Gopher Women’s Hockey Sweeps UND

MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 1 Minnesota women's hockey team capped a weekend sweep against WCHA rival and No. 8/9-ranked North Dakota with a 5-0 win Saturday evening at Ridder Arena. The Gophers outshot UND 51-7 while upping their record on the 2014-15 season to 7-0-1 with a 5-0-1-0 mark in conference play.

Junior Hannah Brandt led the way for Minnesota, racking up a season-best five points on two goals and three assists.

The game got off to an auspicious start for the Maroon and Gold, which got on the board just 3:21 into regulation when Brandt rang a shot off the left post and in to make it 1-0. North Dakota did not record a shot on goal until the period's 11:58 mark.

Before the end of the opening frame, Brandt helped Minnesota pad its lead by setting up Maryanne Menefee in the slot for a one-timer that beat North Dakota netminder Lexie Shaw with 1:23 to play.

Minnesota's momentum carried over to the second period, where it outshot UND by a 23-1 margin. With Shaw playing a strong game between the pipes, the Gophers were unable to score again until Milica McMillen zipped a power-play shot from the right circle over the North Dakota sophomore's shoulder with 4:27 to play in the middle stanza.

In the third period, Brandt potted her second goal of the night by jamming home a rebound on the power play at the 1:28 mark. She later assisted on Menefee's second tally of the game just past the midway point of the final frame to complete the scoring.

In net for the Gophers, Amanda Leveille turned aside all seven shots she faced to pick up her second shutout of the young season. Sophomore Dani Cameraniesi and freshman Kelly Pannek chipped in two assists apiece.

The Gophers resume play next weekend with a home series against Bemidji State. The Beavers, under first-year head coach Jim Scanlan, will enter the series with a 4-4-0 record and a 0-4-0-0 ledger in the WCHA.

courtesy: gophersports.com