Box Score
BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team pulled out a tight 3-1 victory over the Hamline Pipers Saturday afternoon. The game was scoreless through the first 30 minutes of action and featured just nine combined shots by the two teams in the first period. For the game Hamline outshot the Royals 21-18 but Bethel goaltender Erika Allen stopped 20 of the 21 Piper shots.
 
“Both teams worked really hard,” Royals head coach Brian Carlson said. “There was a lot of really tight checking and we got really good goal tending. Erika played well and I was really happy with our goals.”
 
Jessica Gapinski got the Royals on the board halfway through the second period when she was able to scoop up the puck on a breakaway after a Hamline defender fell down. Gapinski beat the Hamline goalie for her first collegiate goal. Melanie Robertson was credited with the assist. The Pipers tied the game just 2:47 into the third period. A holding penalty on Hamline trying to stop a Royals break on goal set up the Royals power play that eventually led to the game winning goal by Lindsay Burman at the 5:05 mark. Kalie Johnson was able to score a beautiful back handed empty net goal from inside the Bethel blue line with 42 seconds left for the final margin.
 
The Royals improved to 3-2-1 in MIAC play and are tied for third place in the MIAC standings with Concordia and St. Olaf as they go into the break from conference play. Bethel will travel to St. Peter, Minn. next Saturday for a non-conference matchup with #2 Gustavus Adolphus in their last game of 2012.