September 28th

Team USA Beats Gophers in OT

Minneapolis, Mn - The University of Minnesota Women's hockey team played their second and final exhibition game Sunday afternoon against the U.S. Women's National Team at Ridder Arena. The Gophers were coming off an 8-0 win over the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) back on Friday, and Team USA made the 227 mile drive from Bemidji where they defeated the Beaver's Saturday afternoon 7-0.

Since the 2006 Olympics the University of Minnesota has had 17 players within USA Hockey, including current Gophers Gili Marvin and Rachael Drazan who helped the Americans win a gold medal at the 2008 IIHF World Championships, along with Kelli Blankenship (Under-22), Sarah Erickson (Under-18), Alyssa Grogan (Under-18), Jocelyne and Monique Lamourex (Four Nations Cup, Under-18), Anne Schleper (Under-18, Under-22, Four Nations Cup), Kelly Seeler (Under-18), and Emily West (Under-22).

Also with Minnesota ties playing in the game for Team USA were former Gophers (and current assistant coach) Natalie Darwitz, Anya Miller, and Erica McKenzie, as were former University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Jenny Potter and Jessica Koizumi, and Minnesotan's Megan Van Beusekom from Loretto who played at Princeton alongside Erin Keys from St. Paul who played at Ohio State.

Even though this was an "Exhibition" game, it was apparent from the drop of the opening faceoff that neither team was playing it as such and wanted to win. Both teams seemed to feed off each others energy and the U.S National team scored the games first goal off a mistake. Erica McKenzie picked the Gophers pocket at neutral ice and staked into the zone turning around at the last second and scoring on the backhand past Kim Hanlon for 1-0 USA lead at 4:40. Just a few seconds later Minnesota committed back to back penalties and found themselves two players short. Senior Kim Hanlon stopped two barrages of shots, 6 in all, and the Gophers killed off the 5-3 powerplay which lasted 1:34. The Gophers tied it up at 9:03 when Kelli Blankenship and Brittany Francis charged the net and Francis fed Blankenship whose wrist shot went past USA's Megan Van Beusekom.

For the second game in a row, but not a hugh surprise, Minnesota Head Coach Brad Frost played all three of his goaltenders one period, as Kim Hanlon got the start, Alyssa Grogan for the second, and Jenny Lura for the third and overtime periods, as well as the shootout.

Both teams added a goal in the second, but not till the periods closing minutes. On a delayed penality Team USA's Anya Miller scored with the extra attacker on the ice to give the American's a brief 2-1 lead. Gopher Sophomore Left Wing Emily West tied it at 2-2 on a power play goal with just :37 left in the second period. It could have been much worse for Minnesota, as Team USA's Julie Chu missed a open net off a one time pass at 8:30 and had another shot hit off the post at 9:42.

The third period was even stevens with both the Gophers and Team USA each getting off 12 shots and killing off the others power play chances, three for Minnesota and 2 for the Americans.

Team USA's Erica McKenzie scored the winning goal 1:31 into overtime on the power play as Jenny Lura stopped her shot, but it managed to trickle through her pads past the goal line to give Team USA the victory.

Just like in their previous exhibition game Friday night, there was a shootout practiced, per new WCHA rules, and while it didn't count in the official stats Sarah Erickson converted for the Gophers while Erica McKenzie and Natalie Darwitz converted two of the three Team USA chances.


GAME STATS:

Minnesota Team Summary

Player -------------------------- G A PIM Sh +/-

Kelly Seeler------------------- 0 0 15 1 -1 .
Melanie Gagnon------------- 0 1 6 0 +1
Sarah Erickson--------------- 0 0 2 4 0
Laura May--------------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Rachael Drazan------------- 0 1 2 0 -1
Kelli Blankenship------------ 1 0 0 6 +1
Jaimie Horton---------------- 0 0 0 1 0
Brittany Francis-------------- 0 1 0 1 +1
Jocelyne Lamoure---------- 0 0 2 3 -1
Chelsey Jones--------------- 0 0 0 1 -2
Emily West-------------------- 1 0 0 3 -2
Nikki Ludwigson------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Gili Marvin--------------------- 0 1 0 3 -1
Alexandra Zebro------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Monique Lamoureu -------- 0 0 0 0 0
Anne Schleper--------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Dagney Willey---------------- 0 0 0 1 0
Jen Schoullis----------------- 0 0 0 6 0
Terra Rasmussen----------- 0 0 2 0 0
Michelle Maunu-------------- 0 0 0 0 0


Shots on Goal

USA 19-6-12-1 38
MN 6-12-12-0 30


Faceoffs Won

USA 38
MN 26


Penalties--Minutes

USA 11--33
MN 9--29


Power Plays

USA 1-8 (11 SOG, Time on PP 10:01)
MN 1-10 (10 SOG, Time on PP 15:06)


Goals:

USA 1-1-0-1 3
MN 1-1-0-0 2

Prd--Time--Team--Scored by (Assist/s)

1st--04:40--USA--EV Erica McKenzie (Unassisted)
1st--09:03--MN--EV Kelli Blankenship (Brittany Francis, Melanie Gagnon)

2nd--17:01--USA--EX Anya Miller (Erin Keys)
2nd--19:23--MN--PP Emily West (Rachael Drazan, Gigi Marvin)

OT--01:31--USA--PP Erica McKenzie (Caitlin Cahow, Molly Engstrom)


Goalie Stats

U.S. National Team

Megan Van Beusekom (Win) 61:25 Min 2 GA 28 SV
EMPTY NET 00:06 Min

Minnesota

Kim Hanlon 20:00 Min 1 GA 18 SV
Alyssa Grogan 20:00 Min 1 GA 5 SV
Jenny Lura (Loss) 21:31 Min 1 GA 12 SV