The No. 9 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team didn't get the start it wanted Friday night at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn., and by the time the Bulldogs found their way, it was too little, too late.

The nation's second-ranked team, the University of Minnesota, used three goals by Amy Potomak in the first period to push past UMD 5-0 in the first game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series.  The Bulldogs, heavily outshot 50-17 in the contest, suffered their first shutout of the season in the loss.

Potomak's first goal of the night came at 7:28 of the first period on the power play to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead.  Behind it were two more goals, and the third at 16:53, left UMD in a 3-0 deficit after the opening stanza.  Minnesota -- awarded six power plays on the night -- also scored a goal in the second period and another power play goal in the third.

Maddie Rooney had 45 saves for the Bulldogs, the eighth time the senior goaltender has stopped 40 or more saves against Minnesota over her career.  UMD went 0-of-2 on its power play while the Gophers were 2-of-6.  Goaltender Sydney Scobee had 17 saves for Minnesota, which improves to 21-4-3 and 13-4-2-1 with the win.

The Bulldogs (12-9-4, 7-7-3-2) will look to rebound tomorrow afternoon when they face Minnesota in game two at Ridder.  The puck is scheduled to drop at 4:07 p.m.