Notables
-Thomeczek shuts out Foresters for second straight year in NCHA Semifinals
-Anderson has scored in three of the last four games
-Nundahl has six points in the last three games
-Fourth straight year CSS and LFC have met in the Slaats Cup Semifinals
ADRIAN, Mich. (
csssaints.com) – Senior goaltender
Lexi Thomeczek (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph Academy (St. Louis AAA Blues)) stopped all 45 shots to lead the fourth-seeded St. Scholastica women's hockey team to a 2-0 victory over second-seeded Lake Forest College (Ill.) in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Slaats Cup Semifinals on Friday.
How it Happened
After a scoreless first period, which saw the Foresters (16-11-1) out-shoot the Saints 13-7, CSS got on the board first when
Rachel Anderson (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) put in a rebound seven minutes into the second period.
Taylor Murray (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) and
Greta Nundahl (New Brighton, Minn./Irondale HS) had the assists.
Then with seven minutes remaining in the period, Lake Forest turned over the puck at the blue line which allowed
Courtney Bloemke (Nicollet, Minn./Mankato West HS) to skate in on a breakaway. Her attempt was blocked, however, Nundahl cleaned it up and found the net to extend the lead to 2-0.
Paige Forsman (Cokato, Minn./Dassel-Cokato HS) also had an assist on the goal.
The Foresters had three power-play opportunities in the third period, but only had a shot on goal in two of them and Thomeczek made five saves on the other as the Saints prevailed 2-0.
Goaltending
Thomeczek, who had 37 saves in last year's semifinal shutout of the Foresters, made 45 saves on Friday to earn her fifth shutout of the season. She has recorded at least 40 saves in three of her five shutouts this season. Jacque Rogers had 24 saves for Lake Forest.
Up Next
The Saints (15-9-4) move on to the Slaats Cup Championship game where they will face top-seeded and host No. 9 Adrian College (Mich.) for the second straight year. The Bulldogs defeated the Saints in double overtime of last year's title game. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. (ET) tomorrow (Saturday).
