While the Gophers lost for the first time in 29 games to North Dakota Friday night, the 5-4 Fighting Sioux victory was marked as much by what happened after the whistle as what happened in the first 60 minutes.

As UND was coming onto the ice to celebrate their victory, a fighting started behind the UND net between several veterans on each team.  The quarrel led to the assessment of 70 penalty minutes along with four game misconducts to Sarah Erickson and Jen Schoullis of Minnesota and North Dakota’s Ashley Holmes and Sara Dagenais. 

By the definition of a game misconduct penalty, this means they were kicked out of the game that had already happened.

No suspensions were given out because according to coach Brad Frost, “There was no video evidence to prove that there should be suspension either way.”

“We talked to our players all week and talked to them again after Friday’s game,” Frost said “…Our players were defending a teammate, and so I don’t have any problem with it.”

 “We’re a family, and we got to stick together, and nothing happened that was bad enough that our players would get kicked out of the game.  It just so happened that their team was coming off the bench to celebrate, there was a little scrum happening at the same time, and so it probably looked a little worse than it was.”

Junior Anne Schleper says the team was frustrated with the outcome this past weekend. “I think we know that we’re better than what we proved,” Schleper said.  “And I think if anything, we kind of beat up ourselves this weekend.  The worst thing we can do is not learn from a tough weekend like that.”

The Gophers look to earn their first WCHA win this weekend as they travel to St. Cloud State.