Box Score Six points are six points, and the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team was more than happy to leave Bemidji, Minn. with all of them Saturday night.

The Bulldogs held on for a 2-1 win over Bemidji State University at the Sanford Center, picking up the all important series sweep over the Beavers to come three points closer to home ice in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs for the weekend of Feb. 28-March 2.  UMD will clinch home ice next weekend with either a Bulldog win over the University of North Dakota or an Ohio State University loss.  The win Saturday improves UMD's record to 13-10-5 overall and 11-8-3 in conference play.  

After a scoreless first period, rookie forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk netted her third goal of the weekend by beating BSU goaltender Brittni Mowat over her blocker with 2:01 remaining in the the second period.

Outshot 18-12 in the first 40 minutes, it appeared junior winger Zoe Hickel had doubled UMD's lead in the first five minutes of the third stanza, but further review ruled Hickel had kicked in the goal, despite apppearing to be inadvertentally hit by the puck as she was stopping.  No matter for Hickel, who responded by skating across the slot and roofing a power-play goal for the Bulldogs 11:17 in the third period.  The goal gave Hickel three points on the weekend after she dished out two assists Friday.

BSU made the game interesting with a quick score off the face-off by Kaitlyn Tougas a mere 16.3 seconds remaining in the skate to draw the Beavers within a single goal, but UMD held on for the 2-1 win and six series points.

The Beavers outshot the Bulldogs 27-22 in the game, and UMD sophomore goaltender Kayla Black had 26 stops to Mowat's 20 for BSU.  The Bulldogs were 1-of-3 on the power-play and held the Beavers scoreless in three extra skater attempts.

UMD will close out the regular season portion of its schedule next weekend at AMSOIL Arena.  Both Saturday and Sunday's games will get underway at 3:07 p.m., and the weekend will not only honor the Bulldogs two current seniors, but also the 2001 NCAA championship team.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Three players had three point weekends for UMD, including Ashleigh Brykaliuk's (3g), Zoe Hickel's (1g, 2a) and current defenseman convert,  junior Jenna McParland, who had assists on both goals Saturday in addition to her goal Friday night.  McParland is now just 12 points away from UMD's 100-point club with 88 career points on 42 goals and 46 assists.