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BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team opened their season in style with a 7-0 victory at home against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For the second year in a row Cristina Masten recorded a hat trick in the season opener against the Blugolds, while freshman Caroline Kivisto kicked off her collegiate career with a hat trick of her own. Bethel scored a pair of goals in the first two periods and added three in the final period while Jess Newstrom saved all 35 shots she faced in goal. Senior Biz Huss had four assists on the night for the Royals.
 
“We put a lot of pressure around their net and we were rewarded with goals,” Royals head coach Brian Carlson said. “It was a total team effort.”
 
It didn't take long for Kivisto to record her first collegiate goal, as she put one home just under seven minutes into the game. She was assisted by Huss and transfer Lindsay Burman. Seven minutes later Masten scored her first goal of the season, unassisted. Nine and a half minutes into the second period Burman, who transferred from NCAA DI Quinnipiac, scored her first goal for the Royals off assists from Huss and Kivisto. Six minutes later Masten put a dagger into the Blugolds with a short-handed goal off an assist from Kalie Johnson to give the Royals a 4-0 lead heading into the intermission.
 
The third period saw Kivisto continue to assert herself as the freshman from Dassel-Cokato scored a pair of goals in the first 11 minutes. She would finish the night with four points. Burman and Huss assisted on the first goal while Huss and Johnson assisted on the second. Masten finished the scoring with her third goal with just over two minutes remaining and was assisted by freshman Karissa Thomson. Masten recorded a hat trick in the Royals season opening 6-1 victory against the Blugolds last season.
 
Newstrom was outstanding in the net for the Royals as the senior recorded her seventh career shutout and first since February 26, 2011, the last of three consecutive shutouts.The Royals only outshot the Blugolds by one, 36-35, and had six penalty minutes to four for the Blugolds. Six Royals scored points with Huss and Kivisto leading the way with four, while Burman and Masten had three each.
 
“We definitely got a strong effort from Caroline Kivisto, who has been a pleasant surprise,” Carlson said. “Jess Newstrom was solid all game.”
 
Bethel will travel to Eau Claire for tomorrow's match-up at the Hobbs Ice Center. The puck will drop at 2 p.m. The Blugolds were able to salvage a 2-2 tie in the second game of the opening series last season after dropping the opener 6-1 on their home ice and coach Carlson know the Royals will need to stay at the top of their game to complete the sweep.
 
“We will have to be sharp tomorrow on the road,” he said.