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Gophers women's hockey scores in flurries in dominant win over Minnesota State

Minnesota scored three goals in each the second and third periods in a big win Friday night.
Nolan O'Hara|
Gophers players Taylor Stewart (2), Nelli Laitinen, center, Abbey Murphy and Ella Huber (26) celebrate Murphy's goal against St. Thomas on Oct. 13, 2023, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Gophers players Taylor Stewart (2), Nelli Laitinen, center, Abbey Murphy and Ella Huber (26) celebrate Murphy's goal against St. Thomas on Oct. 13, 2023, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. | Gopher Athletics

The third-ranked Gophers women's hockey team scored three goals in the second period and three more in the third as it pulled away from Minnesota State for a dominant 8-3 victory, its third straight, Friday night at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

The Gophers (16-5-1) were in control from start to finish, starting with Josefin Bouveng's goal just 1 minute, 1 second into the first period. The Mavericks (10-12-1) tied it up when Bella Shipley scored 8 minutes, 3 seconds later, but Minnesota took a one-goal advantage into the second period after Emma Kreisz scored with 50 seconds remaining in the first.

The Gophers never looked back from there. Abbey Murphy scored 20 seconds into the second period for a two-goal lead, and while the Mavericks got back within one when Kianna Roeske scored just under eight minutes later, Ella Huber and Chloe Primerano, who scored on the power play, found the back of the net in the final seven minutes for a three-goal lead.

Gracie Graham scored a pair of third-period goals, the first coming three minutes into the period and the second coming 5 minutes, 44 seconds later to increase the Minnesota lead to 7-2. Alexis Paddington scored a power-play goal just past the midway point of the period, but Peyton Hemp scored a short-handed goal with 5:27 to play to make it 8-3.

The Gophers outshot the Mavericks 41-28. Minnesota State pulled Hailey Hansen after she gave up six goals on 30 shots. Jessie McPherson took over from there and stopped 8 of the 10 shots she faced. Hannah Clark made 25 saves for the U.

The Gophers and Mavericks meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in Mankato, Minn., for the second of their two-game series.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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