University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
2-2-1 (1-1-1WCHA)
Bemidji State
1-3-1 (0-1-0WCHA)
Gophers Win Game One with Beavers, 3-1
10/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
BEMIDJI, Minn. - Behind goals from Grace Zumwinkle, Cara Piazza, and Taylor Wente and 27 saves from Sidney Peters, the No. 9 University of Minnesota women's hockey team skated to a 3-1 win over Bemidji State in game one of this week's series Friday afternoon at the Sanford Center.
"It was a really good win here tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "A complete effort, a great team effort overall. Defensively, we played extremely strong and got some good goaltending and some timely goals.
"I'm really proud of our team, especially after last weekend, to come out here and compete and battle and just lay it on the line the way they did was great against a really, really good team. We're excited about the win and the three points, and we're looking forward to tomorrow as well."
After a scoreless first period, Zumwinkle scored her fourth power-play goal of the season to give the Maroon & Gold a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the second period. Sydney Baldwin and Patti Marshall picked up assists on the play.
The Gophers preserved their one-goal lead through three BSU power plays in the second period. Katie Robinson and Kippin Keller were both called for checking midway through the period, and the Gophers kept BSU off the board, including 21 seconds of five-on-three hockey. Olivia Knowles then took a cross-checking penalty late in the period, but the Gophers again maintained their one-goal lead.
Piazza doubled Minnesota's lead at the 2:37 mark of the third period when she scored her first goal of the season off a feed from Baldwin, who recorded her team-leading seventh assist of the year on the play.
After killing off 36 more seconds of a five-on-three Beaver advantage in the third period, the Gophers surrendered a power-play goal with 7:06 remaining. BSU's Abby Halluska put the Beavers on the board with an unassisted goal to make it 2-1.
BSU pulled goaltender Erin Deters for the extra attacker with just under 90 seconds remaining, but Wente sealed the win with an empty-net goal off a long clear from inside Minnesota's blue line with just 3.5 seconds remaining.
For the game, Minnesota was one-for-two on the power play while holding Bemidji State to one-for-five with the man advantage.
The Gophers trailed in shots on goal, 28-27, as Peters picked up her first win of the season in net with 27 stops and Deters posted 24 saves for the Beavers.
Minnesota and Bemidji State wrap up this weekend's WCHA series at 3 p.m. CT Saturday at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
Coach @FrostBrad reflects on the #Gophers' 3-1 win over Bemidji State. 🏒🙌 pic.twitter.com/GTDeiRQ366
- Minnesota W Hockey (@GopherWHockey) October 13, 2017
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