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Gophers women strike first in best-of-three WCHA First Round series against Minnesota State

Minnesota will advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff with a win over the Mavericks on Saturday.
Nolan O'Hara|
Gophers forward Ava Lindsay, center, celebrates her goal against St. Cloud State on Oct. 17, 2023, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.
Gophers forward Ava Lindsay, center, celebrates her goal against St. Cloud State on Oct. 17, 2023, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. | Gopher Athletics

Emma Kreisz and Ava Lindsay each scored twice as the fourth-ranked Gophers women's hockey team cruised to a 6-1 win over Minnesota State in the first of the best-of-three WCHA First Round series Friday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

The third-seeded Gophers take a 1-0 lead over the sixth-seeded Mavericks in the best-of-three first-round conference tournament series. The four first-round winners will advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff, which will take place from March 7-8 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, Minn. The U will face the Mavericks again at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and if needed again Sunday.

Minnesota never trailed Friday night. Lindsay put the Gophers up first with first her goal 9 minutes, 8 seconds into the first period. Kreisz gave the U a two-goal advantage with her first of the night just 1 minute, 40 seconds into the second frame, and she scored another on the power play with 2 minutes, 17 seconds left in the period for a three-goal Gophers lead.

Claire Vekich gave the Mavericks a chance at a comeback by scoring 13 seconds into the third period, but the Gophers buried them from there. Ella Huber pushed it back to a three-goal lead with 5 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the game, and Lindsay scored her second of the night off a feed from Kreisz just 1:03 later. Both goals were scored at even strength.

Peyton Hemp scored again with 45 seconds remaining to put the final nail in the coffin.

It was a five-point night for Kreisz, who had the two goals and three assists. Lindsay had a three-point night with the two goals and an assist, as did Hemp, who had a pair of assists in addition to the goal. Two others had two-point nights.

Gophers goalie Hannah Clark made 23 saves on 24 shots. Hailey Hansen made 39 saves on 45 shots for the Mavericks.

The Gophers and Mavericks will meet for the second game of their best-of-three first-round series at 2 p.m. CT at Ridder Arena Saturday afternoon. With a victory, the Gophers will book their ticket to the WCHA Final Faceoff. If the Mavericks take the second game, the two teams will meet for a deciding third contest at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday at Ridder Arena.

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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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