Gopher Women's Hockey Falls for the First Time This Season
Provided by the University of Minnesota

The No. 2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team fell in its first contest of the season when the No. 8/9 Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Golden Gophers, 4-2, today, at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. With the loss, the Golden Gophers drop to 8-1-0 overall and 6-1-0 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Minnesota held a 2-1 lead, but Wisconsin scored three unanswered goals for the win.

The Gophers and Badgers produced a lot of offensive power in the first period with three goals scored between the two teams. Minnesota held an early lead when Sarah Erickson scored her ninth goal of the season at 5:14 in the first. Emily West had a great effort bringing the puck into the zone. She got the corner on a Wisconsin defenseman and put a shot on goal. UW’s Becca Ruegsegger stopped the initial shot, but Erickson was left alone in front of the net and scored added the follow up. Wisconsin’s Jasmine Giles tied the game at one when she lift the puck top shelf at 7:12 in the first. The Gophers, however, regained the lead when Laura May scored her fifth goal of the season when she put in a goal at 8:51 in the first. May stepped in front of a Wisconsin player, who was trying to center the pass. She carried the puck to the UW zone and put a shot on goal. It went off the defender’s skate and over the head of Ruegsegger to put the game at 2-1. The Gophers were outshot in the first period, 16-8, but the Gophers won the faceoff battle in the first with 12 wins to eight losses.

The Badgers added the pressure in the second period, scoring two goals to take a 3-2 lead after two. Emily Kranz scored an even-strength goal at 14:54 to tie the game, 2-2. Brooke Ammerman helped the Badgers to a 3-2 lead when she added a dagger at 19:57 in the second. Minnesota had to kill off three UW power plays and had four penalties called in the period to Wisconsin’s one. Minnesota was outshot, 14-9 in the period to put a 30-17 shot lead as well.

Wisconsin added to its lead when Mallory Deluce scored at :53 into the third to put the game at 4-2. After the red light went on, the referees didn’t signal the goal and play continued. After a stoppage in play nearly two minutes later, the referees reviewed the play and counted the goal to put the game at the 4-2 final.

Wisconsin put up 43 shots on goal to Minnesota’s 28. Both teams were scoreless on the power play, with all of the goals coming off even-strength attempts. Minnesota did not have their first power-play attempt until the third period, and went scoreless in three attempts. Wisconsin also went scoreless in seven attempts with the extra attacker.

Minnesota will look for the split against Wisconsin on Sunday at 2 p.m.