Lady dogs Bounce Back over Beavers

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

The Bulldogs brought their defense Saturday afternoon and junior goaltender Kayla Black took care of the rest.

Behind Black’s 32 saves, the No. 8/9 University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team bounced back to shutout No. 9/10 Bemidji State University 2-0 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.  The win gives the Bulldogs 10 triumphs in their past 11 outings and improves their record to 11-5-2 and 6-5-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

As the Beavers first penalty of the game was expiring, senior forward Zoe Hickel put UMD up 1-0 for her team-high 11th goal just 2:23 into the contest.  Hickel’s goal, which would stand as the eventual game-winner, was assisted by sophomore center Lara Stalder and senior winger Meghan Huertas.

After the Bulldogs outshot BSU 14-7 in the opening period, the Beavers heated up and returned the favor to outshoot UMD 19-4 in the second period. But Black and the Bulldogs stood firm and held their 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

UMD hunkered down in the third period until Huertas recorded her second point of the game with an empty net goal with 58 seconds remaining in the game.  Huertas was sprung by Stalder, whose assist was also her second point on the afternoon.

Black was outstanding between the pipes for the Bulldogs, with 32 saves in addition to keeping BSU scoreless on four power play attempts.  The shutout was Black’s sixth on the season, making her the first UMD goaltender in a decade to post more than five shutouts.  The last and only Bulldog netminder ever to do so was All-American Riitta Schaublin, who collected seven during the 2004-05 season, which stands as a UMD record to this day.

The Bulldogs will head to Ohio State to put the wraps on the 2014 portion of their season next Friday and Saturday, with both games slated to start at 6:07 p.m. ET.