Graduate transfer Jamie Nelson had her first career hat trick and a career-high five points and Sydney Morrow had four assists as the No. 3 Gophers women’s hockey team beat No. 14 St. Cloud State 8-1 on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.
The Gophers (21-4, 15-4 WCHA) have won nine games in a row.
Nelson, who scored 42 goals in 124 games with Minnesota State Mankato before joining the Gophers this season, had scored two goals on eight occasions.
“We’re proud of her,” coach Brad Frost told reporters in St. Cloud. “She’s been such a great addition to our group. She plays the right way and got rewarded for it tonight.”
Nelson scored the only goal of the first period at the 3:55 mark before scoring twice in a four-minute span of the second. The Gophers, who lead the nation with 140 goals, scored seven times in the second, matching their season high for one period.
Josefin Bouveng scored 1:37 into the second, six seconds after a five-minute penalty to the Huskies’ Svenja Voigt expired. Nelson scored on a rebound less than two minutes later, then completed her hat trick at 6:47 of the period.
The Gophers then added four goals in the final six minutes of the period.
Abbey Murphy, who leads the nation in goals scored and points, started the flurry with a power-play with 5:46 left in the period, leaving her within three goals of tying the program record. Kendra Distad, Anabelle Fanale (on the power play) and Ava Lindsay finished the flurry.
