MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Hannah Clark made 25 saves and Minnesota scored four unanswered goals to defeat Maine 4-0 in a women’s NCAA Division I hockey game Friday at Mariucci Arena. The announced attendance was 2,196. Minnesota improved to 3-0, while Maine fell to 1-4.

The Golden Gophers, playing at home, scored twice in the first period and twice in the second. Maine, the visiting Black Bears, could not solve Clark or the Minnesota defense. The Golden Gophers led 4-0 after two periods and protected the shutout the rest of the way.

Molly Jordan opened the scoring with assists from Sarah Paul and Julia Schalin. Madison Kaiser added the second goal unassisted. Schalin then scored with an assist from Emma Kreisz, and Tereza Plosova capped the scoring with assists from Paul and Jordan. Paul finished with two assists, while Jordan and Schalin each had a goal and an assist. Six Minnesota skaters recorded at least one point.

Clark, a 5-foot-9 goaltender from Oshawa, Canada, earned the win with 25 saves on 25 shots. She previously played for Etobicoke. In her previous start, Clark made 11 saves in a 5-2 win at Bemidji State. Her shutout was the defining performance of the game and kept Minnesota unbeaten.

Schalin, a 5-foot-8 right wing who previously played for Kiekko-Espoo, had one goal, one assist and one shot on goal. Kaiser, a 5-foot-7 left wing from Holy Family Catholic High School, scored once and put four shots on net. Jordan, a 5-foot-6 right defenseman from Bishop Kearney, contributed one goal, one assist, three shots and one hit. Paul, a 5-foot-8 right wing from Penticton Secondary, recorded two assists and five shots. Kreisz, a 5-foot-9 center from Stanstead College, added one assist and three shots. Plosova, a 5-foot-10 left wing from Universal School, scored once and had three shots.

Minnesota also received shots from Sydney Bailey, Carly Humphrey and Avery Hovland. Bailey, a 5-foot-7 right defenseman from Rogers High School, had one shot. Humphrey, a 5-foot-7 left defenseman from Elk River High School, had one shot. Hovland, a 5-foot-3 center from the North American Hockey Academy, recorded three shots on goal.

Maine took two second-period penalties, with Mackenzie Podewell called for crosschecking at 22:41 and Gracie Hanson for facemasking at 26:46. Minnesota’s Sloane Hartmetz went off for tripping at 37:43, giving Maine a power play, but the Black Bears could not score. In the third period, matching roughing penalties went to Minnesota’s Gracie Graham and Maine’s Lulu Rucinski at 44:50. Minnesota’s penalty kill and Clark held firm throughout.

Minnesota entered the game after opening its season with a sweep at Bemidji State, winning 5-2 and 5-3. Maine began the year with a 2-1 loss to Quinnipiac, a 4-1 loss to Quinnipiac, a 4-3 win over Saint Lawrence and a 3-0 loss to Saint Lawrence. The Black Bears had scored four goals in their only victory of the season and were held to one goal or fewer in their three defeats. Minnesota, meanwhile, had scored five goals in each of its first two games. Maine’s only win came in a 4-3 decision over Saint Lawrence, and the Black Bears were shut out by Saint Lawrence in the rematch.

Maine will next play at Bemidji State, while Minnesota will next host Bemidji State. The Golden Gophers remained perfect on the young season, and the Black Bears continued to search for offense against a Minnesota team that has started strong. Maine will look to bounce back in its next game, while Minnesota will try to continue its unbeaten start.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Minnesota 3, Maine 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Minnesota with an 82.7 percent probability to win.