National Championship Game Photos!

Click the blog title to view all my game pictures from UMD's 5th National Championship Win!

After nearly 3 full overtimes, equaling 119 minutes and 26 seconds of hockey (4 hours and 24 minutes real time), the UMD Bulldog women's hockey team became National Champions, for the 5th time! Neither team scored in a first period that had 19 shots between the two teams, and one penalty each. In the second period, Cornell's Melanie Jue scored the only goal, a powerplay goal, at 13:44, and gave Cornell a 1-0 lead at the second intermission. Cornell took a penalty at 19:11 of the second period, and Emmanuelle Blais scored a powerplay goal 18 seconds into the third period to tie the game at 1. Jamie Rasmussen capitalized on another Cornell penalty, at 14:42, skating in deep and burying a centering pass to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. Less than two minutes later though, Jue tied the game for Cornell, batting in a puck that popped up in the air and bouncing off UMD goaltender Jenny Harss. Cornell took a penatly at 16:42 of the third period, but UMD couldn't capitalize, and the game went to overtime.

The first overtime had great scoring chances for both teams. The best came when Audrey Cournoyer got the puck in front of Cornell goaltender Amanda Mazzotta, and before she could make a move around her, Mazzotta pokechecked the puck and caused it to hop Cournoyer's stick. UMD had 12 shots and Cornell 11 in the first overtime. The majority of the second and third overtime's were spent in Cornell's zone, as UMD started to skate more of the third line and rotate Kacy Ambroz and Vanessa Thibault more into the first two lines to give players a break. Ambroz forechecked hard the 2nd and 3rd overtime and helped the Bulldogs create momentum, but they couldn't get anything by Mazzotta, until the last minute of the third overtime. Laura Fridfinnson was tripped as she gained the zone and a great scoring chance, creating a UMD powerplay. The powerplay expired, but UMD still had the zone when a Tara Gray blast from the blue line was tipped into the net by Jessica Wong, 6 seconds after the powerplay ended, to win the game in overtime. Mazzotta finished the game with 61 saves on 64 shots, while Harss stopped 47 of 49 shots she faced.

UMD captain Saara Tuominen assisted on UMD's first two goals, while Jamie Rasmussen assisted on the first, Cournoyer on the second, and Mariia Posa added to Gray's assist on Wong's game winning goal. Laura Fortino assisted on both Cornell goals, while Lauriane Rougeau and Karlee Overguard each had an assist for the Big Red.

Tara Gray slapshot that Wong tipped for game winner

ALL the game shots

*THE* National Champion, UMD BULLDOGS!

For the 5th time, the UMD Bulldog women's hockey team is the National Champions! Defeating Cornell with 33 seconds left in the THIRD overtime!

Picture sometime in the next 24 hours, over 1200 of them to sort through!

Mercyhurst's Vicki Bendus Wins Kazmaier Award

Mercyhurst junior Vicki Bendus won the 2010 Patty Kazmaier award today for the top D1 women's college hockey player.

UMD Semi-Final Photos, Recap

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The Bulldogs defeated the Minnesota Gophers, for the 4th time in a row, beating them 3-2 in the second NCAA Semi-Final game at Ridder Arena. It was also the 4th time in a row that the Bulldogs have scored three goals against the Gophers. Laura Fridfinnson opened the scoring for UMD at 5:55 of the first period, on a wrap around of a rebound from an Emmanuelle Blais shot, and UMD took a 1-0 lead to the locker room. At 12:55 of the second, Blais scored the first of her two goals, with assists to Fridfinnson and Jocelyne Larocque. The Gophers cut into the lead when Sarah Erickson took off on a breakaway after a UMD turnover, beating Jenny Harss at 17:30 of the second period. Only 1:45 later, Blais scored again, givine UMD back it's 2 goal lead, that they took to the second intermission. Both teams had two powerplays in the third period, though neither capitalized on the opportunities. With their goaltender Noora Raty pulled, the Gophers picked up a goal by Emily West at 19:05 to make the game 3-2. UMD managed to keep the puck tied up the final 55 seconds, and set up a championship game with Cornell.

Photos From Cornell's Overtime Win Against Mercyhurst

Click the blog title to view all of my photos from the 3-2 Overtime Cornell Semi-Final win against Mercyhurst in the NCAA Women's D1 Frozen Four!

UMD Women Defeat Gophers, Play For National Championship Sunday!

The UMD women win the semi-final against Minnesota, beating the Gophers for the 4th game in a row, and face Cornell for the National Championship on Sunday at Noon at Ridder Arena.

UMD Up 3-1 After 2 Periods

The DOGS are winning 3-1 after 2 periods, were up 1-0 after the first period.

Frozen Four Logo

It's 4 hours until UMD takes on Minnesota for the 6th time this season.... well, at LEAST 4 hours depending on how the Cornell/Mercyhurst game goes.

UMD Vs UMTC NCAA Semifinal 8 pm Ridder Friday Night

If you can't get down to Ridder Arena, catch the Bullodgs Semi-Final game vs Minnesota live online via USCHO.COM's coverage of BOTH Semi-Final games http://www.uscho.com/women/

The Final game won't be broadcast online, but on CBS College Sports Network (CSTV).

UMD Women To Frozen Four, AGAIN!

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The UMD women earned yet another trip to the NCAA Frozen Four, with a 2-1 win over the New Hampshire Wildcats at the DECC, March 13, 2010!

Jocelyne Larocque (assisted by Kacy Ambroz) got UMD off on the right foot, at 2:42 of the first, grabbing the lead on a shot from the point that found it's way to the net through a screen. Three minutes later New Hampshire's Micaela Long tied the game off a scrum in front of the UMD net.

The teams skated the next 38 minutes 15 seconds scoreless, before Jessica Wong picked up the game winner, 3:57 into the third period, from Emmanuelle Blais and Katie Wilson.

Jenny Harss stopped 23 of 24 Wildcat shots for her 27th win, while UNH goaltender Kayley Herman stopped 24 of 26 UMD shots.

UMD Women Win WCHA Playoff Championship!

The WCHA regular season co-champions knocked off the Minnesota Gophers 3-2 at Ridder Arena, to win the WCHA Final Faceoff playoff championship, to head into the NCAA tournament on a huge roll.

Jessica Wong got UMD on the board first, at 5:59 of the first period, when she pounced on a rebound and 2 handed it into the net past Gopher goaltender Noora Raty. Emmanuelle Blais made it 2-0 at 14:22 on a powerplay, and Gopher star Sarah Erickson scored at 17:06 to go into the locker rooms with UMD up 2-1.

Audrey Cournoyer scored the eventual game winner, UMD's third goal, 11:21 into the second period, while Erickson scored her second of the game at 16:28 of the period. Neither team scored in the third despite powerplays for both teams in the period.

The Dogs were 1 of 7 on the powerplay while Minnesota was 0 for 3. Jenny Harss won her 26th game of the season, stopping 18 of 20 shots, while Raty lost only her third game, stopping 25 of 28 UMD shots.

Pictures from UMD vs Bemidji semi-Final!

Pictures from UMD Vs Minnesota Championship Game

Dogs Hand Beavers 7-3 Loss, Face Gophers for WCHA Playoff Championship

Laura Fridfinnson got UMD off on the right foot, scoring 24 seconds into the first period and then at 19:35 of the period, sandwiching a Katie Wilson goal midway through the period.

UMD opened the second period strong, with an Emmanuelle Blais goal at 2:56, and another Wilson goal, 10 seconds later. Bemidji's Emily Erickson scored her first of two at 5:00, that Jamie Rasmussen answerd at 14:32 of the second period.

Bemidji came out strong in the third period, getting goals by Erin Cody (4:00) and Erickson (6:49) but couldn't gain anymore ground. Blais scored her second goal, an empty netter to finish the scoring and give UMD the 7-3 victory.

Fridfinnson also picked up three assists in the game. Jenny Harss stopped 17 of 20 shots for the win, while UMD scored it's 7 goals on 33 shots.

PHOTOS from the game

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The Gophers and Buckeyes put on a great show in the second game, with the Gophers winning 3:31 into the second overtime.

Ohio State's Brittany Carlson scored the only goal of the first period, while Minnesota's Brittany Francis scored the only goal in the second period, with the 1-1 tie score giving a sense of overtime.

The two teams combined for 6 goals in the final 8:05 of the third period, with the lead being traded twice. Kelli Blankenship gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead at 11:55 of the period, but was answered 12 seconds later by the Buckeye's Raelyn LaRocque. Ohio State grabbed the lead at 16:45 on a Natalie Spooner goal, that was answered by the Gophers' Francis second goal of the game 40 seconds later. The Gophers retook the lead 1:06 after re-tying the game on an Anne Schleper goal, but Ohio State tied it up with 18 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

The first overtime was extremely eventful, with a Gopher goal disallowed after replay, presumably for a puck batted in with a forearm. The Gophers carried much of the first overtime, putting 13 shots on goal, while Ohio State had 7 shots, but a couple good scoring chances themselves in the scoreless OT period. 3:31 into the second overtime, Laura May scored the game winner for the Gophers.

Pictures from the Minnesota/Ohio State game

UMD Faces Bemidji State Saturday

Emmanuelle Blais was named a top 10 finalist for the Patty Kaz award, while she and Jamie Rasmussen were named to the All-WCHA First Team, Laura Fridfinnson to the Second Team, and Jenny Harss to the Third Team.

The Dogs head to Ridder Arena for a noon game Saturday with Bemidji State, and the winner of that faces the winner of.. Minnesota and Ohio State! Yes, that is read correctly, Wisconsin's season was ended (barring a low-seed invite to the NCAA tourney) via two overtime losses to Ohio State in the WCHA first round.


Jamie Rasmussen

Emmanuelle Blais