Identical final scores. Drastically different games.
 
Keeping the puck in the Utes' zone most of the night, the Grand Canyon University Women's Hockey team earned its first win of the season, downing the University of Utah, 4-2, Saturday night at AZ Ice Arcadia in Phoenix. The win evened the weekend series, avenging Friday's loss to the Utes by the same 4-2 score. The victory marked the first head coaching win for new Lopes' Head Coach Jess Conlon, and provided the Lopes some much-needed momentum as they head to a series this weekend with archrival Arizona State University.

Friday: Utah 4, GCU 2

Utah came in riding the high of winning three of its first four conference games and turned that momentum into an early 1-0 lead on an Ava Kistner goal four minutes into play. The Lopes – who had had a full three weeks off in-between games – shook off the rust to get on the board with 11:45 left in the first period, thanks to a Reese Gingrich goal that sent the teams to the second frame tied at 1-1. From there, the Lopes' offense struggled to generate scoring opportunities, and Utah eventually wore down the Lopes' defenders, putting the game out of reach with two goals in the final eight minutes of the game. Lopes' goalie Olivia Cronin - filling in for injured starter Hannah Schneidmiller - sent away 27 of Utah's 31 shots on goal. Gingrich had a goal and an assist, setting up Natalie Saldi for the Lopes' final goal of the night with three minutes left.
 
Saturday: GCU 4, Utah 2
 
For the second straight night, Kistner didn't wait long (133 seconds, to be exact) to get the Utes on the scoreboard first, but that's where the similarities between the two games ended. Cronin and Company were extremely stingy on the Lopes' backline, never allowing the Utes more than seven shots on goal in any one period. Once GCU's Micah Summer got the Lopes even with six minutes left in the first period, the momentum swung for good as GCU senior defender Arianna Harden gave the Lopes their first lead of the season with two minutes left in the opening period. Kistner gave the Utes one last glimmer of hope with yet another early-period goal 44 seconds into the second, but from there, the Lopes frustrated Utah's offense and poked holes in the Utes' backline. Gingrich combined with Kaidon Toombs and Natalya Hooey to find the net in 1:20 left in the second frame, and once Saldi's second goal of the weekend found the back of the net four minutes into the final stanza, the Utes deflated, managing just four shots on Cronin over the final 20 minutes. The Lopes outshot Utah for the game, 30-16, and Cronin celebrated her first W of the young season with 14 saves.
 
"It's definitely a great feeling to get that first win," said Conlon. "The team decided on their own that they weren't going to accept those early losses this season without fighting back. We weren't going to take anything less than a win tonight, but we know that this is a warmup for a tough ASU team next weekend."
 
The Lopes and Sun Devils will actually play the next three games of the season against each other, with the first two happening at AZ Ice Arcadia this Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 4. Puck drop each afternoon is scheduled for 4PM – preceding GCU D1 Men's Hockey's 7PM clash with Missouri State University each night. Saturday's women's hockey matchup will be streamed live on the Varsity Sports Show's YouTube Channel beginning shortly before the 4PM puck drop.