Minnesota moved to 12-1-2 with its 4-0 victory Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS – Dani Cameranesi, Kelly Pannek and Kate Schipper scored goals for the No. 2 Golden Gophers and Sidney Peters made 18 saves as the University of Minnesota women's hockey team blanked Bemidji State 4-0 at Ridder Arena Saturday afternoon.
Minnesota (12-1-2, 10-1-2-2 WCHA) was led by three points each from Pannek (one goal, two assists) and Cameranesi (two goals, one assist), whose two-goal effort included the eventual game-winner on the power play midway through the second period. Schipper also had a multi-point game with one goal and one assist for the Gophers, moving her career total to 99 career points (30 goals, 69 assists).
Peters picked up her eighth career shutout, and fourth of the season, behind her 18-save effort while Brittni Mowat made 47 saves for visiting Bemidji State (5-9-1, 3-9-1-0 WCHA).
"We're just really proud of our team, I thought we played a complete hockey game here tonight against a real good team," head coach Brad Frost said. "Fast-paced there, in particular early in that first period it was somewhat of a track meet, but I'm just proud of the way our kids stayed with it. They didn’t get frustrated, they kept battling, and they were getting pucks and bodies to the net, which we’ve been talking about.
"We had quite a few chances and were able to capitalize on a few of them, so that was great. Our power play had some nice chances and a couple nice goals, and our penalty kill was really solid all night as well. We're really happy with the win, and we know it will be another battle tomorrow."
Cameranesi broke a scoreless tie at the 13:44 mark of the second period when she converted on Minnesota's second power play of the game. Pannek caught a pass from Megan Wolfe just inside the BSU blue line and skated into the zone before centering a pass to Schipper, who tipped it to Cameranesi in the slot for the go-ahead goal.
#GopherWomensHockey take down Bemidji 4-0.#GWH #Hockey pic.twitter.com/w4jpnnW7e0
— Brad Rempel (@brad_rempel) November 26, 2016
The Gophers added three goals in the third period while outshooting the Beavers, 24-7, over the final 20 minutes. Pannek made it 2-0 midway through the final stanza when she fired a shot from the left faceoff dot that got tied up in traffic in front of the BSU net. Cameranesi got a stick on it before Sydney Baldwin redirected it back to Pannek, who poked the puck past Mowat with 10:31 remaining.
Cameranesi added her second of the game and team-leading 16th goal of the season at the 14:57 mark of the third. Nicole Schammel got possession behind the BSU net and worked the puck out to feed Cameranesi, who one-timed it past Mowat on her glove side.
Schipper sealed the win with her second goal of the season at the 17:16 mark. Pannek one-timed a pass from Sarah Potomak, and Schipper redirected the shot past Mowat on the power play late in the game.
The Gophers outshot the Beavers 51-18 for the game, including a 13-0 advantage in the second period. Taylor Williamson had a chance on a breakaway in the second period, Cameranesi rang a breakaway shot off the post with just under 13 minutes to play, and Schipper was stopped one-on-one by Mowat with six minutes remaining.
"Points haven’t been easy for a lot of people on our team, so getting chances is one thing since it shows that we’re in the right spot, doing the right thing," Schipper said. "I think the more breakaways we have, we’re going to get a couple in. We haven’t had a lot of breakaways this season so far, so getting a couple today is huge."
Minnesota was 2-for-3 on the power play while holding Bemidji State scoreless on two opportunities.
The Gophers will hold their annual Teddy Bear Toss when they host the Beavers in game two on Sunday. Fans are invited to bring new stuffed animals to donate to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital by throwing the stuffed animals on the ice when the first Gopher goal is scored. Fans who bring a stuffed animal to donate will receive free admission. Game time is set for 2:07 p.m. CT at Ridder Arena.
