University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
16-4-2)(12-3-2WCHA
Minnesota Duluth
14-4-3)(11-4-2WCHA
Gophers Drop 3-2 Decision to UMD
1/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
DULUTH, Minn. - Despite tying the game twice in the third period, the No. 2 Golden Gopher women's hockey team dropped a 3-2 decision to No. 4 Minnesota Duluth on the road at AMSOIL Arena Friday afternoon.
Minnesota (16-4-2, 12-3-2-2 WCHA) scored a pair of power-play goals in the third period, tying the game at 1-1 early in the final stanza and again at 2-2 with 13:50 remaining, but the Bulldogs took the lead for a third time with less than five minutes remaining and held on for the win.
The Gophers received 32 saves from Sidney Peters as the Bulldogs outshot Minnesota, 35-30, for the game. Sarah Potomak and Kelly Pannek each had one goal and one assist.
"Well a disappointing result here tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "Credit Duluth, they came out and played with a lot of passion for 60 minutes. I felt like our team unfortunately didn't play and match that passion for the first 40 minutes and played an extremely good third period. The power play was clicking there, going two for two and generated a lot of chances in the third, but against a real good team you have to play a full 60 minutes and we didn't. Hopefully we learn from that tonight and we will be better tomorrow."
Minnesota Duluth (14-4-3, 11-4-2-1 WCHA) was led by Lara Stalder's three-point effort as the senior contributed to all three Bulldog goals. Katerina Mrazova and Katherine McGovern also scored for UMD.
The Bulldogs got on the board first with a goal by Mrazova at the 6:26 mark of the first period. Mrazova dropped a pass to Stalder in the left faceoff circle, and Stalder fired a shot. Mrazova poked the puck past Peters on her stick side with a redirect just outside the crease.
Despite a back-and-forth second period, the teams headed to the locker rooms for the second intermission with the Bulldogs' first-period goal still standing. UMD outshot the Gophers, 16-6, for the middle frame.
Potomak tied the game off a feed from Pannek on the power play with at the 4:11 mark of the third period, but UMD responded with a power-play goal of its own by Stalder just 39 seconds later to regain the one-goal lead.
The Gophers capitalized on the power play again with 13:50 remaining. Pannek buried a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Potomak. Megan Wolfe picked up the second assist on the play as Minnesota tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second period.
McGovern scored the go-ahead goal for Minnesota Duluth with 4:38 remaining. Stalder and Jalyn Elmes assisted on the play. The Gophers pulled Peters for the extra attacker with 1:40 remaining but could not find the equalizer.
Minnesota was 2-for-2 on the power play while holding UMD to 1-for-2 with the man advantage.
The teams conclude this weekend's WCHA series at 3 p.m. CT Saturday before the Gophers return home to Ridder Arena to host Ohio State next weekend.
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