Women's ACHA ice hockey dropped three games in Women's Midwest College Hockey action January 25-27 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The Lions began the weekend with a 2-1 loss to the University of Jamestown on Thursday, fell 12-1 to Liberty University Friday, and were shutout by Minot State 5-0 on Saturday.
In a closely played game on Thursday, the Jimmies took a 1-0 lead in the opening moments of the second period on a power play that carried over from the first. Jamestown added to the advantage with an even-strength effort at 6:31 of the third. Lindenwood broke the shutout when
Loki Antonio stole the puck and split the pipes unassisted with 5:59 remaining in regulation. The Lions were back in the game, but could not get the equalizer, despite getting a power play for the final 93-seconds.
The Jimmies outshot Lindenwood 38-35, with Avi Ellerding stopping 36 of the 38 shots she faced in goal. The Lions went 0/3 with the man-advantage and gave up a goal on three penalty kills.
The contest against the Flames on Friday got out of hand early, with Lindenwood giving up two goals within a 14-second span to trail 2-0 at the 3:12 mark. The Lions had a chance to cut the deficit on the power play, but Liberty turned the tables with a short-handed goal. A Lindenwood roughing penalty led to another Flames goal early in the second before Antonio sounded the horn for the Lions at 1:23 off a feed from Marina Evert to make it 4-1.
That proved to be the only Lindenwood score in the game. Liberty added two more in the second, and four more in the third for the final margin.
The Flames outshot the Lions 60-25.
Jordan Tung stopped 41 of 49 shots in 52:15 of ice time before being relieved by Allerding, who stopped nine out of 11 pucks she faced in the final 7:45. Liberty was solid on special teams with three goals on four power play chances, plus a short-handed goal.
Lindenwood faced another barrage of shots in the final game of the weekend against the Beavers, being outshot 54-25. Minot State scored twice in the opening period, twice in the second, including one of the power play, and added another power play goal in the third.
Allerding stopped 49 of the 54 shots she faced in a losing effort in goal. The Lions were scoreless on two power play opportunities while the Flames scored twice on five man-advantage chances.
Lindenwood fell to 2-9 in the WMCH and to 5-12-3 overall. The Lions hope to break the current four-game losing streak in another WMCH series across the river against McKendree University February 3-4. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon and at 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the Metro Rec-Plex in O'Fallon, Illinois.
