After being on the road for their first eight games, home ice was quite nice to the St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey team this Friday. In their home opener, the Huskies skated to a 2-2 tie with the Robert Morris Colonials before earning the extra point with a 2-0 shootout victory. The Colonials took game two of the series on Saturday 3-1 from National Hockey Center.

FRIDAY

Friday’s game saw the Huskies strike first. With sophomore forward Amy Olson sidelined with a knee injury, first-year Amanda Arbogast was given a spot in the lineup and didn’t disappoint. After taking an odd hop off the glass behind the net, the puck popped into the slot where Arbogast fired a slapshot to the back of the net at 5:49 of the first period. The tally was Arbogast’s first collegiate goal.

Robert Morris added a goal late in the first and one in the second period to take a 2-1 lead, but sophomore Molli Mott wasn’t going to be denied in the third period. At the 1:23 mark, Mott split the defenders and went on a breakaway and fired a low shot five-hole for her third goal of the season. Julia Gilbert and Abby Ness had assists and the game was tied 2-2.

After the RMU and SCSU skated to a draw in regulartion and through five minutes of overtime, the two teams headed to a shootout. First-Year Audrey Hanmer and Ness both scored on their attempts, and senior goaltender Tayler VanDenakker stopped both RMU attempts to give the Huskies the win.

With the shootout win, the Huskies matched last season’s win total of one regulation and one shootout win, meaning only a third of a way through this season, they only can only improve off last season’s 1-33-1 record.

SATURDAY

Julie Friend got the call in net for the Huskies Saturday, and Robert Morris found the back of the net on the first-year goalie early. Only 3:26 in, Jamie Joslin scored for RMU to make it 1-0. The Colonials added another goal early in the second, but the Huskies would respond.

Late in a powerplay, Ness got the puck in neutral ice and rushed it down the right wing, jumping around one defender, and sending a beautiful pass across senior Brittany Toor, who scored her second goal of the season at the 13:21 mark of the second period. The goal was Toor’s team-leading fifth point.

However, that was the only goal SCSU would get. RMU added another tally in the third period, and despite outshooting Robert Morris 28-24, the Huskies lost 3-1.

SCSU is now 1-8-1 on the season. The Huskies will be at home again this weekend taking on nationally ranked North Dakota from National Hockey Center. Puck drop is slated for 2:07 both Friday and Saturday and KVSC will have the call of both games on 88.1 FM and KVSC.org. Zack Fisch, Dave Overlund, and our crew will bring you the action.