University of Minnesota Athletics
MUZERALL, KILLEWALD STAR IN GOPHERS' WIN OVER HUSKIES
10/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Despite the Huskies' 12-3 advantage in shots on goal during the first period, the Gophers grabbed a 1-0 lead when Muzerall and Shannon Kennedy hooked up with 4:49 to play. The duo broke into the Northeastern zone 2-on-1 and Kennedy gave the puck to Muzerall before cutting to the net, taking the return pass and deflecting it past Erica Silva.
"That was a big goal for us to get," said Minnesota coach Laura Halldorson. "They had dominated us territorially but we converted when we got the opportunity."
Northeastern dominated much of the second period and had limited the Gophers to just five shots through the opening 35 minutes. However, penalties to Jennie Setaro, at 15:59, and Erine Metcalf, at 17:33, gave Minnesota back-to-back power plays on which they recorded seven shots and gained momentum heading into the third period.
Just 1:16 into the final period the Gophers went up 2-0 when Muzerall took a pass from Tracy Engstrom to the right of the crease and scored on a second shot after Silva thwarted her first attempt.
Northeastern got back to within a goal when Hilary Witt scored on the power play less than three minutes later but Minnesota managed to hold off its hosts until Muzerall scored into an empty net with 13 seconds to play.
Killewald stopped 26 of 27 shots for the third consecutive game. Her efforts, especially during the game's first 35 minutes when the Gophers were outshot 20-5, allowed Minnesota to keep the Huskies at bay.
"Erica was the star of the game in my mind," Halldorson said. "She shut them down early when the game could have gone either way. She brought her 'A' game today."
The two teams meet again Saturday in the series finale beginning at 7 p.m. EDT.
