Tikkinen gets bronze (updated)

Minnesota State women's hockey player Nina Tikkinen will return to Mankato with a bronze medal after Finland defeated Sweden (and Tikkinen's MSU teammate Emilia Anderssen) 3-2 in overtime on Thursday afternoon in the third-place game at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She becomes the first MSU athlete to earn a medal in the Olympic Games. No word yet as to whether she'll return to Minnesota in time to try to help the Mavericks in their WCHA playoff series against Minnesota.

UPDATE: MSU sports info director Paul Allan reported Friday morning on that Tikkinen was due back in Minneapolis on Friday and would be joining the Mavericks for their WCHA playoff series against Minnesota.