University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
30-2-4, 22-2-4-2
Minnesota State
3-31-1, 1-26-1-0
Gophers Roll Past Mavericks, 10-0
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
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Feb. 27, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - Sophomore Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth, Minn.) led the way with six points and junior Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) recorded a hat trick to lead No. 2 Minnesota to a 10-0 win over Minnesota State in game one of the WCHA First Round series Friday night.
Eleven different Gophers recorded points, and six players tallied goals as Minnesota reached double digits in scoring for the third time this season. Friday's win marked the Gophers' 30th of the year as the team improved to 30-2-4 overall and hit the 30-win mark for the eighth time in program history.
Minnesota jumped to an early three-goal lead midway through the first period and took a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. Brandt completed her hat trick with a goal in the second period before the floodgates opened with five more goals for the Maroon & Gold in the third period.
"I thought our quick start was the key to the game," head coach Brad Frost said. "We really got on them right away and were able to continue to pressure. In the second period, they generated some chances but Leveille was up to the task."
Along with Cameranesi's six-point effort on two goals and four assists, Brandt recorded four points by adding an assist to her fourth-career hat trick. Linemate Maryanne Menefee (Lansing, Mich.) also had four points as their line combined for 14 points.
"I thought that line set the tone for us early, getting those two quick ones," Frost said of the Cameranesi-Brandt-Menefee line. "I don't know if it was because of the postseason or not - there are plenty of games in the regular season where you see Hannah come out and play extremely well. Dani obviously had a great night as well."
Freshmen Sydney Baldwin (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Cara Piazza (Darien, Ill.) each had career highs with three points apiece. Lee Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.), Megan Wolfe (Eagan, Minn.), Paige Haley (Red Wing, Minn.) and Kelly Pannek (Plymouth, Minn.) each recorded two assists in the win.
Defensively, junior Amanda Leveille (Kingston, Ont.) made 15 saves over the first two periods before redshirt freshman Sidney Peters (Geneva, Ill.) made six saves in the third period as the Gophers outshot the Mavericks, 54-21. Minnesota State (3-31-1) received 31 saves on 38 shots from Erin Krichiver before Brianna Quade came in to make 13 saves on 16 shots in the final 12 minutes.
Minnesota looks to secure its 16th-straight WCHA FINAL FACEOFF appearance and take the best-of-three WCHA First Round series when the teams meet for game two of the series at 4 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon at Ridder Arena.
The WCHA First Round winners advance to the 2015 WCHA FINAL FACEOFF hosted by North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., next weekend, March 7-8.
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