DURHAM, N.H. - Sophomore netminder Moe Bradley (Swampscott, Mass.) posted a career-high 39 saves Sunday afternoon as the Wildcats fell to Minnesota, 4-0. The loss drops New Hampshire to 6-9-1 on the year while the Golden Gophers improve to 16-0-0.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead at the 12:10 mark of the first period when Lee Stecklein tallied her second goal of the season on a power play. Megan Bozek and Amanda Kessel each tallied an assist on the play. Bradley prevented Minnesota from adding additional goals in the period after making a total of 14 saves on the 15 shots she faced. Through one period of play, the score was 1-0 in favor of the Golden Gophers.
Rachel Bona increased the UM lead just 1:34 into the second period with her sixth goal of the season. Becky Kortum played the puck up the ice to Sarah Davis while Davis skated up with it and played it to Bona in front of the net for the score. Milica McMillen gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead with 5:54 remaining in the second when she played a wall-pass to Kelly Terry, getting the puck back and beating Bradley with a point-blank shot. After two periods, UM held a 3-0 lead
The Wildcats remained persistent on offense as they increased their shot total in the third period, launching eight attempts at the net. Freshman Megan Armstrong (Edina, Minn.) recorded a string of consecutive shots, however her attempts were denied by Golden Gopher goalie Amanda Leveille. At the 3:24 mark of the third, Kessel tallied her 20th goal of the season on a shorthanded play. Kessel stole the puck and skated up the ice with it, crossing in front of the goal and finding the back of the net for the goal. Arielle O'Neill (St. Catherines, Ontario) and Jessica Hitchcock (LaSalle, Ontario) notched a pair of third period shots on goal to keep the offensive pressure up on Leveille. After three periods of play, Minnesota held on to win, 4-0.
Bradley received her first decision of the year in net despite making 39 saves between the pipes. She tallied 14 saves in the first period, 12 in the second and 13 in the third. Leveille got the win for Minnesota as she saved all 16 shots the Wildcats sent at her. Her record improves to 2-0-0. Armstrong tallied a team-high four shots in the game while O'Neill and Hitchcock were right behind with three.
The Wildcats will hit the ice again on Saturday, Dec. 1 when they host Northeastern in a Hockey East contest. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m.