Minnesota Women's Hockey: Gophers defeat Minnesota State 4-1

MINNEAPOLIS- Make it fifty-eight in a row for the University of Minnesota women's team.

Four different players scored for Minnesota (9-0-0, 7-0-0 WCHA) as the Gophers defeated Minnesota State (3-6-0, 0-5-0 WCHA) by a 4-1 final at Ridder Arena.

Minnesota got off to an dominating start, controlling possession for most of the first period. Freshman Kate Schipper, who earlier hit the post, beat Mavericks goalie Danielle Butters to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead.

"We haven't been starting the way we wanted to start so getting the first goal was a big deal," she said.

Butters continued to keep Minnesota at bay en route to 48 saves and being named the game's 3rd star. The Gophers out-shot Minnesota State 22-4 in the first period, however, the Mavericks ended the period tied 1-1. Tracy McCann scored her second goal of the season on the power play with just 2.5 seconds left.

"We didn't want to get discouraged just because we were tied 1-1 after a great period like that," Minnesota head coach Brad Frost said after the game. "We always knew we had to come out and play well in the second."

Despite giving up a late goal in the closing seconds, Minnesota did not get down on itself during intermission. The Gophers continued to get shots on net hoping one would break the tie.

"The law of averages are that if you continue to put that many pucks on net eventually they're going to go in. The rebounds were sitting there. (Butters) was doing a good job stopping the first and sometime second shot.

It paid off when junior defenseman Rachel Ramsey pinched in on the team's fourth power play and scored the goal ahead goal with 7:28 remaining in the second period. Ramsey's goal wasn't pretty, coming on a shot that went off her body than her stick.

"I tried to get a stick on it. It was just more me stopping and trying to kick it to myself," Ramsey said about her goal, which was confirmed following a review. "I don't know if I had a stick on it or not but we'll take it."

Sophomore Brook Garzone and freshman Dani Cameranesi added insurance goals for Minnesota. Sophomore goalie Amanda Leveille, meanwhile, made 13 saves in a winning performance.

The two teams head down to Mankato tomorrow for the second game of a home-and-home WCHA series. Puck drops at 3:00 p.m. CT.

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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation and College Hockey News. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate