No. 1 Warriors Remain Unbeaten Following Trip to No. 8 Minot State

MINOT, N.D. – Looking to pick up where they left off in 2023, No. 1-ranked Midland University traveled to North Dakota to take on No. 8-ranked Minot State University this weekend. The Warriors opened the New Year with a 4-2 win on Friday night before playing to a 2-2 overtime draw on Saturday with the Beavers. With the results, Midland completes its season series with a 5-0-1 record against Minot State.

FRIDAY: MIDLAND 4, MINOT STATE 2

In the series opener on Friday night, Midland found the back of the net twice in the opening period. Just before the midway point of the first, Rylee Martin scored off a feed from Jenna Grosdidier and Darbi Poole. Less than four minutes later, the Warriors took advantage of the Beavers' first penalty of the game. At the 13:02 mark, Jaicee Huberdeau scored on the power play to make it 2-0. The margin stayed at two goals as the teams went into the intermission.

Following the break in action on the ice, Minot State pulled within in a score as they found the back of the net at the 3:14 mark. Midland would counter with a goal of its own exactly three minutes later as Poole lit the lamp at the 6:14 mark. Kayla Flannigan picked up the assist for the eventual game-winning goal.

In the third, the Beavers caught a break as they flipped the ice with a shorthanded goal at the 1:39 mark. With a narrow lead in the game, Midland ground out the win, adding an insurance goal just past the midway mark of the third. With 9:52 remaining in the game, Ally Rakowski scored to make it 4-2. Flannigan and Huberdeau picked up assists as the scoring sheet was completed for the night.

Hannah Stone earned the win in goal for the Warriors. She collected 16 saves on the night including 7 during the final frame. Midland outshot Minot State 32 to 18 in the game as they controlled the puck.

SATURDAY: MIDLAND 2, MINOT STATE 2 (OT)

Looking for the series and season sweep, Midland picked up a power-play goal in the opening period on Saturday. After Minot State was whistled for a slash at the 8:29 mark, the Warriors quickly turned the opportunity into points as they scored at the 9:06 mark. Jaicee Huberdeau scored the game's first goal off an assist from Kayla Flannigan. Midland would hold that lead through the first intermission and the first half of the second period.

At the 12:57 mark of the middle frame, Callie Maguire scored the puck off a pass from Maxine Mass to make it a 2-0 lead for the Warriors. Behind solid defense, which killed a pair of power plays, Midland went into the final intermission with the two-goal lead.

Coming out of the break, Minot State was hunting for a spark, and in the eighth minute, they got it. While playing a skater down following their fifth penalty of the night, the Beavers broke past the Warriors' defense for a shorthanded goal at the 8:51 mark.

They would keep the deficit there and as the game entered its final minutes, they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. The strategy paid off with 51 seconds on the clock as they netted the tying goal.

After finished regulation knotted at 2-2, the teams went into overtime. In the extra five-minute period, Midland was able to get three shots on net but was held in check. Minot State managed one scoring chance but was denied as well as the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

For the game, Hannah Stone picked up 25 saves in net for Midland. Her counterpart corralled 22 saves.

Midland (21-0-2, 16-0-2 WMCH) will join the rest of the league in St. Louis, Missouri next weekend for the Women's Midwest College Hockey League Showcase. The Warriors will face No. 11 Jamestown (10-8-0) on Friday at 11:30 a.m. and then play No. 13 Minnesota (6-5-0) on Saturday at 8:20 p.m. On Sunday, players from the various teams will come together for the inaugural WMCH All-Star Game at noon.