Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State women's hockey scored two power play goals but lost to No. 10 North Dakota 3-2 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game at Verizon Wireless Center on Friday afternoon.

 After the first 11:00 of the first period was filled with back and forth action with neither team scoring, North Dakota (11-7-5, 8-5-4-2) broke through with a goal at 8:53 of the period. Senior defenseman Halli Krzyaniak (4-10--12) took a shot from the point that found its way past Minnesota State's senior goaltender Brianna Quade (3-11-2), who made 33 saves on the afternoon. Senior forward Kayla Gardner (4-7--11) assisted on the play.

The Mavericks equalized early in the second period on a power play that carried over from the end of the first. Sophomore defenseman Megan Hinze (5-1--6) took a shot from the left point that was deflected past the Fighting Hawks' senior goaltender Lexie Shaw (11-6-5), who made 15 saves in the game, by Junior forward Lindsey Coleman (5-6--11) at 0:22 of the period – tying that game at 1-1. Hinze and Junior defenseman Anna Keys (2-5--7) garnered assists on the play.

The Mavericks capitalized again on their second power play of the game at 5:50 of the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Hinze fired a shot from the left point that got past Shaw and into the back of the net. Hinze's goal was her fourth power play goal of the season. Five of her six points in 2016-17 have come with the man advantage. Keys and Coleman tallied helpers on the play.  

After the second intermission, North Dakota struck quickly for two goals to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Krzyaniak scored her second goal of the game at 1:22 of the third period to tie the game. Freshman forward Emma Nuutinen (6-4--10) and sophomore forward Vilma Tanskanen (2-2--4) assisted on the play.

Less than a minute later, senior defenseman Gracen Hirschy (4-9--13) scored to put the Fighting Hawks up 3-2 at 2:07. Freshman forward Ryleigh Houston (5-10--15) took a shot from the point that trickled behind Quade. Hirschy batted home the loose puck, which was in the crease trickling towards the goal line, for the game-winning goal. Houston and sophomore forward Charlie Dahlquist (3-4--7) picked up assists on the play.

The Mavericks were unable to score a third goal and the game ended with North Dakota on top 3-2.

Minnesota State and North Dakota conclude their two-game series at 2:07 p.m., on Saturday at Verizon Wireless Center.

Listen to head coach John Harrington's postgame comments below.

-30-