Box Score

The UW-River Falls women's hockey team defeated the UW-Superior Yellowjackets, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon at Hunt Arena.
 
Junior defenseman Kendal Evenson scored the game-winning-goal with 6:19 left in the regulation to capture the victory. The rare goal was Evenson's first of the season, which could not have come at a better time.
 
UW-River Falls improved to 3-0-1 against UW-Superior this season. The Falcons have outscored the Yellowjackets 14-7 in four games. Interestingly, the Yellowjackets have only allowed 18 goals in 18 games against all other opponents, but 14 in four games against UW-River Falls. UW-Superior's last three losses have come against the Falcons.
 
The Falcons momentarily move into first place in the WIAC with the win.
 
An early 2-on-1 led to a great chance for Yellowjacket junior captain forward Dani Schultz. She drove a one-timer on Falcons senior goaltender Ashley Kuechle (12-2-3), but Kuechle held onto the snap-shot long enough to get a whistle. Schultz followed her shot and pushed Kuechle, jarring the puck loose and into the net. No goal was called.
 
The Falcons grabbed an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Dani Buehrer wrist-shot from the point that was tipped home by freshman forward Dani Sibley. Senior forward Brook Story fed Buehrer at the blue line for her team-high 11th assist of the season. Buehrer, who has been a rock on the Falcon blue line all season long, was rewarded with her fourth assist of the year. Sibley, meanwhile, upped her goal total to nine, good for third on the team. The time of the goal was 3:37 of the first period. The goal was the Falcons' only shot on goal through the first seven minutes.
 
Sibley nearly scored another goal at the 7:19 mark of the first on a great one-time feed from line-mate Alice Cranston, who found a streaking Sibley in the slot. Yellowjackets senior goaltender Shanley Peters (13-4-4) made a skilled glove save on the opportunity.
 
The Falcons, again, narrowly missed on multiple mid-first period power play chances. Junior defenseman Allie Olson, Sibley and Story all had close calls, but Peters was strong. The Falcons followed the Sibley goal with seven straight shots on net.
 
Sibley, who had one of her better periods of the year, very nearly scored on another redirection late in the first period on an Olson point shot.
 
But, the Yellowjackets tied the contest at 13:30 of the first period on a Kerry Mayhew wrist-shot goal in transition. The assists were credited to senior forward Alison Shrift and freshman defenseman Pamela McLeod. Mayhew soared into the offensive zone to the right of Kuechle, who was beat low blocker side. Mayhew's goal was her eighth of the season.
 
Sophomore forward Lynne Larson quickly made it a 2-1 UW-Superior with 3:22 left the first period on a rebound goal. Kuechle made two consecutive point-blank saves in the slot but Lynne Larson slipped a low blocker side shot into the cage. The assists were credited to sophomore forward Karen Larson and Schultz.
 
The period ended 2-1, but the score could have been closer to 4-4 if the goalies were not playing at a high level. First period shots on goal were 13-12, in favor of UW-Superior. Sibley registered an astounding six shots on goal in the first, while Karen Larson led the Yellowjackets with three.
 
Senior captain center Katie Batters had the second period's first scoring chance, but Peters was there for the chest save. Freshman defenseman Paige Johnson followed that chance with a point-blank shot from the slot, but again, Peters made a pad save to deny Johnson. The Falcons started the period strong with an 8-0 shot edge.
 
Falcons junior defenseman Sam Greeley tied the contest at two with a terrific top-shelf wrist-shot that beat Peters high glove. Greeley's second goal of the season was a power play marker with assists to Batters and senior forward Kait Mason. Batters and Mason both brought their assist total to nine on the goal. Greeley now has six career goals in a Falcon uniform. Batters, meanwhile, has 40 career assists, while Mason has 56. The time of the goal was 4:30 of the second period.
 
UW-Superior's first shot of the second came over 10 minutes into the period on a long range wrist-shot from junior forward Kiara De Kezel on a power play.
 
Kuechle had to make a breakaway stop on junior forward Haley Olmstead with seven minutes left in the second period. The breakaway was a shorthanded rush, and Kuechle made a sliding glove save on the backhand chance.
 
Sibley was gingerly helped off the ice after being checked from behind by UW-Superior sophomore defenseman Hayley Epema, late in the second period. The hit granted UW-River Falls a five minute major power play with 3:47 left in the second. They failed to score on the major power play.
 
Second period shots on goal were 14-3, in favor of UW-River Falls. Peters needed to be strong in the period, and was. UW-Superior only attempted five shots in the period, compared to the Falcons' 21. Greeley led the Falcons with three shots in the second frame.
 
Batters had two very good chances on the tail end of the major power play to start the third period, but Peters stood tall. Johnson followed the power play with a cross-crease passing play that nearly broke the tie.
 
Mayhew was robbed twice by Kuechle just two minutes into the third. Kuechle made back-to-back pad saves and was helped out by her defense, who cleared the loose rebound.
 
Moments later, Cranston backhanded a shot that rang off the post, just to the right of Peters. Cranston used her size to muscle a defender and drive to the net; Peters got lucky this time.
 
Kuechle saved the day on Mayhew again, as she gloved a low backhand shot while doing the splits. Peters followed that stop with a nifty glove save of her own on Falcons freshman forward Brianna Breiland.
 
The Falcons scored from the blue line again as Evenson fired a wrist-shot into traffic that went off a Yellowjacket and beat Peters through her five-hole. Evenson's goal was assisted by Mason, who now has 10 assists on the season. Evenson's goal was also her third career tally. Mason's assist gives her four straight seasons with double digit assists. The time of the goal was 13:41
 
Kuechle made a highlight-reel save on Olmstead with 4:55 left in regulation. Olmstead was all alone after a turnover at the Falcon blue line and Kuechle made a sprawling, acrobatic stop.
 
Third period shots on goal were 10-9, in favor of UW-River Falls. Final shots were 36-25, Falcons.
 
The Falcon power play finished 1-5, while the Yellowjackets went 0-2.
 
UW-River Falls improved to 15-4-3 overall, 6-2-2 in the WIAC, 6-2-3 at home and have won two straight. UW-Superior falls to 14-4-4 overall, 4-4-2 in the WIAC, 9-2-4 on the road and have lost two straight.
 
The Falcons host the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds (4-16-2) next Saturday evening at Hunt Arena in River Falls, Wis. The puck drops at 2:05 p.m. The Falcons are 2-0 this season against the Blugolds; both wins were shutouts.

Box Score