Hockey is back and the fourth nationally ranked UW-River Falls women's hockey team won its opening game of the 2014-2015 season in dramatic fashion against the sixth nationally ranked St. Thomas Tommies, 6-4, at Hunt Arena on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The Falcons trailed 4-2 before slapping home four straight goals in route to the victory against the same team UWRF beat 5-3 last season in the NCAA tournament, which earned the program its first national third place finish and a 22-5-3 overall record. All-NCAA junior forward Chloe Kinsel scored one goal, adding two assists; two freshmen scored timely goals for UWRF; and All-WIAC sophomore defenseman Paige Johnson scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at four.

The first shot of the contest came off the stick of freshman forward Dani Kocina, 2:33 into the contest. Tommies freshman goaltender Phaylen Meyer trapped the quick wrist shot between her legs. Tommies freshman forward Maddie McGlade opened the scoring at 5:29 of the first period with a bouncing wrist shot that beat Falcons junior goaltender Meaghan Wenner five-hole. McGlade's goal was the first of her collegiate career. Junior defenseman Megan Juricko earned the lone assist. Wenner, who has a 2-0 career record in eight appearances, likely wants that goal back.

Wenner made a strong left pad save on the ensuing shift only seconds before a breakaway chance for Falcons freshman forward Carly Moran, who was stuffed by Meyer's left pad on the wrist shot. Junior Courtney Umland buried a 2-on-1 chance to put the Tommies ahead 2-0 with an assist to senior forward Tara Baago at 8:09 of the first period. Wenner didn't have a chance on the textbook tic-tac-toe goal from Umland.

Kinsel, UWRF's leading scorer last season with 33 points, cut the deficit in half after slipping in-between two defenders and deeking Meyer low blocker side for her 35th career goal at 9:28 of the first period. The goal was assisted by sophomore forward Karleigh Wolkerstorfer, her fifth career assist. Meyer, who was strong in the first, made two very difficult sprawling saves on Moran and sophomore forward Dani Sibley to keep the score 2-1. Kinsel nearly found the twine again on a late first period power play as she almost stuffed the puck behind Meyer on an in-tight scoring opportunity near the left post.

Moran scored her first collegiate on a beautiful wrist shot from the right dot to beat Meyer high blocker side at 16:09 of the first period. Kinsel sent the speedy Moran in on a 1-on-1 with a nifty touch pass. Moran, in just her first career game, already looks to have good repport with the skilled Kinsel.

Wenner began to settle into the contest after the two early Tommies goals, making an especially difficult save on freshman forward Allison Borgstrom on a late St. Thomas powerplay. Shots in the first period were tied at nine with both teams going 0-1 on the power play. Moran and Umland led their respective teams with three shots on goal each.

The Tommies opened the second period with a good amount of offensive puck possession and eventually beat Wenner to retake a 3-2 lead. Umland once again scored as she whipped a loose puck by Wenner, who may not have seen the shot. The time of the unassisted goal was 4:53. Wenner bounced back to make back-to-back saves, including a very skilled glove save, on Tommies freshman forward Heidi Winiecki. Both teams traded offensive scoring chances, including a point-blank wrist shot opportunity by Falcons senior captain center Alice Cranston that was stopped by Meyer's left pad.

After some sustained offense from the Falcons, St. Thomas doubled the lead once again. Junior forward Rachel Friberg slapped a rebound snap-shot between the legs of Wenner to put the Tommies ahead 4-2 at the 16:50 mark of the second period. Juricko (her second of the afternoon) and Winiecki assisted on the goal.

Johnson lit the lamp to bring UWRF within one, late in the second period. Johnson, an All-WIAC defender, flew past three defenders to a loose puck and beat Meyer with a pin-point accurate snap-shot that pinged off the left goal post and into the net. Johnson's third career goal was scored at 18:19 and was unassisted. Shots in the second period were 10-9 in favor of St. Thomas. Umland, amazingly, had six shots on goal in the period. UWRF went 0-1 on the power play in the second.

Johnson did it again as she magically roofed a back-hand shot over the right shoulder of Meyer to knot the game at four. The goal, at 5:00 of the third period, was Johnson's fourth of her career and second of the game.

And 19 seconds later Cranston pounded a one-timer between Meyer's legs to put the Falcons ahead for the first time of the afternoon. Sibley fed Cranston on the great setup. Cranston's go-ahead-goal was the 36th of her career. Sibley, meanwhile, knotched her eighth career assist. The Falcons opened the period outshooting St. Thomas 7-1.

Oh what a third period for the Falcons; Kocina blasted home her first collegiate goal at the 14:53 mark to put UWRF up 6-4. After a lengthy battle in front of the net, Kocina found the loose puck and slammed it between Meyer's legs. Kinsel was credited with her second assist of the afternoon, the 34th of her career. Senior defenseman Allie Olson earned the secondary assist, the 21st of her career.

UWRF outshot St. Thomas 9-5 in the third period and 27-24 for the game. St. Thomas finished 0-3 on the power play, while UWRF went 0-2. Kinsel finished with a team-high six shots on goal, while Umland had nine for St. Thomas. Wenner finished with 20 saves and Meyer made 21. Wenner and Meyer combined to allow 10 goals, but neither goalie had an off-night. The quality of scoring chances were very high, likely because of the skill of both teams.

UWRF was picked the win the WIAC again this season, while St. Thomas was picked to finish second behind Gustavus Adolphus in the MIAC preseason poll.

UWRF improves to 10-11-1 all-time against St. Thomas and 1-0 on the early season.

The Falcons face-off against the Bethel University Royals at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7 in Hunt Arena. UWRF is 14-1-2 all-time against the Royals.

Box Score