Women's Hockey scores seven times, routs Finlandia in season-opener

MEQUON, Wis. – The Steve Fabiilli era of the Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Hockey program couldn't have gotten off to a better start. The Falcons scored seven times, three times each over the final two periods, in a 7-1 rout of Finlandia University Friday night at the Ozaukee Ice Center.

Six different Falcons scored goals Friday, including a career-best two from sophomore Brittany Sticha (Lonsdale, Minn.). Sticha scored the final goal of the second period and the opening goal of the third period, putting the Falcons on top 5-0 after her second score.

CUW finished the night with 11 assists on the seven goals, tying the third most assists in a game in program history. Junior Jayda Hoerres (Melrose, Wis.) and sophomore Veronika Metanova (Palatine, Ill.) each recorded two assists to pace the Falcons. Junior Emily Heckendorf (Merrill, Wis.) also finished with two points, scoring a goal and adding an assist in the third period.

Senior Andrea Mizanskey (Palos Heights, Ill.) received the start between the pipes and delivered a solid game, stopping 11 shots. The Falcons dominated puck possession for much of the evening, finishing with a 36-12 edge in shots.

CUW started quickly as junior Nina Puch (Des Plaines, Ill.) put her team on the board just 1:39 into play with a rebound goal. Senior captain Elizabeth Otto (Stillwater, Minn.) sent a shot in and Puch was there for the rebound to give the Falcons the 1-0 advantage. Freshman Amanda Curtin (Houston, Texas) also assisted on the season-opening score, resulting in her first career collegiate point.

Puch's goal was the only tally of the opening period, but CUW got rolling in the second with three scores. Sophomore Francesca Principe (Lemont, Ill.) scored a shorthanded goal 9:07 into the second stanza, coming off an assist from Baylee Darling (Holmen, Wis.). CUW committed six penalties during the game and were shorthanded five times, killing off four of the Lions power play opportunities.

Freshman Lexi Holman (Cold Spring, Minn.) put the Falcons up 3-0 11:48 into the second period with her first career goal. Another freshman, Madisen DeSmith (South St. Paul, Minn.) recorded her first career point on the play with an assist, while Hoerres also assisted on the Holman score. Hoerres again had one of the two assists on the Falcons fourth goal, coming from Sticha 14:28 into the second. The Sticha score also resulted in Metanova's first assist of the night.

Just 1:20 into the third period the Falcons went up 5-0 when Sticha lit the lamp for the second time. Her second score also resulted in the second assist from Metanova. Finlandia would get its lone goal at the 9:06 mark of the final period, an unassisted power play score from Kim Harter.

The Falcons would put the finishing touches on the Lions with two goals scored 10 seconds apart from one another late in the third. Heckendorf got on the board at the 15:23 mark on a goal assisted by freshman Rebecca Prigge (Stillwater, Minn.) and sophomore Brandi Muller (Anchorage, Alaska). The assist was the first of Prigge's career. Junior Chelsea Regan (Oakdale, Minn.) then joined the scoring party 10 seconds later on a goal assisted by Heckendorf.

The win puts the Falcons at 1-0-0, starting the season with a dominant victory for the second straight year. Last season, the Falcons visited Finlandia and rolled to an 8-2 win in the season-opener.

CUW and the Lions will finish off their season-opening series tomorrow afternoon with a 4 p.m. start from the Ozaukee Ice Center. Live stats and video will be available courtesy of CUWFalcons.com.