MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 29, 2005) — Among the elite teams in the WCHA, sweeps do not come easily. Minnesota-Duluth proved that in no uncertain terms in skating past host Minnesota for a 6-0 victory.
The Bulldogs (6-2-0, 6-2-0 WCHA), having found themselves in a hole after the previous night’s first period, attacked from the start. Freshman Michaela Lanzl scored the first of her pair of goals just two and a half minutes into the contest.
The juniors on her line complemented her well. Center Jessica Koizumi had a goal and three assists, while left wing Noemie Marin collected two power play goals along with three assists.
“The difference was last night we came out on our heels, we gave them way too much, but tonight we made a decision that we’re going to play our game and focus on our team,” said UMD coach Shannon Miller.
Minnesota (6-2-0, 3-1-0 WCHA) struggled from the outset.
“I’m disappointed in the way we started,” said Coach Laura Halldorson. “It seemed like we didn’t show up, and it just sort of snowballed.”
The snowball started rolling when the Bulldogs won a faceoff in their own zone, and Koizumi banked a pass off the boards to the streaking Lanzl. She broke in alone, went to her backhand, and slipped the puck between Brittony Chartier and the post.
“These guys do that themselves,” Miller said. “I’m very serious about them following our game plan defensively, but offensively other than breaking out - it’s creativity for these guys. We challenge them, they’re smart, and they run a lot of their own plays.”
Lanzl attributed her finishing move to instinct.
“Sometimes, my hands just do it. I don’t think anything.”
“That first goal was a huge goal for them - faceoff play, and we don’t see it coming,” Halldorson said. “That set the tone for them, and it kind of knocked the wind out of us.”
Inspired, UMD went to the net hard and capitalized with rebound goals by Koizumi and Captain Allison Lehrke, taking a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.
“The start - being ready to jump out of the gate, that killed us right away, and then it got worse,” said Minnesota assistant captain Bobbi Ross. “We got down, and then something else goes wrong, and something else goes wrong, and you start to think again.”
Minnesota attempted to regroup in the locker room and appeared to have at least controlled the damage, holding Duluth scoreless until Dagney Willey was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for hitting from behind at 9:42. Before that penalty expired, the Bulldogs effectively buried the Gophers with three power play goals, including one while skating 5-on-3.
Lanzl netted the final goal on a bullet from the left wing, her team-high eighth of the season.
“We’re going to walk out of the building today, and we’re going to put this behind us,” Ross said. “We’re going to learn from it, but we’re not going to dwell on it any more.”
USCHO.com RSS Feeds