Gophers fifth-year goaltender Lucy Morgan, a grad transfer from St. Lawrence, was excited to share a bit of information with head coach Brad Frost prior to getting the start for the Gophers’ Senior Day game against Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at Ridder Arena.

Morgan wanted Frost to know that she was undefeated in Senior Day games during her four years at St. Lawrence. But she regretted it soon after the words were out of her mouth when she remembered how superstitious her coach can be.

“He kind of got mad at me,” Morgan said with a laugh. “I told him after the game, ‘Hey, still undefeated on Senior Day.’”

Morgan was a big reason why the Gophers completed the weekend sweep of the Bulldogs with a 4-2 win in the final game of the regular season. She matched the play of Skylar Vetter,  the other half of the Gophers’ goalie tandem, who beat the Bulldogs on Friday.

From a goaltender perspective, it’s all gone according to plan this season for Frost, who entered the offseason knowing he wanted to add an experienced goaltender to pair with Vetter.

“I believe that if you are going to be a top team in college hockey you have to have two goalies that are really good,” Frost said. “Then, to have us make the hard decision when it comes down to it.”

With the victory, Morgan improved her record to 15-3-0 this season, with a goals-against average of 1.84. Vetter is right there with her at 12-5-2, 2.05.

Morgan said she entered the transfer portal with no idea where she would end up. When the Gophers offered soon after she made herself available, Morgan was quick to say yes.

“It’s a great opportunity to have people who helped me along the way — my old coaches, my old friends, my support system — to be able to come see me play,” Morgan said. “I know that puts big smiles on their faces, and I love being able to provide that happiness for them.”

Morgan grew up in North Dakota and taught herself the position by watching YouTube videos. Her family moved to Maple Grove for her final two years of high school. While she felt the move helped her hockey career, she entered the spring of her senior season without receiving any scholarship offers.

Morgan sent feelers out to programs around the country and eventually elected to walk on at St. Lawrence. But before arriving on campus she got a letter informing her she would be receiving a full scholarship.

“I thought they just messed up,” Morgan said. “But when the coach texted me and asked me if I liked the gift, I knew it was actually real.”

Morgan saw action as a freshman, and got a handful of starts as a sophomore during the shortened Covid season. In a preseason meeting prior to her junior season, her coach told her he thought she could be an All-American.

Morgan then went out and proved him correct.

“That season I treated myself more like a professional goalie,” she said. “And it showed.”

Morgan, who recorded 13 shutouts in her St. Lawrence career, with a goals-against average of 1.99, was one of seven seniors recognized in a pregame ceremony. Like the other six, she’s focused right now on doing what she can to help the Gophers hang another postseason banner before her Gophers days come to an end.

The Gophers held a 2-0 led through two periods before the Bulldogs got on the board early in the third. The Gophers’ second power-play goal of the game made it a 3-1 game with five minutes to play.

UMD pulled back within a goal at 18:45 of the third period before Abbey Murphy sealed the win with an empty-net goal, her 31st goal of the season.

“Overall, the whole weekend, there weren’t a lot of dips in our play,” Frost said. “We were pretty steady; (Saturday) in particular. Even when they scored that goal early in the third our team didn’t panic.”

Next up, a best-of-three series with Minnesota State Mankato in the first round of the WCHA playoffs beginning on Friday night at Ridder.

“It’s a new season,” Frost said. “We’ve got a little momentum, which is great. I like how we’re playing.”

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