WINONA, Minn. – In a back-and-forth battle with the 13th-rannked team in the nation, the Bethel women's hockey team took a tough loss to the Saint Mary's University Cardinals, 4-3, in overtime.
With just six games left in the season, the Royals move to a MIAC record of 4-7-1 and 10-8-1 overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Royals put on a much-improved showing in the first period after being outshot 19-3 in the first period of their previous match, managing nine shots to the Cardinals' 12. But it was the Cardinals who found their way onto the scoreboard first and early on, getting past netminder
Anna Hanson at 2:29.
•
Brynn Swenson led the Royals to a lead in the second period with back-to-back goals scoring just over two minutes apart. Picking up assists on the play were
Lindsey Muntifering,
Malia McKinnon, and
Emily Wiltse.
• The Cardinals tied up the score again at the 15:21 mark of the second period, sending the into the third period at twos all around.
• Saint Mary's capitalized on a power-play opportunity after only a minute of play in the third period, but
Megan Johnson answered back with a clean one-timer on a rebounding puck, bringing the score to 3-3.
• Now in the overtime period, an unfortunate penalty added a SMU skater to the ice for 4-on-3. The Cardinals maximized their numbers advantage, finding an open player to set up a tidy backdoor opportunity-turned-goal for the Cardinals.
• Junior net minder
Anna Hanson collected 41 saves as she surpassed the 1,000 career save mark in under three seasons. She now as 1,032 career stops.
UP NEXT
The Royals head up north to MIAC foe St. Scholastica next Friday, Feb. 2, for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
