Down six forwards, the Wayne State hockey team opened its final home series of the year with a dominant win against Minnesota State, 6-0, at the City Sports Center arena.
The Warriors (6-6-0) trail now 10-3-0 all-time against the Mavericks (6-8-1) and the teams have not faced each other since the 2006-07 season. Both teams were swept in each of their last series.
Wayne State’s Cari Coen scored the first goal at 11:30 of the opening period on a power play. Coen’s goal, which was her first of the season, led the Warriors to play 60 minutes of consistent hockey.
Short-benched, the Warriors had to play without Gina Buquet, who received a game disqualification from last weekend’s game misconduct against the Mercyhurst Lakers. Buquet is expected to play tomorrow.
Warriors goaltender Delayne Brian earned her third shutout of the season and seventh of her career with the win. Minnesota State played two of their goaltenders, Danielle Butters, who played for a total of 4:47, and Alli Altmann who played the remaining 55:13.
“Our effort wasn’t there,” said Kathleen Rogan, the Mavericks leader in goals (8). “We weren’t winning the battles and we were outworked.”
Veronique Laramee-Paquette, Alyssa Baldin, Adrianna Pfeffer, Julie Ingratta and Julie Hebert tallied in the high scoring affair. Ingratta scored a fluke goal, her seventh of the season, short side at 14:52 of the second period.
“I have no idea how it went in,” Ingratta said. “I tried to shoot it and then Baldy [Baldin] took it to the goalie.”
With just 0:35 left in the second period, Hebert scored the final goal of the game, assisted by Jaclyn Stapleton and Jill Szandzik, who tallied her 10th assist of the season.
In the third period, the Mavericks struggled to get a shot in, but both teams remained scoreless. Despite the outcome, the Mavericks outshot the Warriors 31-22. The Warriors went 1-for-8 on the power play.
The Warriors will play the Mavericks tomorrow at 2 p.m.
