University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
13-1-2, 11-1-2-2
Bemidji State
5-10-1, 3-10-1-0
No. 2 Gophers Top Bemidji State, 4-1
11/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 2 Golden Gopher women's hockey team completed a WCHA sweep over visiting Bemidji State with a 4-1 win behind two goals each from Kelly Pannek and Dani Cameranesi at Ridder Arena Sunday afternoon.
Minnesota (13-1-2, 11-1-2-2 WCHA) was led by Pannek (2g-2a) and Cameranesi (2g-1a) for the second-straight game after the duo combined for six points (3g-3a) in the Gophers' 4-0 win in game one with the Beavers.
"We battled hard again tonight and it was good to come away with the win," head coach Brad Frost said. "Getting on the board early was big for us and so we are really happy about that and excited to move onto next weekend."
Sidney Peters finished with 18 saves for the Gophers as Minnesota outshot BSU, 49-19. Goaltender Brittni Mowat made 45 saves for the Beavers.
"Sid made couple of really good saves and kept it 0-0 until we got out of the penalty trouble," Frost said, after the Gophers took three penalties in first 11 minutes of the game. "We were able to get a power play goal and then another 5-on-5 there. That was big."
Pannek scored twice late in the first period to give Minnesota the 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission. She stick-handled her way to a power-play goal assisted by Megan Wolfe at the 17:11 mark and scored her second-straight goal just 15 seconds later with assists credited to Cameranesi and Lee Stecklein.
"I think in any game, getting the lead is huge," Pannek said. "Against this team, especially. They're really good at blocking shots and carrying pucks. They have a really talented goalie. So, anytime you get a first goal on any team especially at home, we like to play with that lead and work on extending it. I thought we did a really good job of getting pucks to the net."
"[Kelly is] such a special player, and her competitiveness, drive, and compete-level are off the charts," Frost said. "What a play on that first one. Great patience, and tucking it behind the goalie. She knows how to play the game and is playing exceptionally well right now."
Bemidji State (5-10-1, 3-10-1-0 WCHA) spoiled the Gophers' shutout attempt with a goal by Madison Hutchinson with 7:44 remaining in the second period. Hutchinson crashed the net and poked the puck past Peters to make it a one-goal game at 2-1. Jacqueline Kaasa picked up an assist on the play.
Cameranesi responded late in the second period, scoring off assists from linemates Pannek and Sarah Potomak to regain the two-goal lead for the Maroon & Gold heading into the second intermission. Potomak fed Pannek through the neutral zone, and Pannek dished a pass to Cameranesi for a shot from the right face-off dot that got past Mowat.
Midway through the third period, Cameranesi netted her second goal of the game and fourth of the series off a feed from Pannek as the Gophers sealed the 4-1 win with 11:29 remaining.
"I think the players around me are making it a lot easier for me and making plays," Cameranesi said of her four-goal weekend. "It's a lot of hard work throughout our whole team. We had a hard fought and tough battle today."
The Gophers held BSU scoreless on five power-play opportunities while going 1-for-2 with the man advantage. For the series, Minnesota's penalty kill was perfect at 7-for-7.
Minnesota wraps up the first half of the season with a pair of road trips, beginning with this year's first Border Battle series on the road in Madison, Wis., next weekend. The No. 2 Gophers face off against the top-ranked Badgers at 3:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 3 and 2 p.m. CT Sunday, Dec. 4.
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