University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
21-5-4 (17-4-3WCHA)
Minnesota Duluth
21-7-2 (17-5-2WCHA)
Gophers Fall, 3-0 to Minnesota Duluth
2/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The No. 1/2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team allowed three power play goals as the No. 5 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs earned a 3-0 win and a series sweep, tonight at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. The Gophers fall to 21-5-4 overall and 17-4-3 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. UMD (21-7-2, 17-5-2 in the WCHA) closed the gap in the WCHA standings to three points. Minnesota has 40 league points, while UMD sits at 37.
UMD jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Emmanuelle Blais used a screen in front of Gopher goalie Jenny Lura at 4:34 in the first on its first power-play attempt. The Bulldogs attempted just 11 shots, eight of which were on goal. Fridfinnson put UMD up, 2-0 when she scored the Bulldogs' second power-play goal of the game and her third goal of the weekend against the Gophers at 9:16 in the second.
The Gophers and Bulldogs got into multiple scrums in the third period and 15 penalties were called in the third period alone. At 4:41 in the third, three roughing penalties were called on Minnesota's Emily West and Megan Bozek and another on UMD's Vanessa Thibault. Minnesota was later called for seven penalties, while UMD was called for five. In the midst of all the penalties, Tara Gray added the Bulldogs' third and final power-play goal to put the game at the 3-0 final.
UMD finished the game 3-for-8 on the power play, while Minnesota was 0-for-4. Jenny Lura had 23 saves, including 11 in the third. It was Lura's first start this season and her second game played. Jennifer Harss had eight saves in the first, 10 in the second and 13 in the third for 31 saves.
The Gophers will look to get back to their winning ways as they compete in a home-and-home weekend against St. Cloud State next weekend. The Gophers host SCSU at 7:07 p.m. on Friday and travel to St. Cloud, Minn. and play at 2:07 p.m. at the National Hockey Center.
