University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Advance to Championship Game with 7-2 Win
3/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The No. 1 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team scored four goals in the third period en route to a 7-2 win over Minnesota State University, Mankato, today at Ridder Arena. The Golden Gophers, who was ahead by one goal after the second period, turned on the pressure in the third to secure the win. With the win, the Gophers advance to the championship game, tomorrow at 1:07 p.m. Minnesota will face No. 2 Wisconsin, who won, 3-1 over No. 3 Minnesota Duluth in the second semifinal game.
In all, 11 Gopher student-athletes tallied a point in the win, including Jocelyne Lamoureux with four points (2-2), while Monique Lamoureux had two goals and Anne Schleper and Emily West had two assists.
The Golden Gophers took and early 2-0 lead scoring 5:29 and 13:26 in the first period. While on the power play, Gigi Marvin netted her third short-handed goal of the season when she rifled in a top-shelf shot at 5:29 in the first. West batted down a MSU clearing attempt and held the lone set up for the Marvin. Brittany Francis netted her sixth goal of the season when she added a high tip on a Rachael Drazan slapshot from the point. West started the play, earning the second assist.
MSU responded when Abby Williams scored at 18:48 in the first to cut Minnesota’s lead to 2-1 heading into the second period. Both teams fired off nine shots.
Jocelyne Lamoureux added the Gophers’ second power-play goal and third goal on the special teams when she scored at 7:19 in the second period. For the second time in the game, MSU cut the Gopher lead to one when Emmi Leinonen scored a power-play goal at 16:44 in the second. Minnesota took three-straight penalties and allowed a MSU five-on-three goal to head into the third period with a one-goal lead.
Minnesota opened the floodgates in the third period, when it found the back of the net four times for the 7-2 final. Monique Lamoureux scored her 37th goal of the season at 3:53 to put the game at 4-2 with the assists going to Jocelyne Lamoureux and Melanie Gagnon. Terra Rasmussen banked in a rebound attempt at 11:43 in the third for her sixth goal of the season. Kelli Blankenship brought the puck all the way into the zone and placed a shot on net. MSU goalie Paige Thunder stopped the initial shot, but Rasmussen was there to add the follow-up to put the game at 5-2.
Monique Lamoureux added her second goal of the game when she made a beautiful back-handed play for her 38th goal of the season. Jocelyne Lamoureux and Anne Schleper tallied the assists. Jocelyne Lamoureux notched her second goal of the game when the puck went off her glove for her 28th goal of the season. Kelly Seeler tallied the lone assist.
After allowing 13 MSU shots on goal, the Gophers only allowed five Maverick shots on goal to their 16. Alyssa Grogan made some key saves for the Gophers in the first two periods and recorded her 15th win of the season. Grogan had eight saves in the first, 12 in the second and five in the third for 25 total saves.
Minnesota Gophers Head Coach Brad Frost
Opening statement
“I am very happy about the win today. This gives us the opportunity to play for a championship tomorrow, which is our ultimate goal. I thought we started out a little bit slow, and I credit Minnesota State for keeping it close and doing all the things they needed to do to stay in the game. I thought that we took to many penalties today and enabled them to stay in the game longer than we possibly could have. I’m really proud with how our players responded to the challenge in the third period. Getting that fourth goal to go up four to two was huge for us, and got us the momentum. The kids really battled and competed in the last twenty minutes to help us get the win.”
Gophers senior Gigi Marvin
On going into the championship game
“It’s accomplishment especially because we didn’t make it last year. This is my third time, and every time we go into a championship it’s huge for us. It was one of our goals at the beginning of the year to make it here, and win the regular season, which we did. Obviously, we’re all very excited about it.”
Gophers goalie Alyssa Grogan
On Minnesota State’s pressure on goal
“They really came at us hard for the first two periods, and in the third we really stepped it up and they made my job easy in the last period. It was a great preview of what we are going to face tomorrow, which will help because tomorrow will be an even tougher game with a championship on the line.”
Minnesota State Co-Head Coach Paul Willett
Opening Statement
“We came out and really battled against a very, very talented team and in the end just came up a little short. We’ve had a great run the last few weeks and I am just really proud to be a part of this competition and I am very proud of our hockey team.”
Minnesota State Co-Head Coach Mandy Krause-Rideout
Opening Statement
“I am very proud of their effort, and I thought we really battled the first two periods. We gave some great effort, and I am just really proud of them. Like coach Willett said, we just came up a little bit short."