University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
2-1-1 (1-0-0)
Minnesota Duluth
2-1-0 (0-1-0)
Gagnon's Overtime Goal Upsets No. 1 UMD
10/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Senior co-captain Melanie Gagnon scored the game-winning, overtime, power-play goal to lift the Gophers to a 4-3 win over No. 1 Minnesota Duluth, tonight at the DECC in Duluth.
UMD put on the pressure in the second period, outshooting the Gophers, 12-7, but the Gophers maintained a two-goal lead heading into the second period. UMD's Sara O'Toole scored her second goal of the season at 15:16, but co-captain Gigi Marvin tallied the Gophers' third power-play goal of the game at 16:39 to put the game at 3-1 after two.
The Bulldogs tied the game, scoring two goals within the first five minutes of the third period to put the game at 3-3. Saara Tuominen scored just nine seconds into the third period on a power-play attempt, followed by a Pernilla Winberg goal at 4:23 in the third. The two teams battled back and forth throughout the remainder of regulation, but neither could find the net as the game went into overtime. UMD had a power-play attempt at the end of the third and the beginning of the overtime period, but couldn't score. UMD's Myriam Trepanier was later called with a checking penalty along the back boards, giving the Gophers a power-play with 2:01 remaining in the overtime stanza.
Although UMD fired off six shots during overtime, the Gophers needed only one to win the game. On the power-play, Francis started the play as she passed it to Marvin. As she was skating through the slot, Marvin found Gagnon in the right circle (to UMD goalie Kim Martin's left). Gagnon rifled in a shot under the crossbar for the goal.
Alyssa Grogan had a great start to her Gopher career, winning her first game against the No. 1 team in the nation. She stopped seven shots in the first, 11 in the second, ninth in the third and six in the overtime for a three-period total of 36. Her first goal of the game came near the 3-minute mark of the first period.
Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth will battle again tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m. at the DECC.
