Yellowjackets 5, Hamline 1
What an opening night for the Yellowjacket women's hockey team. From the opening faceoff until the final buzzer, they dominated Hamline in the first game of the year at Wessman Arena. It may not have seemed that way, as it was a tie game after 40 minutes, but in the end, the Yellowjackets broke through in a big way and cruised to a 5-1 win over the Pipers.
The game was close through two periods, but that was due to the goaltending of Sarah Schneekloth of Hamline, who had 24 saves through two periods. The Yellowjackets had a 25-8 edge in shots after 40 minutes and the game was deadlocked at 1-1.
Following a scoreless first period, the Pipers opened the scoring on a goal by Seanna Robinson at 8:40 to make it 1-0. The Yellowjackets came back in a hurry, however, as Dani Schultz (Morris, Minn./Morris Area) (Morris, Minn.) scored her first collegiate goal at 10:57 to tie the game. Sheryl Kaskiw (Souris, Manitoba/Souris Collegiate) (Souris, Manitoba) and Kerry Mayhew (Littleton,Colo./Heritage) (Littleton, Colo.) assisted. Despite the huge discrepancy in shots, the Yellowjackets went to the locker tied after two periods. But it wouldn't stay that way for long.
At 7:57 of the second, Schultz would score her second of the game, the eventual game-winning goal, on an assist from Jenn Paul (Paynesville, Minn./Paynnesville) (Paynesville, Minn.) to make it 2-1. Minutes later Bailey Lane (Armada, Mich./Armada) (Armada, Mich.) scored her first of the game, unassisted, at 12:08 to make it 3-1. In the closing minutes, Lane would connect a second time, this time on the power play, to make it 4-1. Mayhew would get the lone assist on the goal at 18:13. Kelsey Firkus (Chilliwack, British Columbia/Chilliwack Senior Secondary) (Chilliwack, British Columbia) would close out the scoring, picking up her first of the year on the power play just 26 seconds later to make it 5-1. Chelsey Wierschem (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) (Willmar, Minn.) and Kiara De Kezel (Deloraine, Manitoba/Deloraine) (Deloraine, Manitoba) assisted.
In the end, the Yellowjackets ended up outshooting Hamline 38-10. Schneekloth made 33 saves, while Yellowjacket senior goaltender Amy Torgerson (Wentzville, Mo./Gilmour Academy) (Wentzville, Mo.) got the ten save victory.
The Yellowjackets took six penalties for 12 minutes in the game, while Hamline was penalized five times for ten minutes. The Yellowjackets were 2-5 on the power play and a perfect 6-6 on the penalty kill.
The Yellowjackets (1-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHA) will play game two of the non-conference series with the Pipers on Saturday, October 29. The puck drops at Wessman Arena at 2:00 p.m.
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