Forward Allison Parnell scored on a rebound just over three minutes into overtime as the St. Thomas women’s hockey team defeated tenth-ranked Augsburg 3-2 Saturday at Ed Saugestad Rink to win the MIAC playoff championship and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Saturday’s win marked the team’s fourth consecutive playoff title.
“I still believe this team was the best team in the conference, but when you don’t play that well during the season it’s not like you can turn a switch on and off,” head coach Tom Palkowski said. “We certainly had been gelling the last three weeks of the year, and then it’s just a matter of being consistent.”
Senior forward Kathryn Larson said she was speechless after the win.
“Honestly, I had just gotten off so I quickly sat on the bench, but I saw her poke it through the five hole,” Larson said. “It’s unreal to have a freshman score the game-winner in overtime. It’s got to be a big goal for her so that’s awesome.”
The Tommies and the Auggies split their two regular season meetings with Augsburg winning 3-0 on Dec. 10 before the St. Thomas won 4-2 the following day.
The Tommies opened the scoring with a power play goal just over four minutes into the game when defenseman Allie Borgstrom fired a shot past Augsburg goaltender Rebecca Sonnek off an assist by Kathryn Larson.
St. Thomas was on the power play after Larson was held by an Augsburg defender while driving to the net less than a minute earlier.
Augsburg answered back, however, as forward Megan Robertson scored on a breakaway at the 9:18 mark of the period to tie the game 1-1, snapping the shot perfectly over Tommie goaltender Kenzie Torpy’s right shoulder and under the crossbar.
Both teams had chances to gain the lead later in the period. The Tommies had the first opportunity when Borgstrom’s slap shot went just wide of the Augie goal with 7:40 left in the period. Augsburg’s best opportunity of the period was when forward Darby Lindgren stick-handled around a Tommie defender, but her shot was snagged by Torpy with about five minutes left.
Torpy was key for the Tommies for much of the second period, particularly during a sequence late in the period when she fought off a plethora of Auggie shots.
The Tommies again had a chance to take the lead with 1:21 left when Schwartzman passed to forward Rachel Werdin during an offensive rush whose shot was saved by Sonnek. St. Thomas had a chance at the rebound but the officials blew the play dead when they lost sight of the puck in the goal crease.
Augsburg got the puck off the ensuing faceoff and capitalized a mere 17 seconds later when Auggie forward Darby Lindgren snuck a shot past Torpy to give the Auggies a 2-1 lead.
The Auggies had a chance to extend the lead in the closing seconds of the period when Lindgren blocked a shot by Schwartzman, resulting in a breakaway, but her shot went wide of the net as time expired in the second period.
St. Thomas tied the game at two apiece with 13:30 left in regulation when forward Kaylee Druk centered a pass from the right of Sonnek, and Larson was able to tip the puck over the left shoulder of the Augsburg goaltender.
Augsburg had a chance to regain the lead with 2:30 left in regulation when Lindgren drove to the front of the net and left the puck just outside of the crease for Robertson, whose shot was denied by Torpy.
At the end of regulation, the game was as even as possible with each team having 34 shots and two goals.
The Tommies killed off a penalty early in overtime before Parnell’s goal.
Torpy finished with 36 saves.
St. Thomas will learn where and when its NCAA quarterfinal matchup will be during the selection show on Monday at 9 a.m..
Taylor Smith can be reached at smit9660@stthomas.edu.