Providence defeated St. Cloud State, 5-1, on Saturday at Schneider Arena.
PC junior assistant captain Jenn Butsch opened the scoring at 6:57 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Darlene Stephenson gave the Friars a 2-0 cushion after two periods as she tallied her seventh goal of the season. Sophomore Sarah Youlen was credited with the assist.
Butsch registered her second goal of the game and her team-leading 10th of the season early in the third period to give the Friars a 3-0 lead. St. Cloud State’s Andrea Keller cut the PC lead to 3-1 as she scored on the power play at 8:39. Kobi Kawamoto assisted on the goal.
Stephenson moved the Friars’ lead back to three goals as she scored her second of the game at 10:15, and Beth Wolff completed the scoring with 1:10 remaining, scoring off assists from Kim Mathias and freshman Emily Gryp. For Gryp, it was her first career point.
PC outshot St. Cloud State, 45-13. Ellen Brinkman made 40 saves in the loss, while PC’s Amy Thomas stopped 12 shots to earn her seventh win of the season.
With the win, the Friars improved to 9-8-3 overall. The Friars are unbeaten in their last five games, a season best. The Huskies fell to 4-18-1.
The Friars and the Huskies rematch Sunday at Schneider Arena at 1:00 p.m.
