Dani Cameranesi and Milica McMillen each scored two goals as the No. 1-rated Gophers women's hockey team defeated No. 9 North Dakota 5-2 on Friday night at Ridder Arena.

Freshman Cara Piazza got the game-winner for Minnesota (6-0-1, 4-0-1 WCHA). Her third goal of the season gave the Gophers a 3-1 lead at 11:54 of the third period. She is a 5-7 forward from Darien, Ill.

"It was a hard-fought win here tonight," Gophers coach Brad Frost said. "Another WCHA battle, just like all of our games are. The 5-2 score can be a little misleading, but we're happy with the three points."

The score was 3-2, until empty-net goals by Cameranesi and then McMillen in the final 2 minutes, 1 second.

North Dakota (4-3, 3-2) took an early 1-0 lead on Andrea Dalen's goal. Cameranesi scored her then-team-leading seventh goal in the middle of the opening period to tie the score at 1-1. A power-play goal by McMillen, a junior defenseman, at 11:19 of the second period put Minnesota ahead 2-1.

"North Dakota got out to a quick start there," Frost said. "I actually thought we started well. With them getting that one, I liked our response getting it back.

"[And] that power-play goal was huge for us to get up to 2-1 in the second. I thought they really outplayed us in the second period, but we were fortunate to get out of there with the lead going into the third."

After Piazza's goal, UND got within one goal again at 3-2 on Tanja Eisenschmid's goal at 16:11 and soon the visitors were pulling their goalie.

McMillen's empty-netter for a 4-2 cushion was unassisted. She now had five goals this season.

The Gophers came into the series with its blue-liners leading the nation in scoring, averaging 4.2 points per game.

Minnesota held North Dakota's power-play unit, which entered the game as No. 2 in the nation at 29.4 percent, to 0-for-4. The Gophers converted on one of their three opportunities on the power play.

The Gophers are now 44-6 all-time against UND, including 4-1 last season.