Box Score The 5th nationally ranked UW-River Falls women's hockey team defeated the 8th ranked UW-Superior Yellowjackets, 4-1, on Saturday evening thanks to
Chloe Kinsel's back-to-back goals in the second period.
Kinsel was not the only Falcon to finish the afternoon with two points, freshman forward
Dani Sibley, junior center
Alice Cranston and junior defenseman
Kendal Evenson also notched two points each.
The Yellowjackets entered play with a seven-game winning streak, and a four-game shutout streak for senior goaltender Shanley Peters. But a three goal second period quickly erased any chances at earning a win over the visiting Falcons.
"We played a solid game," said Cranston. "I think we had a good first and third periods, but our second period was fantastic."
The Yellowjackets opened the scoring at the 12:14 mark of the first period. Senior forward Kerry Mayhew beat Falcons senior goaltender
Ashley Kuechle midway through UW-Superior's first power play. Mayhew's seventh goal of the season was assisted by sophomore forward Lynne Larson and junior forward Dani Schultz.
The Falcons had a strong first period but could not get the puck past Peters, who has allowed more than two goals once this season, and that was against UW-River Falls on Dec. 6 in a 5-2 Falcons win.
The shots on goal in the first period were 14-6, in favor of UW-River Falls. The Falcons opened the period with an 8-0 shot advantage but could not sneak a shot past red-hot Peters. Falcons senior captain forward
Katie Batters led both teams with three first period shots on goal.
Peters' shutout streak ended at 11:14 of the second period as Falcons freshman forward
Emily Stark slipped a puck underneath the Yellowjacket goaltender. Stark's second career goal was assisted by Cranston and Sibley. Cranston's assist gave her five on the season, while Sibley now has four.
Kinsel put the Falcons ahead for good, just one minute and 49 seconds later, with her ninth goal of the season. The speedy Kinsel sliced through the defense and popped her first tally of the game past Peters to make it 2-1. Kinsel was assisted by Evenson. Kinsel had not scored since Dec. 11.
When it rains, it pours. Kinsel wasted little time before scoring her tenth goal of the season. She sniped a shot past Peters at 16:20 of the second period, with assists to Evenson and senior captain forward
Kait Mason. Evenson's two assists gives her six on the season; it was also her first multi-point game of the season. Mason now has eight assists on the season, and eight points in her last seven games.
Whereas Peters stole the show in the first period, Kuechle robbed the Yellowjackets on multiple occasions in the second, which eventually led to three straight Falcon goals. Shots in the second period were 13-10, in favor of UW-River Falls.
Sibley secured a Falcons victory with a late third period goal at 14:58. She was fed by Cranston before rifling the puck past Peters. The goal was Sibley's eighth of the season, putting her in a tie for third on the team. Cranston's assist was her sixth; the two point night was her second multi-assist game of the season.
Final shots on goal ended at 41-26, in favor of the Falcons. UW-River Falls outshot the Yelowjackets 14-10 in the third period. Kinsel finished the evening with an astonishing nine shots on goal, while Batters and Evenson had five each. Kuechle made 25 saves in the win.
The Falcons improved to 14-4-3 overall, 5-2-2 in the WIAC and 9-2 on the road. UW-Superior fell to 14-3-4 overall, 4-3-2 in the WIAC, and 5-2 at home, while the loss snapped their seven game winning streak and their 11 game unbeaten stretch.
UW-River Falls is now 2-0-1 against the Yellowjackets this season.
The Falcons and Yellowjackets meet for the last time this season next Saturday at Hunt Arena in River Falls, Wis.; the puck drops at 2:05 p.m.
Box Score
