Box Score

RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com)- The UW-River Falls Women's hockey team hosted UW-Eau Claire in game 1 of their WIAC Playoff series on Friday afternoon.  The Falcons got a pair of goals from Dani Sibley, and dominated the Blugolds for a 4-1 victory. 
 
The first period started with the Falcons owning most of the puck possession time over the first 10 minutes.  The Falcons generated numerous scoring chances early in the period and continued to sustain pressure in the offensive end.  The Falcons finally broke through at the 10:01 mark of the period when Jessie Andersen came from behind the net to put a rebound past the UW-Eau Claire goaltender.  The goal was Andersen's 5^th goal of the season and she was assisted on the goal by Jillayne Gilbert.
 
The Falcons would dominate the next 6 minutes of the game keeping the Blugolds in their own end and not allowing them to get the puck to our net.  The Falcon penalty killers would be tested at the 16:10 mark when Jessie Andersen was called for checking. 
 
The Falcons used the penalty kill as an opportunity to score themselves not just keep the other team from scoring.  The Falcons would keep the puck for most of the power play, not allowing the Blugolds to get set up in the offensive end.  The Falcons would add to their lead with a shorthanded goal at the 17:46 mark of the period.  Dani Sibley would force a turnover in the offensive end and take the puck in and slide it past the goaltender, putting the Falcons up 2-0.  The goal was Dani's 15^th goal of the season and her 3^rd short handed goal of the year.  The Falcons lead the nation in short handed goals. 
 
The Falcons would kill off the rest of the power play after the short handed goal.  The Blugolds would get on the board less than 30 seconds after the power play ended when Kelsey Rafferty found the back of the net, cutting the Falcon lead to 1.
 
The Falcons would dominate the rest of the period, but could not push their lead back to 2.  The first period ended with the Falcons up 2-1.  The Falcons out shot the Blugolds 9-5 in the period.   
 
The second period began the same as the first for the Falcons.  The Falcons owned the puck for most of the second period.  The blugolds managed to cross center ice only a few times in the whole period.  The Falcons would generate multiple quality scoring chances throughout the period but could not add to their lead. 
 
The Falcons would go on their first power play of the game at the 13:24 mark of the period when Jaedyn Walz was called for cross-checking.  The Falcons looked like they would take advantage on the power play, when a shot from the point appeared to get past the Eau Claire netminder and go in, but the officials ruled it went off the post not in the net.  The Falcons would pressure on the power play, but could not get the puck in the back of the net. 
 
The pressure that the Falcons sustained all period finally paid off at the 19:19 mark of the period when Amy Auran picked up a loose puck in the slot and fired a shot to the back of the net.  The goal was her 8^th goal of the season and she was assisted on the goal by Dani Sibley. 
 
The Falcons would be called for a late penalty at the 19:41 mark of the period, when Karleigh Wolkerstorfer was called for high sticking.  The Falcons would kill the rest of the period off and lead going into the third period 3-1.  The Falcons out shot the Blugolds 12-1 in the second period.
 
The Falcons started the third period on the penalty kill for the first 56 seconds.  56 seconds into the period Jaedyn Walz was called for high sticking.  The penalty was the first of 8 penalties called in the period.  4 on 4 hockey would commence for the next 46 seconds until the Falcon penalty from the second period expired.  The Falcons would pressure and generate some great scoring chances early in the 4 on 4, but did not find the back of the net. 
 
At the 2:02 mark of the period, 20 seconds into an abbreviated power play for the Falcons, Karleigh Wolkerstorfer was called for high sticking, resulting once again in 4 on 4 hockey.  The Falcons would look to take advantage of the open ice, and their speed and skill caused the Blugolds to take a penalty for checking 16 seconds later, resulting in a 4 on 3 Falcon power play.
 
The Falcons had some great opportunities on the 4 on 3 power play.  The Eau Claire goaile, Paige Turner, made some great saves to keep her team in the game.  The Falcons were still up 2 having just missed a couple of goals on the power play.
 
Both teams skated at full strength for 31 seconds and then at the 4:49 mark of the period UW-Eau Claire was called for tripping and sent the Falcons to another power play.  The Falcons didn't get much going on the power play as Eau Claire did a good job not allowing the Falcons to get set up, but the Falcons were still up 2.
 
Seconds after the Falcon power play ended, Dani Sibley took down Holly Turnbull at center ice and was called for tripping, when Holly got up she was called for roughing after taking down Sibley as well.  The result was more 4 on 4 hockey. 
 
The Falcons once again dominated the open ice of the 4 on 4 situation generating a few quality scoring chances, but the Eau Claire goalie once again was up to the challenge.  At the end of the 4 on 4, the Blugolds were called for holding at the 8:34 mark of the period.  The Falcons would go on another power play.
 
The Falcons were able to finally put a puck past the Eau Claire netminder on the power play.  The Falcons got set up in the offensive zone and Dani Sibley took a great cross ice pass from Karleigh Wolkerstorfer and buried a 1 timer past the Blugold goalie, putting the Falcons up 4-1.  The goal was Dani's second of the game and her third point of the game.  She was assisted on the goal by Amy Auran and Karleigh Wolkerstorfer. 
 
The 4-1 lead was more than the Blugolds could over come.  As the Falcons smothered the Blugolds in their own end for the rest of the period.  The Falcons even held the puck on the penalty kill at the 12:48 mark when Izzy Brosseau was called for tripping. 
 
The Falcons went on to win by a score of 4-1.  The Falcons out shot the Blugolds 36-12, including 15-6 in the third period.  Angie Hall recorded 11 saves for the victory.
 
The Falcons are back in action in game 2 against UW-Eau Claire on Saturday afternoon at Hunt Arena.  Puck drop is set for 2:05pm.