University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
19-1-2, 12-1-2-0
Wisconsin
17-3-1, 13-3-1-0
No. 2 Gophers Top No. 3 Badgers, 4-1
1/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
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Jan. 10, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - Behind seven points from the line of Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth, Minn.), Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) and Maryanne Menefee (Lansing, Mich.) and 23 saves from goaltender Amanda Leveille (Kingston, Ont.), the No. 2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team skated to a 4-1 win over No. 3 Wisconsin in front of 2,441 fans at Ridder Arena Saturday evening.
Brandt led all players with two goals and one assist for three points, while Cameranesi (one goal, one assist) and Menefee (two assists) each added two points. Brandt's three-point effort included netting the game-winning goal late in the second period. Freshman Cara Piazza (Darien, Ill.) also scored for the Gophers.
"It was a great, great win," head coach Brad Frost said. "I'm really proud of our team and the effort they put in. Our big time players stepped up again here tonight with Cameranesi, Brandt and Menefee in particular really carrying the load."
Piazza gave the Gophers a 1-0 lead late in the first period when she intercepted a misplayed puck from a Badger defenseman behind the UW net. Piazza scooped up the puck and beat Desbiens glove side with 1:02 remaining in the opening frame to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
The teams exchanged goals in the second period. Wisconsin's Karley Sylvester tied it up at 1-1, scoring her ninth goal of the season on the Badgers' second power play of the game after Leveille took a delay of game penalty when she lost her blocker and removed her helmet. A slapshot by Brandt put the Gophers back on top, 2-1, at 15:54 of the second period, and Minnesota again took a one-goal lead into the lockerroom.
The duo of Brandt and Cameranesi sealed the Gophers' 19th win of the season (19-1-2, 12-1-2-0 WCHA) with two goals in the third period. Menefee and Brandt set up Cameranesi's goal at 5:23 before Brandt and Cameranesi redirected a shot by senior Rachel Ramsey (Chanhassen, Minn.) to make it 4-1 with 5:43 remaining.
Wisconsin (17-3-1, 13-3-1-0 WCHA) was 1-for-2 on the power play, and Minnesota was scoreless with the man advantage (0-for-1) for the third-straight game.
The Gophers held the Badgers to just 24 shots on goal after the visitors entered the game averaging 41.6 shots per game. UW goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens made 27 saves and fell to 14-3-1 on the year, while Leveille improved to 16-1-1.
"To hold a great team like Wisconsin to 24 shots is pretty big for us," Frost said. "Overall, really happy, great win, great three points and we're looking forward to tomorrow."
The win marks Minnesota's 14th straight over their border rival, and the Gophers look for the WCHA sweep when the teams face off in the series finale at 2 p.m. CT Sunday afternoon at Ridder Arena.
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