University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, February 24
Minneapolis, Minn.
6:00 P.M.
at
Minnesota
Photo by: Wesley Dean
Women's Hockey heads across the river for best-of-three series against No. 4 Minnesota
2/23/2023 1:50:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Women's Hockey heads across the river for best-of-three series against No. 4 Minnesota
St. Thomas Women's Hockey will travel to Ridder Arena to face the No. 4 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs for a best-of-three series. The games are schedule for Friday at 6:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (if necessary).
Last Weekend Recap
On Friday night, St. Thomas Women's Hockey took one WCHA point from No. 4 ranked Minnesota behind the effort of Saskia Maurer in net who made a season-high 53 saves, ultimately falling 2-1 in overtime on home ice.
The Tommies have taken points from two nationally ranked opponents this season. Between those two games Saskia Maurer combined for 101 saves and a .981 save percentage.
In the 3rd minute of the final period Nicole Vallario scored her first goal of the season and gave the Tommies a 1-0 lead.
Just 57 second later the reigning Patty Kazmaier award winner, Taylor Heise, scored to equalize the game and stymie the Tommies' celebratory mood.
Maurer faced 15 shots in the third and stopped 14 of them to take her team into the overtime period. In overtime, the Gophers controlled much of the action outshooting St. Thomas 4-1. Abbey Murphy sniped one by the Tommies' sophomore goaltender with 2:43 remaining.
The Tommies were very active in front of their netminder, racking up 26 blocks in total, led by fellow countrywoman Nicole Vallario who blocked seven shots for her Swiss teammate.
On Saturday St. Thomas Women's Hockey concluded their regular season schedule with a hard-fought loss to WCHA championship-hopeful Minnesota, coming up short in a 4-2 effort.
Two Tommie seniors scored their final goal in front of a packed home crowd in Mendota Heights. Lotti Odnoga scored less than two minutes after Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first period. Anna Solheim scored in the opening ticks of the third to cut the Gophers lead to 3-2, Nicole Vallario and Maddy Clough added assists on the play.
The Tommies pulled Alexa Dobchuk with just over two minutes to play in a last-ditch comeback effort but could not find the back of the net with the six on five advantage. Dobchuk made 55 saves between the pipes for Coach Johnson to the tune of a .932 save percentage.
St. Thomas was outshot in the contest 59-26, but with a combination of strong play in net from Dubchuk and sound defense in front (14 blocked shots), the Tommies hung with the Gophers throughout the game's entirety.
About Minnesota (25-5-3 overall, 22-3-3 WCHA)
Forwards Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle, and Abbey Murphy lead the Gopher's offense this season. Taylor Heise (25g, 32a - 57p) was last year's Patty Kazmaier award winner, which is an award presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.
Grace Zumwinkle (22g, 30a - 52p) and Abbey Murphy (24g, 19a - 43p) represented team USA in the 2022 winter Olympics in Beijing.
Goaltender Skylar Vetter has played 31 games in net for the Gophers and posted 1.96 GAA, .920 SV% and five shutouts so far on the season.
Series History
The Tommies and the Gophers have met 10 times in the St. Thomas' Division I program history, six times in last year's regular season and four times this season.
This is the second time the two teams have faced-off in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
The Gophers have a 10-0 record against the Tommies.
The Tommies have been outscored by Minnesota 54-9. Maddy Clough and Luci Bianchi have both scored two goals against the Gophers, with the remaining goals scored by Jenna Hartung, Lauren Stenslie, Nicole Vallario, Lotti Odnoga and Anna Solheim.
St. Thomas Women's Hockey will travel to Ridder Arena to face the No. 4 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs for a best-of-three series. The games are schedule for Friday at 6:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (if necessary).
Last Weekend Recap
On Friday night, St. Thomas Women's Hockey took one WCHA point from No. 4 ranked Minnesota behind the effort of Saskia Maurer in net who made a season-high 53 saves, ultimately falling 2-1 in overtime on home ice.
The Tommies have taken points from two nationally ranked opponents this season. Between those two games Saskia Maurer combined for 101 saves and a .981 save percentage.
In the 3rd minute of the final period Nicole Vallario scored her first goal of the season and gave the Tommies a 1-0 lead.
Just 57 second later the reigning Patty Kazmaier award winner, Taylor Heise, scored to equalize the game and stymie the Tommies' celebratory mood.
Maurer faced 15 shots in the third and stopped 14 of them to take her team into the overtime period. In overtime, the Gophers controlled much of the action outshooting St. Thomas 4-1. Abbey Murphy sniped one by the Tommies' sophomore goaltender with 2:43 remaining.
The Tommies were very active in front of their netminder, racking up 26 blocks in total, led by fellow countrywoman Nicole Vallario who blocked seven shots for her Swiss teammate.
On Saturday St. Thomas Women's Hockey concluded their regular season schedule with a hard-fought loss to WCHA championship-hopeful Minnesota, coming up short in a 4-2 effort.
Two Tommie seniors scored their final goal in front of a packed home crowd in Mendota Heights. Lotti Odnoga scored less than two minutes after Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first period. Anna Solheim scored in the opening ticks of the third to cut the Gophers lead to 3-2, Nicole Vallario and Maddy Clough added assists on the play.
The Tommies pulled Alexa Dobchuk with just over two minutes to play in a last-ditch comeback effort but could not find the back of the net with the six on five advantage. Dobchuk made 55 saves between the pipes for Coach Johnson to the tune of a .932 save percentage.
St. Thomas was outshot in the contest 59-26, but with a combination of strong play in net from Dubchuk and sound defense in front (14 blocked shots), the Tommies hung with the Gophers throughout the game's entirety.
About Minnesota (25-5-3 overall, 22-3-3 WCHA)
Forwards Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle, and Abbey Murphy lead the Gopher's offense this season. Taylor Heise (25g, 32a - 57p) was last year's Patty Kazmaier award winner, which is an award presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.
Grace Zumwinkle (22g, 30a - 52p) and Abbey Murphy (24g, 19a - 43p) represented team USA in the 2022 winter Olympics in Beijing.
Goaltender Skylar Vetter has played 31 games in net for the Gophers and posted 1.96 GAA, .920 SV% and five shutouts so far on the season.
Series History
The Tommies and the Gophers have met 10 times in the St. Thomas' Division I program history, six times in last year's regular season and four times this season.
This is the second time the two teams have faced-off in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
The Gophers have a 10-0 record against the Tommies.
The Tommies have been outscored by Minnesota 54-9. Maddy Clough and Luci Bianchi have both scored two goals against the Gophers, with the remaining goals scored by Jenna Hartung, Lauren Stenslie, Nicole Vallario, Lotti Odnoga and Anna Solheim.
Players Mentioned
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