University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
8-0-0, 6-0-0WCHA
Minnesota Duluth
4-6-0, 2-4-0WCHA
Top-Ranked Gophers Sweep Bulldogs
10/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Oct. 24, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - Dani Cameranesi and Kelly Pannek led the way with three points each as the No. 1 Minnesota women's hockey team secured a 6-1 win and series sweep over Minnesota Duluth at Ridder Arena Saturday afternoon.
Brook Garzone put the Gophers on the board in the first period with her fourth goal of the season. Minnesota (8-0-0, 6-0-0 WCHA) then continued its hot second-period scoring with four second-period goals. Cameranesi scored her first of the game to make it 2-0 before Cara Piazza netted a power-play goal to push the Gophers' lead to three.
Minnesota Duluth (4-6-0, 2-4-0 WCHA) got on the board in the second period with a goal by Catherine Daoust to make it 3-1 at the 12:29 mark, but the Gophers responded with an even-strength goal by Pannek at 15:22 and a power-play goal by Cameranesi at 19:35 to take a 5-1 lead into the second intermission.
The Gophers added one more tally in the third period as Anna Barlow scored her first collegiate goal to seal the 6-1 win.
"It was a great win and a really good weekend," head coach Brad Frost said. "I thought our power play did extremely well. We captured some momentum at some key times, in particular there at the end of the second to extend our lead. I thought our PK was much better tonight as well.
"Amanda Leveille was big in net for us and made some really good saves. Overall, it was a fun weekend for us against a very good team. Now we're looking forward to a short week and heading out to North Dakota."
Leveille made 16 saves on 17 shots faced over the first 52:09 of the game before Sidney Peters entered the game for the final 7:46 and did not see a shot on goal. The Gophers outshot the Bulldogs, 29-17, as Maddie Rooney made 14 saves on 19 shots in the first two periods for UMD before Kayla Black stopped nine of 10 shots in the third period.
The Gophers held the Bulldogs scoreless on three power-play opportunities after allowing two power-play goals in Friday's 5-2 win. Meanwhile, Minnesota was two-for-three with the man advantage to improve to 13-for-26 (.500) on the power play this season.
Minnesota travels to North Dakota (5-1-2, 3-1-2-1 WCHA) for a road series next weekend. UND and the Gophers face off in a Thursday-Friday series at Ralph Engelstad Arena with both games set for 7 p.m. CT.
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