UW-River Falls Wins Seventh Straight O’Brien Cup

**UW-River Falls Sports Information contributed to this recap

RIVER FALLS, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament/O’Brien Cup (presented by Culver’s) with a 4-0 victory over UW-Eau Claire at Hunt Arena on March 7.

It is the seventh consecutive and 11th overall tournament title for the Falcons. UW-River Falls (27-1) beat UW-Eau Claire (20-8) behind a balanced offensive effort and a shutout performance in net from Jordan O’Kane, who stopped all 20 Blugold shots to earn her seventh shutout of the season, just one shy of tying a program single-season record.

The Falcons opened the scoring midway through the first period. Kylie Jones found the back of the net at 12:18, finishing a play set up by Addie Seleski to give UW-River Falls a 1-0 lead. The goal was Jones' 10th of the season and proved to be the game-winner.

UW-River Falls extended the lead early in the second period when Katherine Bell scored at the 2:05 mark. Madison Kadrlik and Kailey Niccum assisted on the play to push the Falcons' advantage to 2-0. Later in the period, the Falcons capitalized on the power play. Megan Goodreau tallied her 36th goal of the season at 6:50, converting passes from MaKenna Aure and Alexa Niccum to make it 3-0.

Goodreau's 36th goal of the season set a WIAC single-season record, breaking the previous mark of 35 set by Melanie Salatino of UW-Superior in 2002. The goal was also her 17th power-play tally of the season, tying the NCAA Division III single-season record set by Cassidy Delainey of Elmira College (N.Y.) in 2015.

UW-River Falls closed out the scoring late in the third period after UW-Eau Claire pulled its goaltender. Bell added her second goal of the game with 53 seconds remaining, scoring into the empty net to secure the 4-0 final.

The Falcons outshot the Blugolds 36-20 in the contest and held a 30-23 advantage in the faceoff circle.

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