MINOT, N.D. — After starting its season 4-0-1, the Arizona State Sun Devils Women’s Hockey dropped its first game of the season on the road to the Minot State Beavers 4-0.
The Sun Devils couldn’t get any sort of offense rolling, with three power-play chances and two of them in the first period; nothing was getting past the Beavers' defense.
Minot State’s goalie Jillian Ackerman was a brick wall this afternoon for the Beavers. Saving 21 shot attempts from the Sun Devils while her defense chipped in.
Although the Beavers' defense was lights out on the ice today, their offense started the game a bit stagnant until late in the first period. Forward Olivia Kirwan got the Beavers on the board with her second goal of the season, assisted by Cameron Schmidt, her fifth assist of the season.
The Beavers wouldn’t take their foot off the gas. Just a minute into the second period, forward Paige Kozak scored a 360 degree wraparound goal—her third of the season. Olivia Ophiem assisted, giving Minot State a comfortable 2-0 lead.
There was a lot of back and forth the rest of the second period and early third. Then, forward Journey Miller scored her third goal of the season, assisted by Maddie Beek for her first assist.
In the final moments of the third period, ASU forward Paige Brien picked up the Sun Devils’ fourth penalty of the game. This set up Minot State forward Abby Tallman for the first power-play goal of the game—and Tallman’s third goal of the season. Abby Pineau and Kozak each had their second assist of the season.
Both goalies showed up for today's game, although Sun Devils goalie Quinn Eatinger allowed four goals, she was making impressive saves all throughout the game.
Eatinger obtained her first loss of the season, bringing her save percentage to 0.953 and average goals allowed to 1.32.
While on the Beavers' side, goalie Jillian Ackerman went perfect from the crease, saving 25 shots that came her way today. Ackerman grabs her third win of the season and brings her save percentage to .953 and average goals allowed to 1.29.
Although the series ended in a tie with ASU winning Saturday night 3-2 in a shootout, according to ACHA rules, it is a tie. Both teams were back and forth with each other all weekend.