MINNEAPOLIS , Minn. (Ridder Arena) - Minnesota built
a two-goal first-period lead and rode a 26 save performance
from goaltender Kim Hanlon to post a 4-1 victory over Bemidji
State in the quarterfinals of the Western Collegiate Hockey
Association (WCHA) tournament. The win advanced Minnesota
into the final four of the WCHA tournament next weekend at
Ridder Arena.
The Golden Gophers put their first goal on the board at 2:24
of the first period to give Minnesota an early 1-0 lead. Jenn
Sadler (Pickering, Ontario) was called for tripping at 1:37
of the period which gave Minnesota an early power-play opportunity.
Erica McKenzie found Brittany Francis wide open in front of
the Bemidji State net and Francis put the puck through the
five hole of Bemidji State goaltender Emily Brookshaw (Webster,
Wis.) for her ninth goal of the season. Francis’s goal
was the first shot on goal for the Golden Gophers in the contest.
McKenzie and Gagnon picked up the helpers on the goal.
Bemidji State gained a five on three man-advantage for 1:46
seconds in the first period but was only able to record two
shots on goal during the power-play.
Minnesota pushed it’s lead to 2-0 late in the first
period when Bobbi Ross netted her seventeenth goal of the
season. Brittany Francis passed the puck over to Andrea Nichols
who found Bobbi Ross standing all alone in front of the Bemidji
State net. Nichols put the puck right on the tape of Ross,
who burried the puck from point blank range to give Minnesota
a two goal advantage going into the first intermission.
Bemidji State and Minnesota each recorded eight shots in the
opening period.
Minnesota added to it’s lead at 12:51 of the second
period on Michelle Maunu’s second goal fo the season.
Maunu took a slap shot from the point that bounced off the
ice over Brookshaw’s glove to give the Golden Gophers
a 3-0 lead. Assisting on the goal was Bobbi Ross and Brittany
Francis.
Bemidji State had another five on three power-play for :54
seconds of the second period but Kim Hanlon and the Golden
Gopher defense were up to the challenge and shut down the
Bemidji State offensive attack.
Bemidji State out-shot Minnesota 9-to-3 in the period but
found themselves in a three goal deficit heading into the
second intermission.
Bemidji State’s lone goal came at 14:02 of the third
period, when Tara Hiscock (Bemidji, Minn.) netted her eight
goal of the season with help from Franny Dorr (Roseville,
Minn.) and Haley Balcom (Elk River, Minn.). Hiscock fired
the puck over Minnesota goaltender Kim Hanlon’s glove
that found the back of the net to bring the Beavers within
a two goal deficit at 3-1.
Minnesota ended any hopes of a comeback by the Beavers when
Bobbi Ross added an insurance goal for the Golden Gophers
at 15:44 of the third. Melanie Gagnon and Brittany Francis
picked up the assists on Ross’s eighteenth goal of the
season. Francis ended the night with four points for the Golden
Gophers (1-3-4) and Ross notched three points on the evening
(2-1-3).
BSU out-shot the hosts 27-23, limiting Minnesota to eight
shots in the first, three shots in the second period and 12
in the third.
Emily Brookshaw (Webster, Wis.) saved 19 of 23 shots faced
in goal for the Beavers; she turned away six shots in the
first, two shots in the second and eight shots in the third.
She played 59:58 as the loss dropped her record to 10-20-5
on the seaon.
Kim Hanlon went the distance for the Golden Gophers as she
played all 60:00 minutes stopping 26 of 27 shots faced, improving
her record to 10-6-0 on the season with the victory.
The teams combined for 10 minor penalties in the contest -
four against BSU and six against Minnesota. BSU went 0-for-6
on the power-play and Minnesota went 1-for-4 on the man-advantage.
The loss dropped Bemidji State to 2-31-3 all-time versus Minnesota
and 0-3 against the Golden Gophers in the WCHA tournament.
Bemidji State is now 0-9 in the WCHA tournament in its eight
year Division I era.
The loss ends Bemidji State’s 2006-07 season as the
Beavers compiled a 11-20-5 overall record and a 9-15-4 record
in the WCHA.
--beavers--
