Dogs Shut-out North Dakota

After two consecutive overtime games against two teams ranked in the nation’s top-10, the University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team needed just a single goal to skate away with a 1-0 triumph over the No. 8/10 University of North Dakota at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, ND.  The win puts an explanation point on the Bulldogs effort over the past three weekends against some stiff, and of course ranked, competition.

UMD bullied North Dakota netminder Shelby Amsley-Benzie all afternoon, outshooting UND 12-7 in the first period and 8-5 in the second.  It was more of the same in the third period when Meghan Huertas broke the tie with her first goal of the season at the 12:58 mark on the power play.  Taking a cue from a Zoe HIckel pass in traffic into the slot, Huertas got enough on the puck to put it between Amsley-Benzie’s pads, and the puck trickled over the goal line to give the Bulldogs the only score they would need.

Bulldog goaltender Kayla Black would take it from there, thwarting a last minute extra skater rush by North Dakota to seal the win.  Black, who has played outstanding in UMD’s last four outings, had 16 saves on 16 shots in the game.  UMD shelled UND 31-16 overall and recorded the lone power play goal after holding North Dakota scoreless in three attempts.  The Bulldog penalty kill unit was a perfect 6-of-6 in the series.

UMD will take a break from battling the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s ranked arsenal to host LIndenwood University for the first time in program history.   Saturday’s game will start at 3:07 p.m., while Sunday’s skate will get underway at 3:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES:  The shutout is the 11th of junior netminder Kayla Black‘s career … With a second assist on UMD’s lone tally, senior winger Jenna McParland now as 99 career points as a Bulldog … McParland — who leads the team in scoring with three goals and three assists for six points, has 46 goals and 53 assists in 113 career games at UMD.