The Two-Minute Minor - An Edition of the Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, July 29, 2025

PPC Board of Directors meeting – Wednesday, August 13, 2025

The Power Play Club's Board of Directors is finalizing its club membership and fundraising plans for the new hockey year – the Gopher Women's Hockey program's 29th season of competition – and will be meeting again on Wednesday, August 13, at 7 p.m. online via Zoom to review the latest updates.

As always, board meetings are open to all club members (2024-2025 enrollees for these off-season meetings); please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.

Franco, Kaiser, Laitinen, O'Hara & Wethington honored as 2024-2025 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars

Catching up on news from earlier this month, we send our congratulations to Gopher Women's Hockey players Allie Franco, Madison Kaiser, Nelli Laitinen, Lauren O'Hara, and Audrey Wethington on being among 140 University of Minnesota student-athletes earning honors as 2024-2025 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars!!  Wethington was additionally recognized as one of 35 Golden Gopher athletes posting a 4.0 GPA for the academic year.

Big Ten faculty representatives established the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program.  Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters) and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades.

Eight 2025-2026 Gophers, four alumnae invited to USA Hockey's 2025 Women's National Festival in Lake Placid

Current and incoming Gopher Women's Hockey players Bella Finale, Layla Hemp, Molly Jordan, Maddie Kaiser, Ava Lindsay, Sydney Morrow, Abbey Murphy & Jamie Nelson, and Gopher alumnae Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein & Grace Zumwinkle received invitations to USA Hockey's 2025 Women's National Festival, as announced yesterday (Monday, July 28).

The 12 are among 76 over-18 invitees to the festival, which starts this coming Sunday, August 3, in Lake Placid, New York, and runs through Saturday, August 9.  They will be joined by 46 under-18 attendees.

Following the festival's completion, separate 25-player rosters will be named for the U.S. Under-18 Women's Select Team and the U.S. Collegiate Women's Select Team.  Both squads will face their Canadian counterparts in three-game series on August 13, 14 and 16 in Lake Placid.  Those games will be streamed live and on-demand on USAHockeyTV.com.

We send congratulations to our 11 Gopher representatives on receiving festival invitations, and good luck to those vying for roster spots on the Collegiate Women's Select Tea

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An Edition of the Penalty Box Post - Thursday, July 10, 2025

Audrey Wethington named First Team Academic All-American!

Following her Academic All-District honor last month, GWH forward Audrey Wethington was named Tuesday as a 2024-2025 CSC Women's At-Large First Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators!

Wethington was one of two ice hockey players to earn First Team recognition (joined by UMD's Clara Van Wieren).  She was also one of two University of Minnesota student-athletes named as At-Large selections, as Gopher Women's Golf team member Isabella McCauley earned Third Team Academic All-American honors.

Congratulations, Audrey, on this terrific award!!

Seven Gophers named AHCA/Krampade All-American Scholars

Prior to being named an Academic All-American, Wethington was joined by GWH teammates Allie Franco, Gracie Graham, Sydney Morrow, Lauren O'Hara, Krista Parkkonen, and Ayla Puppe in being honored as 2024-2025 Krampade All-American Scholars by the American Hockey Coaches Association last Wednesday (July 2).

The seven Gophers were among 713 Division I ice hockey players (362 men and 351 women) named last week.  To qualify, a student-athlete must have attained a 3.75 GPA for each semester, and had to appear in 40% of the team’s games (with exceptions granted to injured players and back-up goaltenders); schools also were required to be members of the AHCA.

We send our congratulations to all seven and our appreciation for their great work in the classroom!!

Holmes leaves U. of M. for assistant coaching position at St. Olaf

We send our thanks to Ashley Holmes for her service to the Gopher Women's Hockey program as its Director of Operations the past two seasons.

Holmes was announced as a new assistant coach of the St. Olaf College women's hockey team on June 26 by Oles head coach Tracy Johnson.

Prior to her time at the U. of M., Holmes was an assistant coach of the Augsburg University women's hockey team for nine years.  In joining the staff at St. Olaf, she returns to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

PPC Board of Directors notes – next meeting: August 13

The Power Play Club's Board of Directors continues its off-season preparations for the 2025-2026 Gopher Women's Hockey season, the program's 29th year of competition.

Specifically, board members are working on club membership and fundraising plans for the new hockey year, and will be meeting again on Wednesday, August 13, at 7 p.m. online via Zoom to review the latest updates.  Details will be shared publicly once they are finalized.  As always, board meetings are open to all club members (2024-2025 enrollees for these off-season meetings).

Board roster updates – We're also catching up on the officer and director appointments which have occurred over the past several months.  Bill Johnson and Dave Malerich were appointed to continue as club president and vice president (respectively), Bob Milligan was also appointed to another term as a director-at-large, and Jim Eisenreich & Gaynell Schandel joined the board as new directors; all five will serve through the 2026-2027 season.  The board also welcomed Ed Murphy, father of Abbey, as its new GWH parent representative, serving through 2025-2026.

The six board members listed above are joined by treasurer Todd King, secretary Paula Biever, and directors-at-large Linda Kenny, Ander Kierig, and Guy Sederski; those five are in the second year of their respective terms, which expire at the end of March 2026.

More about all of our current board members can be found on our Board of Directors page on powerplayclub.org.

The board respectfully thanks John Conner and J. Lindsay for their service to the Power Play Club.  John served as the previous parent representative during his daughter Emma's time on the team.  J. served as a director-at-large but declined the option to remain on the board for another term.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Saturday, June 28, 2025

Gopher alumna Mira Jalosuo named new SCSU head coach

St. Cloud State University named Mira Jalosuo the new head coach of the Huskies Women's Hockey team yesterday, making her the 7th head coach in the program's history.  She replaces Brian Idalski, who was announced earlier in the week as the head coach of the new PWHL Vancouver club.

Most recently, Jalosuo spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Frost (previously PWHL Minnesota), helping lead them to a pair of Walter Cup Championships.  Before that, she was an assistant for Idalski at St. Cloud State for one season.  She also served as head coach of the Stillwater Area High School girls' hockey program for three years prior to her first stint with the Huskies.  (Photo credit: John McClellan)

Jalosuo becomes the third Gopher Women's Hockey alumna currently serving as the bench boss of a WCHA team, joining Ohio State's Nadine Muzerall and St. Thomas' Bethany Brausen.  Playing defense for the Maroon & Gold, she won two NCAA titles (2012 & 2013) and posted 57 career points on 19 goals and 38 assists over four seasons; notably, she tallied an overtime, power-play, game-winning goal against Bemidji State on February 16, 2013, which kept the Gophers' 2012-2013 season record unblemished and extended their NCAA record winning streak to (then) 40 games.

Jalosuo was also a stalwart blueliner for Finland in international play, representing her home country at the senior level for 12 years.  She earned a bronze medal in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, also played in the 2014 Winter Olympics, and won five bronze medals in nine IIHF Women's World Championships.

As noted in the press release from SCSU, Jalosuo will be introduced at a press conference to be held at a later date to be announced.  It will be streamed on the St. Cloud State Athletics YouTube page.

Congratulations and good luck, Mira!!  We look forward to seeing you this fall!!

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Huber, Hemp, Mlynkova all selected in 2025 PWHL Entry Draft

Following last month's announcement of their eligibility for the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft, Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Peyton Hemp, Ella Huber, and Natalie Mlynkova are all "draftees" after their names were called at the event last night (Tuesday, June 24) at the Hard Rock Live inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, Ontario.

Huber was the first of the Gopher contingent selected, being picked 10th overall by the Boston Fleet in the 2nd Round.  Mlynkova went just two picks later, chosen 12th overall by the Montréal Victoire.  Hemp made it three-for-three when she was selected 29th overall, going in Round 4 to the Ottawa Charge.

We congratulate all three on their selections and wish them the best in their new endeavors!!  We will continue to watch for signing updates as the off-season progresses.

The full PWHL Entry Draft results are available here.

Wethington named Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship recipient

Graduating Gopher Women's Hockey forward Audrey Wethington has been named one of thirty-six 2025 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients – two from each of the 18 member institutions – as announced by the conference yesterday.

As noted in the press release, the honorees will each be awarded a $7,500 scholarship, based primarily on academic achievements.  Each school developed its own on-campus selection process when awarding scholarships.  Student-athletes must have maintained at least a 3.2 grade-point average (GPA), demonstrated leadership qualities, served as an excellent role model and intended to continue their academic work beyond their baccalaureate degree at a graduate degree program.  The Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship will be used to pay expenses of the student’s postgraduate education to include such related activities as research and teaching, as well as other expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board, required course-related supplies and books. To retain the scholarship, the recipient must be accepted into a full-time graduate degree program within three years from the fall semester after selection.

Congratulations on this honor, Audrey!!

GWH alumna Savannah Norcross rejoins PWHL's NY Sirens

In addition to last night's PWHL selections, we send a shout-out to another Gopher Women's Hockey alumna who has signed in the league.

Savannah Norcross inked a one-year Standard Player Agreement with the New York Sirens on Saturday, rejoining the club after playing 22 games last season (combined regular & post-season) with Luleå HF of the SDHL in Sweden, tallying eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points..

Norcross previously played with (then) PWHL New York in the 2023-2024 season, recording one assist in 20 appearances.  Prior to that, she posted a combined 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points over two seasons with the Gophers.

WCHA: Idalski leaves St. Cloud State to coach PWHL Vancouver

After three seasons as head coach of the St. Cloud State Women's Hockey team, Brian Idalski was hired to be the first head coach of the expansion PWHL Vancouver club, as announced Monday.

Under Idalski, SCSU went 50-50-9, recorded three of its eight highest single-season win totals in program history – including tying their record with 18 in 2022-2023, and twice set program records for most league standings points.  He was named USCHO National Coach of the Year and co-WCHA Coach of the Year in 2022-2023, and was a finalist for CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) National Coach of the Year.

Prior to his time in St. Cloud, Idalski won two ZhHL titles in three years between 2019 and 2022 as head coach of the KRS Vanke Rays in China, and served as head coach of the Chinese Olympic Women’s Hockey Team for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.  In the collegiate ranks, he led the University of North Dakota Women's Hockey team to a 169-156-39 record over 10 seasons and Wisconsin-Stevens Point to a 108-21-11 record over five years.

St. Cloud State indicated they would "immediately begin the process" to fill their head coaching vacancy, but provided no further details.  We will share any updates as they become available.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Friday, June 20, 2025

PPC Board of Directors Meeting – Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.

We provide another reminder that the next Power Play Club Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.  The meeting will be held online via Zoom and is open to all club members who were enrolled for the 2024-2025 season; please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.

Gopher Women's Hockey 2025-2026 schedule released!!

The Gopher Women's Hockey team announced its 2025-2026 season schedule on Wednesday, beginning the countdown to puck drop on Thursday, September 25 when they host the Boston College Eagles.  The full schedule can be found here.

In addition to the opening series against B.C. and the standard 28 games in WCHA conference play, Minnesota will head out to the East Coast for two more non-conference matchups: at Boston University on October 3 & 4, and at Sacred Heard on January 2 & 3.  We also note that the series at home against Ohio State is on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 & 19, and the six combined series against St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, and St. Thomas are all home-and-home weekends.

Additionally, it has also been announced that the Friday, November 14 contest against Bemidji State will be another Field Trip Day game with a 12 noon start time.  Registrations for elementary and middle school groups to attend this game for free will begin in August.

Power Play Club event schedule for 2025-2026

With the team's schedule release, we announce our 2025-2026 Power Play Club event calendar as set by the Board of Directors (though subject to change):

• Reception with the team & new player introduction – Friday, September 26 in the Ridder Arena main lobby following the game with Boston College

• Chalk Talk – Saturday, November 15 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. Bemidji State)

• Chalk Talk – Saturday, January 10 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. Minnesota State)

• Chalk Talk – Saturday, February 21 at 12:30 p.m. (prior to GWH vs. MN Duluth)

Chalk Talks will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, upstairs across the hall from the suites and press area.

Our Locker Sponsor Gathering is scheduled for the morning of January 10 before the game against the Mavericks (and also preceding the Chalk Talk); details will be shared later.  The date of our annual Brunch with the Coaches is still to be determined as we verify the availability of the visiting coach; note that this is an extra-fee event.

Morrow, Wethington named Academic All-District honorees

Gopher defender Sydney Morrow and forward Audrey Wethington were two of twelve U. of M. student-athletes earning spots on the 2024-2025 Academic All-District Men's and Women's At-Large Teams, as announced by the College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.

As noted in the press release from the university, nominees must have met the following criteria to be considered for a CSC Academic All-District Team:

• Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and must be enrolled at their institution at the time of nomination either as undergraduates or graduate students.

• Student-athletes who have graduated from their own institution during the current academic year and are not competing in athletics at another institution at the time of nomination are eligible.

• An undergraduate student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), while a graduate student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as both an undergraduate and a grad student unless they are in their first semester as a graduate student and don't have an established graduate GPA.

• Each nominee must have also competed in a certain number of games/matches/tournaments this year, depending on the sport.

As All-District honorees, Morrow, Wethington, and the others are now eligible for selection to CSC Academic All-America teams.  First-, second- and third-team CSC Academic All-America honorees will be announced on July 8 for the women and July 9 for the men.

Congratulations, Sydney and Audrey!!

GWH alumna Courtney Kennedy, current coach Greg May named to U.S. U18 Women's National Team coaching staff

Catching up on news from earlier this month, we send congratulations and best wishes to two more members of the Gopher Women's Hockey family.

USA Hockey named Gopher alumna Courtney Kennedy head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team, and named current GWH associate head coach Greg “Boom” May as one of Kennedy's assistants.

After playing for the Gophers from 1998 to 2001, Kennedy spent 17 seasons on the coaching staff at Boston College, including 12 years as associate head coach, and most recently served as the skills coach of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet.  She has also served as assistant coach for the 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team, the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, and four U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Teams (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).

May will be making his debut coaching in international competition.

“March On to Victory” campaign concludes next Tuesday (6/24); Gopher Loyalty Program giving deadline on June 30

We again thank everyone who has contributed to the March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign from the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department, supporting each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund.  We especially show appreciation to those who contributed to the Gopher Women's Hockey program as part of this campaign.  We also provide a reminder that the campaign concludes this coming Tuesday, June 24.

Links:

• “March On to Victory” campaign main page

• Gopher Women's Hockey giving page

On a separate but highly-related note, Monday, June 30 is the giving deadline for donations to count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program's member levels and their associated rewards for the 2025-2026 season.  As we previously shared, rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level.  “March On to Victory” campaign donations and previous gifts made since Nov. 1, 2024 – such as 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal contributions – all qualify toward rewards.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Tuesday, June 10, 2025

PWHL Expansion Draft update:
GWH alum Boreen picked by Vancouver, Brown by Seattle

Two Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae were among the 14 selections made in the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft last night as the league's new teams in Vancouver and Seattle broadened their rosters to 12 players apiece.

Abby Boreen will join her third club in three seasons next year after PWHL Vancouver made her the 5th pick overall in the Expansion Draft, the team's third pick.  Boreen played a part-time schedule in 2023-2024 with PWHL Minnesota, appearing in 14 games (regular and postseason).  Required to go through the subsequent 2024 Entry Draft, she was selected by the Montréal Victoire and played the full 2024-2025 season with them (34 games).  Over the two years combined, including postseason play, she has 20 points on 10 goals & 10 assists.

Emily Brown was selected as the final overall pick of the Expansion Draft by PWHL Seattle after playing two seasons for PWHL Boston / the Boston Fleet.  Over a combined 61 games (regular and postseason), she has 10 points on 2 goals and 8 assists.

Five other Gopher alumnae will remain with their 2024-2025 teams: Hannah Brandt with the Fleet and Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein & Grace Zumwinkle with the Minnesota Frost.  Heise and Stecklein were named as two of the Frost's protected players in the expansion process, and Brandt, Pannek, and Zumwinkle went unselected in last night's Expansion Draft.

The full list of players selected in the PWHL Expansion Draft is available here, and last week's expansion team exclusive signing announcements are available on the league's news page.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Monday, June 9, 2025

PPC Board of Directors Meeting – Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.

The next Power Play Club Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.  The meeting will be held online via Zoom and is open to all club members who were enrolled for the 2024-2025 season; please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.

St. Thomas to host 2026 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Thursday that the University of St. Thomas will host the 2026 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff at the new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena the weekend of March 5 through 7, 2026 (with exact dates to be announced).

As previously announced, the new facility on the UST campus in St. Paul will open Friday, October 24.  The league's tentative regular-season schedule has the Gophers getting their first look at the arena in December in their final series of calendar 2025.

The first three WCHA championship tournaments were held at neutral site locations (Bloomington, Rochester & Blaine).  Since then, the U. of M. hosted the event at Ridder Arena on 17 occasions, Minnesota Duluth has hosted 3 times (including last year), North Dakota hosted it twice and Bemidji State once.  This will be St. Thomas' first time as the host institution.

PWHL Expansion Draft – TONIGHT (June 9) at 7:30 p.m. CT

The PWHL Expansion Draft for the league's new teams in Vancouver and Seattle is scheduled for tonight – Monday, June 9 – at 7:30 p.m. Central Time.  It will be streamed on thepwhl.com and on the league's YouTube page.

Both Vancouver and Seattle have reached their limit of 5 pre-draft signings during last week's exclusivity period, selecting players from all six existing teams.  Tonight's draft will feature seven rounds (14 players) to enlarge the new squad rosters to 12 players apiece.

Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Taylor Heise and Lee Stecklein were among the initial protectees named by the Minnesota Frost last Tuesday (June 3).  Seven other Gopher alums are unprotected and eligible for selection tonight, including active players Abby Boreen (MTL), Hannah Brandt (BOS), Emily Brown (BOS), Kelly Pannek (MIN), and Grace Zumwinkle (MIN), and 2024 Entry Draft selections Amanda Kessel & Madeline Wethington.  We will share updates on our social media accounts as they come through.

We also provide a reminder that recent GWH graduates Peyton Hemp, Ella Huber, and Natalie Mlynkova were named to the PWHL's 2025 Entry Draft eligibility list, with that event still to come on Tuesday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT at Hard Rock Live inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, Ontario.

First two dates, locations set for Fall 2025 Rivalry Series

The first two games of the Fall 2025 Rivalry Series between the women's national teams of Canada and the United States have been scheduled, with tickets now on sale.

The Americans will host the two contests, coming Thursday, November 6, at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH, and Saturday, November 8, at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY.  Tickets for both games are now on sale and can be purchased via links on the USA Hockey's Rivalry Series page.

Two more games hosted by Hockey Canada are tentatively planned for December, but no details are available at this time.  We will pass those along as they are announced.

Lidl Hockey Games (Euro Hockey Tour) in November – Meanwhile, the national teams from Czechia, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland will also be in action as the Swedes host the Lidl Hockey Games, part of the Euro Hockey Tour.  Games will be played November 5, 7 & 8 at Catena Arena in the city of Ängelholm.  Tickets are on sale here.

Announcement of 2026 Women's Worlds details postponed

As reported last week both on CBC.ca and by the Sports Business Journal, the IIHF's announcement of the location and exact dates of the 2026 Women's World Championship top division tournament has been postponed until the organization's semi-annual congress October 3-4.

IIHF Women’s Committee Chair Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer said in April that “March to early April for the women’s championship is in the IIHF bylaws,” also indicating that the August 2022 tournament held in Denmark after that year's Olympic Winter Games was a one-off event.  But scheduling concerns have been raised by the PWHL regarding holding a second major international tournament so soon after next February's 2026 Winter Olympics.

As always, we will pass along any updates as they become available.

“March On to Victory” fundraising campaign continues

The March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign from the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department, supporting each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund, has just over two weeks remaining.  The campaign continues through Tuesday, June 24.

We thank everyone who has contributed to this campaign to-date.  As of 8:15 p.m. last night (Sunday, June 8), over $3,700 had been raised to support the Gopher Women's Hockey program!!

Links:

• “March On to Victory” campaign main page

• Gopher Women's Hockey giving page

All gifts made through June 30 count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program's member levels and their associated rewards for the 2025-2026 season.  Rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level.  This includes donations made as part of the “March On to Victory” campaign and previous contributions made since Nov. 1, 2024, such as: 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal donations.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online atwww.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X atx.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics atgophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X atx.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Sunday, June, 1, 2025

PPC Board of Directors Meeting – Tuesday, June 3 at 7 p.m.

The next Power Play Club Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, June 3 at 7 p.m.  The primary topic will be PPC membership levels and their minimum donation amounts for the 2025-2026 season, potentially including incorporating NIL donations through Dinkytown Athletes.  The meeting will be held online via Zoom and is open to all club members who were enrolled for the 2024-2025 season; please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.

Minnesota Frost, five GWH alumnae repeat as PWHL Champions

The Minnesota Frost defeated the Ottawa Charge three games to one in the 2025 PWHL Finals this past Monday (May 26) to repeat as Walter Cup champions after claiming the league's inaugural title last year.  After dropping the first game of the best-of-five series 2-1 in overtime, the Frost responded with three overtime victories of their own, all by 2-1 scores.

We first send congratulations to the four Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae playing for the Frost: Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle!  Stecklein led the league in playoff scoring this season with 8 points on 4 goals and 4 assists; Heise tallied 7 points on a goal & 6 helpers; Pannek added 2 goals and 3 assists, including the opening goal in the clinching Finals Game 4 victory; and Zumwinkle dished out 3 assists.

We also congratulate another GWH alumna, Frost assistant coach Mira Jalosuo, who has been a member of their staff for both seasons!

PWHL expansion process starts Tuesday – With the completion of the 2024-2025 PWHL season, attention quickly turns to 2025-2026.  As previously reported, the process for setting the rosters for the new PWHL expansion teams in Vancouver and Seattle begins this Tuesday, June 3, with the noon ET deadline for the existing six clubs to set their initial lists of three protected players apiece.  Vancouver and Seattle will then have between Wednesday, June 4 at 9 a.m. ET and next Sunday, June 8 at 5 p.m. ET to sign a maximum of five players each, with any unprotected player or any player on an expiring contract eligible to be signed.  After that, the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft will take place the evening of Monday, June 9, at 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT, with the new clubs each filling their roster to 12 players.

We are still awaiting coverage details for the Expansion Draft.  We will share that information plus any GWH alumna announcements on our social media accounts as they become available.

Graham named Lindahl Academic Center
Student-Athlete of Month for May

We send a shout-out to GWH defender Gracie Graham, who was named yesterday as one of two Student-Athletes of the Month for May by the Lindahl Academic Center at the U. of M.  Congratulations, Gracie!!

IIHF sets schedules for lower-tier 2026 Women's World tournaments, but Top Division event remains TBA

The follow-up report from the recently-concluded IIHF Annual Congress, held this year in Stockholm, Sweden, listed the dates and locations of the six lower-tier 2026 Women's World Championship tournaments, but conspicuously omitted any announcement as to the same for the Top Division event.
 
Here's a list of those lower-tier tournaments with the teams participating.  Host nations are indicated in bold typeface.

• Division I, Group A – China, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovakia

• Division I, Group B – Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain

• Division II, Group A – Australia, Chinese Taipei, Iceland, North Korea, Poland, Slovenia

• Division II, Group B – Belgium, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Ukraine

• Division III, Group A – Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Thailand, Turkiye

• Division III, Group B – Bosnia & Herzegovina, Estonia, Israel, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa

As reported last month, the Top Division 2026 IIHF Women's World Championship is expected to be held next April, putting it only two months after the Olympic Winter Games.  Teams participating in the World Championship include Austria, Czechia, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States in Group A, and Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, and Sweden in Group B.

“March On to Victory” fundraising campaign continues

 The March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign from the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department, supporting each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund, is approaching its halfway mark.  The campaign continues through Tuesday, June 24.

As of 8:30 p.m. last night (Saturday, May 31), Gopher Women's Hockey remained with the third-highest amount raised for any of the individual programs!!

Links:

• “March On to Victory” campaign main page

• Gopher Women's Hockey giving page

All gifts made through June 30, including those given as part of the “March On to Victory” campaign, count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program's member levels and their associated rewards for the 2025-2026 season.  Rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level.  Previous contributions made since Nov. 1, 2024 – including 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal donations – count toward '25-'26 Gopher Loyalty Program rewards.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online atwww.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X atx.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics atgophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X atx.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Friday, May 23, 2025

WCHA releases preliminary league schedule for 2025-2026

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Wednesday its preliminary 2025-2026 league schedule of all 112 contests between the eight member schools.

Minnesota's conference home opener is scheduled for the weekend of October 10 & 11 against St. Cloud State.  The Gophers will get their first look at the new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in December, wrapping up the unofficial first half of the season.  League action resumes January 9 & 10 against Minnesota State, and the regular-season concludes February 20 & 21 with Senior Weekend at Ridder Arena against Minnesota Duluth.

As noted in the press release, the schedule is subject to change and all game times are to be announced.  In his meeting with the Power Play Club's Board of Directors earlier this month, GWH head coach Brad Frost indicated that some of the series may be switched to home-and-home weekends.

St. Thomas announces opening date of Anderson Arena

The University of St. Thomas announced Tuesday that the new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena will open Friday, October 24 as both their women's and men's hockey teams host the Providence College Friars in non-conference play.  Game times are to be announced later this summer.

Gophers L. Hemp, Jordan attend USA Hockey goaltending camp, Coach Scott attends national women's coaching academy

Catching up on other Gopher Women's Hockey news, we give shout-outs to three members of the GWH family attending a pair of national events over the past eight days.

Incoming Minnesota freshman netminder Layla Hemp (right) and junior transfer Molly Jordan attended USA Hockey's National Goaltending Camp last week (May 15-17) at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.  Hemp was one of 24 invited goaltenders (12 men & 12 women), while Jordan was one of 12 female defenders selected to participate.  We congratulate both on these invitations!!

Meanwhile, we also recognize GWH assistant coach Jessica Scott's acceptance to and participation at the NCAA Academy 2.0 conference held earlier this week in Denver.  The conference is the next level of training for past graduates of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy, and is co-sponsored by WeCOACH Sports.

Three Gophers named in PWHL Entry Draft eligibility list, league announces Expansion & Entry Draft procedures

We send wishes of good luck to recent Gopher Women's Hockey graduates Peyton Hemp, Ella Huber, and Natalie Mlynkova, who were named last Thursday (May 15) to the PWHL's 2025 Entry Draft eligibility list.  The trio are among 117 forwards plus 56 defenders and 26 goaltenders on the list.  The 2025 PWHL Entry Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT at Hard Rock Live inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, Ontario.  The New York Sirens will pick first in the draft, but the full order of selection will be confirmed at a later date.

Meanwhile, the PWHL announced this past Monday (May 19) the "key dates, rules, and procedures for 2025 Expansion Rosters" for the league's new, incoming teams in Seattle and Vancouver.

Included in those regulations...

• The PWHL's existing six teams will have until Tuesday, June 3 at 12 noon ET to designate three players apiece from selection in the Exclusive Signing Window and the Expansion Draft, and they can each protect one additional player after relinquishing two.

• Between June 4 at 9 a.m. ET and June 8 at 5 p.m. ET, the expansion teams have an exclusive window to sign up to five players (with no minimum number).  Any unprotected player or any player on an expiring contract is eligible to be signed.

• The 2025 Expansion Draft will be held on Monday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Seattle and Vancouver selecting a minimum of seven players apiece until each has reached a 12-player roster.  Players eligible to be selected consist of unprotected players under contract for the 2025-2026 season or those whose playing rights are held through the 2025-2026 season (2024 Entry Draft selections).  The order in which the two teams will make their selections and coverage details are to be announced.

“March On to Victory” fundraising campaign – through June 24

The March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign from the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department, supporting each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund, continues through Tuesday, June 24.

We thank everyone who has contributed to this campaign to-date.  As of 8:15 p.m. last night (Thursday, May 22), Gopher Women's Hockey had the third-highest amount raised for any of the individual programs!!

Links:

• “March On to Victory” campaign main page

• Gopher Women's Hockey giving page

All gifts made through June 30, including those given as part of the “March On to Victory” campaign, count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program's member levels and their associated rewards for the 2025-2026 season.  Rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level.  Previous contributions made since Nov. 1, 2024 – including 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal donations – count toward '25-'26 Gopher Loyalty Program rewards.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online atwww.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X atx.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics atgophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X atx.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Minnesota announces signing of transfer Sarah Paul

The Gopher Women's Hockey team and head coach Brad Frost announced Friday (May 9) the signing of transfer Sarah Paul to the roster as a senior forward for 2025-2026.

Paul has scored 64 career points (46g, 18a) in 70 career games at Princeton University, earning All-ECAC Second Team and Second Team All-Ivy honors last season following a 36-point (28g, 8a) performance.  She was also named ECAC Forward of the Week on January 28.  During her freshman season, she was selected to the ECAC All-Academic Team.  Paul was a member of Canada's U18 National Team at the 2020 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship, and was named to Canada's National Development Team in 2022.

Paul is the ninth member of the 2025-2026 GWH signing class, joining six incoming freshmen – defender Sydney Bailey, forward Sienna D'Alessandro, forward Bella Fanale, goaltender Layla Hemp, forward Avery Hovland, and forward Tereza Plosova – and fellow transfers Jamie Nelson (F) & Molly Jordan (D).

We send a warm welcome to Sarah, and we look forward to seeing her in Maroon & Gold this fall!!

“March On to Victory” fundraising campaign now underway

The U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department and Golden Gopher Fund have launched the March On to Victory Spring fundraising campaign, which began yesterday (Monday, May 12) and runs through Tuesday, June 24.

The campaign spans separate funds for each of the 19 Gopher varsity athletics teams, the Spirit Squads, and the department-wide Golden Gopher Fund.  With regards to Gopher Women's Hockey...

Gopher Women’s Hockey is one of the most storied programs in NCAA history, consistently competing at the highest level and setting the standard for excellence both on and off the ice.  Our student-athletes exemplify resilience, commitment, and determination; qualities that define Minnesota hockey.  The March On to Victory Campaign is focused on building the future of Gopher Women’s Hockey, ensuring our athletes have the resources they need to continue our tradition of success.  Your support will enhance critical aspects of the program, from state-of-the-art training and recovery facilities to scholarship opportunities and recruiting efforts that will allow us to continue bringing in top talent.  With your help, we will continue to lead the nation and remain a force in collegiate hockey.

Why Your Support Matters: When you invest in Gopher Women’s Hockey, you’re investing in championship-level performance, both on the ice and in the classroom.  Your generosity will provide our student-athletes with the tools, resources, and support they need to win titles and represent Minnesota with pride.  Go Gophers!

Links:

• “March On to Victory” campaign main page

• Gopher Women's Hockey giving page

Note that all gifts made through the end of June, including those given as part of the “March On to Victory” campaign, count toward the Gopher Loyalty Program and its rewards for the 2025-2026 season.  Rewards include Ridder Arena Club Room access at the $1,000 combined giving level.  Previous contributions – including 2024-2025 Power Play Club basic membership & locker sponsorships, Give to the Max Day 2024 giving, and '24-'25 Goals for a Goal donations – count toward '25-'26 Gopher Loyalty Program rewards.  However, future gifts donated between July 1 and October 31, 2025, will only be considered as historical giving for 2026-2027 rewards.

We thank you for your consideration of this effort!!

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X at x.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X at x.com/GopherWHockey.