Notables:
-Third shutout in a row for freshman goalie Thomeczek
-Stegora recorded shorthanded goal
-The game saw 16 penalties
-CSS killed eight power plays
DULUTH, Minn (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica women's hockey team rolled to a 5-0 victory against St. Norbert College (Wis.), making it the second straight shut out of the weekend and the fourth of the season.
The Action
Alexia Klaas (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS (Minnesota-Duluth)) got things started for the Saints 35 seconds into the first power play of the game, assisted by Greta Nundahl (New Brighton, Minn./Irondale HS) and Denisa Lalikova (Puchov, Slovakia/Proctor Academy, N.H.) to make the score 1-0. The period saw four more power plays, two for CSS and two for SNC, none of which were successful by either team.
The second period proved to be the best for the Saints, who scored three goals during the period, all of which were scored while one of the teams was at a player advantage. The first goal came on a SNC power play less than two minutes into the period, when Emily Stegora (Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing HS (Minnesota State-Mankato)) powered past the defense to earn the short-handed goal, assisted by Mac Johnson (Monticello, Minn./Monticello HS (St. Cloud State)). Sierra Hanowski (Warroad, Minn./Warroad HS) collected the second goal of the period on a Saints power play, assisted by Abby Sawyer (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna HS) and Nundahl. The final score change of the period came from Klaas, her second of the game on another Saints power play with one second left in the second period. She was assisted on the last-second goal by Sawyer and Lalikova, putting the score at 4-0 to end the second period.
The final period of the game saw less action, but still favored the Saints. Between the two teams, there were three power plays which only racked up three shots - two for SNC and one for CSS - and no goals. Stegora tallied the final goal of the game, assisted by Nundahl and Kaleigh Hamann (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) with seven minutes left in regulation, giving the game its final score of 5-0.
Notable Performances
Stegora led the offense for the Saints with six shots on goal and two goals. She was followed by Klaas who had three shots on goal with two goals of her own. Hamann also had three shots on goal on the night. Lexi Thomeczek (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph Academy (St. Louis AAA Blues)) was between the pipes for the Saints. She saved all 27 of the shots she faced, earning herself her third straight shutout, two of which have come against St. Norbert.
For SNC (4-12-1, 2-7-1 NCHA), Lexi Pyykkonen led the offense with eight shots on goal, trailed by Jillian Kosteck who had five. St. Norbert goalie Leigh Grall saved 19 of the 24 shots she faced.
Up Next
The Saints (8-6-2, 5-3-2 NCHA) will be back in action next weekend against Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Puck drop on Friday is set for 7 p.m.
