No. 13 St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey Begins WCHA Play on the Road at No. 15/14 Minnesota State

Friday, October 2

Mayo Clinic HSEC • Mankato, Minn.

6 p.m.

St. Cloud State

#15/14 Minnesota State

Photo by: Kayden Kircher

No. 13 St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey Begins WCHA Play on the Road at No. 15/14 Minnesota State

10/1/2026 12:58:00 PM | Women's Hockey

Huskies look to build off 2-0-0 start to 2026-27 season in Mankato

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 13 St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (2-0-0, 0-0-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Conference) opens conference play this weekend at No. 15/14 Minnesota State (2-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA). Puck drops from the Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato are set for 6 p.m. (Friday) and 3 p.m. (Saturday).

GAME NOTES

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Both games will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus (note – a paid subscription is required) with audio coverage on the KVSC Sports Stream. Noah Grant will have the call on Friday, while Max Steigauf will have the call on Saturday. Live stats will be provided by Minnesota State.

Game 2 – @ #15/14 Minnesota State (Mayo Clinic HSEC // Mankato, Minn.) – Friday, Oct. 2 / 6 p.m. / Watch ($ - B1G+) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Game 3 – @ #15/14 Minnesota State (Mayo Clinic HSEC // Mankato, Minn.) – Saturday, Oct. 3 / 3 p.m. / Watch ($ - B1G+) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)

Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Women's Hockey game day central or schedule page.

SERIES HISTORY
SCSU leads the all-time series against the Mavericks, 56-45-14 and are 6-4-1 against the Mavs in the last 10 matchups. The Huskies own a 24-22-7 all-time record against MSU in Mankato. Last season, the teams split each series with SCSU winning each game one and the Mavericks winning each game two.

LET'S GO POLLING
After receiving votes in both the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll and the USA Hockey Poll to start the season, the Huskies were ranked No. 13 in the week two polls, rejoining the rankings for the first time since Jan. 20, 2026. Minnesota State enters the weekend ranked No. 15 in the USCHO Poll and No. 14 in the USA Hockey Poll, one spot lower in each than the week previous.

WCHA FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Senior forward Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Forward of the Week by the league office on Sept. 28. She led the way for the Huskies with a six-point weekend in a season-opening sweep of then-No. 7 UConn, scoring three goals and three assists with a +6 mark on the ice. It was her first WCHA weekly award of the season and fourth of her career after being named Forward of the Week twice (Oct. 20, 2025 | Feb. 16, 2026) and Rookie of the Week once (Oct. 16, 2023).

The captain opened the season with back-to-back three point games in SCSU's series sweep of then-No. 7 UConn. In Friday's 4-2 win, she tallied three points (two goals, one assist), skated to a team-leading +3 mark and was named the game's No. 1 Star and one of the WCHA Brew Pub 3 Stars of the Night. In Saturday's 4-2 series finale win, she notched three points (one goal, two assists), skated to a team-leading +3 mark and was named the game's No. 1 star to finish the weekend with six points (three goals, three assists) and a +6 mark.

The Sherbrooke, Quebec native was one of four WCHA skaters to record two multi-point games and the only one to post two 3+ point games. She also ranked No. 1 in points (six), No. 1 in +/- (+6), tied for No. 1 in assists (three), tied for No. 1 in shot percentage (.500) and tied for No. 2 in goals (three) among conference players and her two goals in a game were tied for the most by any player.

Sauriol recorded her 16^th and 17^th career multi-point games, 13^th career multi-assist game, seventh and eighth career 3+ point games and third career multi-goal game during the series. She improved her career point total to 72, which is tied for the 18^th most in program history.

2026-27 WCHA WEEKLY HONORS
Forward of the Week

Alice Sauriol (1x, Sept. 28)

LAST TIME OUT
Then-(RV) SCSU earned a season-opening series sweep against then-No. 7 UConn at Torrey Arena in the Municipal Athletic Complex in St. Cloud. The Huskies won each game 4-2 and the sweep marked the first against a ranked team for the Huskies since Oct. 4-5, 2024, against then-No. 15 Mercyhurst.

Notes from the games
GAME 1 - 4-2 WIN VS. #7 UCONN (9-25-26)

SCSU moved to 4-5-0 all-time against UConn, 3-2-0 when playing in St. Cloud and 1-0-0 against them this season.
St. Cloud State improved to 1-0-0 in home games this season and 1-0-0 in games against teams ranked/receiving votes in either the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll or the USA Hockey Poll.
There were zero penalties in the game.
SCSU led the game in saves (27-18) and blocked shots (9-6) and UConn led in shots on goal (29-22) and won 64.7% of the faceoffs.
Senior forward Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) recorded three points (two goals, one assist), skated to a team-leading +3 mark and was named the game's No. 1 Star and one of the WCHA Brew Pub 3 Stars of the Night. Her three points moved her into the top 20 in career points. It was her 110^th game, her 16^th career multi-point game and her third career multi-goal game.
Senior forward Sofianna Sundelin (Ulvila, Finland) tallied two points (one goal, one assist), was a team-leading +3 and was named the game's No. 2 star. She tied her career-best +/- mark of +3. It was her 11^th career multi-point game. She surpassed 55 career points and went 9-for-9 on the faceoff dot.
Freshman defender Anna Sviridova (Voskresensk, Russia) posted two assists in her collegiate debut and was named the game's No. 3 star. She posted two assists in her first collegiate game and skated to a +1 mark. She also blocked a team-high two shots.
Fifth-year forward Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) scored her 20th career goal in her 100^th career game.
Junior goaltender Emilia Kyrkkö (Ylöjärvi, Finland) contributed her 25^th career 25+ save game.
Freshman forward Jasmine Hovda (Roseau, Minn.) recorded an assist in her first career college game.
Hovda, forward Tayla Lamabe (Peace River, Alberta), forward Madelyn Lee (White Bear Lake, Minn.) forward Sophie Olson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), Sviridova and defender Tristan Thompson (Manotick, Ontario) skaters made their SCSU debut, while Hovda, Lamabe, Lee, Olson and Sviridova made their collegiate debut.

GAME 2 - 4-2 WIN VS. #7 UCONN (9-26-26)

SCSU improved to 5-5-0 all-time against UConn, 4-2-0 when playing in St. Cloud and 2-0-0 against them this season.
St. Cloud State improved to 2-0-0 in home games this season and 2-0-0 in games against teams ranked/receiving votes in either the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll or the USA Hockey Poll.
SCSU went 0-for-4 on the powerplay and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
St. Cloud State led the game in shots (35-26), faceoff wins (26-21) and blocked shots (7-6). UConn led in saved (31-24).
SCSU picked up its first series sweep against a ranked team since Oct. 4-5, 2024 against then-No. 15 Mercyhurst.
Sauriol notched three points (one goal, two assists), skated to a team-leading +3 mark and was named the game's No. 1 star. Her three points brought her career total to 72, which is tied for the 18^th most in program history. It was her 17^th career multi-point game (second of the season) and 13^th career multi-assist game.
Sundelin recorded two points (one goal, one assist), went 12-for-19 on the dot, skated to a +2 mark and was named the game's No. 2 star. She recorded her 12^th career multi-point game and second of the season. Her goal was the 30^th of her career and her 110^th game.
Sophomore defender Maélie Pion (Sherbrooke, Quebec) posted two assists and was named the game's No. 3 star. She recorded her first career multi-point game and brought her career assist total to 10.
Senior forward Payton Holloway (Tomah, Wis.) and senior defender Marie Moran (Apple Valley, Minn.) each scored the fifth goals of their careers. It was Moran's 75^th game.
Junior defender Siiri Yrjölä (Vantaa, Finland) surpassed 15 career points in her 65^th game.
Kyrkkö made her 35^th career start.
Olson tallied her first career assist/point.

O CAPTAINS! OUR CAPTAINS!
St. Cloud State named four captains ahead of the 2026-27 season on Sept. 18. Senior forward Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) was named the captain, while fifth-year defender Regan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories), senior forward Payton Holloway (Tomash, Wis.) and fifth-year forward Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) were selected as alternate captains.

Sauriol, the 28^th player in program history to wear a "C", is wearing a letter for the first time in her career alongside Holloway, who was named an alternate captain in just her second season with the program after transferring in from Minnesota Duluth. Bulger and Zimmermann are alternate captains for the second consecutive season, becoming the 25^th and 26^th players to wear a letter in multiple seasons.

Sauriol is coming off another career season in 2025-26 in which she led the team in scoring for the second consecutive season after notching new career-highs in goals (eight), assists (21) and points (29). Her 21 assists were tied for the eighth most in a single season. She also set the school record for points in a period with four after scoring one goal with three assists in the second period of SCSU's 6-2 win over Bemidji State on February 13. Her three assists in the period also tied the school record for assists in a period. In 109 career games, she has 21 goals and 45 assists for 66 points including three power play goals, one shorthanded goal, six game-winning goals and 51 blocked shots. Her 61 career points rank No. 21 on the program's all-time scoring list.

Bulger, one of two returning captains, blocked 29 shots and recorded one assist in an injury-shortened campaign last season in which she only skated in 20 of the Huskies 37 games. For her career, she has 139 blocked shots and nine assists in 86 games.

Holloway produced career highs in every statistical category in her first season with the Huskies in 2025-26 after spending two seasons with Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) rival, Minnesota Duluth. Last season, she posted three goals and 10 assists for 13 points to go along with 11 blocks and 174 faceoff wins while skating to an even +0 mark. For her career, she has four goals and 12 assists for 16 points including one powerplay goal and one game-winning goal along with 17 blocks and 187 faceoff wins and a +1 mark in 100 games.

Zimmermann, the second returning captain and two-time Olympian, is coming off her first Olympic medal and a third consecutive 10+ point season. In 2025-26, she won a bronze medal with Team Switzerland at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and posted her second 15 point season in a row. She scored a career-high eight goals to go along with seven assists and posted 206 faceoff wins and 20 blocked shots. In her 99 career games for SCSU, she has totaled 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points, four powerplay goals, one game-winning goal, 232 faceoff wins and 44 blocks.

2026-27 SCSU Women's Hockey Captains
C – #4 Alice Sauriol
A – #11 Laura Zimmermann*
A – #18 Payton Holloway
A – #45 Regan Bulger*
*served as an alternate captain in 2025-26

WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed nine newcomers to the team this fall – eight freshmen and one transfers. Of the eight freshmen, four are forwards – Jasmine Hovda (Roseau, Minn. / Roseau HS (USHS)), Tayla Lamabe (Peace River, Alberta / St. Albert Slash (AFHL U18 AAA)), Madelyn Lee (White Bear Lake, Minn. / White Bear Lake HS (USHS)) and Sophie Olson (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Hill-Murray School (USHS)), three are defenders – Riley Iverson (West Fargo, N.D. / Academy of Holy Angels (USHS)), Emily Mitchell (South Lyon, Mich. / Little Caesars (19U AAA)) and Anna Sviridova (Voskresensk, Russia / Agidel Ufa (ZhHL)) and one is a goaltender – Alexis Ehrman (Calgary, Alberta / Edge School (CSSHL U18)).

The lone transfer, junior defender Tristan Thompson (Manotick, Ontario) comes to St. Cloud from Northeastern (Mass.).

SEASON PREVIEW
The Huskies return its two top point producers and top five goal scorers from a young team that made strides in Jalosuo's debut season as bench boss in 2025-26. The two top returning point scorers - senior forwards Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) and Sofianna Sundelin (Ulvila, Finland) - notched eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points and 16 goals and 10 assists for 26 points respectively. Sauriol's 21 assists were tied for the eighth most all-time in a single season and Sundelin's 16 goals were the most by a Husky since 2022-23.

Additionally, sophomore forward Maria Mikaelyan (Moscow, Russia) looks to build off her impressive freshman campaign which saw her tally 13 goals and six assists for 19 points while SCSU also returns three 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympians including two-time Olympian fifth-year Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) who won a bronze medal with Team Switzerland along with junior goaltender Emilia Kyrkkö (Nokia, Finland) and junior defender Siiri Yrjölä (Vantaa, Finland) who each made their Olympic team debuts for Team Finland. SCSU welcomes nine newcomers, including eight freshmen and one transfer, to the 2026-27 team.

WCHA PRESEASON COACHES POLL
St. Cloud State Women's Hockey was selected to finish sixth in the 2026-27 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office on Sept. 8. The Huskies are coming off a sixth place finish in head coach Mira Jalosuo's first season in 2025-26.

SCSU received 20 points in the poll and were selected to finish behind Ohio State (48 points, six first-place votes), Wisconsin (44 points, two first-place votes), Minnesota (35 points), Minnesota Duluth (32 points) and Minnesota State (23 points). St. Thomas (15 points) and Bemidji State (seven points) rounded out the poll.

2026-27 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
Pl.             Team (First Place Votes)      Points
1.              Ohio State (6)                          48
2.              Wisconsin (2)                           44
3.              Minnesota                                 35
4.              Minnesota Duluth                  32
5.              Minnesota State                     23
6.              St. Cloud State                20
7.              St. Thomas                                15
8.              Bemidji State                            7

*First-place votes in parentheses, Coaches could not vote for their own team

WCHA COMMISSIONER'S CORNER
Fifth-year defender Regan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) was featured on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Commissioner's Corner podcast series on June 5. In the series, WCHA Commissioner Michelle McAteer sits down one-on-one with extraordinary student-athletes from across the league to discuss real-life topics, hockey, and everything in between. You can watch the video on the WCHA Hockey YouTube page.

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Hockey, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.