Ashley Nixon Stops 52 of 55, Beats UMD 4-3

I was going to do a long post about referees Doocy and Storey.. but it would just sound like every other one I've read (or posted myself) so I'll just say that Ashley Nixon stood on her head stopping 52 of 55 shots, many from in close.

UMD was up 3-1 and blew the lead in the second period.

Elin Holmlov had 2 goals for UMD, and Megan McCarthy answered with 2 of her own for SCSU.

Haley Irwin took a stupid (and lazy) tripping penalty at the end of her shift at 17:08 of the third period to pretty much kill any momentum UMD had built after having 2 straight powerplays that peppered Nixon with shots.

Meaghan Pezon didn't play for SCSU so her injury Friday night may be a bad one, but this being the Duluth area, there wasn't any sort of report that I've seen.

Dogs Pound St. Cloud State 7-2

The Dogs dominated (winning 7-2) from the start, with a 16-0 shot advantage before SCSU ever got a shot on Johanna Ellison, who played 2 scoreless periods before giving way to Lana Steck in the third period. The goals Steck gave up were a breakaway all the way off a UMD won faceoff and turnover, and a powerplay goal, neither that you can fault her for really.

Laura Fridfinnson had a hat trick, Jocelyne Larocque had three more assists, while Heidi Pelttari and Saara Tuominen each had 2 assists.

SCSU lost Meaghan Pezon to a leg or ankle injury where she had to be helped off the ice without any weight on that leg, and didn't return to the game.

Megan McCarthy had a goal and assist for SCSU.

Jocelyne Larocque WCHA Offensive Player Of the Week

Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman Jocelyne Larocque was one the most important pieces of the Bulldog offense, scoring a goal and dishing out four assists in UMD's win and tie with then No.1-ranked Minnesota last weekend.

The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba assisted on all four of the Bulldogs' second period goals in last Friday's (Jan. 23) 4-2 win over the Gophers, including UMD's scoring burst of three goals in just over three minutes late in the second period. Larocque then scored a power-play goal from the point in the second period of last Saturday's (Jan. 24) game to get Minnesota Duluth on the board for the first time.

The NCAA and WCHA's leading point-getter from the blueline with an average of 1.08 ppg (4-22-26 in 24 games), Larocque was part of a Bulldog penalty-kill unit that forced the Gophers to go 1-of-11 on the power-play during the series. Larocque is on a four-game scoring streak since Jan. 16, having scored two goals and six assists during that string. Over her two-year collegiate career, she has eight goals, 44 assists and 52 points in 63 games.

For those familiar with the Duluth area, Montana Vichorek, who played high school hockey for Cloquet/Esko/Carlton is the Rookie Of the Week.

Montana Vichorek, a freshman defenseman at Bemidji State University from Moose Lake, Minn., recorded her second-career two-assist game during last Saturday's 3-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory over visiting Ohio State and played a huge role in BSU taking the weekend series (Jan. 23-24) from the Buckeyes.

Vichorek led the team with 10 blocks over the weekend, and posted a career-high nine blocks in last Friday's 3-3 overtime tie. Vichorek now has four points in her last five games (four assists), and is tied for the team lead in assists this season with nine (1g,9a=10p). She is the first Beaver defender to eclipse the 10-point mark since the 2005-06 season

UMD/Minnesota Tie 3-3, Minnesota Gets Shootout Point

Down 3-1 in the third period, UMD got goals from Laura Fridfinnson and Sara O'Toole to force overtime, which ended with the score tied 3-3.

Jocelyne Larocque scored UMD's first goal, and O'Toole also picked up two assists to go with her game tying goal.

Johanna Ellison starred again in net for UMD, stopping 37 of 40 shots she faced.

Monique Lamoureux had a goal and assist for the Gophers.

UMD Beats the Gophers 4-2 at Ridder!

Click the blog title to go check out the game box score!

Haley Irwin scored twice, Jocelyne Larocque assisted on ALL FOUR UMD Goals, and Elin Holvlov had three assists; while Johanna Ellison stopped 34 of 36 shots for the victory at Ridder Arena.

Laura Fridfinnson scored a shorthanded goal and Pernilla Winberg scored on the powerplay to round out the UMD scoring.

UMD Sweeps Mankato, Loses Martin to Injury

UMD defeated Mankato 5-0 Friday, in a game that Kim Martin left after 11+ minutes with a leg injury which is now reported to be three-four weeks depending on the outcome of x-rays Monday. Johanna Ellison played the rest of the game securing the shutout and her third win of the season.

Scoring in Friday's game for UMD were Haley Irwin (2 goals), Saara Tuominen, Pernilla Winberg, and Jocelyn Larocque. Winberg has 2 assists and Larocque also added an assist, and Sara O'Toole had 3 assists. Kacy Ambroz picked up her third assist of the season also Friday.

On Saturday UMD won 6-3, with Lana Steck in net, stopping 17 of 20 shots. Haley Irwin scored two more goals, Elin Holmlov scored (after sitting out Friday's game for her ailing back), Jamie Rasmussen and Pernilla Winberg (and 2 assists) also scored, and Sara O'Toole scored on a penalty shot to give UMD 6 goals (not in that exact order.)

UMD/Wisconsin tie 3-3, UMD Wins Shootout

UMD lost a 3-1 lead over Wisconsin in the third period, and nobody scored in overtime, leading to a 3-3 tie. UMD ran out of gas in the third period, having only one practice leading up to the weekend's series, and Wisconsin took advantage of UMD's special teams to score a powerplay and shorthanded goal in the third period for the tie.

Elin Holmlov scored twice and assisted on a Heidi Pelttari goal, and Saara Tuominen scored her 100th career point on an assist to Holmlov's first goal and Kim Martin stopped 34 of 37 shots.

Kelly Nash, Jasmine Giles, and Hilary Knight scored for the badgers, and Jessie Vetter stopped 35 of 38 UMD shots.

In the shootout, Sara O'Toole and Laura Fridfinnson scored for UMD and Kim Martin shut down Hilary Knight and Kelly Nash on their attempts.

UMD needs a huge weekend at Mankato leading to the Gopher series in two weeks (with Team USA in-between the Mankato and Minnesota series.)

UMD Starts 2009 With A Huge Win

Laura Fridfinnson's two goals, sandwiched between a Haley Irwin goal and Jamie Rasmussen goal, carried UMD to a 4-0 shutout win. Kim Martin was solid, and her defense protected her well when she covered the puck..allowing her to stop all 31 shots she faced, making it her 53rd career win and 11th career shutout.