The No. 5 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team broke through offensively in a big way Sunday night against Long Island University, burying the Sharks 5-0 at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y. to earn a non-conference sweep.
The Bulldogs needed one period to figure out LIU goaltender Tindra Holm, who respectively packed 114 saves into her weekend, but just 19 seconds into the second period, the offensive dam broke on UMD's power play.
Ashton Bell swept in a long puck from the extended goal line for the first of her three goals and first of the season to jump start the scoring spree. Nine minutes later, sophomore forward
Gabby Krause shoveled in a
Clara Van Wieren rebound on the doorstep to push the Bulldogs out into a 2-0 lead at 9:19. UMD kept rolling with a Bell to
Gabbie Hughes connection on the backdoor for the Bulldogs second power play goal of the night at 13:44, and just like that, the Bulldogs took a 3-0 advantage into the second intermission.
Bell rang up her second goal of the game (and season) at 2:43 of the third period, a quick wrist shot from the point through traffic to stretch the Bulldogs lead to 4-0. Then, for a scoring finale, Bell walked in just past the face-off dot for her third tally and second on the power play, a snipe from the right side that again beat Holm in traffic for the senior's first career hat trick at 14:16 of the final frame. In all, Bell figured in four of UMD's five goals on the night (3g, 1a) and in six total in the series.
UMD was dangerous on the man advantage and went 3-of-7 on their power play. The Bulldogs again shelled LIU, putting 58 shots on goal to just seven generated from the Sharks. Holm finished the game with 53 saves, while the Bulldogs earned a team shutout. Senior goaltender
Emma Soderberg had six saves in her 46 minutes of action, while freshman
Hailey MacLeod had one stop in her Bulldog debut.
The Bulldogs (2-0-0), will have a short week to prepare for St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. Thursday. The puck is set for 5:00 p.m. CT
BULLDOG NOTES: Gabbie Hughes became the eighth player in program history to record 100 or more career assists ... Hughes had a total of three on the weekend in addition to one goal for four points ...
Ashton Bell led all scorers on the weekend with five points -- three goals and two assists and Hughes added four with one goal and three assists ...
Taylor Anderson finished the series with three points -- 2g, 1a .... nine players registered points on Sunday.
