University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
14-4-1, 9-3-1-0
Bemidji State
5-10-2, 3-7-1-1
Gophers Top Beavers 3-2 in Overtime
12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Dec. 1, 2017
Gophers-Beavers Meet Again Today at 4 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS - Grace Zumwinkle sealed a 3-2 win for the No. 6 Golden Gopher women's hockey team when she broke a 2-2 tie with Bemidji State with just 26 seconds remaining in overtime on Friday night at Ridder Arena.
Minnesota (14-4-1, 9-3-1-0 WCHA) also received goals from Caitlin Reilly and Emily Brown in the win. Zumwinkle and Reilly both posted two points with one goal and one assist each, and Sidney Peters made 24 saves, including four in overtime, in her eighth win of the season (8-3-0).
"It was a great win, just a great team win, gutting it out again against a very good team," head coach Brad Frost said. "I thought it was a real entertaining hockey game. There were moments they hemmed us in and had chances and made some great saves.
"There were moments where we had them hemmed in and their goalie made some saves, but finding a way to pull it out there in overtime again is a pretty special feeling for our team, and we are pretty excited about it. Again, we got contributions from a lot of different players and we need to continue to get those if we are going to be successful."
With the win, the Gophers improved to 4-1-1 in overtime games this season.
Bemidji State (5-10-2, 3-7-1-1 WCHA) received 34 saves from goaltender Lauren Bench along with goals from Briana Jorde and Paige Beebe.
The Beavers got on the board first when Jorde got the puck past Peters with 3:25 remaining in the opening frame, and BSU took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission with shots on goal even at 8-8 after one period.
The Gophers then took a 2-1 lead in the second period on goals by Reilly and Brown, but BSU tied the game before the period ended and the teams took a 2-2 tie into the second intermission.
Reilly tied the game with a power-play goal at the 13:42 mark of the second period. The play began with Reilly dropping her glove; she bent to scoop it up but missed and instead found the puck at her feet off a feed from Zumwinkle and Nicole Schammel. Still missing her glove, Reilly ripped a shot past Bench to tie the game at 1-1.
Brown then scored her second career goal to give Minnesota the 2-1 lead at the 15:35 mark of the middle frame. Patti Marshall and Cara Piazza assisted on the play, but BSU's Beebe scored with just 52 seconds remaining in the period to tie the game at 2-2 after forty minutes of play.
After a scoreless third period, during which Minnesota outshot 14-10, the Gophers headed to overtime for the sixth time in 19 games this season. It came down to the final 30 seconds, but Zumwinkle netted her eighth goal of the season and second game-winner off a feed from Reilly and Sydney Baldwin.
Minnesota was 1-for-2 on the power play while holding the Beavers scoreless on their lone opportunity with the skater advantage. The Gophers' second goal came during 4-on-4 while Lindsay Agnew and BSU's Alexis Joyce were in the box for roughing.
Game two between the Gophers and Beavers is set for 4 p.m. CT Saturday at Ridder Arena. The game features Minnesota's annual Teddy Bear Toss. Fans are invited to bring new stuffed animals to donate to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital by throwing the stuffed animals on the ice when the first Gopher goal is scored. Fans who bring a stuffed animal to donate will receive free admission to Saturday's game.
###
