The Bethel women’s hockey team ended its weekend series against Marian University 2-0 with its 3-1 win Saturday at the Recreation Outdoor Center in St. Louis Park.
The Royals came out strong offensively, outshooting the Sabres 14-2 and 1/3 on special teams in the first period. With three minutes left in the period and Bethel on a power play, junior defenseman Sydney Eckert scored her first career goal 15 seconds into the man advantage with assists from Malia McKinnon and Kallie Abrahamson.
Marian responded 4:50 into the second period when the puck bounced off goalie Anna Hanson’s chest, sliding into the net. Less than three minutes later, Ali Hoerer assisted Brynn Swenson, making it 2-1. With a clutch save by Hanson — two-time MIAC Defensive Player of the Week — on a Jadyn Gorski breakaway that would’ve tied the game, the Royals entered the third period on top.
Early in the third, Lindsey Muntifering made an insurance goal, throwing the puck on net from behind the blue line. Despite a missed penalty shot opportunity, the Royals held their 3-1 lead for their fourth consecutive win.
The Royals are 7-3-1, winners of four straight matches as they enter their break until Jan. 12, when they will face Augsburg University at home.
Later Saturday night, the men’s team took on the St. Olaf College Oles, coming away with a 3-1 victory.
With two minutes remaining in the first period, Bethel got on the board first when junior forward Ben Doherty scored on a rebound chance from senior Jake Herter to give Bethel a 1-0 lead heading into the intermission.
Chippy penalties on either side near the end of the second put both teams on the power play. St. Olaf forward Tyler Cooper was given a five-minute major for contact to the head. Doherty retaliated and as a result, found himself in the penalty box with a roughing minor.
With less than two minutes left in the second, Noah Heisler took advantage of St. Olaf’s four-on-three man advantage and scored to tie the game 1-1. 18 seconds into the third, sophomore forward Logan Anderson utilized the five-on-three power play to score the go-ahead goal for the Royals.
With three minutes left in the game, Bethel forward Jack Brown headed to the penalty box for a two-minute elbowing minor, giving the Oles a late power play opportunity to tie the game. The Oles pulled their goaltender, giving them a six-on-four man advantage. The Royals’ penalty kill came up big, snuffing out any chance of an Oles game-tying goal. Anderson sealed the victory with an empty net goal at the 19:00 mark to give the Royals a 3-1 win.
The men have also won their last four games and head into their Europe trip 9-2-2, second in the MIAC and tied for the conference lead in points.
