MINNEAPOLIS — 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.
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.
The contest was closer than the final margin indicated, as Minnesota twice scored with the net empty.
“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.”
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.
Minnesota took its first lead when Kelley Pannek received a pass from Hannah Brandt and found McMilllen alone on the back door.
“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.”
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.
“Credit North Dakota,” Frost said. “They created some momentum and sustained it.”
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.
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.
The Gophers finished one of three on the power play, while North Dakota was scoreless in four chances.
“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.”
Dalen opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game when she found a loose puck and zipped a quick shot by Leveille.
Cameranesi got that back eight minutes later, taking a pass from Hannah Brandt and scoring from down low.
“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.”
The series concludes at 4:07 p.m. CDT Saturday at Ridder Arena.
