The first period between Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State on Friday was the exception to the rule.
The difference was its even play.
Beavers goalie Emily Brookshaw kept the Bulldogs out of the net in a scoreless period, but top-seeded UMD broke though with three goals in each of the final two periods to beat Bemidji State 6-0 in Game 1 of a Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round women's playoff series at the DECC.
"We were happy after the first period," Bemidji State coach Steve Sertich said. "It was playoff hockey. I think we were close and that is where we wanted to be. After that, it was not playoff hockey."
The Bulldogs (28-4-1) held a 40-7 shot edge over the No. 8-seeded Beavers (4-28-3) in the second and third periods.
ADVERTISEMENT
Game 2 is 7:07 p.m. today, with the winner of the best-of-three series advancing to the WCHA semifinals March 8 at the DECC.
The UMD-Bemidji State winner will face St. Cloud State or Ohio State at 1:07 p.m., while the North Dakota-Minnesota and Minnesota State-Mankato-Wisconsin winners play at 4:07 p.m. The championship game will be 1:07 p.m. March 9.
Fourth-seeded St. Cloud State beat fifth-seeded Ohio State 4-2 Friday to take a 1-0 series lead.
At the DECC on Friday, Brookshaw finished with 47 saves, 34 in the final two periods.
"She took a lot of rubber [Friday]," Sertich said. "She has seen not only quantity, but quality."
UMD coach Shannon Miller credited the late scoring outburst to more screening in front of the net, getting tips and changing the point of attack.
"But I would say for probably 30 out of 60 minutes [Brookshaw] made some remarkable saves for them," Miller said.
UMD, the WCHA's highest scoring team, got second-period goals from Laura Fridfinnson, Saara Tuominen and Myriam Trepanier.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fridfinnson's tally at 55 seconds was short-handed, and Trepanier's goal at 14:53 was on the power play.
Emmanuelle Blais scored two third-period goals, and Karine Demeule netted another for UMD, who have won 20 of 21 games.
During the third period, Blais congratulated Brookshaw after stopping a Fridfinnson attempt.
"I told her it was a nice save," said Blais, a speedy sophomore winger. "I think she is pretty good. She doesn't have the best team in front of her, even though they work really hard."
The Bulldogs have outscored the Beavers 22-2 in five wins this season, but Friday's first period was reminiscent of Brookshaw's stellar outing on Oct. 14.
Brookshaw, a senior from Webster, Wis., turned in a 34-save showing that resulted in a 1-0 defeat to UMD.
The Duluth News Tribune and Bemidji Pioneer are both owned by Forum Communications Co.
