University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
26-8-2, 18-8-2WCHA
Minnesota Duluth
22-8-3, 18-7-3WCHA
Kessel Nets Hat Trick to Send Team to Championship
3/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
With the win, the Golden Gophers (26-8-2) advance to the WCHA Championship game, set for tomorrow night at 7 p.m. The Gophers will face No. 1 Wisconsin, who defeated North Dakota, 3-0 earlier today. The Gophers will be making their third-straight WCHA Championship appearance.
UMD opened up the scoring when Audrey Cournoyer scored at 7:25 in the first period with the assists going to Jamie Kenyon and Katie Wilson. The Gophers responded when Amanda Kessel scored her 17th goal of the season at 15:54. Kessel, who was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year last night, went in front of the goalmouth from left to right and put the shot on goal. Megan Bozek and Sarah Erickson each assisted on the play.
Minnesota took the lead when Kelly Terry and Kessel each scored a goal to put the game at 3-1 after two. Mira Jalosuo found a Terry streaking through the center ice and connected with her. She used her speed to create a breakaway and scored at 10:37 in the second. Also assisting on the play was Sarah Davis. Kessel added her second goal of the game when she rifled in a shot in the top right corner. Like her first goal, the assists went to Bozek and Erickson. Minnesota applied the pressure in that period, putting 19 shots on goal to UMD's 10.
Although UMD came out strong in the third period, Kessel put the Gophers up three when she scored her third goal, short-handed to complete the hat trick. It was first career hat trick for Kessel and the Gophers' first since Oct. 10, 2009. Erickson collected a hat trick in a 6-1 win at Ohio State. Jen Schoullis provided a great feed when her and Kessel created a two-on-one for the goal. Schoullis passed it over to Kessel and finished the play. Her short-handed goal tonight, also marked the third this season by the rookie.
UMD, however, wasn't done just yet. Minnesota and UMD were called for three penalties at 17:09 when Becky Kortum was called for goaltender interference and roughing, while UMD's Jocelyne Larocque was called for roughing. With the extra attacker, UMD scored a power-play goal at 17:27 to put the game at 4-2 and the final.
Noora Raty earned her 25th win of the season. That win set a new school record for wins in a season. She now sits at 25-6-2 on the year. She had eight saves in the first, 10 in the second and 14 in the third for 32 saves. UMD's Jennifer Harss had 12 saves in the first, 17 in the second and 10 in the third for a 39-save performance.
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