NO. ANDOVER, Mass. - In a whirlwind offensive battle, the Merrimack women's ice hockey team came up short against Minnesota State in the second game of the series by a 9-3 final on Friday night.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack Warriors 3, Minnesota State Mavericks 9
Records: Merrimack (0-2-0, 0-0-0 HE) | Minnesota State (2-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
- Merrimack scored the first goal of the game and their first of the season. Pulling the puck from the boards at the top of the zone, the Warriors jumped on a break, with rookie Alexa Pongo driving to the net. Her initial opportunity through the shot was stopped, with captain Courtney Maud crashing in for the rebound for the lead.
- Minnesota State responded in a big way, scoring three goals in the first period and pair in the opening half of the second period.
- The Warriors put up a potent power play challenge for their second goal of the night. On the opening offensive zone draw on the power play, Madison Oelkers won the puck cleanly back to Kaufman, who cut darted across the high slot with a rising shot.
- Offense continued from the second half of the second into the third, with four more goals coming from the Mavericks.
- In the final five minutes of the contest, the Warriors continued to fight. With a play from behind the net, Ally Qualley pulled the puck from along the boards with a clean pass to a waiting Emily Oosterveld who whipped in a crisp shot for the goal.
Notes & Numbers
Pongo, Oelkers and Oosterveld all notched their first points as Warriors in the contest.
Goaltenders: Aries Mustoe (10 saves, 0-1-0) | Emma Gorski (8 saves, 38:59 played) | Laura Barbro (27 saves, 1-0-0)
Power Plays: MC 1-5 | MNST 0-1
Shots on Goal: MC 10, MNST 13 | MC 12, MNST 7 | MC 8, MNST 7 | MC 30, MNST 27
Faceoffs: 24 MC | 29 MNST Blocks: 17 MC | 11 MNST
Up Next
The Warriors continue on home ice, welcoming the reigning national champion University of Wisconsin Badgers on Friday, October 1 and Saturday October 2 with puck drop for both games at 2 p.m.
