WINONA, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – Coming into tonight's game against Saint Mary's University (Minn.), the UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team hadn't lost in six straight games. But the Cardinals narrowly escaped with a 3-2 overtime victory to hand the Blugolds their first lost since November 10.
Down 2-1 late in the third period, Blugold Sam Knutson (So.-North St. Paul, Minn.) scored an even strength goal with an assist from Amanda Kane (So.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) to tie the game 2-2. The teams played even for the final four minutes after the tying goal to send the game into the extra session.
In overtime, Saint Mary's Mary DeBartolo completed a hat-trick by scoring at 1:12. She also had the first goal of the game in the first period and scored once in the second.
Tory Heller (Fr.-Cottage Grove, Minn./Hill Murray School) was the other Blugold to score tonight, recording her second goal of the season at 3:01 in the second period.
Saint Mary's outshot Eau Claire 34-29 overall. The Blugolds led the shot chart in the first two periods while Saint Mary's held the advantage in the final two.
In goal for the Blugolds, Paige Turner (Fr.-Iron River, Wis./Duluth East) played the full 61:12 and stopped 31 shots. She dropped to 3-4-2 on the season.
The Cardinals improve to 4-6 on the season as they snapped a five-game losing streak while the Blugolds are now 5-6-2 overall.
Saturday the Blugolds will play against Saint Mary's again but this time the game will be in Eau Claire. The puck is set to drop at 3 p.m. at Hobbs Ice Center for Youth Day.
-KM-
