GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team held tight with the WCHA leading University of Minnesota in Saturday's matchup, but a late scoring flurry by the Gophers sparked them to a 5-1 victory.
UND falls to 4-3-0 on the season and in WCHA play while Minnesota remains undefeated with a 9-0-0 record (5-0-0 WCHA).
North Dakota outplayed the Gophers in the first period working its way to a 10-5 advantage in shots. However, with UND unable to cash in on multiple scoring opportunites and Minnesota's goaltender Noora Raty's exceptional play in net, the two teams would enter the first intermission scoreless.
Goalless play didn't remain for long, as North Dakota scored its lone goal of the game just 18 seconds into the second period.
Defenseman Tori Willaims (The Pas, Manitoba) found the upper shelf on a shot from just inside the blue line to tally her first goal of the season.
Mary Loken (Roseau, Minn.) and Andrea Dalen (Honefoss, Norway) were credited with assists on the goal, putting UND up 1-0.
Minnesota quickly responded with a nearly identical goal as Megan Bozek sent point shot past a screened netminder only 39 seconds afterwards.
The 1-1 score would carry through the second intermission and over halfway through the third period, but the road team would tally four times in the final minutes to put up a lopsided score that wasn't indicative of the game.
Minnesota ignited late in the third period to score four goals and leave North Dakota goalless. UM's first goal came at the 12:30 mark, as Rachael Bona found the back of the net off of a rebound.
In the 16th minute of the third period, McMillen gave the Gophers a 3-1 lead as she scored on a slapshot from the blue line.
Nearly a minute and a half later, Brook Garzone tallied her first collegiate goal and the Gophers would conclude the game's scoring with one second remaining as Hannah Brandt scored an empty-net goal.
Minnesota finished with a 28-22 advantage in shots while scoring the game's lone power-play goal going 1-for-4. North Dakota went 0-for-2 in its attempts.
UND goalkeeper Jorid Dagfinrud (Sarpsborg, Norway) made 23 saves in the losing effort, bringing her record to 3-1-0 on the season. Raty finished with just the one goal allowed and 21 saves.
UND will finish off the home series against Minnesota tomorrow afternoon with a start time of 2:07 p.m.
