After hearing all week how low scoring the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Quarterfinal series between the No. 8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team and No. 10 St. Cloud State University might be, the Bulldogs decided to rewrite the script Friday afternoon at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.

UMD exploded offensively in the second and third period and shut down the Huskies defensively in a statement 5-0 win to take game one of the best-of-three series. Behind five points from graduate forward Reece Hunt (1g, 4a), two point performances from new record holder Mannon McMahon (2a), Clara Van Wieren (1g,1a) and Olivia Wallin (1g,1a), UMD reached the five goal mark for the fifth time this season.

"Tonight they were listening and they were executing and I think it was a fun game for us to play in," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "We were freed up a little bit, and in ways that we haven't been freed up in a few weeks here. So I think they were having a lot of fun and buying into, you know, structure and things like discipline lead to fun hockey. Even though I've said this and you guys are probably bored with it, the playoff mentality that we've had for the last couple of months, for it to finally be here, I think that has helped prepare us."

After a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs offense started to smolder, first with a tip-in goal from Hunt just outside the crease off a Hanna Baskin shot at 2:38, and then again on a power play goal at the 9:53 mark from redshirt sophomore Mary Kate O'Brien. O'Brien finished off a tic-tac-toe play that Hunt fed down low to McMahon, who found O'Brien all alone on the far post, and UMD owned a 2-0 lead after the second, spurred on by a 18-6 shots on goal advantage in the period.

It took just 3:40 into the third period for the Bulldogs offense to officially ignite. McMahon won a face-off draw back to Hunt, who played Van Wieren across the point, and Van Wieren walked to the top of the circle and unleashed a wicked wrister to make it a 3-0 game and net UMD a second power play goal of the day. Just under 10 minutes later, Wallin scored her own goal, tucking in a quick pass from Hunt for a 4-0 lead. Rookie defenseman Ida Karlsson rounded out the scoring with her first collegiate goal at 17:28 of the third period, burying a feed from Hunt outside the slot for her 13 point of the season (1g, 12a).

It was UMD's defense that helped shut out the Huskies, however, starting with sophomore goaltender Hailey MacLeod, who earned her sixth shutout of the season, turning away all 20 shots she faced, including 10 in the first period when SCSU had some early pressure. The Bulldogs defense took it from there, allowing just 10 more shots in the final 40 minutes and only four in the third period. UMD once again held the Huskies scoreless in three power play attempts – SCSU has now not scored a power play goal against the Bulldogs in all five games they've played in 2023-24 with perfect 16-of-16 kills. 

SCSU goaltender Sanni Ahola had 34 saves on 39 UMD shots while the Huskies fell to 17-16-2 overall. 

The Bulldogs (19-12-4) will try and sweep the playoff series tomorrow at AMSOIL. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES: Mannon McMahon now owns a second program record, becoming UMD's all-time games played leader after skating in her 169th game Friday … McMahon also owns the Bulldog program's consecutive games played record, which now is 169 games played in a row … Hailey MacLeod has lowered her goals against average to a mind-bending 1.09 for the season and raised her saves percentage to a whopping .960 … the sophomore is now 11-4-2 this season … Reece Hunt has compiled four or more points three times this season … Hunt, who now has a team-high 34 points this season, is at 92 career points, including 59 points scored at Bemidji State University (20g, 39a in 120 games) … Hunt is averaging just under a point a game … Mary Kate O'Brien has now recorded at least a point in her last three games after having a three game series (2g, 1a) against Minnesota last weekend … O'Brien now has three goals and an assist for four points over those three outings … UMD is 3-1-1 against the Huskies this season and improves to 8-1 all-time in WCHA postseason games against SCSU … Friday was the fourth shutout by UMD of the Huskies in the league postseason in just nine all-time games.