Photo by Samantha Davis: Marshall freshman defender Lucie Pearson passes the puck up the rink in the third period against Minnesota River Saturday afternoon at the Red Baron Arena. The Tigers fell to the Bulldogs 3-2 in overtime.

MARSHALL — Playing its second ranked-overtime game in less than 24 hours, the No. 7 Marshall girls hockey team suffered a 3-2 Big South Conference loss to No. 11 Minnesota River Saturday afternoon after the Bulldogs scored the game-winning goal on a power play. The loss marks three straight for the Tigers, while Minnesota River moved to 10 consecutive wins.

“I think it was more mentally exhausting for us, than it was physically,” Marshall head coach Cassi Weiss said. “It felt like physically, we were there, but mentally, we were making little mistakes that we don’t normally make, and our brains just weren’t quite keeping with where we wanted to be.”

Marshall and Minnesota River, two of the most dominant teams in the conference, went into overtime tied 2-2 after they each scored a goal in the third period, just as they did in the first and built up the intensity as time went on.

The Tigers were called for a minor tripping penalty 1:37 into overtime, as Minnesota River took advantage of the shorthand and scored in the third minute off a rebound to end the game.

“They’re [Minnesota River] a big rival for us. They’re one of the only teams last year that held us to one goal, I think in the entire season,” Weiss said. “Now, it’s three total goals in three games. We don’t like that. We like to score goals. I think we have a little chip on our shoulder the next time we come to play.”

Last year, Marshall and Minnesota River tied both times the two saw each other, 0-0 and 1-1.

Marshall had a fast turnaround from Friday night to Saturday afternoon, where the team took a lengthy road trip to fourth-ranked Blake in Minneapolis and came up short in a 2-1 overtime loss.

Although the Tigers are facing a tougher stretch in its regular season schedule, the team is hoping to use the losses as learning experiences to use to its advantage as the postseason comes around. Marshall’s losses have all come by the hands of ranked opponents by a single goal, to No. 6 Albert Lea and No. 10 Westonka, along with Blake and Minnesota River.

Specifically, Weiss said the team will take away how to manage high-intense situations by making quicker decisions down the stretch of the game.

After a scoreless second period with a 1-1 tie, Marshall came out hot in the third and put together several good looks, continuing to crash the crease, while trying to get around Bulldogs’ goalie Annika Magelee.

Abbey Foley found Brookyln Mauch for Marshall’s go-ahead goal at 4:29, right after Mauch had two back-to-back shots trying to get the puck to go through.

Yet, the Bulldogs found a response two minutes later while Minnesota River was shorthanded to tie the score once again. Noelle Simonette scored unassisted, taking the puck up the rink 1-on-1.

The two continued to take a few more shots each, and forced the game to the extra period.

Minnesota River was the first to get on the board in the fifth minute of the first period, but Mauch had an answer nearly immediately with a goal of her own 30 seconds later, assisted by Peyton DeMuth.

Overall, Marshall outshot the Bulldogs 34-26 with Lily Stelter finishing the day in the net with 23 saves and both of the Tigers’ goals scored by Mauch.

The Tigers had four penalties assessed throughout the game for eight minutes, as did Minnesota River with nine minutes on three penalties.

Marshall will face Minnesota River once more this regular season after the new year on Jan. 3 at the Bulldogs’ rink.

Saturday’s game was Marshall’s annual Stick it to Cancer night, where all players presented a name of a close one currently battling or who previously had the disease, detailing someone they were playing for. A video played throughout intermissions of the players holding up a board with their loved ones’ names.

“It means a lot [to play in the Stick it to Cancer night game]. Hockey is bigger than the game, it’s about making a difference,” Weiss said. “If we can raise a little bit of money to be able to give back to the cancer community, and those who are going through it, we want to do that.”

Before going on a three-game road trip, Marshall will host Windom (4-9) on Monday and look to get back in the win column with a 7 p.m. start.