#8 UMD women’s hockey survives in double overtime, beats #9 UConn to advance to NCAA Regional Finals
Thanks to two goals from Mannon McMahon, the #8 UMD women's hockey team is headed to the WCHA semifinals after beating #10 St. Cloud State 2-0.
In a thrilling, down-to-the-wire game, the eighth ranked University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) women’s hockey team scored with just over two minutes left in double overtime to beat the ninth ranked University of Connecticut (UConn) 1-0 in round one of the NCAA DI Regional Tournament.
The game was back-and-forth all game, as neither team could get on the board despite peppering the opposing goalies. Regulation would end scoreless, as would the first overtime.
Fast forwarding to double overtime, UMD goaltender Ève Gascon was blinded by a gaggle of defenders in front of the net, as UConn scored to presumably win. However, after review, the goal was overturned, and the Bulldogs were given another chance.
After Nina Jobst-Smith sent a puck on net, the puck bounced out in front of the goal, as Mannon McMahon swooped in and found the back of the net to give UMD the 1-0 win.
“As soon as they said it was not a goal I grabbed a rag, wiped my tears, and got back on the ice and set up for the face-off,” Mannon McMahon said, a graduate student forward. “I honestly don’t even remember what happened. I just know that Nina did her infamous pull in shot and then the puck was kind of laying there, I didn’t get much on it even, but it went in the back of the net and was immediate relief.”
Gascon, a freshman, earned the shutout recording 33 saves. She became the first freshman goaltender since Jenny Harss in 2010 to make an NCAA tournament start. UConn netminder Tia Chan made 48 saves.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better game to get in the tournament, almost played two games in a row,” laughed Gascon. “The team played so great in front of me. I only took 33 shots in five periods, like that’s not a lot. I’m just really proud of the girls, it was an emotional game but I’m really happy that we won.”
The Bulldogs survive and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals to take on #1 Ohio State University Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. For the full bracket, Click here.