Abigail Noreen and Savannah Norcross each scored two goals as the No. 5 Gophers women's hockey team routed St. Thomas 8-0 on Saturday in a WCHA game at Ridder Arena.

It was the first meeting of the two teams in Division I — the Tommies moved up to that level this season.

Madeline Wethington and Norcross scored goals 1 minute, 12 seconds apart early in the opening period — a bang-bang trend that would continue this game — to give Minnesota (15-5-1, 10-4-1 WCHA) a 2-0 lead. Then, in the middle of the first, Noreen and freshman Peyton Hemp got goals 1:44 apart to make it 4-0. Hemp scored shorthanded.

Noreen got her second goal of the game — and 10th of the season — midway through the second.

In the third, Ella Huber and Norcross scored 39 seconds apart in the sixth minute. Amy Potomak got the goal in the middle of the period.

Freshman Skylar Vetter made 16 saves for the shutout; Alexa Dobchuk stopped 50 shots for St. Thomas (4-14-1, 2-12-1), which has lost nine straight.

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