University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
16-5-2, 10-4-2-0
St. Cloud State
5-15-2, 3-11-2-0
Gophers Win 2-1 Over Huskies
1/9/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Jan. 9, 2018
Minnesota Hosts Vermont This Weekend at Ridder Arena
MINNEAPOLIS - Katie Robinson and Cara Piazza scored goals to lead the No. 5 University of Minnesota women's hockey team to a 2-1 win over visiting St. Cloud State in a non-conference match-up Tuesday night at Ridder Arena.
Minnesota (16-5-2, 10-4-2-0 WCHA) took a 2-0 lead before the Huskies (5-15-2, 3-11-2-0 WCHA) got on the board late in the third period with a goal by Julia Tylke. The Gophers held off the visitors' pressure with an extra attacker and an empty net over the final 90 seconds for the win.
The Gophers outshot the Huskies, 29-14, for the game. SCSU was led by Emma Polusny's 27 saves while Sidney Peters had 13 saves for the Maroon & Gold, with 12 of those coming in the second two periods.
Coach @FrostBrad shares his thoughts on tonight's 2-1 win over St. Cloud State in non-conference play. pic.twitter.com/zFYxKkAAZb
-- Minnesota W Hockey (@GopherWHockey) January 10, 2018
Robinson put Minnesota up 1-0 late in the first period when she scored her second goal of the season off a Grace Zumwinkle shot. Zumwinkle carried the puck all the way up the ice and ripped a shot from the end line that popped out to Robinson just outside the faceoff circle.
The Gophers doubled their lead with just 17 seconds remaining in the second period when Piazza buried a shorthanded breakaway, her second shorthanded goal of the season. Caitlin Reilly took a tripping penalty with 35.8 seconds to play, but Piazza scored on a solo effort when she intercepted a SCSU pass in the Gopher end and broke through with Alex Woken trailing to clean up the potential rebound.
Tylke put the Huskies on the board with 6:39 remaining, just six seconds after Minnesota killed off its third penalty of the game to remain perfect on the penalty kill in the game. Tylke buried a shot top-shelf off a feed from Abby Thiessen to make it 2-1. The Gophers then held off SCSU's threat for the equalizer late in the game.
Neither team scored on the power play as Minnesota was 0-for-2 while holding St. Cloud State to 0-for-3 with a shorthanded tally, the Gophers' third of the season.
Minnesota is back in action this Friday and Saturday, welcoming Hockey East foe Vermont to Ridder Arena for the team's final non-conference series of the regular season. Puck drop is set for 6:07 p.m. CT Friday and 4:07 p.m. CT Saturday.
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