The Gophers women's hockey team used a five-goal second period to crush Minnesota State 6-2 to win the best-of-three WCHA First Round series Sunday afternoon at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. The U will advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff.

The Gophers will take their 6-1 victory over the Minnesota State Mavericks, warts and all, as they stretched their winning streak to four games in the opener of their best-of-three WCHA

Abbey Murphy had a goal and assist, and the Gophers used a 5-goal second period to advance to Friday’s semifinals

Emma Kreisz and Ava Lindsay each scored twice as the fourth-ranked Gophers women's hockey team cruised to a 6-1 win over Minnesota State in the first of the best-of-three WCHA First Round series Friday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

Minnesota State regained its two-goal lead 15 seconds into the third. Murphy’s second goal of the game cut the Gophers’ deficit to 4-3 at 2:05. Gophers defender Krista Parkkonen tied the game with her first goal of the season at 4:21.

The Gophers women’s hockey team finished the regular season 25-9-1. Next is the WCHA playoffs and maybe the Frozen Four.

T he Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s hockey team will kick off the post season this weekend hosting Minnesota State in a best-of-three series in the First Round of the WCHA Pla