BEMIDJI, Minn. --- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team suffered a 3-2 setback Saturday at the Sanford Center to Bemidji State although heavily outshooting the Beavers.
After the Beavers took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission, it was all UND as they controlled play and goals by Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) and Candace Molle (Anchorage, Alaska) cut the lead to 3-2 but the comeback attempt fell short.
UND finished the game with a 47-28 advantage in shots but ended their current winning streak at five games.
The Beavers on the other hand improve to 7-1 in series finales and 5-1-1 at the Sanford Center this season due in large part tonight by the play of netminder Zuzanna Tomcikova and a stifling defense that blocked 29 shots tonight and 53 in the series.
BSU came out in the game the quicker team and opportunistic on offense scoring on their first offensive zone series as netminder Stephanie Ney (100 Mile House, British Columbia) gave up a rebound and Lauren Williams was there to gobble up the rebound for the 1-0 lead.
Scoring the game's first goal for the second consecutive night, the Beavers wasted little time adding to the lead as Kimberly Lieder scored at 8:17 as her shot went off a defenseman in front of Ney.
After scoring two goals on BSU's first five shots of the game, UND went with a goaltending change at the next whistle and Jorid Dagfinrud (Sarpsborg, Norway) entered the game at 9:27.
BSU's hot start continued though as sniped their first shot past the new goaltender at 9:48. The score would hold through the first intermission.
Lamoureux made a great individual effort to get the Sioux on the board as she toe-dragged a defender, had a wrist shot blocked, found the rebound, skated into the slot and sent a laser past Tomcikova.
Finally feeling like they grabbed the game's momentum, a swarming offense seemed to tire the Beavers in the period who took 3-straight penalties.
UND's power play cut the lead to one on their fifth attempt of the game when Molle connected for her third of the season and second of the series at 18:13 of the second period.
UND carried the momentum into the third period peppering Tomcikova early until penalties proved costly.
Lamoureux was called for interference and Alyssa Wiebe (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) got booked for checking from behind 1:06 into the penalty-kill. The Sioux successfully killed the ensuing 47-second of 5-on-3 and remaining 4:13 of 5-on-4 BSU power-play time but took critical time off the clock.
UND would pull Dagfinrud for the extra-skater with 2:13 remaining but could not find the equalizer.
Tomcikova concluded the game with 45 saves with 15 in each of the three periods. UND attempted 87 shots in the game.
The Sioux will look to rebound next weekend hosting the No. 2 Minnesota Gophers at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.
