ST. PETER, Minn. – A historic season for the No. 10 Bethel University women's hockey team came to a disappointing end Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 loss at No. 8 Gustavus Adolphus College in the semifinals of the MIAC playoffs. The loss marks the fourth consecutive year that the Royals have fallen to the 10-time defending MIAC playoff champion Gusties, with the last three coming by just one goal. The Royals were able to take a 2-1 lead just over a minute into the third period, but were unable to hang on to the lead as Gustavus scored twice within a three minute span in the middle of the final period.
The Gusties got on the scoreboard first with a goal at 15:50 in the first period. Lydia Wagner somehow got the puck through several bodies on the ice in front of the net for the early Gustie lead. It appeared the Gusties would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but with 47 seconds remaining
Caroline Kivisto was able to put one home after the Royals won a faceoff in the Gustavus zone.
Kathryn Larson and
Lindsay Burman were credited with the assists. The second period was scoreless as both teams had some opportunities but did not capitalize. The Royals best chance came mid-way through the period when freshman
Kathryn Larson was able to swipe the puck near center ice and split a pair of Gustie defenders for a breakaway. Larson's back-hand attempt was turned away however by Gustavus goalie Amanda Koep.
Just a minute into the third period, senior
Cristina Masten scored an unassisted goal as she split through two defenders in signature Masten fashion and flipped the puck up past Koep to put the Royals up 2-1. Gustavus responded, however with a short-handed goal by Carolyn Draayer at 7:05, while an interference penalty was also called on the Royals on the play, tying the game and ending Bethel's power play. The Royals were able to kill off the ensuing power play, but shortly after Gustavus scored again for what proved to be the game winner at 10:06.
Lindsay Burman put a scare into the Gusties, however, when she fired in a clean shot that clanged off the pipe with just over a minute remaining but Bethel was unable to get the score they needed to keep their season alive.
Erika Allen made 23 saves in net for Bethel as Gustavus outshot the Royals 26-20 in a very evenly played game. The loss marks the end of the career for two seniors as
Cristina Masten and
Allison Linde played their final games as Royals. Masten's score in the third period would be the final goal of her outstanding career as she will leave as Bethel's all-time leading scorer and a two-time MIAC scoring champion. Masten finished her senior season with a conference leading 35 points and a total of 123 in her career.
Bethel finishes with a program best 17-7-2 record and entered the USCHO Top 10 poll for the first time in program history after knocking off the Gusties last Saturday to end Gustavus streak of nine straight MIAC regular season titles. Bethel made their seventh MIAC playoff appearance but for the first time in the last three seasons, was unable to win a playoff game.
