killing prowess into their season-opening home series against Bemidji State at 3:37 p.m. today and 3:07 p.m. Sunday at the DECC.

In UMD’s 3-0 win onOct. 5, the Bulldogs killed off 13 power plays.

“The main thing was that it was our first game and we needed to get the little kinks out,” junior forward Sara O’Toole said. “We were able to be successful in getting it together the next game.”

The Bulldogs then killed all nine St. Cloud power plays in Saturday’s 8-0 triumph.

“Friday was more read and react because it was our first game, but the second game we had a lot more direction and little adjustments that made a big difference in the level of play,” Miller said.

Goalie Kim Martin stopped 61 shots against St. Cloud, including 25 saves on penalty kills.

“We’ve worked a lot on penalty kill in practice, and the defense has done a perfect job in front of me,” said Martin, who was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association defensive player of the week.

Last season, UMD killed 87 percent of its penalties (199-for-228).

UMD, the fifth-ranked team in the USCHO.com poll, mainly uses forwards Tuominen, Haley Irwin, Iya Gavrilova, Karine Demuele and all six defenders during penalty kills.

Injured list grows

The Bulldogs are down to nine forwards after two more injuries this week.

Irwin, the second-line center, is out after getting a concussion in Monday’s practice.

Third-line center Tawni Mattila is inactive after spraining her left shoulder in Wednesday’s practice, while wingers Emmanuelle Blais (high ankle sprain) and Samantha Hough (knee) remain out of the lineup.

Martin suffered a concussion late in the Oct. 6 St. Cloud game, but felt no repercussions during the week and will start in net today.

WISCONSIN ties NCAA RECORD

Wisconsin, the two-time defending NCAA champion and preseason WCHA favorite, tied the NCAA women’s unbeaten streak at 30 games on Oct. 6.

The top-ranked Badgers have gone 27-0-3 to tie New Hampshire’s streak set during the 2005-06 season.

Wisconsin (4-0-0) hosts Ohio State at 2:05 p.m. today.