THOMAS SCORES TWICE TO LEAD GOPHERS PAST NIAGARA

Ambria Thomas scored a pair of goals, including a short-handed goal midway
through the third period, to lead second-ranked Minnesota to a 4-2 win over
Niagara.

The Purple Eagles led twice in the game. The first after Candice Celeen's
centering pass deflected off a Gopher skate and past goalie Erica Killewald
seven minutes, 13 seconds into the game.

Thomas evened the score with 1:35 left in the opening period but Niagara's
Valerie Hall scored on a backhander from the left circle just 49 seconds
into the second period, giving her team the lead once again.

Minnesota then scored three unanswered goals. Melissa Coulombe's power-play
goal, her third in four power-play marker in four games, tied the game at
13:09 of the period and La Toya Clarke banged home a rebound 3:18 into the
final period before Thomas' short-handed insurance goal.

Erica Killewald, who picked up an assist on Thomas' short-handed goal,
recorded 21 saves to earn the victory as Minnesota outshot its guests 30-23.
Tania Pinelli made 26 saves for Niagara.

Niagara.............  1  1  0 -  2
Minnesota...........  1  1  2 -  4

   1st period - 1, NU, Candice Celeen 10 (Valerie Hall, Barbara Prall) 7:13
(pp). 2, UM, Ambria Thomas 14 (Emily Buchholz, Courtney Kennedy) 18:25 (pp).
Penalties - TEAM, UM (too many players on ice) 6:08; Dawn Maccauley, NU
(holding) 13:16; Nadine Muzerall, UM (cross-checking) 14:52; Bradi Cochrane,
NU (interference) 17:52.
   2nd period - 3, NU, Valerie Hall 6 (Amanda Reid, Barbara Prall) 0:49. 4,
UM, Melissa Coulombe 3 (Ronda Curtin) 13:09 (pp). Penalties - Stephanie
Romain, NU (high-sticking) 8:05; Dawn Maccauley, NU (interference) 11:43;
Dawn Maccauley, NU (checking) 16:27; Ambria Thomas, UM (slashing) 18:21.
   3rd period - 5, UM, La Toya Clarke 11 (Ronda Curtin) 3:18. 6, UM, Ambria
Thomas 15 (Laura Slominski, Erica Killewald) 9:33 (sh). Penalties - Nadine
Muzerall, UM (hooking) 6:17; Courtney Kennedy, UM (unsportsmanlike conduct)
9:00.
   Shots on goal - NU 11-5-7-23; UM 10-14-6-30. Power plays - NU 1 of 5; UM
2 of 5. Goalies - NU, Tania Pinelli 8-7-1 (30 shots-26 saves); UM, Erica
Killewald 11-4-1 (23-21). Referee - Brad Shepherd. Assistant referees - Rick
Larsen, Lisa Schattler. A - 621.

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Craig Roberts, Asst. Media Relations Dir.
Univ. of Minnesota Women's Athletics
Phone: 612/624-0522     Fax: 612/624-8018
Visit our website at www.gophersports.com
Or call the Diet Coke Gopher Sports Hotline
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