Gophers women’s hockey team routs Minnesota State Mankato 8-3

Gracie Graham scored two goals and Abbey Murphy had a goal and three assists to lead the No. 3 Gophers women’s hockey team to an 8-3 victory over Minnesota State Mankato on Friday at Ridder Arena.

The victory was the 14th in the past 16 games for the Gophers (18-5-1, 12-4-1 WCHA), who swept the Mavericks 8-2 and 3-2 in overtime in October.

The Gophers' line of Murphy, Josefin Bouveng and Chloe Primerano combined for nine points.

“All in all, a great win,” Gophers coach Brad Frost said. “We were a little sluggish in the first period but got a big goal at the end of the period by Emma [Kreisz] and then got a goal in the first shift of the second period and that jump-started us. Any time you can score a multitude of goals like that it’s a positive thing.“

Bouveng, who opened the scoring 61 seconds into the game, contributed a goal and two assists while Primerano, who was back in the Gophers lineup after helping Canada win the gold medal at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Finland, had a goal and an assist.

The Mavericks tied the score 1-1 midway through the first period on a goal from Bella Shipley, before Kreisz scored in the final minute of the period to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.

Murphy, who has at least one point in 19 of 24 games and 14 multipoint games this season, scored 20 seconds into the second period to give the Gophers a 3-1 lead.

The Mavericks (10-12-1, 4-12-1) got within 3-2 on a goal by Kianna Roeske before Ella Huber’s goal with 6 minutes, 42 seconds left in the period restored the Gophers' two-goal lead.

Less than two minutes later, Primerano, who had four goals and six assists in six games at the IIHF U18 championships, scored to give the Gophers a 5-2 lead heading into the third period.

Graham scored back-to-back goals in the third period to make it 7-2, before Alexis Paddington’s power-play goal got the Mavericks within 7-3.

“Gracie has a real knack for jumping into play and getting up into the rush,” Frost said. “She was able to do that on her first goal and then had a nice shot [on her second goal] with a screen in front.“

Peyton Hemp closed out the scoring for the Gophers with 5½ minutes remaining.

The teams will conclude the home-and-home series Saturday afternoon in Mankato.

“We know it’s going to be tougher tomorrow,” Frost said.