University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
24-3-0 (19-3-0WCHA)
Bemidji State
17-9-2 (12-9-1WCHA)
Gophers Rally for OT Win
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Jan. 30, 2016
BEMIDJI, Minn. - Late heroics by Lee Stecklein and Dani Cameranesi lifted the No. 3 Golden Gophers to a 2-1 overtime win and series sweep on the road at No. 7 Bemidji State Saturday afternoon.
Stecklein scored the game-winning goal just 47 seconds into overtime after Cameranesi tied the game at 1-1 on a power-play goal with 6:39 remaining in regulation.
"What an awesome win, it was a very exciting game tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "It was one of those times where you just hope something goes in eventually. If it didn't, we would have still been really pleased with how we played in the second and third."
Lauren Miller gave the Beavers a 1-0 lead midway through the first period off an assist from Stephanie Anderson. Bemidji State's one-goal lead held up through two periods despite the Gophers outshooting the home team 15-8 in the second stanza and 29-23 through two periods. Minnesota (24-3-0, 19-3-0 WCHA) trailed for just the third time this season heading into the third period.
"We didn't play well in the first, gave up a couple breakaways and three-on-twos," Frost said. "They scored on one of them, and we were really disappointed in that, in our effort and our execution in the first period. I thought from the second period on, we really generated a lot and played much better defensively. We had our chances offensively. "
Cameranesi tied it up at 1-1 when she scored her NCAA-best 12th power-play goal of the season with 6:39 remaining. She tipped a shot by Sydney Baldwin past BSU netminder Brittni Mowat after Baldwin took a pass from Kate Schipper and fired a shot from the top of the slot.
"To get that power-play goal was huge," Frost said. "Our power play has been big for us all year, and that got us jump-started a little bit. To have a finish like Lee's at the end was pretty exciting."
The Gophers were one-for-one on the power play for the second-straight game while holding Bemidji State (17-9-2, 12-9-1-0 WCHA) scoreless on two power plays in the series.
Amanda Leveille finished with 28 saves while Mowat had 42 saves for BSU. The Gophers outshot the Beavers, 44-29.
Minnesota returns home to host No. 8 North Dakota (14-8-4, 11-7-4-3 WCHA) at Ridder Arena next weekend. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday.
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