WCHA Vacates Shootout Result After Error

Last Saturday, Bemidji State and St. Cloud State battled to a 2-2 draw in St. Cloud in a women’s WCHA league game. The game moved to a shootout, as prescribed by the league rule book. Bemidji State’s second shooter, Mya Neugent, scored this beautiful backhand toe drag goal:

After the goal, Bemidji State was declared the winner of the shootout and received the extra WCHA league point.

Except that’s not how shootouts are supposed to work in the WCHA. WCHA league shootouts are supposed to be best-of-three attempts rather than sudden death, and thus, St. Cloud State should have still had another attempt to tie the shootout.

Because of the error, the WCHA announced on Wednesday that the league’s Advisory Council had voted unanimously to vacate the results of the shootout, and instead declare the game a tie, with each team receiving 1.5 league points.

The switch widens the gap between sixth place St. Cloud State, who now has 10.5 league points through 11 games played, while Bemidji State drops to 6.5 points through 10 games played.