ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Three games in three days makes for a busy weekend, but the College of Saint Benedict hockey team proved it was up to the task.
In three games between Friday night and Sunday afternoon, CSB scored nine goals, put more than 100 shots on net, recorded several career and season firsts and won two games. For the team’s effort and success, the hockey team is this week’s CSB Team of the Week.
Saint Benedict’s two wins over the weekend pushed the team’s overall record to 5-5-1 so far this season. That marks the most wins for the program since it won seven games in 2015-16.
CSB started its big weekend with an overtime win against Marian in its first game at a tournament hosted by UW-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, Wis. Courtney Conlin got CSB on the board, but after Marian tied the game midway through the third period, it was Mollie Wise who gave the team the win. She scored her second goal of the season in overtime to help CSB pick up its fourth win of the year. Senior goalie Julia Carle made 21 saves to pick up her first win of the season.
Saint Benedict outshot the Pointers 30-20, but fell 2-1 to the host school the next night in the team’s second game in Wisconsin. Wise scored her second goal of the weekend, and led the team with five shots on net.
CSB’s biggest game of the weekend came Sunday afternoon in a nonconference matchup with St. Olaf. The team went off for six goals – four in the third period alone – and 41 shots on net, the most since the first game of the year against Chatham. Sophomore Bria Ferns scored the first goal of her CSB career, and first year goalie Maggie Gilchrist got her first career start, and earned her first collegiate win after making 17 saves.
In the game against the Oles, sophomore Reegan Patnode recorded her first assist of the season, and senior Shelby Schneider scored her first goal and assist of the season. Five different players scored for CSB, and four other players recorded an assist.
Courtney Conlin led CSB with three goals and an assist over the weekend, and Wise added two goals. Six different players scored, and eight had at least one assist. Maddie Dockry and Kylie Eklund each notched three assists over the weekend.
CSB returns to action and is at home for the first time since late November Saturday, Jan. 12, when it hosts Bethel at 3 p.m. at the MAC in St. Cloud. The two teams play at 7 p.m. Friday in Blaine.