MANKATO — They fell in a hole and couldn’t climb out of it.
No. 15 Minnesota State women’s hockey opened WCHA play with a 5-2 loss to No. 13 St. Cloud State Friday at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. The loss marked the Mavericks’ 17th straight loss in a WCHA opener. The last WCHA win occurred on Oct. 17, 2009, a 4-2 road win over North Dakota.
The Huskies drew first blood thanks to an untimely hooking penalty from MSU sophomore Mika Cichosz 3:32 into the first period. Six seconds into the woman advantage SCSU’s Maria Mikaelyan found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
“We prepare and try to increase our intensity, but unfortunate things happen,” MSU head coach Shari Dickerman said. “Not killing that first penalty sucked the life out of us.”
Cichosz went back to the penalty box for body checking 9:59 into the first period. The Huskies struck again on the power play, this time needing 28 seconds for Anna Sviridoval to score for a 2-0 advantage.
Mikaelyan scored her second goal of the game with 6:54 remaining in the opening frame for a 3-0 lead. Hanson, the Mavericks’ captain, was swapped out for sophomore Kaydence Roeske after the Huskies’ third goal. Hansen stopped seven of 10 shots.
“I hate pulling a goalie. I know what that feels like,” Dickerman said. “I felt like we were not giving her the support she deserved. I wanted to get her out of there, give someone else the minutes and hopefully give our team and our bench a little more life.”
The Huskies added two goals to start the second, an even strength goal from Hannele Tarkianen 5:29 into the frame and the third goal of the night from Mikaelyan less than two minutes later on the power play for a 5-0 lead.
The Mavericks finally got on the board with a power play goal from junior Ayla Puppe when her shot banked off the skate of SCSU’s Marie Moran, the older sister of MSU sophomore Makayla Moran. Tori Anderson was credited with the assist. Bella Shipley struck with 2:01 left in the second frame to make it 5-2, with assists from Audrey Garton and Zoey Lopez.
The Huskies finished 3 of 5 on the power play. The Mavericks were outshot 28-16 and lost the battle in the faceoff circle 25-22.
The Mavericks and Huskies resume action at 3 p.m. Saturday in Mankato.