The No. 2 Gophers womenâÄôs hockey team split its final road series of the seasonâÄôs first half with rival North Dakota.

Minnesota (15-3-0, 9-3-0 WCHA) dominated the Sioux in FridayâÄôs contest, 7-2, to give No. 5 UND its first home loss of the year. But the Gophers failed to score a goal for the first time all season Saturday and fell 3-0.

âÄúIt was a tale of two different games. [Friday] we were able to get on the board early and often and were able to carry that momentum on throughout the game,âÄù Minnesota head coach Brad Frost said.

âÄú[On Saturday] we certainly had our chances âĦ Pucks just didnâÄôt go in the net for us.âÄù

Pucks had no trouble finding the net Friday, and the GophersâÄô defense held Sioux stars Monique Lamoureux-Kolls and Jocelyne Lamoureux without a goal for just the third time this season.

Jen Schoullis and Sarah Erickson led the charge with two goals apiece, and Minnesota outshot UND 39-24.

Erickson put one past Sioux goalie Stephanie Ney just 22 seconds into the game to put the Gophers up 1-0.  Sarah Davis and Schoullis added goals of their own, and Minnesota held a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.

Amanda Kessel scored her team-leading 18th goal, the only goal scored in the second frame, to make it 4-0.

Mira Jalosuo scored 3:44 into the third period to extend the GophersâÄô lead to 5-0 before UND sophomore Michelle Karvinen scored to break the shutout.

Minnesota kept its foot on the gas, and Schoullis and Erickson each scored their second goal later in the period, and Minnesota won easily 7-2.

Saturday was a much different story.

Jorid Dagfinrud started in net for the Sioux and stopped all 34 shots she faced in helping UND to a 3-0 victory and a series split.

âÄúWe had some point blanks and a lot of grade-A chances and [Dagfinrud] was up to the task,âÄù Frost said. âÄúItâÄôs hard to win a hockey game when you donâÄôt score.âÄù

MinnesotaâÄôs defense kept the SiouxâÄôs offense in check for most of the game and gave up just 17 shots on the night.

However, UND freshman Andrea Dalen found the back of the net 1:12 into the third period and that proved to be the difference.

âÄúWe really werenâÄôt getting any bounces or chances our way. It got really frustrating, but I thought we stayed with it really well,âÄù Gophers defenseman Anne Schleper said. âÄúThings just didnâÄôt go our way. It was frustrating.âÄù

Minnesota had four power play opportunities in the fourth period, but the SiouxâÄôs penalty kill was superb and limited the Gophers to just two shots in those chances.

Lamoureux-Kolls and Lamoureux each scored an empty netter in the gameâÄôs final minute.

 âÄúWe had plenty of chances. We definitely outplayed them the entire game,âÄù Schoullis said. âÄúThe pucks just werenâÄôt going in for us. We just have to find a way to bury those pucks.âÄù

Minnesota will wrap up the first half of the season Dec. 9-10 with a home series versus Ohio State.

ormal>T�!mi�XpYhat strong attack throughout the first period and stretched their lead to three by the end of the frame. 

Ambroz put the Gophers on the board 2:37 into the game when he redirected a Zach Budish shot in for his third goal of the season.

There was an added intensity from both teams following AmbrozâÄôs goal and the referees had to work to maintain control of the game.

In whole, the Gophers were called for six penalties in the first period and the Mavericks took five. Minnesota was called for 13 total penalties on the night.

âÄúI think we had a lot more jump in our step tonight,âÄù Matson said Saturday. âÄúItâÄôs just a result of wanting it more tonight and playing with intensity.âÄù

Matson and Kyle Rau both housed goals to add to MinnesotaâÄôs lead.

RauâÄôs goal was the last goal the Gophers scored on the night, but proved to be the difference.

In the second, MNSUâÄôs Zach Lehrke netted a power-play goal to cut the deficit to one.

Rau had a prime opportunity to lengthen the lead in the second, but his shot went off both posts, and goaltender Austin Lee was able to keep the puck out.

Lee played exceptionally well to keep MNSU (3-12-1, 2-9-1 WCHA) in the game during the second period.

He finished with 37 saves on the night and did not allow a goal after the three-goal first period.

Lehrke added another power-play goal to narrow the gap to one and keep MNSUâÄôs hope alive.

The Mavericks pulled Lee with less than a minute remaining and took a late timeout in attempt to net the equalizer, but came up short, and the Gophers escaped with a 3-2 victory.

âÄúWe couldnâÄôt build on that lead, and they kind of climbed themselves back in the game, but the bottom line is we have two more wins at home and theyâÄôre important wins for us,âÄù Lucia said.