The Lions got back in the win column Friday night with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory against the University of Jamestown Jimmies at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
The Lions have struggled offensively in the first period most of the season and that trend continued the first period of this game. Although Lindenwood put thirteen pucks on net in the period, none made it past the Jimmie net minder. The Jimmies would, however, score two goals of their own at 1:20 and 7:55. With the Lions down 2-0 after the first, Lindenwood head coach James Miller decided to make a change in net. Lions starting goaltender Erica Didocha was pulled after the first period, and Evi Allerding entered the game for the remainder of the contest.
The Lions responded well in the second period, scoring their first goal of the game at the 4:09 mark. The goal was scored by Julia Schoonbaert and was her first goal and point of the season. Graece Fowler and Madison Teague both recorded assists on the Schoonbaert goal. With their lead cut in half, the Jimmies answered back making it 3-1 at the 8:55 mark. However, just a few minutes later, a Jimmie checking minor penalty sent the Lions to the power play. The Lions went to work, scoring a power play goal at 12:29 and cutting the Jimmies lead to one once more. Loki Antonio scored the goal, her eighteenth of the season. Teague and Hilary Pearce both picked up assists on the tally. For Teauge, it was her nineteenth assist on the season.
With the score 3-2 in favor of the Jimmies going into the third period, the Lions locked in and played one of their best periods of the entire season. The Lions outshot the Jimmies sixteen to twelve in the period, and Allerding stopped every shot faced in the frame. With the Lions still down one, the Jimmies were called for a costly tripping penalty at 5:44 which led to Ava Bilton tying the game at the 7:25 mark. The goal was Bilton's second of the season, and was assisted by Antonio and Ardyn Hawryshko. Later in the period, with less than four minutes to play, Brynn Carter snuck a shot past the Jimmie goaltender and gave the Lions their first lead of the night. Carter could not have picked a better time to notch her first goal of the season, scoring at the 16:26 mark and giving the Lions a 4-3 lead. Saskia Fuchs and Devyn Doti picked up helpers each on the Carter game winning goal, their second assist apiece this season.
The Lions offensive pressure and special team success were keys to their comeback. The Lions finished with 41 shots on goal, and scored goals on two of their three power play opportunities. The Lindenwood penalty kill was also fantastic, holding the Jimmies scoreless on each of their three man-advantages. Allerding earned the win as she stopped 28 of 29 shots faced since coming into the game at the start of the second period. Lindenwood will wrap up their weekend homestand with a matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday night. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Centene Community Ice Center.
