Kait Mason (Eagan, MN, Eagan HS) recorded a goal and an assist and Brook Story (Warroad, MN, Warroad HS) and Katie Batters (Champlin, MN, Champlin Park HS) also tallied two points each as the Falcons skated past Lake Forest on Friday night, 5-1.
The Falcons entered the weekend ranked at #7 on this week's USCHO.com poll and sat atop the standings in the NCHA with 18 points before the night began. The women also came into the game riding a three game winning streak.
Melissa Deardorff (Anchorage, AK, Anchorage North Stars) was in net for the Falcons and Jenna Brankin got the start for the Foresters.
The first period began slowly as both teams were held in check for the first ten minutes. Both teams battled back and forth for possession in the early going, but it was the Falcons who would find the back of the net first.
At 11:19 Kait Mason found Brook Story who put the puck past Brankin for her second goal of the year and gave the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
The Falcons continued to pressure the Forester defense and it lead to a goal just over four minutes later, at 15:37, when Katie Flanagan (Roseville, MN, Roseville HS) netted her fifth of the season extend the Falcon lead to 2-0. Kendal Evenson (Roseville, MN, Roseville HS) and Alyssa Jackson (Cambridge, MN, Cambridge-Isanti HS) were credited for assists on the goal.
Two Forester penalties opened the door for more Falcon scoring, but they just couldn't find the net on the power play.
Although the Falcons couldn't connect on the power play, they were solid at even strength and found the back of the net one more time in the first period.
At 19:00, Kait Mason netted a goal of her own as she beat Brankin to give UWRF a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period. The goal was Mason's fourth of the year and it was assisted by Katie Batters.
The second period was eerily similar to the first as there was no goals scored in the first ten minutes and the first goal of the period came at the exact same time, at 11:19.
Jessica Dare would score it for the Foresters and it would be Lake Forest's only goal of the game. The goal was Dare's 7th of the season and it cut the Falcon lead to 3-1.
The Falcons netted their first goal of the second period at 17:26 when Katie Batters took a pass from Brook Story and sent it past replacement goalie Stacey Dierking to give the Falcons a 4-1 lead. The goal was Batters' ninth of the year.
Alice Cranston (River Falls, WI, St. Croix Valley HS) scored her eighth goal of the season at 19:16 to give the Falcons a 5-1 lead as the second period ended. Darion Bruyere (Sagkeeng First Nation, MAN, Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy) assisted the goal and it was the final goal scored in the game.
The third period was quiet on the scoreboard as neither team was able to score and the Falcons wrapped up the 5-1 win on the road.
The final shot tally was 31-29 in favor of Lake Forest. The Falcons outshot the Foresters, 11-9, in the first period, but were outshot in the second, 13-9. The third period was a draw, 9-9.
The Falcons were unsuccessful of the power play as they finished the night 0-5. Lake Forest netted their only goal on the power play and were 1-4.
Deardorff recorded 30 saves and improved her record to 7-1-0 on the season. Brankin saved eight in the first period and was charged with the loss as she moves to 5-3 overall.
UWRF improves to 12-1-1 overall and 10-1-0 in the NCHA. Lake Forest drops to 9-5-1 overall and 8-3-0 in the NCHA.
The second game of the weekend doubleheader begins on Saturday, January 14th at 2 p.m.
Box Score
