MINNEAPOLIS<\/b> — After facing each other 17 times over the previous three seasons, the seniors on North Dakota and Minnesota are getting quite familiar with running into each other on the ice.<\/p>\n
The Gophers (6-0-1, 4-0-1-0 WCHA) claimed the first encounter of the current campaign, 5-2, with a pair of tallies from Dani Cameranesi and Milica McMillen, and what proved to be the eventual game-winning goal from Cara Piazza on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The contest was closer than the final margin indicated, as Minnesota twice scored with the net empty.<\/p>\n
“I thought we had some good looks we didn’t finish,” UND coach Brian Idalski said. “I thought [Minnesota goalie Amanda] Leveille played well. She made the saves she had to.”<\/p>\n
Leveille was beaten early by Andrea Dalen and late by Tanja Eisenschmid, but held the fort in between while her team scored three unanswered goals.<\/p>\n
Minnesota took its first lead when Kelley Pannek received a pass from Hannah Brandt and found McMilllen alone on the back door.<\/p>\n
“The power-play goal was huge for us there to get up 2-1 in the second,” said Minnesota coach Brad Frost. “I thought they had really outplayed us in the second period, but we were fortunate to get out of there with a lead going into the third.”<\/p>\n
After getting outshot 12-3 in the opening two minutes, UND (4-3-0, 3-2-0-0 WCHA) enjoyed the 15-8 advantage in the second stanza.<\/p>\n
“Credit North Dakota,” Frost said. “They created some momentum and sustained it.”<\/p>\n
Piazza upped the lead to 3-1 with just over eight minutes left, burying a centering pass from Pannek, who had her first multi-point game.<\/p>\n
After Eisenschmid edged her team within one with under four to play on a shot from the point, UND pulled Shelby Amsley-Benzie as it looked for the equalizer, but McMillen and Cameranesi hit the open cage.<\/p>\n
The Gophers finished one of three on the power play, while North Dakota was scoreless in four chances.<\/p>\n
“They come fast; they’ve got good speed,” Idalski said. “They’re not letting you get set up, and they’re killing a lot of time. That was a big difference in the game, the inability of our power play to get anything going.”<\/p>\n
Dalen opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game when she found a loose puck and zipped a quick shot by Leveille.<\/p>\n
Cameranesi got that back eight minutes later, taking a pass from Hannah Brandt and scoring from down low.<\/p>\n
“I thought we played well, and I was happy with that,” Idalski said. “If we can play like that for two games and continue to execute like that throughout the year, we’ll win a fair share of games.”<\/p>\n
The series concludes at 4:07 p.m. CDT Saturday at Ridder Arena.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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