University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
8-9-2, 4-8-2-2WCHA
St. Cloud State
16-3-0, 11-3-0WCHA
Gophers Shut Out Huskies in HOF Game
12/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Dec. 11, 2015
ROSEVILLE, Minn. - The No. 3 Golden Gophers defeated St. Cloud State, 7-0, in the 2015 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum game in front of 1,078 fans at the Roseville Skating Center Friday night.
Kate Schipper scored two goals, including the game-winner, and Hannah Brandt led all players with three points as the Gophers blanked the Huskies. Seven Gophers had multi-point nights as Cara Piazza (2a), Kelsey Cline (1g-1a), Megan Wolfe (2a), Nina Rodgers (1g-1a), and Dani Cameranesi (1g-1a) joined Brandt (1g-2a) and Schipper (2g) in putting up multiple points.
Minnesota received 12 saves from Amanda Leveille. The Gophers outshot SCSU, 32-12, as Katie Fitzgerald made 25 saves for St. Cloud State.
"I thought our team played really, really well tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "Getting the lead there in the first and being able to extend the lead and then obviously get three more in the second was big for us. I thought Lev was great when we needed her to be, and we were able to dress everybody tonight. Seeing Sierra Smith get her first game action of the year was neat. Overall, it was just a great night."
The Gophers took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission on two goals from Schipper and one from Brandt in the opening stanza. Schipper netted the game-winner at 8:56 before Brandt scored off a feed from Cameranesi at 17:51. Schipper then scored her second of the game just 38 seconds later.
The second period saw Milica McMillen score on the power play at 10:06, and Nina Rodgers found the back of the net 29 seconds later. Cameranesi scored at 13:53 to give the Gophers a 6-0 lead at the second intermission. Cline then scored on the power play off assists from Caitlin Reilly and Rodgers midway through the third period to ice the 7-0 victory.
Minnesota went 2-for-3 on the power play while holding the Huskies scoreless on their lone opportunity with the man advantage.
The game marked the second-straight time the Gophers and Huskies have met in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum game. Last year, Minnesota earned a 5-0 win over SCSU at Braemar Arena in Edina, Minn., behind a hat trick from Kelly Pannek.
"It was just a really good event here tonight," Frost said. "It was our second time playing in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Classic, again it was just so enjoyable with a great crowd, lots of little girl hockey players and some high school players here."
The Gophers now have four weeks until their next regular-season game. Minnesota faces the Minnesota Whitecaps in an exhibition game on Wednesday, Jan. 6 before hosting Ohio State at Ridder Arena on Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10 to kick off the second half of the year.
"I'm really happy with the first half," Frost said. "We still have some room for improvement. We're excited about the break and getting a little time off and then getting back at it in January."
** Note: Due to the number of skaters in the lineups for both Minnesota (20) and St. Cloud State (19) for the game, the statistics will not count toward either team's season totals. Records will remain the same, and it will be considered an exhibition game.
###
