Box Score MANKATO, Minn. --- Senior Danielle Butters registered a career-high 48 saves Friday night, but Minnesota State dropped a 4-1 decision at top-ranked Minnesota in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play at Ridder Arena.
 
MSU moves to 3-6-0 overall and 0-5-0 in the WCHA, while the Golden Gophers improve to 9-0-0 on the season and 7-0-0 in league play.
 
The contest was knotted 1-1 headed to the first intermission as both Minnesota State and Minnesota lit the lamp in the first period. Freshman Kate Schipper put the Golden Gophers in front at 15:56 by connecting on a rebound in front of senior Danielle Butters (London, Ont.), who was magnificent in the frame for MSU racking up 21 saves. The Mavericks evened the score on the power-play at 19:58 on senior Tracy McCann's (Lakewood, Ohio) second goal of the year. Senior Nicole Germaine (Mississauga, Ont.) fired a shot that snuck through the pads of sophomore Amanda Leveille, and McCann was there to bury the rebound as junior Shelby Moteyunas (Cicero, N.Y.) also earned an assist on the play.
 
Minnesota used a pair of second period goals to reclaim the lead and take a 3-1 cushion after 40 minutes of action. Junior Rachel Ramsey converted on the power-play at 12:32 when she took a centering pass from senior Sarah Davis and slid the puck past Butters' right pad. UM extended the advantage to two at 16:57 courtesy of sophomore Brook Garzone who corralled a loose puck in the slot and found twine inside the left post.
 
Freshman Dani Cameranesi completed the scoring for Minnesota with a power-play marker at 8:52 of the third period off a backdoor feed from sophomore Hannah Brandt.
 
The Maverick power-play finished one-of-four on the evening, while Minnesota ended the game two-of-five on the man advantage and held a 52-14 lead in shots. Butters' 48 saves were a game-high as Leveille collected 13 saves for UM.
 
Minnesota State and Minnesota go at it once more tomorrow afternoon, but this time in Mankato. The series finale is set for 3:07 p.m. at All Seasons Arena.