GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team put together dominating first and third periods in its successful quest to sweep the RIT series and extend its winning streak Saturday night at the Ralph Engelstad Arena to a program-record seven games..
With the 8-2 victory, North Dakota elevates its record to 11-5-0 on the season, while nonconference opponent RIT falls to 6-7-2 on the year. Junior Michelle Karvinen (Rodovre, Denmark) led UND with a five-point night while eight skaters contributed on the score sheet.
North Dakota controlled the first period, accumulating 26 shots on goal, while holding RIT to only four. UND converted four of those shots into goals, including two power-play goals courtesy of Josefine Jakobsen (Aalborg, Denmark).
Jakobsen's first goal of the night came just two minutes and 54 seconds into the game when she punched a rebound off Monique Lamoureux's (Grand Forks, N.D.) shot past RIT goaltender Ali Binnington.
The lead wouldn't last long, as RIT's Ariane Yokoyama tied the game at 1-1 less than a minute later on the Tigers first shot of the game.
The remaining sixteen minutes of the period belonged to North Dakota, as it scored three more goals and had one waved off.
Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) provided UND with the go-ahead goal at the 13:35 mark.
Jakobsen's second power-play goal came at the 17:39 mark when Monique Lamoureux found her camped on the right side of the net unattended. Jakobsen buried the one-timer to put UND ahead 3-1.
A minute later, Meghan Dufault scored bringing the deficit to 4-1, before Monique Lamoureux nearly gave North Dakota a 5-1 lead entering the first intermission by firing a shot past Binnington from inside the blue line. The goal was called off due to a player being in the crease.
RIT was provided with a handful of power-play opportunities during the second period, including a five-minute major and a game misconduct by Samantha Hanson (White Bear Lake, Minn.) for checking from behind.
However, an unforgiving defensive effort by UND made for a scoreless second period.
North Dakota regained its momentum in the third period, outshooting RIT 20-8 and compiling another four goals.
RIT started out the third period with Kim Schlattman scoring a breakaway goal just two minutes in.
From that point on, North Dakota took the reins and didn't let go.
Karvinen scored just a minute after Schlattman's goal, and Monique Lamoureux and Jocelyne Lamoureux each tallied power-play goals to give UND a 7-2 advantage entering the final minutes of the game.
Shannon Kaiser (Crookston, Minn.) rounded off the scoring with her first collegiate goal in the final thirty seconds.
North Dakota concluded with 58 shots on goal, while holding RIT to 15. UND capitalized on four of eight power plays.
Shelby Amsley-Benzie (Warroad, Minn.) recorded the win for North Dakota with 13 saves, bringing her record to 5-3-0 on the year. Binnington took the loss for RIT although making 22 saves in her first period of play. Laura Chamberlain played the remainder of the game, recording 28 saves for the Tigers.
UND concludes its first half of the season next weekend with a key WCHA series at Wisconsin.
