Season opener split

After coming off a preseason loss to Team USA last weekend, the Women’s hockey team split their opening series with Niagara University this weekend.

Seniors Meaghan Pezon and Caitlin Hogan along with goalie-tandem Ashley Nixon and Tayler VanDenakker carried the team to a 1-1 finish for the weekend. This makes the Huskies 1-1-0 (0-0-0 WCHA) for the season so far. 

St. Cloud State came out strong winning 4-3 over the Purple Eagles in an offensively-close match, Friday. The Huskies outshot Niagara 36-33.

Scoring the first goal of the night was Pezon from Callie Dahl and Kelly Meierhoffer off of a power play at the 4:00 mark in the first period. Niagara University tied it up at 6:26 in the first with an even-strength goal by Jenna Hendrikx.

Coming out strong in the second period, sophomore Brittany Toor brought the Huskies to a 2-0 lead a little over a minute into the period through a nice setup by Pezon and freshman Jocelyn Zabrick. However, Niagara would once again tie it up with a power play goal from Mary McKinnon at 4:49 in the second.

Coming into the third period, Niagara pumped up the pressure and out-shot SCSU 19-6. But with a strong performance from sophomore goalie Ashley Nixon, the Huskies were able to regain the lead with a power play goal 32 seconds into the third period from alternate captain Danielle Hirsch.

Assisting on Hirsch’s goal were Hogan and first-year Kylie Lane. Approximately two minutes later, Hogan netted what would be the game-winning goal off a pass from first-year defenseman Katie Allen.

Niagara eventually scored with an extra attacker with 7 seconds left in the game.

Despite coming off an exciting win the previous night, the Huskies failed to finish up the sweep Saturday night over Niagara University. Despite outshooting the Purple Eagles 37 to 28, St. Cloud State suffered its first loss of the regular season losing 3-1.

Mary McKinnon of Niagara University put the first notch on the scoreboard with a power play shot at 16:45 in the first period. The Purple Eagles defensively held the Huskies back for the remainder of the period.

The second period proved to be an offensively fast game for both SCSU and Niagara University. At the 5:35 mark, the Huskies saw their first and only goal of the night shot by senior Caitlin Hogan. Assisting on the goal were senior Holly Roberts and freshman Zabrick.

Eight seconds after Hogan’s goal, Niagara fired back and scored on sophomore goalie Vandenakker.

Niagara University brought the score up to 3-1 early in the third period with an unassisted, breakaway goal by Natasha Fryer.

Coach Jeff Giesen sees some things that need improving before next weekend’s series at University of Minnesota-Duluth.

“We need to play a full 60 minutes and not just hope things go well–we have to personally make things go well for ourselves.”

Along with playing for the full 60 minutes, specific areas of the game such as special teams will be worked on. In Saturday’s game, the Huskies went 0-7 on their power play opportunities.

“Special teams are a key factor in college hockey. Our special teams did well on Friday night, but it’s still early in the year, and they need some work,” Giesen said.

Although the Huskies split the series, the games gave the first-year players a chance to show the team, the coaches and the fans what they are made of.

“Defensively, Katie Allen and Jocelyn Zabrick stepped up and showed us that freshmen can play at this level,” Giesen said.

Not only did Allen and Zabrick play well, but so did VanDenakker.

“All of our first year players are seeing ice-time and playing extremely well,” the sophomore net minder said.

The freshmen players are making an impact off the ice as well. With a class of eight players, they have left their mark on the team chemistry on and off the ice.

“The team gets along great. Having such a big freshmen class helps a lot. They all were able to melt together and come in here and be themselves around the rest of the team.

We also have a sizeable senior class that has taken in the freshmen. Everyone gets along really well; we are all having a ton of fun playing together,” said Hogan.

The Huskies travel north to take on University of Minnesota-Duluth next weekend in their first conference series. The game starts at 6:07 p.m. on Saturday, and 3:07 p.m. on Sunday in Duluth.