By Michael Heilman
The Minnesota Whitecaps visited the Northtown Center to take on the Buffalo Beauts Saturday night. Both teams were looking to keep pace with the undefeated Boston Pride in the NWHL standings.
Minnesota dominated the first period starting with a goal from Lauren Barnes and an assist from Jonna Curtis four minutes and forty-three seconds in the first period to put the Whitecaps up 1-0. Less than three minutes later, Nicole Schammel added to Minnesota’s lead 2-0 with Kalli Funk, and Haylea Schmid assists Schammel’s goal. Minnesota then went on the power play as Buffalo’s Sara Bustad headed to the penalty box for roughing. Nicole Schammel would score her second goal of the game with Stephanie Anderson assisting Schammel’s goal to extend Minnesota’s lead 3-0.
Meghan Lorence added another goal to make it a 4-0 Minnesota lead as both Haylea Schmid and Nicole Schammel assisted Lorence’s goal. Buffalo finally broke through with less than five minutes left in the first period as Megan Delay scored with Becki Bowering assisting Delay’s goal to cut Minnesota’s lead 4-1 as the first period came to an end.
Buffalo controlled the second period as Minnesota’s Chelsey Brodt Rosenthal headed to the penalty box for holding. Buffalo’s Taylor Accursi scored eight seconds later in the power play to pull the Beauts within two at 4-2. Marie-Jo Pelletier and Lenka Curmova assisted Accursi’s goal. Both of these teams continued to battle on the ice until the second period came to an end, with Minnesota still up 4-2.
Fifty-seven seconds into the third period, Buffalo’s Taylor Accursi scored her second goal of the game to pull Buffalo within one 4-3. As both teams continued to play aggressive, Minnesota went on the power as Buffalo’s Kim Brown headed to the penalty box for goalie-interference. Minnesota’s Meghan Lorence would get her second goal of the game to put the Whitecaps back up by two goals 5-3 with Jonna Curtis assisting Lorence’s goal.
Minnesota Whitecaps would go on to hold off the Buffalo Beauts by the final score of 5-3. Both teams were even in shots on goal total at thirty. Minnesota Whitecaps goalie Amanda Leveille made twenty-seven out of thirty saves while Buffalo Beauts goalie Mariah Fujimagari made twenty-five out of thirty saves. Both of these teams will go at it again Sunday at 1 pm from the Northtown Center.
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