UMD Women Split with Ohio State

With the two teams tied in the 4th spot in the WCHA standings, the Bulldogs won Friday night, and Buckeyes won Saturday night, leaving the WCHA first round still cloudy.  UMD finishes the season with Bemidji and Mankato, while Ohio State finishes the season with Minnesota, then Wisconsin.  That remaining schedule favors UMD, and would likely mean UMD and Ohio State battle in a best of 3 series at Amsoil Arena February 24/25 and 26th if necessary. 

UMD Womens’ Hockey Beats Ohio State

 

The Bulldogs came out flying on Friday, February 2nd vs Ohio State, scoring 4 first period goals. Audrey Cournoyer (assists to Haley Irwin and Jessica Wong) scored first for the 'Dogs, just 39 seconds into the game, finding herself alone in front of the OSU net with the puck on a rebound for the easy tap-in. Jenna McParland (from Irwin and Cournoyer) gave UMD a 2-0 lead at 5:30, batting a puck down into the net. Katie Wilson (from Ambroz and Zoe Hickel) made it 3-0 90 seconds later. A Haley Irwin goal at 11:31 of the period gave UMD it's 4-0 lead.

The 4-0 lead stood until 14:24 of the second period, when OSU's Ally Tarr scored. The Buckeyes cut the lead to 4-2 with just 43 seconds left in the game, with the empty net and powerplay on a goal by Kelly Wild following a scrum in front of Jenny Harss' net. Harss stopped 23 of 25 shots she faced for the win, while OSU starter Lisa Steffes stopped 4 of 7 shots, in just 7 minutes of action. Steffes was replaced by Chelsea Knapp after the third goal, and Knapp stopped 25 of 26 shots she faced.

UMD Women Swept by Gophers

The UMD Bulldog women were swept at Ridder Arena, Friday night and Saturday afternoon by the Minnesota Gophers. 

On Friday, the Dogs dropped a 4-1 decision, giving up 3 goals in the third period, after taking a 1-1 tie to the second intermission.  Kacy Ambroz’s second goal of the season gave UMD a 1-0 lead 7:34 into the second period, and Gopher Jen Schoullis tied the game at 13:27.  UMD was outshot 18-4 in the period, largely in part to being shorthanded five times. 

Sarah Erickson (9:11), Schoullis (15:04), and Megan Bozek (empty net at 19:14,) accounted for the 3 third period goals for the Gophers, who were 2/8 on the powerplay.  Jenny Harss stopped 33 of 37 Gopher shots in the loss.

 

Saturday afternoon, UMD got down early, when Schoullis scored 52 seconds into the game.  An Amanda Kessel goal at 18:08 gave the Gophers a 2-0 lead at the first intermission break.

A Brigette Lacquette powerplay goal at 2:04 of the second period cut the deficit to 2-1, but Sarah Erickson gave the Gophers back their two goal lead at 5:28.

A Brienna Gillanders powerplay goal at 5:43 of the third period again cut the Gopher lead to a single goal, 3-2, which ended up being the final score for the game. 

Jenny Harss stopped 30 of 33 Gopher shots in Saturday’s game.

UMD is now just 1-4-1 in WCHA play, with the win and tie vs North Dakota being their only points, with 2 losses each to Wisconsin and Minnesota.    Harss has a .91% saves percentage and is allowing 2.97 goals per WCHA game, but the 1-4-1 record in league games. 

‘Dogs Swept by Badgers

On Saturday night, the Badgers took it to the Bulldogs, scoring 3 first period goals in the final 1:34 of the period to take a 3-0 lead to intermission. Hilary Knight (17:05), Brianna Decker (18:04), and Kelly Jaminski (18:39) scored those goals.

Pernilla Winberg got the 'Dogs on the board, with her third of the year, assisted by Irwin and Wong, at 3:30 of the second period. Wisconsin again took a 3 goal lead, at 12:53 on a Prevost goal. UMD used it's timeout there and started go gain a little momentum, but with a delayed Wisconsin penalty, a missed pass to the blue line ended up sliding all the way down ice to the empty Bulldog net (with Jenny Harss pulled for the extra attacker) for a Badger goal. Saige Pacholok got credit for the goal, as well as being the player the delayed penalty was to be called on. A Knight penalty put UMD on a 5 on 3 powerplay, which Audrey Cournoyer capitalized on, scoring with 14 seconds left in the period, assisted by Irwin and Wong.

Katie Wilson started the third period with UMD's third goal of the game, just 1:50 in, giving the 'Dogs a shot at a comeback. Lana Steck, replacing Harss after two periods, stopped all 12 shots she faced in the third period, to also give UMD a shot at a comeback, but she was matched by Alex Rigsby in stopping 12 more Bulldog shots the remainder of the period. Rigsby stopped 80 of 86 total Bulldog shots on the weekend. Carolyne Prévost added an empty net goal at 19:36 to give the Badgers a 6-3 final decision.

UMD takes on North Dakota next Saturday/Sunday afternoons at Amsoil Arena

Badgers’ Shorthanded Goal Beats Dogs

Click to view game 1 photos

A shorthanded goal with 1:14 left on the third period clock, by Wisconsin's Hilary Knight, gave the Badgers a 4-3 win over the Bulldogs at Amsoil Arena, October 21, 2011.

The first period was a flurry of activity on both ends of the ice, with a combined 35 (15 UMD, 20 Wisconsin) shots on net in the period, with UMD coming out ahead 2-1 on two goals by Jenna McParland (twice assisted by Haley Irwin, once by Pernilla Winberg,) and one Wisconsin goal by Brianna Becker.  McParland now has four goals on the season

Wisconsin controlled the second period, outshooting UMD 17-7 and putting the only two goals of the period on the board. Carolyne Prévost and Hilary Knight scored the Wisconsin goals in the second period. At 7:18 of the third period Audrey Cournoyer's one timer, from Brigette Lacqutte and Zoe Hickel beat Badgers goaltender Alex Rigsby to tie the game at 3.

UMD put 15 shots on Rigsby in the third period, netting only the goal by Cournoyer, before the turnover on the powerplay sent Hilary Knight in on Jenny Harss for the game winning goal. Harss stopped 39 of 43 shots in taking the loss, while Rigsby stopped 34 of 37 Bulldog shots in the win.

UMD Women Sweep U-Conn

The Bulldogs first road trip of the season sent them out to battle their second Hockey East opponent, this weekend University of Connecticut. 

On Friday, the Dogs picked up a 5-4 victory, with 5 different players each picking up a goal.  Katie Wilson gave UMD the lead 3:53 into the game, assisted by Emma Stauber.  UConn tied the game at 16:13 with a powerplay goal by Emily Snodgrass. 

UMD took the lead back at 8:31 of the second quarter, when Vanessa Thibault scored her first of the season, from Gina Dodge and Shara Jasper.  Audrey Cournoyer’s third goal of the season, just 27 seconds later gave the ‘Dogs a 3-1 lead.  UConn’s Rebecca Hewett cut UMD’s lead to 3-2 at 13:21, but Jessica Wong made sure the Bulldogs took a two goal lead to the locker room with a goal with 6 seconds left in the second period.  Cournoyer and Wilson assisted on Wong’s goal.

Huskies’ Jocelyn Slattery cut the Bulldog lead to 4-3 with a goal 4:26.  Haley Irwin gave the Bulldogs back a two goal lead yet again, at 17:30 of the period, from Mariia Posa, which proved to be the game winner, as UConn’s Taylor Gross scored with their goaltender, Alexandra Garcia pulled for an extra attacker, at 18:37. 

 

On Saturday, the Dogs doubled up UConn in shots on goal, 48-24, and beat them on the scoreboard 6-1.  Jenna McParland picked up her first career goal at 12:16, from Irwin and Pernilla Winberg, the only goal of the period for either team.

UConn’s Sarah MacDonnell tied the game at 1, just 2:55 into the second period, but that tie was the only goal for the Huskies on the afternoon.  Jessica Wong’s 4th goal of the season, assisted by Zoe Hickel, at 5:55 of the second gave UMD the lead for good.  Mariia Posa scored her first goal of the season, from Cournoyer and Wilson at 10:46, and McParland added her second goal 58 seconds later. 

Winberg’s second goal of the season, from Irwin, and Kacy Ambroz’s first of the year, unassisted added to UMD’s lead in the third period.  Jenny Harss got the win in both games, with Lana Steck playing the final 5:58 of the Saturday game. 

The Bulldogs head back to Amsoil Arena for a series with #1 ranked Wisconsin Friday and Saturday nights’ at 7:07.

UMD Women Lose 3-2 to Boston College

Sunday saw the Bulldogs get off to a 2-0 lead but fail to hold onto that lead and lose 3-2 with a third period Boston College goal with 0.4 left on the clock.

Audrey Cournoyer gave UMD a 1-0 lead at 12:31 of the first period, assisted by Haley Irwin and Zoe Hickel. Brigette Lacquette (from Irwin and Pernilla Winberg) scored her first career goal with a powerplay blast from the blue line that rocketed under the crossbar. Boston College answered just 15 seconds later, when an Emily Field shot was redirected, saved by Jenny Harss, but deflected off of Lacquette into the net. Field got credit for the goal, assisted by Dru Burns and Alex Carpenter.

UMD's 2-1 lead held until the 17:09 mark of the third period when Emily Pfalzer tied the game, assisted by Carpenter. Carpenter, following her two assists, found herself in front of the Bulldog net, shorthanded with the puck and buried the game winner as the clock ticked down from 1.

B.C’s Alex Carpenter

UMD Defenseman Brigette Lacquette

Bulldogs Beat Whitecaps in Overtime

A Pernilla Winberg overtime goal with 45 seconds left on the clock gave the UMD Women a home exhibition win over the Minnesota Whitecaps, September 30, 2011.

Allie Thunstrom put the Whitecaps up 1-0 3:53 into the first period, with an assist from former Bulldog star Jenny Potter on a powerplay. Audrey Cournoyer put the Dogs on the board, evening the store 23 seconds into the second period.

The third period was scoreless, though Bulldog Jamie Kenyon hit a post from close in late in the period.

Jennifer Harss stopped 27 of 28 shots she faced, while Whitecaps goaltender Sanya Sandahl stopped 38 of 40 in the losing effort.

UMD Women Squash St. Cloud

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Four goals in a row by Pernilla Winberg lead the Bulldogs to an 8-0 win over St. Cloud State, February 18, 2011 at Amsoil Arena.

Haley Irwin scored UMD's 5th goal, in her first game back from an undisclosed injury, while Tara Gray, Elin Holmlov, and Kacy Ambroz socred the other 'Dogs goals.

Holmlov added three assists, and Katie Wilson, Brienna Gillanders, Jocelyne Larocque, Irwin each had two assists. Jenny Harss stopped all 10 shots she saw in two periods, and Lana Steck stopped 5 shots she faced in relief, playing the third period.

Winberg celebrates her hat-trick

Brienna Gilanders looks for a rebound

UMD Women Beat Bemidji, Regain WCHA 4th Place

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Coming into the 2 game series with Bemidji State, the Bulldog women were 2 points behind the Beavers in the WCHA standings, in 5th place after a short winless streak of 5 games.

The 'Dogs got down 1-0 quick, on an unassisted goal by Bemidji captain Erin Cody at 3:04 of the first.Tara Gray evened the score blasting a missile through a crowd and past goaltender Alana McElhinney, who never saw the puck.

Laura Fridfinnson notched goals 3:18 apart in the second period to give the 'Dogs a 3-1 lead, but Cody scored two more (for the hat trick) faster, scoring at 11:18 from the blue line on a bouncing puck that fooled Kim Martin and again at 12:34.

Elin Holmlov didn't wait long in the third period, scoring at 4:03 from Pernilla Winberg and Jessica Wong to put UMD ahead 4-3, that was the eventual final score. Kim Martin stopped 21 of 24 shots faced, while McElhinney stopped 31 of 35 UMD shots. Former Cloquet Lumberjack defenseman Montana Vichorek assisted on the two Cody goals in the third period.

Kacy Ambroz gets in tight on McElhinney

Friddy celebrates a goal

UMD Season (16 Days and counting down!)

UMD 2010-11 Season
Not only do they defend their 5th National Championship, but have a nice new arena to defend the second half of the season. There are only 5 seniors on the roster, to replace the 5 that graduated, plus Libby Guzzo's transfer to St. Scholastica, making 20 total roster players with the three goaltenders (Harss, Martin, and Steck.)

4 players are listed as defensemen.. giving me the idea that Jessica Wong and Elin Holmlov will see some blue line time this season. Some people were asking what the roles of Gina Dodge and Kacy Ambroz would be this season (with the Olympians returning).. but I don't think there's reason to wonder after their play last season.

UMD should be able to roll 3 lines with anyone this year, with defense being the one spot with possible questions with Rasmussen and Murray graduating. Larocque and Gray will be on the ice a lot with Posa (Soph) and Noora Jaakola (Freshman), and whoever they do decide to move from forward to defense to fill in.

Might we see a goaltender battle between Harss and Martin this winter? Martin didn't have a really excellent Olympic tournament, but they (Team Sweden) didn't play anyone for tuneup matches so she had a really bad defensive team in front of her. Sweden would have been far better off to leave it's players on their NCAA teams seeing high caliber opponents, but that's getting off topic. She (Martin) is (reported as) probably the healthiest (knees) she's been as a Bulldog so it will be fun to see both goaltenders probably rotate at least until after Christmas.

Shannon Miller can't go anywhere for at least 5 years.. if not more.. she has 5 rings for 5 fingers.. but needs 5 more for the other hand!