For the third time in just over two seasons, Brittni Mowat and Bemidji State shut out Minnesota, this time resulting in a 2-0 victory for the Beavers.
BSU (3-1-0, 1-1-0-0 WCHA) led almost the whole way.
“One of our keys coming into the game was to have a good start,” coach Jim Scanlan said. “We’ve seen what Minnesota can do when you allow them to dictate the play.”
Sidney Peters was tardy on an attempted cover after a seemingly harmless dump in caromed to the side of the net, and Summer Thibodeau arrived to poke the puck home.
“That’s huge for us to get that first goal,” Mowat said. “We usually start rolling after that.”
The Beavers held the visiting Gophers (3-1-0, 1-1-0-0 WCHA) to five shots in the first period, but in the second period Mowat was called on more frequently, including what she thought may have been her key save.
“I think in the second period when the puck went off my head, I didn’t really see it,” Mowat said. “Then I kind of turned to my glove side and she had it, so I had to dive over. I don’t know; all the shots mean the same thing.”
She also denied Dani Cameranesi, who scored twice on Friday, when Mowat’s well-timed poke check ruined a breakaway opportunity.
Bemidji State was in the same position, up 1-0, on Friday, but the Gophers were able to come back in the third period. Not on Saturday.
“Today, we were so defensively sound that they didn’t really have any of those opportunities,” Mowat said.
The first goal occurred 81 seconds into the game, and that was it for offense until Ciscely Nelson’s empty-net tally with 1:20 to go.
“Disappointed in the end result,” Minnesota coach Brad Frost said. “Give up a goal early, and to have that stand, credit Bemidji. Blocked a lot of shots, [and Mowat] played fantastic, made some highlight-reel saves there in the second period in particular.”
“Our penalty kill, you can’t say enough about those young ladies for how they executed, their willingness to get in front of shots,” Scanlan said. “Just really proud of the effort today.”
Mowat finished with 31 saves, while Peters wound up with 17 stops in the losing effort.
“I think like any goalie, the more pucks you’re seeing, the more comfortable you’re going to get, especially if the pucks aren’t going in the back of the net,” Mowat said. “But that team moves the puck pretty well, so I was getting pretty tired out there. I’m glad it’s done.”
The Beavers look to continue rolling next weekend as they host Ohio State, while Minnesota entertains Minnesota-Duluth.
“Things that we can learn from,” Frost said. “Power play had an opportunity there at the end but couldn’t cash in. Overall, played a real good team on the road and came away with a split.”
