Power Play Club email address change on next message
As mentioned last week, the Power Play Club will be reverting to its previous powerplayclub1@gmail.com email address, with that change expected on our next message – though the timing of that message is dependent on future team and club news.
Again, please make sure to add powerplayclub1@gmail.com to the safe senders list in your own account.
PPC Board of Directors meeting – Wednesday, May 6 at 7 pm
We also reiterate that the next meeting of the Power Play Club's Board of Directors is scheduled for next Wednesday evening, May 6, at 7 p.m. online via Zoom. This will be the board's first meeting with new Gopher Women's Hockey head coach Greg "Boom" May, and the discussion will include his vision for team along with fundraising objectives.
Board meetings are open to all club members enrolled in the past season, including those in either the Locker Sponsor or Base Membership tiers. Please contact PPC president Bill Johnson (billjohnson013@gmail.com) or vice president Dave Malerich (dmalerich@yahoo.com) if you wish to attend.
GWH season tickets on sale!! Renewal deadline May 7!!
And we also again mention that season tickets for the 30th year of Univ. of Minnesota Golden Gopher Women's Hockey are on sale now, with last season's ticket holders having until Thursday, May 7 to renew their seats.
New season tickets can be purchased at z.umn.edu/b711, and renewal orders can be placed at z.umn.edu/b712. Thank you for your support!!
GWH alumna Courtney Kennedy, coach Boom May
to continue as U.S. U-18 National Team coaches
USA Hockey announced last Friday, April 24, that Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Courtney Kennedy will remain the head coach of the U.S. U-18 National Team for the 2026–2027 season, with current GWH head coach Greg "Boom" May continuing as one of her assistant coaches.
Kennedy, recently also named as head coach of the Merrimack College Warriors, led the U.S. U-18 Team to an unblemished 6-0 record and the gold medal at the 2026 IIHF U-18 Women's World Championship. She's also been an assistant coach for the U-18 team at five previous World Championships and was an assistant for the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team.
May served as an assistant coach under Kennedy at the 2026 tournament, his first involvement with USA Hockey.
We send our congratulations and best wishes to both!!
May joins pair of podcasts – Meanwhile, in his full-time role as the new head coach, Boom May joined a pair of podcasts in the past week to discuss Gopher Women's Hockey. We provide YouTube links here, but you can also listen in on your favorite podcast platform...
GWH alumnae Pannek, Heise finish atop PWHL scoring list as 2025-2026 regular season concludes, playoffs approach
Minnesota Frost forwards Kelly Pannek & Taylor Heise not only led Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae in PWHL scoring for the 2025-2026 regular season, but led the entire league, becoming the first two players to reach the 30-point mark for a single campaign!
Pannek finished as the PWHL's scoring champion with 33 points, netting a league-high 16 goals while dishing out 17 assists. Heise lit the lamp 13 times and also recorded 17 helpers.
Summarizing all the PWHL scoring by GWH alumnae...
Kelly Pannek, Minnesota Frost – 16g, 17a, 33 points
Taylor Heise, Minnesota Frost – 13g, 17a, 30 points
Grace Zumwinkle, Minnesota Frost – 13g, 10a, 23 points
Lee Stecklein, Minnesota Frost – 1g, 13a, 14 points
Natálie Mlýnková, Montréal Victoire – 5g, 5a, 10 points
Abby Boreen, Vancouver Goldeneyes – 4g, 5a, 9 points
Peyton Hemp, Ottawa Charge – 2g, 7a, 9 points
Ella Huber, Boston Fleet – 4g, 2a, 6 points
Emily Brown, Seattle Torrent – 4a, 4 points
Hannah Brandt, Boston Fleet – 3a, 3 points
Savannah Norcross, New York Sirens – 1g, 1a, 2 points
We also send a shout-out to Olivia Knowles of the New York Sirens, who appeared in 3 games but did not record a point.
Walter Cup Playoffs: (1) Montréal vs. (3) Minnesota, (2) Boston vs. (4) Ottawa – Meanwhile, four of the eight teams have advanced to the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs. The Montréal Victoire finished atop the regular-season standings and chose the 3rd-seeded Minnesota Frost as their semifinal opponent; their best-of-5 series begins this Saturday, May 2, in Montréal. The #2 Boston Fleet will face the 4th-seeded Ottawa Charge in the other semifinal series starting tomorrow, Thursday, April 30, in Boston.
We wish good luck to the eight Gopher alums on those teams: Hannah Brandt (BOS), Taylor Heise (MIN), Peyton Hemp (OTT), Ella Huber (BOS), Natálie Mlýnková (MTL), Kelly Pannek (MIN), Lee Stecklein (MIN), and Grace Zumwinkle (MIN).
Editor's Note: Have information about a Gopher alumna playing elsewhere? We want to know!! Send us details at powerplayclub1@gmail.com.
Copyright © 2026 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.