Gopher Women’s Hockey Team Beats UND 5-2

MINNEAPOLIS – Sophomore Dani Cameranesi and junior Milica McMillen each scored two goals, including one empty-net goal each, to lead the No. 1 Minnesota women's hockey team to a 5-2 win over No. 9 North Dakota at Ridder Arena Friday night.

Minnesota (6-0-1, 4-0-1-0 WCHA) also received two points each from freshman Kelly Pannek and junior Hannah Brandt as the Gophers remained unbeaten and improved to 6-0-1 on the season.

Junior goaltender Amanda Leveille made 26 saves, including a perfect 15 in the second period when the Gophers were outshot, 15-8. Minnesota held the advantage in shots on goal for the game at 31-28. Meanwhile, UND netminder Shelby Amsley-Benzie made 26 saves and allowed three goals.

"It was a hard-fought win here tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "Another WCHA battle, just like all of our games are. The 5-2 score can be a little misleading, but we're happy with the three points."

North Dakota (4-3-0, 3-2-0-0 WCHA) took a 1-0 lead just 2:42 into the game when Andrea Dalen scored off a feed from Gracen Hirschy. However, Cameranesi evened the game at 1-1 with her seventh goal of the season midway through the opening stanza.

"North Dakota got out to a quick start there," Frost said. "I actually thought we started well. With them getting that one, I liked our response getting it back."

Minnesota took a 2-1 lead when McMillen scored her NCAA-best fourth power-play goal of the season at 11:19 of the second period. McMillen snuck the puck past Amsley-Benzie on the doorstep, solving the UND netminder glove-side to give Minnesota a lead it would not relinquish.

"That power-play goal was huge for us to get up to 2-1 in the second," Frost said. "I thought they really outplayed us in the second period, but we were fortunate to get out of there with the lead going into the third."

Freshman Cara Piazza then scored her third collegiate goal to put the Gophers ahead 3-1 with 8:06 remaining, and Leveille made several big stops to hold UND off. However, Tanja Eisenschmid cracked Leveille with 3:49 to play to make it a one-goal game at 3-2.

The Gophers sealed the win with a pair of empty-net goals in the final 2:01 as McMillen and Cameranesi completed their two-goal efforts.

Minnesota held North Dakota's power-play unit, which entered the game as No. 2 in the nation at 29.4 percent, to 0-for-4. The Gophers converted on one of their three opportunities on the power play.

The teams face off in the series finale at 4 p.m. CT today.