Shootout Win Propels UND Women’s Hockey to Home Ice in First Round of WCHA Playoffs

Hawks tie Bemidji State 1-1

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics) — The UND women’s hockey team clinched home ice for the first round of WCHA playoffs with a shootout win over Bemidji State on Sunday afternoon at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The two teams skated to a 1-1 tie, but UND won the shootout 3-2 in four rounds. North Dakota (13-9-6, 10-7-5-3) remains in fourth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 38 points, while Bemidji State (9-14-3, 5-14-3-1) jumps up into a three-way tie for fifth with 19 points.

Having won the first three meetings of the season, North Dakota was poised to claim its first regular-season sweep against Bemidji State since the 2012-13 season. However, the Beavers had other ideas and forced the Fighting Hawks into a defensive battle to come away with the tie.

Bemidji State took its only lead of the season over UND with the game’s first goal just six minutes into the first period. After a rebound from an Emma Terres shot fell into the crease, Emily Bergland tapped it in to put Bemidji State on top. The Beavers came out of the first period with the lead and an 8-2 advantage in shots.

After the slow start, the Fighting Hawks began to rally and put pressure on Bemidji State goaltender Brittni Mowat. UND went on to out-shoot BSU, 9-6, in the second period, but was unable to come away with a goal.

North Dakota was finally awarded its first power play of the game, just second of the weekend, six minutes into the third.

With the man advantage, Halli Krzyzaniak fired a shot from the point that went just wide of the net. The puck bounced off the end boards and Charly Dahlquist was there on the side of the net to put it in the back of the net for her sixth goal of the season, second of the weekend.

The Fighting Hawks out-shot the Beavers, 12-7, in the third period, but had to settle for a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation.

In overtime, UND continued its dominance and out-shot BSU, 6-3, but again, couldn’t find an even strength goal and had to settle for the 1-1 tie.

After both shooters were stopped in the shootout, UND scored on its next three shots to win the shootout, 3-2, in four rounds.

Lexie Shaw made 23 saves in net for UND to help her side earn five points from the weekend.

North Dakota returns to the road next weekend, Feb. 3-4, for a series against Minnesota Duluth at AMSOIL Arena.