DULUTH, Minn. (Interstat) — Ève Gascon made 26 saves and Minnesota-Duluth defeated Mercyhurst 2-0 in a women’s NCAA Division I hockey game Friday at Amsoil Arena. The Bulldogs improved to 1-0. The Lakers fell to 2-1. Attendance was 825. The Bulldogs were the home team, and the Lakers were the visiting team. The Bulldogs won at home.

Gascon was Minnesota-Duluth’s top star. The goaltender from Mascouche, Canada, stopped all 26 shots she faced for the win. The 5-foot-8 Gascon previously played for Patriotes du Cegep de Saint-laurent. Her shutout backed a Bulldogs effort that included goals from Caitlin Kraemer and Rae Mayer.

Kraemer opened the scoring at the 26:27 mark, with Mayer assisting. Kraemer, a center from Waterloo, Canada, finished with one goal and 10 shots on goal. The 5-foot-9 Kraemer previously played for Waterloo Ravens U22 Elite. Her 10 shots led all skaters.

Mayer added the second goal at the 59:13 mark. Laina Gnetz and Ida Karlsson assisted. Mayer, a right wing from Chesapeake, Va., had one goal, one assist and four shots. The 5-foot-8 Mayer previously played for Bishop Kearney Selects.

Karlsson, a right defense from Avesta, Sweden, recorded one assist and two shots. The 5-foot-9 Karlsson previously played for Leksands IF. Laina Gnetz, a left wing from Woodbury, Minn., had one assist, two shots and four penalty minutes. The 5-foot-5 Laina Gnetz previously played for Woodbury High School.

Josie St. Martin, a right wing from Stillwater, Minn., put five shots on goal. The 5-foot-4 St. Martin previously played for Stillwater Area H.S. Pauliina Salonen, a right wing from Turku, Finland, had six shots. The 5-foot-3 Salonen previously played for HIFK in Auroraliiga.

Mercyhurst’s Sofia Nuutinen led the Lakers with seven shots and two penalty minutes. The left wing from Vantaa, Finland, is listed at 5-foot-7. Nuutinen’s seven shots were the most for Mercyhurst. She was one of three Lakers assessed a penalty. Berlin Lolacher and Henlee Mahoney also were sent to the penalty box. Mercyhurst could not convert on its power-play chances, and the Lakers finished without a goal. Brooke Gnetz, a left defense from Woodbury, Minn., had four shots and two penalty minutes. The 5-foot-5 Brooke Gnetz previously played for Woodbury High School. Zoey Krock, a left wing from Pittsburgh, had two shots. The 5-foot-4 Krock previously played for Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.

Mercyhurst took a bodychecking penalty at 9:40 of the first period when Sofia Nuutinen was sent off for two minutes. Minnesota-Duluth’s Brooke Gnetz received a holding penalty at 19:29 of the first. In the second period, Mercyhurst’s Berlin Lolacher was called for hooking at 23:44, and Minnesota-Duluth’s Laina Gnetz was called for hooking at 37:04. In the third period, Mercyhurst’s Henlee Mahoney received a crosschecking penalty at 53:15, and Laina Gnetz was sent off for roughing at 56:53.

The Bulldogs protected the lead behind Gascon and added the final goal when Mayer scored from Laina Gnetz and Karlsson. Mercyhurst entered the game after opening the season with two wins over RPI, 3-0 and 3-1. Minnesota-Duluth began its season with the win. The Bulldogs and Lakers are scheduled to meet again in Duluth. Mercyhurst’s upcoming schedule includes home games against Syracuse and Assumption and road games at Lindenwood, Connecticut and Delaware. Minnesota-Duluth’s upcoming schedule includes road games at Vermont, Bemidji State and Ohio State and home games against St. Thomas and Minnesota.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Minnesota-Duluth 4, Mercyhurst 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Minnesota-Duluth with a 60.2 percent probability to win.