Ella Huber scores twice in Gophers women's hockey's win over No. 4 Minnesota Duluth

Minnesota extended its winning streak to five games with the victory.

Gophers players Taylor Stewart (2), Nelli Laitinen, center, Abbey Murphy and Ella Huber (26) celebrate Murphy's goal against St. Thomas on Oct. 13, 2023, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. / Gopher Athletics

Ella Huber scored twice, including a short-handed goal in the second period, to help power the third-ranked Gophers women's hockey team to a 4-1 victory over No. 4 Minnesota Duluth Friday night in Duluth, Minn.

It's Minnesota's fifth straight victory.

The Gophers (9-3-1) and Bulldogs (6-4-1) traded goals in the first period, with Sydney Morrow's power-play goal putting the U up at 16:48 in the frame and Hannah Baskins' goal for Minnesota Duluth knotting the game at 17:43.

The 1-1 draw continued until the second period when Abbey Murphy scored 10 minutes, 17 seconds into the frame, the first of three unanswered goals from the Gophers. Huber scored the short-handed goal with just 1 minute, 18 seconds remaining in the second period, and she scored an empty-netter with five second remaining in the third period.

Gophers goalie Hannah Clark made 27 saves on 28 Bulldogs shots, while Bulldogs goalie Eve Gascon put together an admirable effort on a 51-shot barrage from the Gophers, stopping 48 of those shots on net.

The Gophers and Bulldogs meet for the second of their series at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Duluth.