Gophers Take 3-2 Come-From-Behind Win Over Whitecaps

[Arlan Marttila]

Gophers Take 3-2 Come-From-Behind Win Over Minnesota Whitecaps
Provided by the University of Minnesota

The No. 4 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team came from behind to earn a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Whitecaps in an exhibition contest, tonight at Ridder Arena. The Golden Gophers will return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. against Wayne State in a regular-season game.

Both teams went scoreless after the first period. Minnesota Whitecaps player and Boston College alum Allie Thunstrom scored a goal at 10:52 in the second to break the tie when she skated in and scored on a breakaway. Jen Schoullis knotted the game at 1-1 when she intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and fired a shot just before the hash marks and placed it glove side of Whitecaps goalie and Gopher alum Kim Hanlon. The Whitecaps responded when UMD alum Saara Tuominen scored at 18:40 with a single assist from Thunstrom. The Tuominen goal put the game at 2-1 after two.

The Gophers added the pressure in the third when it outshot the Whitecaps, 13-4 in the third period and netted two goals for the win. Sarah Davis recorded her first unofficial collegiate goal at 17:50 in the third on a rebound of a Kelly Terry chance. Becky Kortum added the second assist. As the game looked as if it was headed into overtime, Schoullis scored her second goal of the game at 18:53 of the third when she placed it five-hole for the gamewinner. Linemate Sarah Erickson tallied the single assist. The Whitecaps attempted to tie the game by pulling Hanlon with 46 seconds remaining in the contest, but the Gophers snuffed out the attempts to hold on for the win.

Alyssa Grogan was in net for the Gophers and had 20 saves in the game. She had nine saves in the first, seven in the second and four in the third for 20.