The Lindenwood Lions ACHA women’s hockey team returned home this weekend to Centene Community Ice Center for a weekend full of hockey against three different teams. The Lions came into this weekend with a record of 6-8-0 on the season, with their first game of the weekend being played Thursday against the Minot State Beavers.
The first period saw the Beavers have the bulk of the scoring chances, and at 12:29 of the period they would score to make it 1-0. The Lions would stand tall and only allow that one goal in the opening period. The Beavers outshot the Lions 15-6 in the period.
About three minutes into the second, the Lions would find the back of the net to tie the game at one. The goal was scored by Loki Antonio, and assisted by Madison Teague and Ardyn Hawryshko. Late in the second, the Lions would take their first lead of the game on a goal by Hawryshko, which was assisted by Antonio. The Lions would take the 2-1 lead into the third period, with both teams having 12 shots in the period.
The only goal of the third was scored at 17:41 by the Beavers to tie the game at two, meaning overtime was needed to decide this game. Both teams had 11 shots in the third period.
The Beavers would put the winner in the back of the net with just 24 seconds remaining in overtime. The Lions would fall to the Beavers by a score of 3-2, outshooting the Lions 5-3 in overtime and 43-32 for the game. Lions goalie Evi Allerding stopped 40 of the 43 shots faced in the loss.
Game two took place Friday night against the Jamestown Jimmies. The Lions got off to a really slow start in this game, allowing the Jimmies to score just over a minute into the game. Then at 7:55 of the period, the Jimmies would score again to make it 2-0. Both teams had 13 shots in the first period of play.
The Lions would dig themselves a deeper hole at 8:55 of the second, when the Jimmies scored again to make it 3-0. To the Lions’ credit, they did not back down because at 12:29 on the power play the Lions would get on the board. The goal would be scored by Antonio, and assisted by Teague and Hilary Pearce. The Lions would trail 3-1 heading into the third period, with the Jimmies outshot them 17-11 in the second.
The third period was a fun one for the Lions. At 4:09, the Lions would cut the deficit in half with a goal by Julia Schoonbaert, assisted by Graece Fowler and Teague. Then on the power play at 7:25, Ava Bilton found the back of the net to tie the game at three. The goal was assisted by Antonio and Hawryshko. Then late in the game, Brynn Carter found the back of the net to give the Lions a 4-3 lead. The game winning goal was assisted by Saskia Fuchs and Devyn Doti.
The Lions would win the game 4-3. The Lions outshot the Jimmies 17-11 in the third, however the Jimmies outshot the Lions 42-41 in the game. Lions goalie Erica Didocha stopped 11 out of 13 shots faced in the first period, but then was relieved by Allerding who stopped 28 of 29 shots she faced in the win.
The Lions looked to build off the comeback win Friday, as they welcomed the Minnesota Golden Gophers to town on Saturday night. The Lions had a whole lot of offensive zone time in the opening period of play. Lindenwood got a goal at 16:27 by Antonio, assisted by Hawryshko and Pearce. The Lions would take the 1-0 lead into the second period, outshooting the Golden Gophers 13-5 in the period.
The second period of play really saw the Golden Gophers take control of the play, tying the game at 10:58 of the second period. Then just over two minutes later, the Golden Gophers would take the lead at 13 minutes. The Lions would head into the third trailing 2-1, as the Golden Gophers outshot the Lions 21-8 in the second.
It did not take the Lions long to tie the game early on in the third period, with a power play goal by Hawryshko, assisted by Teague and Antonio at 4:37. From there, the Lions were looking for the go ahead goal and they found it at 9:40. The goal was scored by Antonio, and assisted by Pearce. For Antonio, that goal was her 20th of the season. The Lions outshot the Golden Gophers 11-8 in the period.
The Lions would win the game 3-2 in comeback fashion once again. The Golden Gophers outshot the Lions 34-32 despite the win. Lions goalie Jordan Tung played well, stopping 32 of the 34 shots faced in the win.
With the successful weekend the Lions are now 8-8-1 on the season. The Lions are off next week, but will return to Centene Community Ice Center on Nov. 23rd and 24th to take on Maryville University in Maryland Heights, Missouri
