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

Emmanuelle Blais 4 Goals Dominate North Dakota

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Last week's WCHA offensive player of the week Emmanuelle Blais scored 4 goals on 11 shots on goal, Saara Tuominen scored a goal and assist fresh off returning from the Olympics, and Jocelyne Larocque scored her first goal of the season as the Bulldogs skated to a 6-2 victory in game one of the best of three playoffs.

Jaime Rasmussen had three assists, Sarah Murray and Jessica Wong each had two assists, while Laura Fridfinnson and Katie Wilson each picked up an assist in the victory. Jenny Harss stopped 30 of 32 shots while UMD scored their 6 goals on 48 total shots on Sioux goaltender Jorid Dagfinrud.


Emmanuelle Blais

Bulldogs Past/Present In Olympics Feb 13/14

Click the blog title to go to NBCOlympics.com and view individual game results and game stats.

So far in 4 Olympic women's hockey games:

February 13
Kim Martin has shut out Switzerland 3-0, making 16 saves for Sweden against the Swiss.

UMD Grad Caroline Oullette scored a goal and added four assists, and red-shirted Bulldog Haley Irwin picked up two goals in Canada's 18-0 drubbing of Slovakia.

February 14
Jenny Potter had a hat-trick and two assists vs China, while former assistant coach and Harvard alum Julie Chu scored a goal and had two assists.

Saara Tuominen and Heidi Pelttari each had an assist in Finland's 5-1 win over the Russian women's hockey team.

Ohio State Beats UMD 6-3, Seniors Honored

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Ohio State beat UMD 6-3 (including an open net goal) on Saturday. Paige Semenza got the Buckeyes on the board for the only goal of the first period. Emmanuelle Blais tied the game 5:11 into the second period, but Laura McIntosh scored less than a minute left to give OSU the lead again. Natalie Spooner but Ohio State up by two goals at 15:46, Audrey Cournoyer got UMD within one at 17:24, and Raelyn LaRocque put them back up by two at 18:29 to give a frantic end to the second period. Jessica Wong made the game 4-3 with a goal 3:27 into the third period, but UMD was held scoreless the rest of the game, while OSU got another goal from Spooner, and the empty net goal by Hokey Langan to close out the scoring. After the game the 5 seniors were celebrated for their final regular season home game. Kirsti Hakala, Emmanuelle Blais, Jamie Rasmussen, and Sarah Murray took the ice with their parents, while Saara Tuominen, in Vancouver for the Olympics also received great applause.

The Seniors

Saara Tuominen Olympic Blog

Click the blog title.. to check out Saara Tuominen's UMDBulldogs.com Olympic blog from Vancovuer! It's updated with stories from her and includes pictures at times also.

http://umdbulldogs.com/teams-womens-hockey.php?page=121

UMD Beats Mankato 3-1

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Laura Fridfinnson led UMD to a 3-1 victory over the Mavericks, scoring the first goal of the game and assisting on goals by Saara Tuominen and Audrey Cournoyer. Katie Wilson picked up an assist as did Tuominen on the Cournoyer goal. Jenny Harss stopped 32 of 33 shots she faced, and UMD killed off all 8 powerplays they gave up.

This is late notice with today's game starting 20 minutes from typing this.. but watch live video http://www3.mnsu.edu/athletics/ of today's game.

Dogs Sweep Wisconsin

On Sunday, UMD completed the series sweep of Wisconsin, which also would give UMD the tie-breaker over Wisconsin should the teams be tied in the final league standings. Saara Tuominen started the scoring for the Bulldogs, lifting a shot over the the Badger goaltender Alannah McCready's glove that ended up going off her backside and into the net for a 1-0 first period lead. Katie Wilson put back a Jessica Wong rebound 3:13 into the second period to give UMD a 2-0 lead. Wisconsin's Geena Prough got Wisconsin on the board with 9:49 left in the second, but that was the only goal Jenny Harss would allow, as she stopped 27 of 28 shots on the night. Harss is now 15-7-2 in her freshman season for the Bulldogs. McCready stopped 23 of 25 UMD shots, picking up only her 3rd loss in 10 games.

Katie Wilson scores on a rebound of a Jessica Wong shot.

UMD, Wisconsin Tie, UMD Wins Shootout Point

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The Bulldogs and Badgers tied 2-2 in the second game of the 2 game series, with UMD winning the extra WCHA standings point in a shootout.

Emmanuelle Blais gave UMD a 1-0 lead with the only goal scored in the first period. Wisconsin scored two goals in the second period to take a 2-1 lead into the third period, and UMD's Jessica Wong scored the game tying goal 7:42 into the third period to finish the game scoring.

Saara Tuominen picked up an assist on both UMD goals.

The Bulldogs are home for Saturday/Sunday afternoon games against the Bemidji State Beavers next weekend.

Junior Laura Fridfinnson Set To Break 100 Point Mark

With her 2 goals and 2 assists against Boston College, Junior Laura Fridfinnson now has 99 points in her career and should join teammates Emmanuelle Blais (this year) and Saara Tuominen (last year) in the 100 point club in the series at Wisconsin this Friday/Sunday in Madison.

Saara Tuominen has 127 career points

Emmanuelle Blais now has 106 points

Laura Fridfinnson at 99, should hit 100 career points vs Wisconsin

Katie Wilson Hat Trick Leads tUMD To Sweep of Boston College

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Katie Wilson scored in each period for her first career hat trick, while Saara Touminen and Laura Fridfinnson scored a goal each, to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-1 victory, and sweep of the series at Boston College. Wilson and Fridfinnson now have 9 goals each to lead the Bulldogs, two behind Emmanuelle Blais 11 goals.

Blais had 3 assists, while Fridfinnson and Audrey Cournoyer each picked up two. Jenny Harss stopped 24 of 25 shots she faced, and has a .924 saves % with 2.28 GAA after the weekend.

UMD has outscored opponents 58-40 and on the season, while Wilson, Fridfinnson and Blais all averaging better than a point (goal or assist) per game.

The UMD women head to Madison for a series with the Badgers next weekend.

UMD's Katie Wilson (from Mankato series)

UMD Women Beat North Dakota 3-1, Sweep Series

Click the blog title to view both game's photos.

North Dakota again scored first (goal by Janet Babchishin,) in game 2 on Saturday, but UMD answered with first period goals by Emmanuelle Blais and Jaime Rasmussen (on the powerplay) to take a lead that they never gave up. Saara Tuominen (also on the powerplay) scored the only other goal of the game, in the second period to give UMD the final 3-1 score. Blais, Tuominen, and Rasmussen each had an assist as well, as did Laura Fridfinnson and Sarah Murray. Goaltender Jenny Harss played well again, stopping 22 of 23 shots she faced.

Emmanuelle Blais now has 91 points as a Bulldog, and Laura Fridfinnson has 88 points, as they both chase the 100 point mark.


Kacy Ambroz had one of her strongest games as a Bulldog.

Saara Tuominen scored her second goal of the season, hopefully that gets her back on track as the team leader.