November 21st Part II

Gophers Beat Mavericks 2-1
Marc Christopher, Sophomore Writer


MINNEAPOLIS -- The Number-two ranked University of Minnesota Golden Gophers hosted the Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks in the first game of a weekend series Friday night at Ridder Arena.

The Gophers are coming off a sweep at Bemidji State last weekend shutting out the Beavers 3-0 Friday and 7-0 Saturday. All three Minnesota goaltenders took part in the shutouts as Alyssa Grogan made 20 saves in Friday's game improving to 4-0-1 on the season, and Jenny Lura started the game Saturday playing the first 25 minutes making seven saves and Kim Hanlon played the rest of the way making 20 saves in the combined shutout, while 11 Gophers registered a point in that Saturday game led by Kelli Blankenship's and Monique Lamourex's four points.

Minnesota State, on the other hand, was swept by St. Cloud State last weekend losing Friday 3-2 in overtime and 4-3 on Saturday. Mavericks junior forward Christina Lee scored four goals over the weekend, two in each game, including two power play tallies for her third and fourth multi-point games of the season.

Dating back to 1998, the Gophers hold an all-time record of 37-3-2 against the Mavericks, including back-to-back shutouts at Ridder Arena last season. The last time MSU beat the Gophers was during the 2006-07 season in which the Mavericks swept them 3-2 and 4-3 at All Seasons Arena in Mankato.

"For whatever reason we started the game very suggishly in the first period, and we certainly picked it up in the second and third with some good energy" said Gophers head coach Brad Frost, as Minnesota only got off seven shots on goal in the first and committed three penalties, but got it going in the second scoring the games first goal at 13:25. Junior Brittany Francis got a one-time pass from Senior Melanie Gagnon just to the left of the net to score her third goal of the season on the power play and give the Gophers a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota Freshman Monique Lamourex was able to weave her way through the Mavericks defense out of her end going coast-to-coast right to Minnesota State goalie Alli Altmann and lifting a backhanded shot past her to give the Gophers a 2-0 at 10:43 of the Third period.

The Mavericks were able to cut the deficit in half when on the power play Junior Christina Lee fired a slapper from just in few feet inside the blue line that found it's way to the back of the net at 15:47. That goal by Lee was the third power play goal she's scored in the last three games, and now leads the team with nine on the season, but it wasn't enough as the Gophers defeated the Mavericks 2-1.

With the win Minnesota improves to 9-1-1 in the WCHA and 10-2-1 overall, while the Mavericks are now 6-6-1 overall and drop to 3-5-1 in league play.

Both teams go at it again tomorrow, with the faceoff at 4pm.


THREE STARS OF THE GAME

3--MSU--Alli Altmann

2--MN--Brittany Francis

1--MN--Melanie Gagnon


GAME STATS:

University of Minnesota Team Summary


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

Kelly Seeler 0--0--2--1--(+1) .
Melanie Gagnon 0--2--2--2--(+1)
Sarah Erickson 0--0--0--0--(0)
Laura May 0--0--0--3--(0)
Rachael Drazan 0--0--0--1--(0)
Kelli Blankenship 0--0--0--1--(0)
Jaimie Horton 0--0--0--2--(0)
Brittany Francis 1--0--0--4--(0)
Jocelyne Lamoureux 0--1--2--4--(+1)
Chelsey Jones 0--0--2--0--(0)
Emily West 0--0--2--2--(0)
Gigi Marvin 0--0--0--2--(0)
Monique Lamoureu x 1--0--0--8--(+1)
Anne Schleper 0--0--2--1--(0)
Dagney Willey 0--0--2--1--(0)
Jen Schoullis 0--0--0--1--(0)
Terra Rasmussen 0--0--0--0--(0)
Michelle Maunu 0--0--0--1--(0)
Alyssa Grogan 0--0--2--0--(0)

Totals 2--3--16--34--(+4)


Goalie Stats


Minnesota State

Alli Altmann 58:43 Min 2-GA 32-Sv
Empty Net 01:17 Min


Minnesota

Alyssa Grogan 60:00 Min 1-GA 14-Sv


Goals

MSU 0-0-1 1
MN 0-1-1 2

Prd--Time-Team--Scored by (Assists)

2nd--13:25--MN--PP Brittany Francis (Melanie Gagnon, Jocelyne Lamoureux)

3rd--10:43--MN--SH Monique Lamoreux (Melanie Gagnon)
3rd--15:47--MSU--PP Christina Lee (Holly Snyder, Lisa Edman)


Shots on Goal

MSU 7-4-4 15
MN 7-17-10 34


Penalties--Minutes

MSU 6--12
MN 8--16


Power Plays

MSU 1-8, 5 SOG
MN 1-5, 7 SOG


Faceoffs Won

MSU 39
MN 30



Gopher Women Sign Four
Mark Christopher, Sophomore Writer


University of Minnesota Women's hockey head coach Brad Frost announced that Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill), Becky Kortum (Minnetonka, Mn), Mira Jalosuo (Lieksa, Finland) and Noora Raty (Espoo, Finland) have all commited to the U and will join the team in the fall of 2009-10.

Bozek, a 5-9 defenceman, enters the Gopher program with a high level of experience on the USA Hockey scene. In 2007 and 2008, she was a two-time member of the U.S. Under-18 team when she competed against Canada in a three-game series.

Kortum, a 5-7 forward, is in her senior season with Hopkins High School under head coach Vin Paolucci. As a junior, Kortum led the Hopkins Royals to a Classic Lake Conference title when she scored a team and league-high 37 goals and 59 points.

Jalusuo, is a standout 6-0 defenceman from Finland who was a member of the Finnish National Team that competed two weeks ago at the Four Nations Cup. She is also a two-year member Finland National Team in 2007 and 2008.

Raty, a 5-4 goaltender, has been Finland's top goalie since she started with the national team. The starting goalie for the Finnish Olympic Team, Raty was 15 at the time of the 2006 Olympics, and last year she helped Finland to a bronze medal at the 2008 World Championships.