Neither the Minnesota nor St. Thomas women’s hockey teams are heading into the postseason on a hot streak as both were swept in their respective final series of the regular season.
Minnesota-Duluth 2, Minnesota 1 (OT)
The Gophers losing streak hit four games as UMD once again claimed a second consecutive overtime win against their southern neighbors at Amsoil Arena in Duluth. After a 3-2 win Friday night, the Bulldogs snagged a 2-1 victory in the extra session on Saturday.
UMD held a 1-0 lead on the strength of a Caitlin Kremer power-play goal in the opening period. The edge held until 7:03 of the second period when Anabella Fanale drew Minnesota even with an even-strength tally.
The game remained tied into the extra session until the Bulldogs’ Tova Henderson did it to the Gophers once again. A day after netting the game-winning goal at 1:41 of OT, Henderson repeated the feat at 1:47 of OT to clinch the regular season-ending triumph.
UMD goaltender Eve Gascon made 34 saves, while Minnesota netminder Layla Hemp made 24 stops.
The result made no change in the final WCHA regular-season standings. The Gophers (24-9-1 overall, 18-9-1 WCHA) remained locked into third place, while the Bulldogs (19-12-3, 15-10-3) remained cemented to fourth.
Minnesota State 4, St. Thomas 3 (OT)
Much like the Gophers, the Tommies also suffered an overtime loss. St. Thomas lost its fourth straight matchup with a 4-3 overtime defeat at the hands of Minnesota State at the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.
The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead in the first period before Rylee Bartz leveled the count for the Tommies in the middle frame.
MSU recorded the first two goals of the third period before the Tommies rallied on scores by Whitney Horton and Ella Boerger — Boerger’s tally coming with just eight seconds remaining in regulation to knot the score at 3-3 and send the contest into OT.
The contest appeared headed for a shootout before the Mavericks claimed the win with 18 seconds remaining in the added session to skate back to Mankato with a series sweep.
St. Thomas goaltender Julia Minotti made 17 saves, while MSU goalie Hailey Hansen stood tall with 35 stops.
The Tommies (12-21-1, 7-20-1) finished seventh in the WCHA’s final regular-season standings.
The WCHA playoffs begin on Feb. 27.
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