McGowan magic leads Adrian into NCHA semifinals

ADRIAN, Mich. - The tension was being felt as the women's hockey team needed a win in overtime trailing 1-0 in the NCHA O'Brien Cup quarterfinal series against UW-Stevens Point. The game was tied 3-3 and freshman forward Hannah McGowan stepped up with her biggest goal of the year to send Adrian to a 4-3 win in game two of the series and send the series into a mini-game. Then it was McGowan again who shined bright as after a scoreless 20-minute period in the mini-game, she scored 20 seconds into sudden death to send the Bulldogs into the NCHA O'Brien Cup semifinals. The Bulldogs will face UW-Superior at UW-River Falls who is the top seed in the tournament.

The Bulldogs needed a win on Saturday in the second game of the series after falling 3-0 on Friday night at Arrington Ice Arena. The special teams were the story as the first five goals were all scored on the power play.

Brooke Zaleski got things going at 6:43 of the first period for her second goal of the season from Kelly Salis and Nina Laurie. The Pointers tied the game at 1-1 with four seconds left in the first as Erin Marvin's 15th of the season evened it up.

Olivia Rork gave Adrian a 2-1 lead at 11:52 of the second period and also tied the single-season school record with her 10th power play goal of the season. She scored her 14th goal overall with assists from Salis and Ashley Gniewek.

The Pointers tied it up at 2-2 as Cassandra Salmen's 10th goal of the campaign at 17:59 of the second was assisted by Ariel Novak and Marvin. The third period saw McGowan score her 13th of the season at 7:44 from Salis and Rork. UWSP tied it up at 3-3 with 3:27 left in regulation as Marvin again found the back of the net for her 16th of the season.

In overtime, Adrian pulled goaltender Emily Michelin because a tie would have done them no good with under two minutes left. At the 3:19 mark it was McGowan's second goal of the game on a sharp angle to the left of goaltender Janna Beilke-Skoug which found the net and sent the series into a mini-game.

20 scoreless minutes went in the mini-game with UWSP holding a 15-10 advantage in shots on goal. Off the faceoff to start the first sudden death period, UWSP's Brooke Hanson was whistled for interference. It took McGowan just 20 seconds into the sudden death period to shoot the puck under the right armpit of Beilke-Skoug for the series-winner from Salis.

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