Minnesota dominated the first period against North Dakota, scoring three goals in the frame, and freshman Kim Hanlon provided great goaltending in a 4-0 Gopher victory.
Hanlon, making just her second start for the Gophers, made 22 saves in her second shutout this year. Hanlon’s only other start was Nov. 13 at home against Brown, against whom she made 12 saves in a 3-0 victory.
“Not many [shots] in the first, I was getting kinda antsie, I wanted to see a couple more shots, then the second rolled around and they were getting some quality shots and it got me more confident as the period went on,” Hanlon said.
“I was really proud of Kim’s performance, she’s a competitor, she finds a way to stop the puck,” Minnesota coach Laura Halldorson said of her goalie.
The Gophers (10-5-0, 5-4-0 WCHA) got on the board first on the power play at 3:08 when sophomore Bobbi Ross tipped sophomore Anya Miller’s shot through the legs of Fighting Sioux (2-11-2, 0-9-2 WCHA) senior goalie Amber Hasbargen for her 11th goal of the year.
Minnesota wasted no time putting up its second goal. Just 13 seconds later senior Krista Johnson got a pass behind the net from junior Maggie Souba and skated out front and beat Hasbargen low to the glove side for her first goal and point this season. Souba was credited with her first point this year on the play as well.
Johnson scored her second goal of the game and season at 17:59 of the second period. Sophomore Liz Palkie and Miller assisted on the play.
“Krista Johnson, two goals, that’s huge for her. She was very opportunistic around the net,” Halldorson said.
“She comes and works hard every day and it was great to see her get the points she got today,” said junior Becky Wacker of Johnson’s performance.”It seemed like all the hard work we’ve seen her do just came together today.”
Wacker also scored her first goal of the season in the first period.
Hasbargen (2-9-2), who finished with nine saves taking the loss, was lifted after the first period in favor of senior Margaret-Ann Hinkley. Hinkley was solid in net making 17 saves and allowing only one goal.
Minnesota finished 1-of-4 on the power play, and killed off all eight North Dakota power plays, three of which were in the third period. Minnesota was very aggressive on the penalty kill and didn’t allow UND to set up.
“That was one of our keys tonight, to do a good job on special teams.” Halldorson said.
UND struggled in the first to get anything going offensively, but came around in the second and third to get some good oppertunities late in both periods. None of that seemed to matter to Hanlon, who stopped everything that came her way.
“She was awesome, she came up huge and kept us in the game,” Johnson said of Hanlon’s game. “She was a rock back there.”
North Dakota is now winless in eleven games.
“We still could not buy a goal,” UND coach Shantel Rivard said. “There were a lot of chances, there were people in front, and for some reason we can’t put the pucks in there.”
The two teams rematch Saturday at 7:07 p.m.
