The UND women's hockey team clinched its highest-ever Western Collegiate Hockey Association finish Saturday afternoon, but the way it happened wasn't real satisfying.
A night after hammering Minnesota State-Mankato 7-1, the Sioux could only manage a 3-3 tie against the last-place Mavericks in All Seasons Arena.
Jocelyne Lamoureux added to her nation-leading point total with a goal and two assists for the Sioux. Michelle Karvinen added a goal and two assists and Monique Lamoureux-Kolls had a goal and one assist as UND clinched third place in the WCHA with Minnesota-Duluth's loss to Bemidji State.
UND will host Bemidji State in the first round of the playoffs in Ralph Engelstad Arena in two weeks. The Sioux close out the regular season next weekend at Minnesota.
The Sioux grabbed an extra point in the standings by beating the Mavericks in a shootout, but it probably didn't help morale. The Mavericks had lost nine in a row entering Saturday afternoon's game.
ADVERTISEMENT
The series finale started out poorly for the Sioux, who gave up back-to-back goals to Emmi Leionen and Lauren Zrust in less than a minute midway through the first period.
The Sioux rallied to a tie on goals by the Lamoureux twins, but the Mavericks got a late goal in the second period to go up 3-2.
Karvinen again tied it early in the third and UND put the pressure on Mankato goalie Alli Altmann - it outshot the Mavericks 16-2 in the third period - but couldn't get the winner.
Lamoureux, Josefine Jakobsen, Lamoureux-Kolls and Karvinen scored in the shootout and goaltender Stephanie Ney (23 saves) stopped the last of Mankato's attempts.
Lamoureux now has 77 points - 11 more than anybody in the country. Her twin sister, Monique, is tied for second nationally with 66 points. Karvinen ranks seventh with 55 points.
Despite those accomplishments, UND took a hit in the Pairwise Rankings with the tie, dropping to No. 6.
