MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The tenth-ranked Mercyhurst women's ice hockey team dropped its first contest of the 2018-19 season, 4-2, to third-ranked Minnesota in Minneapolis on Friday.
 
Emma Nuutinen and Emily Pinto scored goals for the Lakers (0-1-0).
 
Patti Marshall, Amy Potomak, Emily Brown and Kelley Pannek recorded one goal each for the Gophers (1-0-0).
 
Nuutinen put the Lakers on the board first with a power play goal halfway through the first period.
 
During the second period, Marshall and Potomak scored to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
 
The Gophers then recorded two goals in less than four minutes to take a 4-1 lead with just over fifteen minutes left to play in the third period.
 
Pinto scored her first collegiate goal at 13:32 of the third period, but it wasn't enough as the Lakers fell 4-2.
 
Kennedy Blair stopped 24 out of 28 shots on net for Mercyhurst while Alex Gulstene made 21 saves for Minnesota.
 
The Lakers went 1-for-3 on the power play and the Gophers went 0-for-2.
 
Both teams are back in action Saturday at 4:07 p.m. CDT (5:07 p.m. EST).