University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
14-5-2, 9-4-2-0
Minnesota Duluth
9-10-1, 5-7-1-1
Gophers Tie Bulldogs, 3-3 in OT
12/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 6 University of Minnesota women's hockey team posted a 3-3 overtime tie with visiting Minnesota Duluth in game one of this weekend's WCHA series Friday night at Ridder Arena.
Minnesota (14-5-2, 9-4-2-0 WCHA) was led by the line of Grace Zumwinkle (1g-2a), Taylor Wente (1g-1a), and Nicole Schammel (2a) and also got a power-play goal from Caitlin Reilly. Sidney Peters made 21 saves as Minnesota outshot Minnesota Duluth 28-24.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Duluth (9-10-1, 5-7-1-1 WCHA) won the five-round shootout by a score of 2-1 for an extra point in the WCHA league standings. The Bulldogs were led by Ashton Bell (2g-1a), Katerina Mrazova (1g-1a), Rileigh Houston (2a), and Jalyn Elmes (2a), and Mrazova and Houston also scored in the shootout. Jessica Convery made 25 saves in net.
"Well, it was a disappointing result," head coach Brad Frost. "There are good ties and bad ties and sometimes you feel good about the good ties, tonight we don't feel good about that tie. Being up two goals twice in the third -- we have to find a way to win that hockey game."
Minnesota led 1-0 through two periods and was up 3-1 with just over eight minutes remaining; however, UMD's Bell scored two late goals to tie it up at three and send the game to overtime.
"We knew they would attack four on the rush and they got that one there to cut it 3-2 followed by our penalty and a power-play goal to make it 3-3," Frost said. "I certainly was hoping for better. I thought our team competed their butts off for pretty close to 50 minutes of the game. They got that goal and some momentum, and all of a sudden things started to snowball there. We will have to get back at it tomorrow."
The Gophers got on the board first when Schammel threaded a pass through neutral ice to Wente, who tipped the puck to Zumwinkle as the duo entered the UMD zone. Zumwinkle then gave the puck back to Wente, who one-timed it past Convery to put the Gophers up 1-0 at the 14:14 mark of the opening period.
The teams played a scoreless second period, but neither team was without chances. The rivals then erupted for five third-period goals on the way to the 3-3 tie.
Zumwinkle extended Minnesota's lead to two early in the third, but Mrazova answered with her third goal of the season less than 90 seconds later.
Minnesota converted on the power play to extend its lead back to two when Reilly buried the rebound off a Zumwinkle slapshot on the doorstep at the 6:48 mark; the Bulldogs once again had the answer as Bell made it 3-2 at the 11:56 mark of the third period before she scored again on the power play to tie it at 3-3 with 4:46 remaining.
For the game, both teams converted once on the power play with Minnesota going 1-for-2 while holding UMD to 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Gophers and Bulldogs face off in game two of this weekend's series at 4:07 p.m. CT on Saturday afternoon at Ridder Arena. The game marks Minnesota's final contest of the 2017 calendar year, and discounted tickets are available at the box office for military and first responders as part of Minnesota's Salute to Service Day.
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