Finlandia goaltender Laney Pasemko covers a puck during a game earlier this season at the Houghton County Arena in Hancock. Teammate Aspen Wallin (14) looks on in support. (Photo courtesy of Finlandia University)

APPLETON, Wis. — It would be easy to look at the results from their weekend against No. 5 Adrian and figure that the Finlandia Lions women’s hockey team is in dire straits as a program. After all, they set new school and NCAA records with a 19-0 loss on Friday and 122 shots against Saturday in an 11-0 loss.

However, coach Mike Kuruc felt that while the numbers, on paper, do not bear it out, things actually were positive coming out of the tough weekend.

“I think kind of the important things to note from that are No. 1, that’s the (No. 5) hockey team in the country,” he said. “They play like it. I mean, they play like it up and down the lineup.

“The other important thing to note, it was even in a 19-0 loss on Friday night, an NCAA record unfortunately, that was the most fun we’ve had all season long. It was never a locker room environment where we’ve got people screaming at each other, blaming each other. We had fun, we understood we were up against the odds.”

Just to get down to Adrian, the Lions (0-19 overall, 0-10 NCHA) went through an ordeal. They left the confines of the Copper Country five skaters and a goalie short, drove through a snowstorm that slowed them down on their way to the Mackinac Bridge, and then had their bus break down in the Lower Peninsula.

Still, Kuruc was encouraged by what transpired on the ice, despite the final scores.

“Through it all, never got chippy, always had fun,” he said. “Always had a smile on our face. We took little victories out of it. I mean, I’m pretty sure on Friday night, I don’t know how many shots they actually gave us credit for blocking, we might have blocked 50 shots. I mean, come on, how can you not be happy with a team blocking 50 shots. First period on Saturday, they said a team goal. They wanted to block 10 shots. I’m pretty sure Sam Eldridge blocked 10 shots by herself.”

Since they came back from their Christmas break, Kuruc has been trying to get his team to buy into the concepts that he believes will make the Lions successful in years to come. As the Bulldogs attacked them in their defensive zone throughout the weekend, Kuruc felt that he was seeing his team take some steps in the right direction.

“Adrian was the first team we played all season that consistently ran a series of faceoff plays,” he said. “We ran two counter plays. Basically the goal of those counter plays was okay, you’re gonna skate out in the cross that the girl that has the puck that gets it off the draw, but you can’t block your goaltender’s entire vision.

“So, you need to give up the short side of the net every single time. And even against the number four team in the country going out in the cross giving up the short side. Our goaltender was able to see the puck and make some saves off that I could see those plays for the bench. It didn’t matter up and down the lineup who was doing it every line did it correctly at some point. I was pretty proud of that. So, now we’re buying it a little bit more to the systems aspects.”

Pasemko stands tall

After starting Friday’s game and exiting in the first period after giving up five goals on 25 shots, sophomore goaltender Laney Pasemko rebounded Saturday with 50 saves in the first period and 37 more in the second before she was pulled from the game having surrendered six goals over that stretch.

Kuruc was extremely proud of his second-year starter for her efforts both nights.

“I don’t know if I could be more proud of any human being than I am of Lanyy Pasemko,” he said. “One of the most amazing people I know. A kid that cares so much about this university, about this hockey team. One of the best goaltenders personally that I think I’ve ever coached.

“Laney doesn’t quit. There’s no quit to that kid’s game. She’s just going to work as hard as she possibly can every single time she steps on the ice…I’m very proud of Laney and the way she played. She’s awesome.”

Scouting the Vikings

This weekend, the Lions remain on the road to face the Lawrence Vikings. The Vikings are 1-16-0 overall, and 0-8 in NCHA play. They are coming off a sweep at the hands of Marian, who won the games 3-2 and 3-1, respectively.

The weekend prior to the Marian series, the Vikings were defeated by the Bulldogs, 14-0 and 9-0.

Sophomore Sofia Alvarez leads the team in points with five through 13 games. Junior Lindsey Guliksen leads the team in goals (4) and has four points.

In goal, sophomore Charlie Prior has started eight games and appeared in 12 to this point. She is 0-8 with a 5.16 goals against average and a .890 save percentage.

Game times

Openings faceoff both Friday and Saturday is set for 4 p.m. between the Vikings and the Lions.