University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
20-8-3, 13-6-3WCHA
St. Cloud State
6-18-5, 4-14-4WCHA
Gophers Roll Past Huskies, 5-2
2/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
ST. CLOUD, Minn. - Sydney Baldwin and Lindsay Agnew each scored two goals to lead the No. 7 University of Minnesota women's hockey team to a 5-2 win over St. Cloud State on the road at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Saturday afternoon.
Minnesota (20-8-3, 13-6-3-0 WCHA) earned its 20th win of the season with the victory over the Huskies. The Gophers received a goal from Cara Piazza along with multi-goal games from Baldwin and Agnew. Sophie Skarzynski, Taylor Williamson, and Grace Zumwinkle each recorded a pair of assists as well.
Coach @FrostBrad was pleased with the #Gophers' response in game two. pic.twitter.com/pUYDR7TQZY
- Minnesota W Hockey (@GopherWHockey) February 3, 2018
Sidney Peters made nine saves in her for the Maroon & Gold, and Minnesota had a 35-11 advantage in shots on goal. The Huskies (6-18-5, 4-14-4-1 WCHA) got 30 saves from goaltender Emma Polusny.
With the win, Minnesota has locked up a top-three finish in the WCHA regular season standings with 42 points and two conference games remaining. Current fourth-place team Minnesota Duluth has 28 points and four games remaining but cannot catch the Gophers. Wisconsin (53 points) and Ohio State (43 points) lead the league, each with four WCHA games remaining.
Agnew put Minnesota on the board first just 1:55 into the game when she stuffed the rebound of a Williamson wrap-around shot past Polusny. Hallie Theodosopoulos tied the game for the Huskies with a power-play goal at the 6:11 mark of the opening period, but Agnew regained the lead for the Gophers just 2:11 later, netting her second of the game for her first career multi-goal game.
Gopher captains Baldwin and Piazza added to Minnesota's lead in the second period as each scored her ninth goal of the season. Baldwin scored at the 9:29 mark to make it 3-1 Gophers before Piazza extended the lead to three goals at 4-1 with 5:43 remaining in the middle frame.
The teams combined for six penalties and two goals over the final 20 minutes. Baldwin scored her second goal of the game at the 3:42 mark of the third period, and SCSU's Hannah Potrykus scored her first goal of the season with 3:48 remaining.
Both of St. Cloud State's goals came on the power play as the Gophers were 3-for-5 on the penalty kill but 0-for-4 on the power play.
Minnesota has an off weekend before traveling to Madison, Wis., for a Border Battle showdown with the Badgers in the teams' final series of the regular season on Friday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb. 17.
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