The No. 3 Gophers women's hockey team scored four goals in the opening period en route to a 5-1 victory over No. 12 Penn State on the first day of the Henderson (Nev.) Collegiate Hockey Showcase.
Minnesota (10-2-2), which will face No. 5 Yale (7-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday on the second day of the tournament, was on a three-game winless streak (0-2-1) but asserted itself early.
Freshman Madison Kaiser scored the Gophers' first goal at 5 minutes, 34 seconds. Veterans — Taylor Heise, Peyton Hemp and Grace Zumwinkle — got the next three.
Ella Huber had the final goal for Minnesota midway through the third period.
Skyler Vetter started in goal for the Gophers and played half the game, stopping all nine shots she faced and getting an assist on Heise's goal. Makayla Pahl replaced Vetter and made 17 saves but did give up a goal with two minutes left in the second to Courtney Correia of the Nittany Lions (10-8-1).
Josie Bothun, who played for Forest Lake High School, had 30 saves for Penn State.
Yale won its first game 2-0 over Boston University. The Bulldogs scored twice in the final six minutes third period.
