The Penalty Box Post
Friday, September 10th
Save the date: Preseason Chalk Talk – Sept. 21 at 4 pm
The Minnesota Women's Hockey season is fast approaching, but there are a number of changes to the team. Given that, we're providing an opportunity to hear from Coach Brad Frost and his staff at a preseason Chalk Talk on Tuesday, September 21, at 4 p.m. as the team prepares for action.
This will be an online event via Zoom. We will be publishing the event link soon via an upcoming issue of the Penalty Box Post and on our social media accounts. We encourage you to join us as we get ready for the puck to drop on the 25th season of Gopher Women's Hockey!!
Locker Sponsorship registration open!
We provide a reminder that registration for the Power Play Club's Locker Sponsorship program is open for the 2021-2022 season! With a club membership at the Locker Sponsor level, your name is posted on a nameplate next to a player's or coach's locker. A minimum $600 donation (per locker) is required, though any amount over and above that is encouraged. Additional sponsors are needed for us to reach our goal this season of having two sponsorships for each player's and coach's locker. If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.
Registration at our Basic Membership level will be opening soon. Thanks for your patience.
Gophers add graduate transfer Arkell for 2021-2022 season
The Minnesota Women's Hockey team announced the signing of a second transfer player. Stillwater, MN, native Olivia Arkell joins the Gophers as a graduate transfer for the 2021-2022 season after playing four years for coaches Natalie Darwitz and Jake Bobrowski at Hamline University.
Arkell was solid on the blueline for the Pipers, recording 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points in 74 games. In 2019-2020, she tallied 6 goals and 16 assists while posting a +33 plus-minus rating and earning honors as a CCM/AHCA All-American Second Team selection. Arkell has also earned recognition for her work in the classroom, being named to the MIAC All-Academic Team in 2020-2021.
Welcome, Olivia!! We look forward to seeing you playing for the Gophers!!
GWH schedule updated & initial PPC event list set
The Minnesota Women's Hockey schedule has been updated with some notable changes as we approach the opener three weeks from today, Friday, October 1.
Most notably, the two series against Minnesota State-Mankato and the two series against St. Thomas have all been changed to home-and-home weekends, with the games as follows:
Minnesota State games
Fri., Oct. 15 at 6pm at Ridder Arena
Sat., Oct. 16 at 4pm in Mankato
Fri., Jan. 14 at 6pm in Mankato
Sat., Jan. 15 at 4pm at Ridder
St. Thomas games
Sat., Jan. 8 at 2pm at Ridder Arena
Sun., Jan. 9 at 2pm at UST
Thur., Feb. 17 at 7pm at UST
Sat., Feb. 19 at 4pm at Ridder
Most games, home and away, now have times set for puck drop. As always, these are subject to change; please reference the schedule on GopherSports.com for the latest information.
PPC board sets initial events list – The Power Play Club Board of Directors set an initial list of events for the 2021-2022 Gopher Women's Hockey season.
Chalk Talk - Saturday, November 13 at 2:30pm (prior to Gophers vs. RIT)
Chalk Talk - Saturday, December 11 at 2:30pm (prior to Gophers vs. UMD)
Brunch with the Coaches - Saturday, January 8 - Time TBA
Chalk Talk - Saturday, February 5 at 2:30pm (prior to Gophers vs. BSU)
Locations for these events are to be determined and will be announced as each event approaches.
The board also made the following event decisions at its meeting earlier this week:
A Ridder Arena tour is in the planning stage, and could occur as soon as the season's opening weekend against Ohio State. We will share more details as this gets finalized.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, in-person events with the players – including the postgame reception following the first home series of the season – will not be held this year. We thank you for your understanding.
An online auction featuring Gopher Women's Hockey gear and memorabilia is planned this season. This will be held in place of an in-person silent auction this year. More details will be shared as they are finalized.
Brown, Hemp earn WCHA preseason honors
Gophers ranked third in league's preseason coaches poll
The WCHA announced its preseason honors yesterday, with two Minnesota Women's Hockey players receiving recognition from the league.
Gopher freshman Peyton Hemp was one of three players selected as Co-Preseason Rookie of the Year. She was joined by Wisconsin's Marianne Picard and Sarah Wozniewicz, each earning two votes from the conference coaches. Fellow Gopher newcomers Emma Connor and Skylar Vetter each received one vote.
Fifth-year Gopher captain Emily Brown was again named to the Preseason All-WCHA Team, and was joined by Wisconsin's Daryl Watts, Sophie Shirley & Grace Bowlby, Ohio State's Andrea Braendli, and Minnesota-Duluth's Gabbie Hughes. Fellow Gophers Taylor Heise, Olivia Knowles and Amy Potomak were among other players receiving votes.
Watts was named WCHA Preseason Player of the Year, with 3 votes. Heise was second with 2 votes, while Shirley, Hughes, and Braedli earned one vote apiece.
In the Preseason Coaches Poll, Minnesota slotted into the #3 spot, earning 37 voting points. Wisconsin took the top spot with 49 points and 7 first-place votes. Ohio State was picked second with 40 points and one first-place vote. Following the Gophers, Minnesota Duluth came in fourth (34 points), followed by Minnesota State (25), a tie between Bemidji State and St. Cloud State (16 each), and St. Thomas (7).
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Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at www.gophersports.com. You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on Twitter at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.