Brian Moos / Sports Director

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – St. Cloud State women’s hockey started their postseason with game one of the WCHA quarterfinals on Friday February 27. The Huskies got slotted against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the three vs six seed matchup in the WCHA. SCSU had struggled against the Gophers during the regular season, losing all four games by a combined score of 22-6. If the Huskies wanted to take game one of the playoffs, they would need to keep the game tight and low scoring.

The Huskies executed that game plan through the first period. They did see scoring chances, including going on the powerplay, but couldn’t crack the Gopher defense. After the first, shots favored Minnesota 18-12, with shots on goal leaning Gophers 10-7. One stat that was unexpectedly close were faceoffs, with SCSU trailing by just five in the first. Despite the Huskies being one of the worst faceoff-taking teams in the NCAA, that break in trend would hold through the game.

Minnesota would give the Huskies their best in the second period. The Gophers outshot SCSU 22-12, with an 18-5 advantage on goal. Part of that offensive flurry was a Minnesota powerplay and two different four-on-four sequences. The Huskies weathered that storm, killing off the penalty and getting stellar goaltending from sophomore Emilia Kyrkko.

Husky head coach Mira Jalosuo, when asked about the game situation after the second period said, “We were exactly where we want to be, next goal wins.”

Minnesota would keep the pressure on St. Cloud State in the third, taking 23 shots to the Huskies’ seven. Continuing her incredible shot-stopping Kyrkko would carry the Huskies into overtime.

It’s hard to say how, but a switch flipped for SCSU in overtime. The Huskies controlled the opening faceoff of extra time and did not look back. OT would only take four minutes and 50 seconds, in that time the Huskies had the majority of possession, outshooting the Gophers 9-2.

Coach Jalosuo said about overtime, “We were very good, they [SCSU] were dialed in after the third period. We were not going to lose this game.”

A full 60 minutes of no score and SCSU stepping on the gas in overtime, gave them the break they needed.

When I asked head coach Mira Jalosuo about captain Grace Wolfe, she referred to her as captain clutch and said, “She’s the soul of the team, she does every little thing right… she’s kind of like the mom of the group, she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. I had a feeling she was going to score today.”

The heart and soul of SCSU women’s hockey, would deliver a clutch goal. Lined up right behind junior Laura Zimmerman, Grace Wolfe got the faceoff win on her forehand and ripped a shot past the glove of Gopher goalie Hannah Clark. Huskies 1, Gophers 0, Final in OT. It’s the first time St. Cloud State women’s hockey has beat Minnesota in the postseason in program history. It was Wolfe’s first ever game-winning goal in her five-year college career.

The Huskies pulled off the only upset in game ones of the WCHA quarterfinals. SCSU now lead the best of three series one game to zero. St. Cloud State will look to finish the job on Saturday, February 28. Coverage of game two will begin at 1:30 p.m. on RadioX, puck drop is slated for 2 p.m. Listen to the broadcast here.