Skip to content

Wolves women bury visiting Bulldogs

Jacqueline Desimone, Ariel Anttonen score twice as the Thunderwolves blank Minnesota-Duluth 8-0.

THUNDER BAY – Every time the Lakehead Thunderwolves women’s hockey team steps on the ice, the players know they have a giant target on their backs.

As the two-time defending ACHA Division II champions, the Wolves are the squad the other contenders are gunning for, looking make their own mark and finish in the top six in the rankings to earn a spot at the 2019 national championship in Frisco, Texas.

Easier said than done, the No. 6-ranked University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs learned this weekend, falling 4-0 on Saturday night and getting trounced 8-0 on Sunday morning.

“Our main goal was to get these two wins under our belt, but definitely to use these two games as practice for next weekend,” said Thunderwolves forward Jacqueline Desimone, who scored twice on Sunday, once in a five-goal first, the other coming 1:34 into the second, a dribbler that inched its way over the goal line behind UMD goaltender Lauren Schommer.

“We kind of used this to build on our skills that we’ve been working on in practice. I think overall we accomplished what we wanted to do.”

While the Bulldogs were never a team to take lightly, the Wolves clearly had their eyes on this weekend’s competition, when the West Region No. 1 and No. 3 teams, Minot State University and Assiniboine Community College, arrive in town for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Port Arthur Arena.

Thunderwolves captain Azia Vass said everyone showed up to play.

“I think one of our biggest strengths is always having a quick start. The key to our game is always getting out there quick,” said Vass, who concluded the scoring with a late third-period tally, the only goal of the final period.

“Obviously you don’t expect to get five goals in the first period, but you can’t complain about that. We have a lot of skill on our team, so I’m not surprised.

The veteran winger said while the weekend’s results might not show it, the Thunderwolves are feeling plenty of pressure, not wanting to give an inch in their hunt for a third straight Division II title.

But they’ve also started to learn to play like champions.

“Each year we’ve been here, there’s a little bit more pep in our step,” Vass said.

“Obviously we want to win, so we’re going to keep doing what we do.”

Lakehead coach Kate Clower said the weekend set against UMD was a chance to shake off a two-month Christmas break and get the legs moving.

So far, so good, she said.

“Yesterday was nice to get back on the ice and back into the flow of things, and today obviously with an 8-0 win it showed that our legs are back,” she said.

Ariel Anttonen added a pair for Lakehead, with singles going to Alexandra Sawyer, Kalie Verheyen and Allison Pages.

FIRST PERIOD
Scoring
: 1. Lakehead, Sawyer (Etreni) 7:27. 2. Lakehead, Anttonen (Armstrong, Desimone) 9:34. 3. Lakehead, Verheyen (Desimone) 9:43. 4. Lakehead, Desimone (Radbourne) 15:24. 5. Lakehead, Pages (Hynne) 17:57. Penalties: Radbourne LAK (roughing) 11:29, Hynnes LAK, Smith UMD (body checking) 12:29, Hill UMD (body checking) 18:17.

SECOND PERIOD
Scoring
: 6. Lakehead, Desimone (Anttonen, Armstrong) 1:34. 7. Lakehead, Anttonen (Armstrong, Etreni) 17:42. Penalties: Pelland UMD (hooking) 4:40, Sawyer LAK (holding) 13:43, Armstrong LAK (hooking) 19:00.

THIRD PERIOD
Scoring
: 8. Lakehead, Vass (Pages) 15:07. Penalties: Pages LAK (interference) 9:02, Hill UMD (tripping) 12:35, Radbourne LAK (body checking) 16:28, Verheyen LAK (slashing) 16:37, Smith UMD (slashing) 17:01.

GAME DATAPower plays (goals-chances) – Minnesota-Duluth (0-6), Lakehead (0-4); Goaltenders – Minnesota-Duluth: Lauren Schommer, Lakehead: Samantha Marson.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
Read more



Comments
push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks