425 minutes and six losses removed from their last win over Minnesota-Duluth, the Gophers finally earned a win over the Bulldogs Friday night.

Well, sort of.

The Gophers technically played UMD to a 2-2 tie and won the shootout 2-1, but they nevertheless snapped their six-game losing streak against the Bulldogs. Minnesota received two points in the WCHA and moved into a tie with UMD for second place in the conference. 

UMD received only one point (because they lost the shootout), but the game is reflected as a tie, not a loss, in their record.

The Gophers and Bulldogs traded goals in the first period. Early in the first, junior Jen Schoullis won a face off in the UMD zone and cleared space for sophomore Megan Bozek to send a drive toward the net.  Junior Sarah Erickson deflected the puck past UMD goalie Jennifer Harss, giving the Gophers a 1-0 lead.

UMD’s Brienna Gillanders evened the score five minutes later with a power play goal.

The Gophers struck again 12:50 through the second, as Jen Schoullis collected a rebound off a shot by Bozek and slid the puck past Harss.

UMD countered midway through the third on a power play goal by Katie Wilson, tying the game at two.  Neither team scored in the waning minutes of the third or in the ensuing overtime, forcing a shootout. 

Freshman Amanda Kessel and junior Anne Schleper each scored in the shootout for the Gophers, and sophomore goalie Noora Raty stopped one final attempt from UMD’s Audrey Cournoyer, securing the shootout win.

The Gophers look to take a three-point lead over UMD in the WCHA standings as they wrap up the series tomorrow at 4:07 p.m.