No. 8 Minnesota scored three power-play goals en route to a 3-0 shutout win over St. Cloud State tonight in St. Cloud, Minn. With the win, the Gophers improve to 5-2-0 on the season and 2-2-0 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
Megan Bozek recorded the first Gophers power-play goal when she fired a shot from the right point at 4:11 in the first period. Amanda Kessel and Sam Downey each tallied an assist. It was Downey’s first point of the season. Minnesota attempted 26 shots in the period, 16 of which were on goal, but only found the back of the net once.
Becky Kortum added to the lead when she scored her third goal of the weekend at 15:45 in the second period, also on a power play. Sarah Davis and Anne Schleper also tallied assists on the play. Minnesota had its chances in the second period, firing 20 shots on goal while allowing only seven. Minnesota hit the pipe three times in the second period and had a near miss by Kelly Terry right in front of the net.
Davis netted a power-play goal of her own when she scored at 10:11 in the third period. Davis received a great feed from Kelly Terry, while Anne Schleper started the play from the top of the left circle. The goal was a five-on-three power play advantage.
Noora Raty was in goal for the Gophers for the second straight game. She recorded her second-straight shutout and her fourth on the season. Raty, who has not allowed a goal during the season, is now 4-0-0. She had six saves in the first, seven in the second and five in the third for a three-period total of 18.
On the weekend, Schleper had six points, while Davis and Terry had four and Kortum had three.
Minnesota will face arch-rival Minnesota-Duluth next weekend in Duluth, Minn.
