WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Reece Hunt scores on Senior Day, but UMD handles Beavers

BSU_Hockey web art.jpg — Bemidji State Beavers

By Pioneer Staff Report

February 18, 2023 at 5:14 PM

BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji State women’s hockey team cooked up a nice moment on Senior Day Saturday at the Sanford Center.

Reece Hunt scored the first goal of the game for the Beavers on the day she and BSU’s two other seniors (Paige Anderson, Abby DeLaRosa) were honored, putting Bemidji State up 1-0 off assists from Anderson and Ella Anick.

But No. 8 Minnesota Duluth had no interest in letting the festivities continue any further. The Bulldogs scored five straight goals to spoil the occasion and win 5-1.

Hunt’s goal came just 37 seconds into the game for the Beavers (5-28-1, 2-26-0 WCHA), giving them a lead that stood for over ten minutes. Once the Bulldogs (23-8-3, 17-8-3 WCHA) began scoring, though, they didn’t stop.

Mannon McMahon tied it up at 12:05 in the first, then Taylor Anderson put UMD on top at 5:58 in the second. Gabbie Hughes made it 3-1 at 10:04, and Taylor Anderson scored again to give Minnesota Duluth a three-goal advantage at 15:56.

Tova Henderson bookended the streak with the Bulldogs’ fifth score at 16:48 in the third.

Abbie Thompson started in net for BSU and finished with 23 saves. UMD’s Hailey MacLeod stopped 14.

Now finished with the regular season, Bemidji State will next face either No. 1 Ohio State or No. 4 Minnesota on the road in the WCHA quarterfinals. The best-of-three series opens on Friday, Feb. 24, and continues on Saturday, Feb. 25. If necessary, the decisive third game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Minnesota Duluth 5, Bemidji State 1

UMD 1 3 1 -- 5

BSU 1 0 0 -- 1

First period -- 1, BSU GOAL, Hunt (Anderson, Anick), 0:37; 2, UMD GOAL, McMahon (Jobst-Smith, Stewart), 12:05.

Second period -- 3, UMD GOAL, Anderson (Hughes, Bell), 5:58; 4, UMD GOAL, Hughes (Bell, Flaherty), 10:04; 5, UMD GOAL, Anderson (Hughes, Linser), 15:56.

Third period -- 6, UMD GOAL, Henderson (Van Wieren, Flaherty), 16:48.

Saves -- Thompson (BSU) 23; MacLeod (UMD) 14.

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WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Reece Hunt scores on Senior Day, but UMD handles Beavers

Reece Hunt scored the first goal of the game on the day she and BSU’s two other seniors were honored, putting Bemidji State up 1-0 off assists from Paige Anderson and Ella Anick.