Naomi Rogge's scoring streak turned into a scoring tidal wave at just the right time Friday afternoon at AMSOIL Arena.

The senior center scored a natural hat trick in the second period to propel the fifth-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team over Minnesota State University, Mankato 5-4 in the first game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association best-of-three quarterfinals. 

In only the second-ever quarterfinal series opener between the two programs, it was the Mavericks who took the early lead at 1:57 on one of Kelsey King's two goals in the game.  UMD, behind Élizabeth Giguère's 19th goal of the season, responded just minutes later to draw the Bulldogs even. Giguere took a feed from freshman defenseman Hanna Baskin and the senior winger did the rest, driving to the net to beat MSU netminder Chantal Burke's extended right skate at 4:29 to tie the game at 1-1.

UMD then took its first lead of the game just 30 seconds later on Kylie Hanley's wrist shot from the right point.  Hanley's shot soared over Burke's shoulder for the senior defenseman's sixth goal of the season. 

MSU returned the fire at 13:35 on King's second goal of the game, and the Mavericks went up 3-2 with 40 seconds left in the first frame to send the Bulldogs into the first intermission trailing by a goal.

Enter Rogge and Co., who started the second period with a power play goal just over two minutes in.  Rogge's second effort rebound knotted the game at 3-3, and at the 9:01 mark, Rogge whipped the puck under the crossbar from a blind drop pass courtesy of Kailee Skinner at the top of the circle to take over the game 4-3.

Rogge wasn't finished, however, and at 16:58, Rogge deflected Nina Jobst-Smith shot from the blueline for her third goal of the period – a natural hat trick for the Bulldogs for the first time since 2015.

"She's been on a roll lately and nice to see it continue," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell after the game. "She seems to always be helping us in big moments lately and today was no different, it's just awesome. She's got such a knack for scoring, you can see it, she's good so she's feeling it and it's helping our team tremendously."
 

The Mavericks – who outshot UMD 32-25 in the final 40 minutes – pushed back in the third and finally found a way to beat Bulldog goaltender Jojo Chobak with 47.2 seconds left in the period, but MSU could not overcome UMD five goals in the end.

Chobak made 31 saves in the game in relief for Emma Soderberg, who manned the pipes in the first period and had just two saves.  UMD went 1-of-1 on its lone power play while holding the Mavericks scoreless in two attempts, and outshot them 40-37 in the skate.  Burke finished with 35 stops for MSU, who falls to 14-18-1 overall.

The Bulldogs will attempt to win the series outright in just two games Saturday when the two sides square off again at AMSOIL.  The puck is slated to drop at 2:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Naomi Rogge netted UMD's first hat trick since Lara Stalder rang up three goals on Jan. 20, 2017 … Rogge's natural hat trick was the first since Lara Stalder popped in three on Dec. 12, 2015 … Rogge now has a six-game scoring streak intact … the senior center has a whopping seven goals and five assists over that span … Anna Klein became the all-time career games played leader on Friday … the senior winger has now skated in 158 (consecutive) games as a Bulldog … three players posted two or more points Friday … along with Rogge's three goals, senior center Gabbie Hughes had two assists and rookie blueliner Hanna Baskin had a career-best two helpers … Hughes is now tied for second in the NCAA with 35 assists … Hughes, along with Elizabeth Giguere, leads UMD with 52 points … Giguere has 19 goals and 33 assists, while Hughes has 17 goals and 35 assists … Hughes surpassed her sophomore season previous career-high of 51 points with the two assists Friday … Hughes and Giguere are one of only two duos in the NCAA with 52 or more points so far this season.