Behind another strong effort from goaltender Anik Cote, the Bemidji State women’s ice hockey team jumped out to a 5-0 lead over Minnesota State-Mankato, then saw the Mavericks end the shutout with five seconds left as BSU picked up its school record-tying sixth win in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, 5-1.
Cote earned the win for BSU, improving to 3-2-3 on the season with a 26-save effort. The win for Cote was her first since Jan. 6 at Findlay and snapped a streak of two consecutive decisions in which she earned a tie. Cote is 2-1-3 in her last six starts. In 10 appearances in net for BSU this year, Cote has yet to allow more than three goals.
Cote was supported by a strong effort in the offensive zone, as BSU out-shot Mankato 52-27 for the game. Three different BSU players scored at least two points, as Caesare Stimson and Alicia Kinsman scored two goals, including the game-winner at 10:57 of the first, and Kerri McEwen recorded a career-high three assists. Amber Fryklund recorded her seventh
multi-point game of the season, extending her scoring streak to nine games with a goal and an assist. Fryklund’s unassisted power-play goal in the second period was her 80th career point.
“In the first period, we were sharp,” BSU head coach Jason Lesteberg said. “We executed well and got the puck towards the net. The next two periods were much sloppier.
“I want to see the same intensity tomorrow and get more traffic in front of the net,” Lesteberg added.
Mankato’s Shari Vogt saved 47 of 52 shots faced for the afternoon; her 47 saves tied the BSU single-game record for saves by an opposing goalie. Concordia College’s Jill Leonetti saved 47 shots against BSU on Jan. 7, 2000. Vogt’s effort marked just the sixth time an opposing goalie has had 40 or more saves in a game against BSU, and she has now done it twice — including a 45-save effort against BSU on Feb. 23, 2001.
“She’s a good goalie,” Lesteberg said of Vogt. “She controls the puck when it’s in her hands. When we shoot from the perimeter, she has the game in her hands.”
“We didn’t show up this afternoon,” Cote said. “We have played better. As a whole, we let down a few times. [Vogt] made some great saves; she faces a lot of shots every weekend and I’m sure she gets tired.”
BSU improved to 7-5-1 all-time against the Mavericks, and picked up its seventh consecutive win in the series. The seven consecutive wins are the most by BSU against any single opponent, and the seven total wins are its second-most against any single foe, trailing only 10 wins against Wayne State.
Bemidji State improved to 11-9-7 with today’s win and picked up its 17th point in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (6-8-5). The 17 points move BSU into a tie with Ohio State for fourth place in the league, pending OSU’s game at Minnesota this evening. The six WCHA wins for BSU tie a school single-season record, set last year (6-17-1).
MSU-Mankato fell to 4-22-1, 1-18-0 in the WCHA. The teams wrap up their two-game series tomorrow afternoon. The opening faceoff in John Glas Fieldhouse is slated for 2:05 p.m. Central Time.
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