Insider: Huskies thankful for emergence of secondary scoring

Tasked with replacing a significant chunk of its offense this season, the St. Cloud State women's hockey team has gone to work to find new avenues to the back of the net—efforts that are beginning to manifest themselves.

Head coach Eric Rud dedicates the majority of the team's practice time figuring out how to "score one more goal a weekend" and has been working to improve the Huskies' in-zone offense, rush offense and overall individual skill.

With nine goals in the last three games—SCSU's best three-game goal scoring stretch this season—that work is now paying dividends.

"A lot of the things that we are trying to accomplish are now showing up a little bit (in games)," Rud said. "The trick now is to keep that going and continue to get other people on the scoring sheet."

"That is how we are going to have to replace our goal totals from last year."

St. Cloud State's current 2-1-0 stretch has been built on the back of its secondary scoring. Seven different players have scored its last nine goals and 13 different Huskies have recorded a point in that span, which is a testament to the players' determined work ethic.

"We have kids here at all different time working on their shot, staying after practice and looking for extra work," Rud said. "Those are the things that matter when you're trying to get better and trying to become a goal scorer."

"To see the hard work that our players are putting in on a daily basis paying off for them has been very encouraging."

Once such player is sophomore forward Ivy Dynek. After playing her first nine games on the fourth unit, the Northfield, Ill., native has featured on either the second or third line in three of the Huskies' last four and has made the most of the opportunity. Dynek has three points in her last three games and scored her first two career goals last weekend at Bemidji State.

"It is great for her confidence as a player and great for our team," Rud said of Dynek. "She works very hard on her game and it is nice to see that paying off."

"When you get goal-scoring from another source, it helps you breathe a little bit on the weekend."

UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (5-8-1, 4-7-1-1 WCHA) heads east for the Thanksgiving weekend Windjammer Classic in Burlington, Vt. The Huskies will open the tournament against host Vermont on Friday, November 25 at 3 p.m. (CT) and, depending on that result, will face either Robert Morris or Clarkson in the consolation or championship game on Saturday, November, 26 at 3 or 6 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW:

ALL-TIME SERIES: Friday's game will be the fifth meeting, all-time, between St. Cloud State and Vermont and the first since the 2007-08 season. The Huskies swept the Catamounts, 4-1 and 5-1, in St. Cloud, Jan. 18-19, 2008, and lead the all-time series, 4-0-0. SCSU also leads the all-time series, 2-1-3, against Robert Morris. The last time the Huskies and Colonials matched up was a two-game set Oct. 28-29, 2011. The teams tied, 2-2, in the opener before RMU prevailed, 3-1, in the finale. St. Cloud State has not yet played Clarkson in its history.

LAST TIME OUT: The Huskies split with in-state rival Bemidji State on the road, Nov. 18-19. Despite freshman forward Janna Haeg and sophomore forward Ivy Dynek each scoring their first career goals, the Beavers prevailed, 6-2, in the opener before SCSU bounced back with a 3-0 win to cap the series and salvage the split. Sophomore forward Hannah Potrykus scored twice in the finale to power the Huskies in front of freshman goaltender Janine Alder, who turned away all 31 shots she faced for her second shutout of the season.

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:

FINDING SECONDARY SCORING: St. Cloud State has found varied sources of offense over its current 2-1-0 stretch. Its last nine goals have been scored by seven different players and three Huskies—Haeg, Dynek and senior defenseman Caroline Markstrom—have chipped in their first goals of the season over that span. In addition, 13 different players have notched at least one point.
SWISS SENSATION: Through nine starts this season, Alder has shown poise beyond her years. The Zurich, Switzerland native boasts a .937 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average, the former of which leads all rookie goaltenders nationwide and ranks fifth in the WCHA. She is 5-5-1 on the season, has been the goalie of record for each of the Huskies' wins and has posted six 30-plus save performances—including her second shutout of the season, a 31-save shutout against the Beavers on Nov. 19.
SILKY TYLKE: While she was held point-less at Bemidji State, sophomore forward Julia Tylke leads the Huskies with seven goals and nine points. The Delafield, Wis., native is among the top 27 goal scorers in the country and is tied for sixth among WCHA players in goal scoring. Tylke, a 2015-16 All-WCHA Rookie Team honoree, is St. Cloud State's top returning scorer, having registered nine goals and 24 points a season ago—the most for an SCSU rookie since the 2006-07 season, when Holly Roberts and Caitlin Hogan scored 35 (18 17) and 29 (12 17) points, respectively.
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN: 19 Huskies have registered a point this season, including five freshman. Freshman forward Kayla Friesen leads all first year players with four points (3 1). Against BSU, Haeg recorded her first career multi-point weekend, scoring her first Husky goal on Friday and assisting on the eventual game-winning goal. The Lakeville, Minn., native has one goal and three points on the year.
EXCEPTIONAL ERICKSON: Junior forward Alyssa Erickson has three goals and five points in SCSU's last nine games, including the game-winning tally in the 2-0 win at Minnesota State on Oct. 22. The Mission, B.C., native is tied for second on the team with five points.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Senior forward Lauren Hespenheide has five points (0 5) in 14 games this season, which is tied for second on the team. The Huskies' captain had a career day against Merrimack on Sept. 29, tallying three assists and has already surpassed her single season career high in assists (five).
HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA: The WCHA and Fox Sports North announced on Oct. 13 that St. Cloud State and Minnesota State's game on January 21 will be featured on Hockey Day Minnesota. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports North Plus from the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center beginning at 3 p.m. This is the first time in Hockey Day Minnesota's 10-year history that an NCAA women's game will be broadcast as part of the festivities.