University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
13-2-1, 10-2-1WCHA
Clarkson
12-4-1, 6-1-0ECAC
West and Raty Help Gophers to 2-0 Win
11/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Emily West scored two goals and Noora Räty earned her second-straight shutout as the No. 2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team won, 2-0 over No. 3 Clarkson, today at Ridder Arena. After winning 4-0 the previous night, the Golden Gophers (13-2-1) swept the Golden Knights (12-4-1) and did not allow a goal the entire weekend.
Minnesota got on the board twice in the first period as West scored her first of two goals at 6:18 in the first period. Mira Jalosuo started the play when she passed it to Kelli Blankenship. She found West on the far side along the boards. West cut through to center ice, beat a defender and shot five-hole for the goal. She followed with a second goal in the period when she scored her third short-handed goal of the season at 16:45. After Clarkson won the faceoff, Brittany Francis poked the puck out of the zone where West was there and picked up the puck. She skated to the other end and put a shot on goal. The puck hit Dahm and went off a Clarkson defenseman into the net. It was West's 12th goal of the season. With her two goals, it tied a career-goal mark for West. Her previous two-goal showing came February 20, 2009 against St. Cloud State.
The two goals in first were the Golden Knights had allowed in the first period this year. Prior to that, Clarkson held its opponents scoreless in 16 straight games during the first stanza.
The first-period goals would be all that the Gophers and Räty would need en route to their 13th win of the season. Räty had nine saves in the first, 10 in the second and two in the third for a three-period total of 21 saves. Since the 3:03 first-period mark of the Bemidji State game (11/21), Räty has not allowed a goal in 176:57 minutes played. She now has four shutouts on the season, while Alyssa Grogan holds one.
Minnesota continued its dominance during the penalty kill. Last night, the Gophers held Clarkson scoreless in six chances. In the win tonight, the Gophers did not allow a goal in eight attempts as the Golden Knights were held to six shots with the extra attacker.
The Clarkson game marked the final home game of the 2009 calendar year. Minnesota travels to No. 10 Harvard (Dec. 4-5) and North Dakota (Dec. 12-13) to close out the first half. The Gophers' next home game will be Jan. 8-9 when Ohio State visits Ridder Arena. Following the OSU match-up, Team USA comes to Ridder Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
