Stage is set for crucial series against Minnesota State.

Max Steigauf / Sports Director / @MSteigauf

The Huskies were riding high heading into last weekend after splitting their series against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Huskies had a chance to make a statement and really cement themselves into NCAA tournament conversation if they could have a good series against the Bulldogs.

In game one on Friday the Huskies would turn to the first head of their two-headed monster with Jojo “No-no” Chobak in net. It was Chobak’s first time back in Amsoil arena since transferring to St. Cloud State. The Huskies would stand tall in the first period weathering 18 shots in the first period while only tallying one shot on goal in the first 20 minutes.

In the second period the Huskies would find their legs and play more physical in the middle frame. The Huskies would go shot for shot with the Bulldogs until Allie Cornelius would take a costly body checking penalty with around five minutes left in the period. Duluth would struggle for the first half of the powerplay because they couldn’t keep the puck in the offensive zone for very long. But with about 30 seconds left in the skater advantage Gabbie Hughes would finally break the scoreless stalemate depositing a puck behind Chobak. it was the first goal Chobak had allowed in two games. St. Cloud headed into the second intermission down 1-0.

In the third period the Bulldogs would start with a powerplay after a Svenja Voigt body checking minor. The Bulldogs continued to pepper Chobak, but they couldn’t extend their 1-0 lead. Chobak would save another 12 shots in the third period keeping the Huskies within striking distance. That hard work paid off too. Addi Scribner would force a turnover behind the net of Emma Soderberg, and then rip a pass to the high slot for Emma Gentry. Gentry would then wrist the puck past Soderberg tying the game up with just over three minutes left in the game.

Now with a newly minted tie the Bulldogs and Huskies would head to overtime. Annnnddd Overtime wouldn’t decide anything. so the two rivals would head to a shootout where the Bulldogs would win the extra WCHA point. Chobak ended the game with 44 saves and has saved 114 shots in her last three games and has only given up one goal. Jojo is 2-0-1 in her last three starts. Chobak has a .991 save percentage in her last three starts.

On Saturday the second head of the monster, Sanni Ahola, would be in net. Sanni would hold the Bulldogs scoreless in the first period as well only facing four shots. The Huskies outshot Duluth 8-4 in the opening frame and looked to take control in the second period, but once again a penalty would bite the Huskies. with four and a half minutes left in the second period Dayle Ross would be called for unsportsmanlike conduct. It The Bulldogs didn’t hesitate completing a tic-tac-toe play that ended with Ashton Bell scoring for Duluth.

The Huskies tried to come back in the third period, but had trouble controlling the puck through the neutral zone. The tough luck would continue when the Bulldogs scored an empty net goal with about two minutes left to put a pin in game two. Sanni Ahola stopped 30 of the Bulldogs’ 31 shots. Even though Ahola’s record in her last four games isn’t the prettiest, 1-3, She has stopped 138 of the 146 shots she has faced in that time good for a .945 save percentage.

St. Cloud now has to prepare to face the Minnesota State Mavericks in the final series of the regular season. St. Cloud was swept by the Mavericks earlier in the year when the two played in Mankato. The series is a pivotal for both teams as they find themselves tied for the fifth spot in the WCHA. The winner of the series will claim the five seed for the WCHA playoffs and would face the Duluth Bulldogs in Amsoil for a best of three series. The loser of this series would have to travel to Madison to play the Badgers in LaBahn Arena. If both teams are tied in points after this weekend Mankato would be the five seed because of tie-breakers.

Not only is this series important for seeding in the WCHA playoffs, but if the Huskies have a good series there is a decent possibility that they could make the NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament. Right now the Huskies are 12th in the Pair wise and ranked 12th in the latest USCHO poll. If St. Cloud plays well this weekend and wins a game or two in the WCHA playoffs they could make the the eleven team national tournament for the first time in program history.

Game one will be on the KVSC Sports Stream at 6 p.m. Game two will be very special because for the first time in KVSC history there will be a all women broadcast team! Game two will be on 97.5 FM RadioX at 3 p.m. Olivia Stephes will do play-by-play, and Anna Behning will do color commentary. You’re not gonna wanna miss a single second of this series.