BEMIDJI, Minn. – No. 3/4 University of Minnesota skated to a 7-0 victory over the Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team Friday afternoon in their Western Collegiate Hockey Association series opener at Sanford Center. Junior goaltender Hannah Hogenson tied a season high with 45 saves in the loss.
 
The Beavers fall to 4-20-1 (1-18-0 WCHA) on the season while the Golden Gophers improve to 19-3-2 and 16-2-2 in WCHA play.
 
Minnesota started its scoring run 4:19 after the opening puck drop when Grace Zumwinkle scored her 19^th goal of the season. Taylor Heise then followed with a power-play goal at 8:32 of the period to put the Gophers up two. The first period would end with the two-goal lead for Minnesota with Hogenson making 18 saves during the frame.
 
The second period would be where the Gophers did their most damage scoring four goals in the period. Peyton Hemp started things off with a power-play goal 2:34 into the frame with Abbey Murphy following 2:34 later to make it 4-0. Zumwinkle then added her second of the night at the 9:15 mark with Heise following with a short-handed goal and her second as well 1:20 later.
 
Minnesota's Abigail Boreen would add a late seventh goal with 2:04 left in the final period to cap-off the 7-0 victory for the Gophers.
 
Reigning Patty Kazmeier Award winner Taylor Heise finished the game with four points off two goals and two assists while Zumwinkle followed with three points (2g-1a).
 
Frustrated in the game, the Beavers committed 10 penalties for 20 penalty minutes and gave Minnesota seven power-play opportunities where it scored on three of them.
 
Bemidji State earned two power plays but failed to score with the extra skater.
 
Hogenson finished tying a season-high with 45 saves including 18 in the first and third periods. She falls to 3-18-1 on the season.
 
Bemidji State and Minnesota will play game two of their WCHA series tomorrow afternoon at Sanford Center with a 2:01 p.m., puck drop.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter or Instagram (@BSUBeaversWHKY), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
--bsu--