Minnesota broke open a tie game with three goals in the third period to defeat Minnesota Duluth 4-1 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Face-off women's semifinal Friday night at Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn., ending the Bulldogs' season.
Rachael Bona, Milica McMillen and Dani Cameranesi all scored in the final period as the top-ranked Gophers (35-1-1) secured a spot opposite North Dakota in tonight's championship game. Third-seeded North Dakota edged No. 2 Wisconsin 1-0 in the earlier semifinal.
All three of those semifinalists are expected to receive NCAA Division I tournament berths next week, but the loss concluded the season for UMD (15-15-6). WCHA teams have won all 13 previous NCAA tournaments.
Katerina Mrazova, a late-season addition from the Czech Republic, gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead 7:30 into the second period. Sophomore goaltender Kayla Black, meanwhile, kept the nation's highest-scoring team off the scoreboard until Kelly Terry netted her 18th of the season at 13:40 of the second. Black totaled 32 saves.
Amanda Leveille, who blanked UMD three times during the regular season, stopped the other 21 shots she faced.
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Minnesota outscored UMD 26-4 in five games this season and especially took advantage on power plays. The Gophers only scored once with the extra attacker Friday as Bona netted her 21st of the season at 7:47 of the third period.
McMillen followed with her 11th at 14:05 and Cameranesi, the younger sister of UMD men's center Tony Cameranesi, finished the scoring with 50 seconds to play.
Minnesota Duluth 0-1-0--1
Minnesota 0-1-3--4
First period -- No scoring.
Second period -- 1. UMD, Katerina Mrazova 1 (Sidney Morin, Jenna McParland), 7:30; 2. Minn, Kelly Terry 18 (Dani Cameranesi, Baylee Gillanders), 13:40.
Third period -- 3. Minn, Rachael Bona 21 (Meghan Lorence, Kate Schipper), 7:47 (pp); 4. Minn, Milica McMillen 11 (Schipper, Bona), 14:05; 5. Minn, Dani Cameranesi 18 (Megan Wolfe), 19:10.
Saves -- Kayla Black, UMD, 9-15-8--32; Amanda Leveille, Minn, 10-6-5--21.
