University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
26-9-5, 18-6-4WCHA
Minnesota Duluth
30-8-2, 20-6-2WCHA
Gophers' Run Ends in Frozen Four Semifinals
3/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Minnesota fell one game short of the national championship game for the second straight year in a 3-2 loss to Minnesota Duluth in an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal on Friday at Ridder Arena.
The Gophers ended their season with a 26-9-5 record, while Minnesota Duluth is now 30-8-2 and advances to face Cornell in the title game on Sunday at noon. Both teams were making their seventh Frozen Four appearance in the 10-year history of the event, but it was the first time they played each other. Minnesota Duluth's win was its fourth straight over the Gophers since Feb. 5 as the teams also played in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament final at Ridder Arena less than two weeks ago.
Minnesota Duluth's Emmanuelle Blais and Laura Fridfinnson factored in all of the team's goals, with Blais recording two goals and an assist and Fridfinnson collecting a goal and two assists. The Gophers outshot the Bulldogs 29-24 for the game, as Jennifer Harss made 27 saves in the victory.
Minnesota controlled much of the first period and had the only two power plays, while owning a 13-7 advantage in shots, but Fridfinnson scored the lone goal of the period to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. Blais collected the puck in the left corner and skated along the goal line. Her off-angle shot was deflected behind the net and Fridfinnson retrieved it. Fridfinnson attempted a wraparound shot that was stopped by Minnesota goaltender Noora Raty, but the puck ended up under Raty, who rolled into the net with the puck. The goal was confirmed by video replay at the 5:55 mark of the period.
The Bulldogs went ahead 2-0 at 12:55 of the second period with the first of Blais' two goals. Bulldogs' defenseman Jocelyne Larocque had the puck at the left point and passed to Fridfinnson, who fired a hard backhanded shot from the right faceoff dot. Blais tipped the puck in front of the net for the goal.
Minnesota got on the board at 17:30 of the second period on a breakaway goal from Sarah Erickson. Emily West intercepted a Minnesota Duluth pass in the Bulldogs' offensive zone and passed to Erickson streaking up the right side of the ice. Erickson got past a Bulldogs' defender and fired a high shot for the goal.
Just when it seemed Minnesota would carry the momentum from Erickson's goal into the second intermission, Minnesota Duluth struck with 44.7 seconds left in the period to reclaim its two-goal lead. Fridfinnson stole the puck off a Gophers' stick at the Minnesota Duluth blue line and skated deep into the zone before passing back to Blais for a one-timer from inside the left faceoff circle. Blais shot high just inside the left post and through a screen.
Minnesota Duluth outshot the Gophers 11-7 in the period, but the Bulldogs were held scoreless on four power play chances in the period. Minnesota Duluth also had two early power play chances in the third period as six straight penalties went against the Gophers. Raty stopped all 10 of Minnesota Duluth's power play shots and finished with 21 saves for the game.
Minnesota had two power play chances of its own in the final 12 minutes of the game on back-to-back Bulldogs' penalties, but the Gophers managed just two shots during the four minutes of man-advantage time.
The Gophers pulled Raty for an extra attacker in the final minute and scored when Emily West batted a puck out of mid-air in front of the goal. Brittany Francis passed from behind the net and it deflected off a Bulldogs' player into the air where West tapped it in with 54.3 seconds left.
Minnesota had another quality chance with a hard shot from Anne Schleper in the closing seconds, but Harss made the save for the Bulldogs. Minnesota Duluth was able to clear the zone and sent the puck the length of the ice into the net moments after the horn sounded.
It was the final game for six Minnesota seniors as Kelli Blankenship, Francis, Jaime Horton, Chelsey Jones, Michelle Maunu and Alexandra Zebro all played their last game for the Gophers.
