St. Cloud State
3-0-0, 1-0-0
#15/14 Minnesota State
2-1-0, 0-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud St. | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Minnesota St. | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Mikaelyan’s First Career Hat Trick Leads No. 13 St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey to 5-2 Road Win Over No. 15/14 Minnesota State
10/2/2026 11:45:00 PM | Women's Hockey
Huskies open WCHA play with win, start 3-0-0 for third straight season/time in program history
MANKATO, Minn. – No. 13 St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (3-0-0, 1-0-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) opened WCHA play with a 5-2 road victory over No. 15-14 Minnesota State on Friday evening at the Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato. The Huskies were led by sophomore forward Maria Mikaelyan (Moscow, Russia) who netted her first career hat trick while sophomore defender Hannele Tarkiainen (Pieksämäki, Finland) and freshman defender Anna Sviridova (Voskresensk, Russia) each scored their first career goals in the win. SCSU also opened the season 3-0-0 for the third straight season and time in program history.
Mikaelyan put the Huskies on the board 3:29 in the first period with her first goal of the season and the Huskies first power play tally of the season. Senior forward Sofianna Sundelin (Ulvila, Finland) won the faceoff to senior forward Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) and she passed it to Mikaelyan who was drifting just inside the top of the right circle and smashed a one-timer past the Mavericks netminder.
Seven minutes later, the Huskies scored a similar goal from the other side of the ice. Fifth-year forward Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) won a o-zone faceoff to fifth-year defender Regan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) who had her shot from the right point blocked right back to herself and once she regained possession of the puck, she passed it to Sviridova who crushed a one-timer from the top of the left circle, for the Huskies second straight power play goal.
The Huskies took a commanding 3-0 lead just under two and a half minutes later when Mikaelyan found the back of the net for the second time. Sauriol intercepted a pass behind the net and delivered a beautiful backhand pass to Mikaelyan who was unmarked in the low slot.
SCSU extended its lead to four 5:29 into the second period when Tarkiainen, who had just came off the bench, took a lead pass from sophomore forward Raili Mustonen (Kalajoki, Finland) into the zone and fired a wrister past the MSU goaltender from the top of the right circle.
Less than two minutes later, Mikaelyan completed her first career hat trick and extended the Huskies lead to 5-0 with another power play goal when she tipped in a shot from junior defender Siiri Yrjölä (Vantaa, Finland) from the left point after getting great positioning net front.
MSU (2-1-0, 0-1-0 WCHA) got on the board 1:26 later, taking advantage of a power play opportunity after the puck took a pair of unlucky bounces off the backs of two Husky defender and trickled into the net. The Mavericks would add a second goal with 2:01 left in the middle period before a scoreless third period brought the game to its 5-2 final score.
TOP HUSKIES
- Mikaelyan recorded her first career hat trick which included two power play goals and was named the games No. 1 Star and one of the WCHA 3 Stars of the Night
- Tarkiainen and Sviridova each scored their first career goal. Sviridova also skated to a team-best +2 mark
- Sauriol and Sundelin each posted two assists. Sundelin also went 12-for-19 (.632) on the dot and blocked a team-high three shots and was named the No. 2 Star and Sauriol was the No. 3 Star
NOTABLES
- SCSU improved to 57-45-14 all-time against Minnesota State, 25-22-7 all-time in Mankato and 1-0-0 against the Mavericks this season.
- The Huskies improved to 1-0-0 in home games this season and 3-0-0 in games against teams ranked/receiving votes in either the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll or the USA Hockey Poll.
- SCSU went 3-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill. The power play goals marked the first of the new season.
- The Huskies led the game in shots (29-16), faceoff wins (25-22). MSU led in saved (24-14) and blocked shots (16-8).
- SCSU opened its season 3-0-0 for the third consecutive season/third time in program history.
- SCSU had its longest shutout streak to open a season (148:29) snapped.
- Mikaelyan recorded her first career hat trick, third career multi-goal game, fifth career multi-point game and second career 3+ point game. It was her first career game with multiple power play goals. She surpassed 15 career goals and 20 career points. Mikaelyan's hat trick was the 29th in program history and first since Sundelin netted one against Colgate on Nov. 28, 2025.
- Tarkiainen netted her first career goal for her first career point.
- Svirdova scored her first career goal, first career power play goal and skated to a career-best +2 mark.
- Sauriol tallied her 18th career multi-point game (third this season) and 14th career multi-assist game (second this season). She reached 50 career points.
- Sundelin posted her second career multi-assist game and her 13th career-multi-point game (third straight to start the season). She reached 30 career assists and 60 career points.
- Bulger contributed her 10th career assist/point.
- Mustonen's assist was her 10th career point.
- Freshman forward Madelyn Lee (White Bear Lake, Minn.) skated to a career-best +1 mark.
- Junior forward Myah Krueger (Stillwater, Minn.) skated to a +1 mark, tying her career high.
- Junior defender Tristan Thompson (Manotick, Wis.) skated in her 75th career game.
- Freshman defender Emily Mitchell (South Lyon, Mich.) skated in her first career game.
- Freshman goaltender Alexis Ehrman (Calgary Alberta) made her collegiate debut. She played 9:40 and made four saves in of relief of junior goaltender Emilia Kyrkkö (Ylöjärvi, Finland), who was injured during a collision behind the net.
UP NEXT
SCSU and Minnesota State will play its series finale on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Mayo Clinic HSEC in Mankato. Links to each coverage option can be found on the SCSU Women's Hockey game day central or schedule 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.
