October 21, 2021

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 20, 2021

October 21, 2021

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 20th

“Goals for a Goal” returns for 2021-2022!

The Power Play Club and the Golden Gophers Fund invite you to pledge your support to Gopher Women’s Hockey through the “Goals for a Goal” campaign.

Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score. This year, the goal count will include both the regular season and postseason. We are also providing the option for you to double your pledge for power play goals! Over the last five years the team has averaged 122 goals per season, and the team is already at 19 goals (4 on the power play) through its first six games this year.

Your donation will support the team's participation in a tournament in Las Vegas next season.

Make your pledge online, or download this form and mail it in to the Golden Gopher Fund.

After the postseason, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions. All contributions are tax-deductible donations to the Golden Gopher Fund.

Go Gophers!

#4/5 Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-3-0, 3-3-0-0 in WCHA)
at #3/3 Colgate University Raiders (8-0-0, 0-0-0 in ECAC)

Friday and Saturday, October 22 & 23
Both games at 2:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. CT
Class of 1965 Arena, Hamilton, NY

After six WCHA contests to open the season, the Minnesota Women's Hockey team heads to upstate New York for a non-conference, top-five matchup against the Colgate University Raiders. The teams will play a Friday-Saturday matinee series on October 22 & 23, with both games starting at 2:00 p.m.ET / 1:00 p.m. CT at the Class of 1965 Arena in the village of Hamilton.

Follow the Gophers – Video web streaming of the games at Colgate is available through the ESPN+ subscription service. Free, live audio is also available on Gophersports.com (Friday and Saturday), as are live stats (Friday and Saturday).

Last time against the Raiders – Minnesota and Colgate faced each other on the opening weekend of the 2019-2020 regular season at Ridder Arena. Madeline Wethington went end-to-end in the first period, lighting the lamp with her first collegiate goal to put the Gophers up 1-0. Sarah Potomak doubled the lead in the second stanza, burying a feed from Taylor Wente, and Alex Gulstene & Sydney Scobee combined for 14 saves for a 2-0 win. Taylor Heise, Olivia Knowles, and Grace Zumwinkle tallied in the first period of the rematch, Potomak and Emily Brown extended the lead in the second frame, and Heise, Knowles, and Zumwinkle each scored again in the third. Colgate's Malia Schneider broke up Minnesota's shutout bid with less than 3 minutes remaining, but the Gophers claimed the series sweep with an 8-1 victory. Scobee made another 17 saves. Heise and Potomak each posted 4 points in the series, adding two assists apiece to their respective two goals, while Zumwinkle also dished out an assist to tally three points on the weekend. Colgate netminders Liz Auby and Alexa Dobchuk combined for 66 saves in the series.

Analyzing Colgate – With the Ivy League schools and RPI cancelling their 2020-2021 seasons due to the pandemic, the Raiders won the four-team ECAC regular-season championship with a .611 points percentage, going 8-4-0 in 12 conference games with 2 of the wins coming in overtime. They also went 5-2-1 in eight games considered non-conference (though six of those were against Clarkson). They went on to claim the ECAC Tournament Championship with wins over Quinnipiac (2-1) and St. Lawrence (3-2), but fell to Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Quarterfinals, 1-0 in overtime.

Colgate has opened 2021-2022 with 8-straight non-conference victories, sweeping RIT, Mercyhurst & Syracuse from the CHA and Hockey East's Vermont. They have outscored their opponents 50-9 over those eight games, with six of their goals coming on the power play and one scored shorthanded. Currently they hold the #3 ranking in both national polls.

The Raiders feature three players who have already reached double-digit points. Junior Danielle Serdachny (#9) leads the team in total scoring with 17 points on six goals and 11 assists. Sophomore Kalty Kaltounkova (#98) is tied for the goal-scoring lead, lighting the lamp 7 times, while dishing out 9 assists for 16 points. Junior transfer Dara Greig (#77), who previously played for Wisconsin, also has 7 goals for Colgate so far this year while adding 8 assists for 15 points. Another trio of players – junior Sydney Bard (#11), freshman Katie Chan (#15), and senior Rosy Demers (#81) – each have 2 goals and 7 assists.

Sophomore Kayle Osborne (#31) has seen a majority of the Raiders' action between the pipes this season, posting one shutout, a 1.34 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in her 6 starts; she also played in all 23 of the team's games last season, starting 22 of them and earning 2 shutouts. Freshman Hannah Murphy (#83) has only yielded one goal in two full games for a 0.50 GAA and .955 SV%. Fellow freshman Averill McCorkle (#30) has yet to see any action.

Last weekend: Raiders sweep Syracuse – Colgate never trailed in their home-and-home series against the Orange, winning in Hamilton last Thursday night, 7-1, and completing the weekend sweep at Syracuse with a 5-2 victory on Saturday. Danielle Serdachny scored three goals in the series, Sammy Smigliani lit the lamp twice in the opener, and Dara Greig (1g, 3a) and Rosy Demers (4a) each recorded a 4-point weekend. Hannah Murphy started the series, stopping 14 of 15 shots, while Kayle Osborne made 15 saves in the rematch. Madison Primeau tallied two goals and an assist for Syracuse.

Gophers sweep Minnesota State – Minnesota's power play converted on 3 of 4 opportunities on Friday against the Mavericks at Ridder Arena; Madeline Wethington opened the scoring in the first period, Gracie Ostertag doubled the lead in the second stanza, and Taylor Heise extended it early in the third frame. That was all the Gophers needed, as Makayla Pahl started between the pipes and stopped all 14 shots on goal she faced for a 3-0 shutout victory. Moving to Mankato for the second game of the series, Ostertag netted her second PPG of the weekend, Savannah Norcross tallied her first goal as a Golden Gopher, and Peyton Hemp and Amy Potomak extended the Gopher lead to 4-0 early in the second period. MSU's Sydney Langseth and Kennedy Bobyck cut the Mavericks' deficit in half, but Potomak converted a steal into her second goal of the game and Emily Oden lit the lamp in the third stanza for a 6-2 victory and the series sweep. Pahl earned the win with 9 saves in two periods of work; Skylar Vetter entered for the final 20 minutes and stopped the two shots she faced. Minnesota State netminder Calla Frank made a combined 87 saves in the series. Ella Huber led all Gophers in total scoring, dishing out 4 assists over the weekend, Ostertag and Potomak each added an assist for 3-point series, and Madeline Wethington recorded 2 assists to go with her goal. Additionally, Emily Zumwinkle tallied her first collegiate point, assisting on Potomak's first goal.

Pahl earns Goaltender, Performance of the Week honors

Making her season debut this past weekend, GWH junior netminder Makayla Pahl stopped a combined 23 shots in 5 periods of action against Minnesota State including a 14-save shutout on Friday, posting a .920 save percentage and 1.21 goals-against average for the series. That earned her the honor as the WCHA Goaltender of the Week, the first such award of Pahl's collegiate career and also the first recognition of the season for any Gopher player. The conference followed that up by further recognizing Pahl's weekend showing as the Howie's Hockey Tape Performance of the Week. Congratulations, Makayla!!

Around the WCHA...

Recent action: St. Thomas defeated St. Cloud State on Friday, 3-2, for their second win of the season; Saskia Maurer stopped 39 of 41 shots and Megan Korzack scored the game-winning goal. But the Huskies earned two standings points of their own on Saturday, playing the Tommies to a 2-2 overtime tie and winning the subsequent shootout on a 7th-round goal from Allie Cornelius. UST's Anna Solheim led all players in the series with a goal and two assists.

Ohio State remained perfect on the season, sweeping Bemidji State 7-0 and 3-1 in Columbus, outshooting the Beavers by a combined 80-27. Gabby Rosenthal posted a natural hat trick on Friday and added a 4th goal on Saturday, while Jennifer Gardiner recorded two goals and three assists in the series. Taylor Nelson tallied the lone BSU goal of the weekend.

Makenna Webster lit the lamp twice as Wisconsin shut out Minnesota Duluth on Friday, 3-0. In Sunday's rematch, Anna Klein scored twice to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, Sarah Wozniewicz lit the lamp twice for the Badgers to knot the score 2-2 at the second intermission, and the teams exchanged third-period goals – with UMD's Elizabeth Giguere finding the back of the net twice to erase a pair of one-goal UW leads – to finish regulation tied 4-4. However, Casey O'Brien netted her 11th goal of the season 23 seconds into the extra period for a 5-4 Wisconsin victory.

Upcoming games – Bemidji State is in non-conference action, hosting Clarkson on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Four other WCHA teams are in Saturday-Sunday matinee series as Minnesota Duluth visits St. Thomas and Wisconsin hosts Ohio State; Sunday's OSU-UW contest can be seen live on Big Ten Network at 3 p.m. CT. Minnesota State and St. Cloud State are idle.

Copyright © 2021 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

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.

Power Play Club

October 13, 2021

Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Power Play Club

October 13, 2021

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 13th

Traffic alert Friday evening...

All fans coming to Friday's Gopher Women's Hockey game should note that automotive and pedestrian traffic will be high around the university as the Gopher Men's Hockey team is also in action, hosting in-state rival St. Cloud State at 3M Arena at Mariucci at 7:00 p.m. Please allow for extra travel and parking time before the women's game at Ridder Arena at 6:00 p.m.

#5/6 Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-3-0, 1-3-0-0 in WCHA)
vs. Minnesota State Mavericks (5-1-0, 1-1-0-0 in WCHA)

Friday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Ridder Arena

Saturday, October 16 at 4:00 p.m. CT
Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato

The Minnesota Women's Hockey team plays the first of six home-and-home series on its 2021-2022 schedule, facing the Minnesota State University Mavericks. Action begins on Friday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Ridder Arena, then shifts to Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato for the second game on Saturday, October 16 at 4:00 p.m.

Last year against the Mavericks – As schedules flexed due to COVID-19 restrictions and postponements, Minnesota and Minnesota State were able to schedule a home-and-home series last December. Starting at Ridder Arena, Abigail Boreen put the Gophers up 1-0 with a first-period goal, and that remained the score through the second intermission. Olivia Knowles doubled the advantage 2:21 into the third stanza, but Sydney Langseth pulled the Mavericks back within one at the 5:34 mark. However, Boreen netted her second goal of the game four minutes later, and Grace Zumwinkle and Taylor Heise both lit the lamp over the next 72 seconds. Lauren Bench made a total of 40 saves to preserve a 5-1 victory. The next day in Mankato, Audrey Wethington again gave the Gophers a first-period lead and Zumwinkle doubled it in the second frame. Brittyn Fleming got MSU on the board 29 seconds before the second intermission, but the Gopher defense held the Mavericks to 5 third-period shots on goal, with Makalya Pahl stopping all of them to earn a 2-1 win and the series sweep. Pahl made 18 saves in the contest. Mavericks goaltender Lauren Barbro stopped a combined 52 shots over the two games. Crystalyn Hengler dished out 3 assists in the series.

Analyzing Minnesota State – The Mavericks finished the abbreviated 2020-2021 season fifth in the WCHA standings with a 33.3% standings points percentage (20 points in 20 games), going 7-2-1-0 in 10 contests against Bemidji State and St. Cloud State, but 0-10-0-0 against Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. They have started the 2021-2022 campaign with a 5-1-0 record on two non-conference series sweeps and a split against Minnesota Duluth two weekends ago. With their recent results, MSU has been receiving votes in both national polls.

MSU's offense has clicked for the most part this season, scoring 29 goals in their 5 victories. Senior Brittyn Fleming (#19) leads the Mavericks in total scoring with 12 points on 3 goals and a team-high 9 assists. Junior Kelsey King (#10) went on a scoring tear last weekend (more on that momentarily); she has a team-leading 7 goals this year plus 3 assists for 10 points. Senior Brooke Bryant (#17) has lit the lamp 4 times while dishing out 2 assists, and Charlotte Akervik (#8) has 9 points on 2 goals and 7 assists.

In the net, junior Calla Frank (#77) leads Minnesota State; she is 4-1-0 this season despite a .865 save percentage and 3.39 goals-against average; entering the year, she was 12-18-4 in 34 career starts with 4 shutouts, a .911 SV% and 2.68 GAA. Sophomore Lauren Barbro (#37) is the primary backup; in her freshman season, she was 1-2-0 in 3 starts with one relief appearance, posting an .866 SV% and 3.57 GAA, and she stopped 27 shots with 3 goals allowed in her lone start to far this year. Sophomore Emerald Kelley (#55) is MSU's third goaltender, but she has yet to see any official action.

Last weekend: Mavericks sweep wild series vs. Lindenwood – Minnesota State found itself down 2-0 at the first intermission against Lindenwood last Friday afternoon in Mankato, but Kelsey King responded with a second-period natural hat trick to give the Mavs a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes. In the third stanza, King added an assist on Charlotte Akervik's goal before tallying her fourth of the game on a power play. Jessica Boland completed the scoring for a 6-2 victory, with Brittyn Fleming & Kennedy Bobyck each recording 3 assists. Saturday's rematch saw the Mavericks take a 5-1 lead through two periods; Clair Butorac lit the lamp twice, Fleming recorded a goal and an assist, and King tallied her 6th & 7th points of the series with a couple of helpers. However, the Lions roared back (pun intended) in the third period with 5-straight goals – including two by Sydney Rarick, a goal & an assist by Val Caldwell, and three assists from Sierra Burt – to go ahead 6-5 lead with 4:39 to play. But Sydney Langseth pulled Minnesota State even with 3:25 to go to force overtime, then won it for the Mavericks, scoring 1:02 into the extra period for the 7-6 decision. King was named WCHA Forward of the Week, while Alexis Paddington earned the Rookie of the Week honor with 2 assists. Calla Frank earned both wins in net for Minnesota State, making a combined 35 saves.

Gophers split with Minnesota Duluth, earn 4 points – In their first road test of the season, Minnesota took a 2-0 lead 20 minutes into its series at Minnesota Duluth; Audrey Wethington tipped home a shot by Peyton Hemp, then assisted on Ella Huber's first goal as a Golden Gopher later in the period. Elizabeth Giguere cut UMD's deficit in half in the second stanza, but the Gopher defense held firm in the third and Emily Oden launched a long shot that found the back of an empty net with 1:18 to play for a 3-1 Minnesota victory. The Gophers also got on the board first in Saturday's rematch when Taylor Heise scored just 39 seconds into the contest, but Gabbie Hughes scored twice on Bulldogs' power plays and Mannon McMahon lit the lamp with less than 20 seconds remaining in the period to give UMD a 3-1 lead at the first intermission. Anna Klein pushed the Minnesota Duluth lead to 4-1 just past the midway point of the second period, but Oden pulled the Gophers back within two just 27 seconds later. In the third, the Gophers put 20 shot on Bulldogs goaltender Emma Söderberg, with Abigail Boreen scoring to make a 4-3 contest with 3:38 left in regulation; Boreen then knotted the score with an extra attacker and 31.5 seconds on the clock to force overtime. But UMD controlled the puck for much of the extra period and Maggie Flaherty scored at the 2:09 mark to give the Bulldogs the 5-4 win and the split. Despite the result officially being a loss, Minnesota earned a standing point for taking the game to OT, giving them 4 points for the series. Boreen dished out an assist to go with her two goals, Hemp had three helpers on Saturday to give her 4 for the weekend, Heise also tallied a pair of assists to accompany her goal, and Lauren Bench made 42 saves in the series. For Minnesota Duluth, Hughes had an assist to go with her two goals, Giguere dished out 3 assists on Saturday accompanying her goal Friday, and Söderberg stopped 52 shots.

PWHPA All-Stars vs. U.S. National Team scrimmage update

As was announced on Saturday and shared in our Two-Minute Minor email on Monday, the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association has assembled the Secret® All-Star Team which will be scrimmaging against the U.S. National Team tomorrow, Friday, and Sunday (October 14, 15 & 17). Unfortunately, a report from the Ice Garden indicates that the scrimmages will be closed to the public and will not have any live streaming, though the PWHPA does plan on providing live updates on its Twitter account. Gopher alumnae Sarah Potomak and Sydney Scobee were named to the Secret® All-Star Team, while Megan Bozek, Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Amanda Kessel, Abbey Murphy, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle are training with the U.S. National Team.

Around the WCHA...

Recent action: Wisconsin sweeps St. Cloud State – Daryl Watts posted a 7-point series with 4 goals and 3 assists, Makenna Webster added 2 goals & 4 assists, Casey O'Brien recorded a goal and 3 assists, and Kennedy Blair was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week after stopping 36 of 37 shots as the Badgers cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 sweep of the Huskies in Madison. Allie Cornelius' goal for SCSU on Sunday broke up Blair's shutout streak of 242 minutes, 10 seconds.

Upcoming games – All eight teams are in conference action this weekend. Wisconsin and UMD kick things off in Duluth with a noon game on Friday, followed by a Sunday afternoon rematch. St. Cloud State and St. Thomas will play a home-and-home series, Friday afternoon in Mendota Heights and Saturday afternoon in St. Cloud. Meanwhile, Bemidji State is making the trip east to Columbus to face Ohio State on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Power Play Club

October 11, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor - Monday, October 11, 2021

Power Play Club

October 11, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Monday, October 11th

Chalk Talks, GWH decals highlight PPC membership benefits

The first Chalk Talk of the season with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, at 2:30 p.m., prior to the second game of the series against RIT. The Chalk Talk is an exclusive event for Power Play Club members registered for the 2021-2022 season.

Our Gopher Women's Hockey vinyl decals are back as a benefit for registered Power Play Club members in the 2021-2022 season. Those who have not yet picked up a decal can do so at the PPC table during pregame or either intermission of any Gopher home game!! (Limit one decal per registered membership -- thank you!)

A minimum donation of $50 is required for our basic membership tier, with online registration at give.umn.edu/giveto/powerplayclub (click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions) and an offline option using the downloadable form here (which should be mailed to the listed address with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota").

Our Locker Sponsorship tier is also still open. The donor's name is posted on a nameplate next to the locker of a GWH player or coach, and the donor will have an opportunity to meet with that player/coach over Zoom. A minimum $600 donation (per locker) is required. If you are interested, please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Ostertag named as recipient of PPC Scholarship for 2021-2022

The Golden Gopher Fund announced that GWH defender Gracie Osterag is the recipient of the Power Play Club Scholarship for a second-consecutive year. The senior assistant captain from Shakopee intends to major in Business and Marketing Education. In 84 career games played, Ostertag has 19 points on one goal and 18 assists. Congratulations, Gracie!!

We also send broader congratulations to the other scholarship recipients among the Gopher Women's Hockey team and all of University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics. The list of 2021-2022 scholarship recipients can be found here.

Gopher alumnae Schammel, Lorence sign with MN Whitecaps

The Minnesota Whitecaps of the Premier Hockey Federation announced on Thursday that Gopher alumna Nicole Schammel signed with the team for the 2021-2022 season. Schammel was a member of the Whitecaps in 2019-2020, recording 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 22 regular-season games.

The Whitecaps followed that up with the announcement Friday that former Gopher Meghan Lorence re-signed for a third-consecutive season, after posting 25 points on 10 goals and 15 assists over 28 total regular-season games her first two years in the league.

We send congratulations and wishes of continued good luck to both Nicole & Meghan!!

S. Potomak, Scobee named to PWHPA All-Stars team;
scrimmages scheduled against U.S. National Team this week

The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) announced Thursday the formation of the Secret® All-Star Team, which “will compete throughout the season against various women’s national teams leading up to the 2022 Winter Olympics.”

The PWHPA followed on Saturday with announcement that the All Stars will scrimmage against the U.S. Women's National Team at the Super Rink in Blaine (MN) this coming Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (October 14, 15 & 17). The All-Star Team roster for the scrimmages includes Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Sarah Potomak and Sydney Scobee.

The scrimmages are scheduled for 7 p.m. on the 14th & 15th, and at 12:30 p.m. on the 17th, but at this time it is unknown if spectators will be allowed in to watch. We will share any additional information on our social media accounts as it becomes available.

WCHA announces two games to be televised on B1G Network;
Time changed for December 11 game between Gophers & UMD

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) announced Wednesday the two league games which will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network, including the December 11th contest between the Golden Gophers and Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs at Ridder Arena.

The announcement of the television coverage also included a time change for the Gophers-Bulldogs matchup. Puck drop for that game is now scheduled for 3:30 p.m., a half-hour earlier than its previously-listed start time. There is a Power Play Club Chalk Talk planned that day; it will also start a half-hour earlier, at 2:00 p.m. We will send out reminders of the time changes as the game approaches.

The Minnesota-UMD game will be the second of the televised contests, as the game on Sunday, October 24 between Ohio State and Wisconsin in Madison will also be broadcast. It is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT faceoff.

Power Play Club

October 7, 2021

Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Power Play Club

October 7, 2021

Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 6th

Pregame gatherings Friday & Saturday in Duluth

With spectators back in the stands, we're hoping to see many of you making the trek to the North Shore for this weekend's GWH series against UMD. To that end, we also encourage you – as you are comfortable – to join us for some time of camaraderie prior to each game. We will be meeting at the Green Mill in Canal Park (340 S. Lake Ave) on Friday at 3:30 p.m., and then across the street at Old Chicago (327 S. Lake Ave) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. See you there!!

Member-exclusive Chalk Talk – Saturday, November 13

With seven of Minnesota Women's Hockey's next eight games on the road, we provide a reminder that the first Chalk Talk of the season with a member of the team's coaching staff is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, at 2:30 p.m., prior to the second game of the series against RIT. The Chalk Talk is an exclusive event for Power Play Club members registered for the 2021-2022 season.

A minimum donation of $50 is required for our basic membership tier, with online registration at give.umn.edu/giveto/powerplayclub (click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions) and an offline option using the downloadable form here (which should be mailed to the listed address with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota").

Our Locker Sponsorship tier is also still open. The donor's name is posted on a nameplate next to the locker of a GWH player or coach, and the donor will have an opportunity to meet with that player/coach over Zoom. A minimum $600 donation (per locker) is required. If you are interested, please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

#5/6 Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-2-0)
at #6/7 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (1-1-0)
Friday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 9 at 3:00 p.m. CT
AMSOIL Arena, Duluth

The Minnesota Women's Hockey team heads out on the road for the first time in the 2021-2022 season, traveling north to face long-time rival Minnesota Duluth at AMSOIL Arena. The Gophers and Bulldogs square off on Friday, October 8, at 6:00 p.m. CT and continue on Saturday, October 9, at 3:00 p.m. CT.

Last year against the Bulldogs – The Gophers spotted UMD a 2-0 first-intermission lead in the opening game of their series at AMSOIL Arena last November on goals by Anna Klein and Kylie Hanley. However, the visitors from the Twin Cities tallied the next six goals and held the Bulldogs to only one more, resulting in a weekend sweep for the Gophers, 4-2 and 2-1. Abigail Boreen lit the lamp two minutes into the second stanza. Still trailing 2-1 with 8 minutes to play, Abbey Murphy knotted the score with her first collegiate goal, Anne Cherkowski put the Gophers ahead with 2:17 to go, and Catie Skaja added an empty-netter on a shot from her own zone. In the rematch, Emily Brown opened the scoring in the first period and Emily Oden added a power-play marker late in the second frame. Ashton Bell cut the Bulldogs' deficit in half midway through the third period, but Lauren Bench and the Gopher defense prevented an equalizer to preserve the win. Murphy, Skaja, and Oden each had an assist to go with their respective goals. Stopping 57 of 60 shots over the two-game series, Bench earned the honor as WCHA Goaltender of the Week. UMD's Emma Söderberg made 64 saves.

Analyzing Minnesota Duluth – Earning points in their final 8 regular-season games last year (6 wins and 2 overtime losses), the Bulldogs finished second in the 2020-2021 WCHA standings, but were crushed 7-2 by Ohio State in the conference semifinals. Earning an NCAA quarterfinal berth, they shut out Colgate 1-0 in overtime, but fell to Northeastern in the national semifinals, 3-2 in OT. The Bulldogs return with 12 players listed as seniors or 5th years for the 2021-2022 season, but also with 6 freshmen on their roster.

Top blueliner Ashton Bell is centralized with the Canada Women's National Team heading toward the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, but 5th-year forward Anna Klein (#19) returns after leading UMD in all three scoring categories last season with 11 goals, 11 assists, and 22 points. Senior Gabbie Hughes (#17) is also back after tallying 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists. Sophomore Clara Van Wieren (#25) and seniors Naomi Rogge (#9) & Taylor Anderson (#5) each posted 11 points in 2020-2021; Van Wieren recorded 7 goals and 4 assists, while Rogge and Anderson each scored 4 goals with 7 assists. But the most notable new player to the team is 2020 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Élizabeth Giguère (#8), who transferred from Clarkson after leading the Golden Knights with 23 points on 9 goals and 14 assists last year.

Between the pipes, senior Emma Söderberg (#30) is Minnesota Duluth's primary netminder, starting all 19 games last season; for her career, she's 16-8-0 with 6 shutouts, a .940 save percentage, and a 1.62 goals-against average. Sophomore Jojo Chobak (#31) saw only two relief appearances as a freshman, stopping 26 of 29 shots in a combined 52 minutes of action. Freshman Holly Gruber (#35) joins the team this year.

Last weekend: Bulldogs split with Minnesota State – UMD erupted in their season opener on the road against Minnesota State; Naomi Rogge led all players with 4 points on 2 goals and 2 assists, Gabbie Hughes (2g, 1a), Anna Klein (1g, 2a), & Élizabeth Giguère (3a) each tallied 3 points, and Emma Söderberg needed only 14 saves to shutout the Mavericks, 7-0. But Söderberg yielded 3 goals on 20 shots in the rematch, with MSU's Madison Mashuga scoring a power play goal and adding an assist and Brittyn Fleming dishing out 3 helpers. Lizi Norton & Giguère scored for the Bulldogs, but Mavericks goaltender Calla Frank stopped the other 24 shots she faced for a 4-2 win and a weekend split.

Gophers swept by Ohio State – The opening of the 25th season of Minnesota Women's Hockey saw the Gophers on the wrong end of a series sweep, falling to Ohio State, 4-2 and 4-1, at Ridder Arena. The Gophers did start off on the right foot when Peyton Hemp tallied her first goal in the Maroon & Gold 5:34 into the game on Friday night, but Clair DeGeorge knotted the score for the Buckeyes on a power play later in the first period. OSU took control in the second stanza when Jenna Buglioni gave them the lead and DeGeorge netted her second of the game for a 3-1 advantage. Taylor Heise pulled the Gophers within one late, scoring with an extra attacker with 2:03 to play, but Paetyn Levis tallied into an empty net for the Buckeyes 51 seconds later. Emily Brown assisted on both Gopher goals. In the rematch, Ohio State built a 3-0 lead after two periods, with Sophie Jaques converting twice on power plays and Jennifer Gardiner also lighting the lamp. Amy Potomak scored on a third-period breakaway with a between-the-legs goal to cut the Gopher defecit to 3-1, but Buglioni responded with an insurance goal for OSU. Jaques was named WCHA Defender of the Week, while OSU's Andrea Braendli earned the WCHA Goaltender of the Week honor after stopping 62 of 65 shots. Lauren Bench made 22 saves for Minnesota on Friday night, while Skylar Vetter stopped 27 shots in her collegiate debut on Saturday.

Professional and international team updates...

Marshall, Woken sign with Whitecaps – Gopher alumnae Patti Marshall and Alex Woken are returning to the U.S. to play professionally, signing locally with the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Premier Hockey Federation as was announced yesterday. Both players were 2020 draft picks of the Whitecaps but played in Europe last season; Marshall posted seven goals and nine assists (regular-season and playoffs combined) with Brynäs IF in Sweden, while Woken tallied a team-leading 28 points on 19 goals and 9 assists for Mad Dogs Mannheim in Germany. We congratulate and wish good luck to both Patti and Alex in this new opportunity!

USA vs. Canada coming to St. Paul in December – USA Hockey announced yesterday that the My Why Tour is headed to Xcel Energy Center on Monday, December 20. The tour, presented by Toyota, features the U.S. Women's National Team against Canada as both teams prepare for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT. Currently, 8 Gopher representatives – Megan Bozek, Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Amanda Kessel, Abbey Murphy, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle – are participating in the USWNT Residency Program.

Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster on Friday, October 15, at 10 a.m. CT.

Around the WCHA...

Recent action: St. Thomas earns first D-I win in split with Bemidji State – The BSU Beavers opened their regular season with a 3-0 shutout on the road at St. Thomas; Paige Beebe scored twice in the first period, and Kerigan Dowhy stopped all 31 shots she faced. However, the Tommies came back from being a goal down in the rematch to earn their first win as a Division I program; Maija Almich knotted the score 1-1 in the second period, Luci Bianchi lit the lamp with 6:54 remaining, and Saskia Maurer stopped 28 of 29 shots in her collegiate debut to preserve the 2-1 victory.

Elsewhere in the league... Wisconsin's Makenna Webster and Sarah Wozniewicz earned conference honors as Forward & Rookie of the Week, respectively, as the Badgers blanked Merrimack, 4-0 and 5-0; Webster posted a 7-point series with 2 goals & 5 assists, Wozniewicz lit the lamp twice, Casey O'Brien netted her 7th, 8th, and 9th goals of the season while dishing out two assists, and Kennedy Blair needed only 29 saves combined to earn both shutouts. Meanwhile, St. Cloud State swept the visiting Lindenwood Lions by a pair of 4-2 scores; Emma Gentry lit the lamp twice on Friday, and Taylor Lind posted a goal and 3 assists in the series.

Upcoming games – The league schedule features two matinee series. Minnesota State hosts Lindenwood in non-conference action on Friday and Saturday afternoon, while St. Cloud State visits Wisconsin on Saturday and Sunday. Bemidji State, Ohio State, and St. Thomas are idle.

Power Play Club

September 29, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor - Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Power Play Club

September 29, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, September 29th

Goals for a Goal returns; MN Women's Hockey t-shirts available

The “Goals for a Goal” campaign returns as a Power Play Club-sponsored program for the 2021-2022 season, raising money to support Gopher Women's Hockey. The campaign is pledge-driven based on the number of goals scored by the Gophers throughout the regular season.

Details for the new season are still being finalized, and we will begin taking pledges in mid-October. That said, the goals scored in this weekend's series against Ohio State and next weekend at Minnesota Duluth will be counted in the total for end-of-season remittance.

A limited number of our Minnesota Women's Hockey / Power Play Club t-shirts are available for purchase as we roll into the GWH program's 25th season. Short-sleeved shirts are available for $12 apiece in adult sizes S and XL-4XL. Long-sleeved shirts are $20 apiece in sizes XL, 3XL and 4XL. Please contact PPC president Bill Johnson at president@powerplayclub.org if you are interested in making a purchase or go to the “Shop” on this website.

Gophers, Whitecaps duo Lorence & Leveille join coaching ranks

Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae and recent Minnesota Whitecaps players Meghan Lorence and Amanda Leveille both joined the high school coaching ranks, being named to the staff of the Roseville Raiders girls hockey team. We send our congratulations and wishes of good luck as they start this new journey!

NWHL rebrands as Premier Hockey Federation – Catching up on news from earlier this month, the National Women's Hockey League announced on September 7 that it was rebranding as the Premier Hockey Federation ahead of its seventh season. As noted in the press release, new PHF digital components such as website addresses and social media handles are expected soon, with the season beginning Saturday, November 6.

Olympic game schedule, 2022 World Championship announced

News also came through from the international game recently. First, the men's and women's game schedules for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China, were announced last Thursday, September 23. The women's tournament will begin on February 3 and continue through Feb. 17, featuring 10 teams for the first time in Olympic play. The top 6 teams in the world rankings – USA, Canada, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, and Japan – are automatically entered, as are the hosts from China; the remaining three spots will be filled by the winners of qualifying tournaments taking place November 11-14.

With eight Gopher Women's Hockey representatives vying for roster spots on the U.S. Women's Olympic Team, we share their preliminary-round game schedule.

Thursday, Feb. 3 vs. Finland – 9:10 pm local time / 7:10 am US Central Time
Saturday, Feb. 5 vs. Russia – 9:10 pm local time / 7:10 am US Central Time
Sunday, Feb. 6 vs. Switzerland – 9:10 pm local time / 7:10 am US Central Time
Tuesday, Feb. 8 vs. Canada – 12:10 pm local time / Feb. 7 at 10:10 pm US Central

All four games will be played at the Wukesong Sport Center.

2022 IIHF Women's World Championship approved with August schedule – The Olympic schedule announcement followed news released Wednesday, September 22, that “the 2021 IIHF Semi-Annual and General Congress approved a change in the IIHF Statutes & Bylaws to allow the top-level IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship to be played annually including in Olympic years.” It was also announced that the 2022 tournament would be played in August, and that the Danish Ice Hockey Union has applied to serve as tournament host.

Power Play Club

September 28, 2021

The Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Power Play Club

September 28, 2021

The Penalty Box Post
Tuesday, September 28th

Important Notices:

Reminder of University of Minnesota face mask policy

We kindly remind our fellow Gopher Women's Hockey fans that all University of Minnesota faculty, staff, students, and visitors are required to wear a well-fitted face mask which covers the wearer’s nose and mouth, wraps under the chin, and does not have any noticeable gaps at all times when in any enclosed or indoor space on University campuses and properties – including Ridder Arena – regardless of vaccination status. For more information and a list of exceptions, visit the U.'s “Safe Campus” Face Covering Protocol page.

Traffic alert Saturday; Tour of Ridder Arena postponed

All fans coming to Saturday's Gopher Women's Hockey game should note that automotive and pedestrian traffic will be high around the university as the Gopher Men's Hockey team is also in action, with their game at 3M Arena at Mariucci starting at 2:30 p.m. Please allow for extra travel and parking time before the women's game at Ridder Arena at 3:00 p.m.

Also due to the game at Mariucci, Saturday's Tour of Ridder Arena (announced during last week's Chalk Talk) has been postponed and tentatively rescheduled for November 20 before the GWH game against St. Cloud State. We thank you for your understanding.

PPC member registration continues as season begins

As the 25th season of Gopher Women's Hockey gets underway, registration continues for Power Play Club membership as we emphasize our goals of raising money to support the team and building a bigger fan base.

A minimum donation of $50 is required for our basic membership tier, and includes exclusive access to our three in-person Chalk Talk events. Online registration is preferred at give.umn.edu/giveto/powerplayclub; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

Also consider sponsoring a GWH player’s or coach's locker this season through our top membership tier. The donor's name is posted on a nameplate next to the locker, and the donor will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s) over Zoom. A minimum $600 donation (per locker) is required. If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Watch for a Two-Minute Minor email
with more announcements later this week!!

SEASON OPENER!!

#4/5 Minnesota Golden Gopher vs. #3/3 Ohio State Buckeyes
Friday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 2 at 3:00 p.m. CT
Ridder Arena

For the first time since the 2020 WCHA Final Faceoff, fans will be back at Ridder Arena to watch Gopher Women's Hockey as the team hosts a top-five matchup against the third-ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes. The puck drops to start the action on Friday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m. CT and continues on Saturday, October 2, at 3:00 p.m. CT.

Last year against the Buckeyes – Minnesota and Ohio State met for a rare six games in the regular-season. The teams split the first four contests; in Minneapolis in November, the Gophers won 4-0 but the Buckeyes responded with a 2-1 victory, and in Columbus in January, Minnesota again won the opener, 7-4, before Ohio State earned a split with a 3-1 decision. OSU took the season series by sweeping the fifth and sixth games, 2-1 and 3-2, at Ridder Arena in February.

Grace Zumwinkle led the Gophers with 5 goals and an assist, but Abigail Boreen was the only other Minnesota player with multiple goals against the Buckeyes, netting 3. Taylor Heise recorded a goal and 4 assists, while Emily Oden added a goal and 3 helpers. Emma Maltais recorded 3 goals and 5 assists for Ohio State, while Liz Schepers also lit the lamp 3 times while dishing out 2 assists and Tatum Skaggs added two goals and three assists. Between the pipes, Minnesota's Lauren Bench went 2-2 for Minnesota with a .929 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average, while Makayla Pahl posted a .951 SV% and 2.05 GAA but took two losses; for Ohio State, Andrea Braendli was 3-2 with an .892 SV% and 2.63 GAA, and Amanda Thiele earned a win in her only start against the Gophers, stopping 29 of 30 shots (.967 SV%).

Analyzing Ohio State – The Buckeyes have gone with experience for the 2021-2022 season, bringing in 7 players transferring from other programs but only two new freshmen. They look to continue improving after trips to two of the past three NCAA Frozen Fours and their 2020 WCHA Tournament Championship.

Tatum Skaggs and Emma Maltais are no longer with the program after leading the team with 19 & 16 points, respectively, last season and over 100 points apiece for their collegiate careers. However, a trio of 15-point scorers – junior Jennifer Gardiner (#12), freshman Jenna Buglioni (#10), and graduate Liz Schepers (#21) – are back for the new season; Gardiner and Buglioni each recorded 8 goals and 7 assists last year, while Schepers tallied 6 goals and 9 assists. The team also added graduate transfers Clair DeGeorge (#14), Lexi Templeman (#22), and Emily Curlett (#26); DeGeorge led Bemidji State last season with 5 goals and 7 assists, Templeman was the top scorer at Robert Morris with 7 goals and 23 assists, and Curlett was RMU's top-scoring defender with 6 goals and 10 assists.

Andrea Braendli (#20) returns as the top goaltender for Ohio State after playing for Team Switzerland in the IIHF Women's World Championship last month; she has a collegiate 47-22-7 career record with 12 shutouts, a 1.91 goals-against average, and .930 save percentage. Junior Raygan Kirk (#1) is another transfer from Robert Morris, posting a 23-13-2 career record (with 3 no-decisions), 7 shutouts, a 2.00 GAA and .931 SV%. Sophomore Amanda Thiele (now wearing #30) is back after winning both of her two starts as a freshman last year, stopping 53 of a combined 55 shots in those two games plus one relief appearance. Junior Quinn Kuntz (#35) is the Buckeyes' fourth goaltender, having made two short relief appearances two season ago.

Last weekend: Buckeyes sweep St. Thomas – Ohio State and new Division I program St. Thomas met to open the season this past weekend in Columbus. The debuting Tommies held the Buckeyes scoreless through the first period of the season, but OSU erupted for four goals in the second period of the opener en route to a weekend sweep, 6-0 and 4-1. Fifteen different Buckeyes recorded at least a point in the series; Jenna Buglioni tallied two goals and two assists, while Paetyn Levis added a goal and two assists. Abby Promersberger scored St. Thomas' first-ever goal in D-I play, lighting the lamp in Saturday's second period. Andrea Braendli recorded a 16-save shutout for OSU on Friday, earning her WCHA Goaltender of the Week honors, while Amanda Thiele stopped 14 of 15 shots on Saturday; Alexa Dobchuk made a combined 93 saves for UST.

Analyzing the Gophers – Despite a perfect 9-0-0 record against Bemidji State, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State last season, Minnesota looks to rebound and improve after a 2-8-1 mark against Wisconsin and Ohio State kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.

The Gophers also look to make that improvement without their top two scorers from last season, as Grace Zumwinkle and Abbey Murphy are participating in the U.S. Women's National Team Residency program. A trio of senior forwards – Taylor Heise (#9), Emily Oden (#21), and Abigail Boreen (#22) – lead the way into 2021-2022; Heise had 16 points on 7 goals and 9 assists last year, Oden only lit the lamp twice but dished out a team-leading 12 assists, and Boreen had the most goals among returning players with 8 while adding 3 assists. Graduate defender and team captain Emily Brown (#2) also returns after tallying 12 points on 3 goals and 9 assists in 2020-2021.

In net, Lauren Bench (#35) has also returned to use her extra year of eligibility; she was 9-6-0 last season, her first with Minnesota, and has a career .913 save percentage and 2.42 goals-against average. Junior Makayla Pahl (#33) saw action in 8 games as a sophomore, with 6 starts and a 2-2-1 record (with one no-decision); she has a 1.96 GAA and .927 SV% over her two years. Junior Olivia King (#1) has been limited to a single one-period relief appearance in Bemidji last February, stopping all 4 shots on goal she faced. Freshman Skylar Vetter (#31) joins the team after a stellar high school career with the Lakeville North boys team and gold & silver medals at the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship with Team USA.

Vetter is one of 9 new faces to the Gopher Women's Hockey roster and one of 7 incoming freshman. Senior Savannah Norcross (#27) transferred to Minnesota from Boston College after posting a team-leading 12 goals and 21 points last season for the Eagles. Graduate transfer Olivia Arkell (#11) comes to the Gophers from across town at Division III Hamline University, continuing to play for coaches Natalie Darwitz & Jake Bobrowski. Vetter is joined by Sadie Lindsay (#8), Emily Zumwinkle (#10), Peyton Hemp (#15), Emma Conner (#20), Tristana Tatur (#23), and Ella Huber (#26) in the freshman class; Hemp is the latest Minnesota Ms. Hockey award winner to become a Gopher, while Conner was the Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year.

Around the WCHA...

Recent action – Casey O'Brien erupted for 6 goals in Wisconsin's opening series of the season, including a four-goal outburst on Saturday, as the Badgers crushed Lindenwood on the road, 8-1 and 10-0; Makenna Webster (2g, 4a) and Sophie Shirley (1g, 5a) each also had 6-point weekends, and Katie Kotlowski lit the lamp 3 times. Brooke Bryant recorded 3 goals and an assist, Claire Butorac added a goal and 3 assists, and Calla Frank posted a 16-save shutout on Friday as Minnesota State also swept a non-conference road series, defeating Merrimack 3-0 and 9-3. In exhibition play, St. Cloud State defeated Bemidji State 2-1 in overtime; Emma Gentry scored with 1:38 remaining in the 3-on-3 extra period.

Upcoming games – Three series will feature Friday evening and Saturday afternoon contests; Minnesota Duluth will open its season on the road at Minnesota State, St. Thomas hosts its first Division I home series against Bemidji State, and St. Cloud State opens its regular season at home with a non-conference matchup against Lindenwood. Meanwhile, Wisconsin will be the second-straight WCHA team to play a non-conference series at Merrimack, with matinee games Friday & Saturday afternoon.

Power Play Club

September 21, 2021

The Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Power Play Club

September 21, 2021

The Penalty Box Post
Tuesday, September 21st

Online Preseason Chalk Talk – TODAY (9/21) at 4:00 p.m. CT

With the Minnesota Women's Hockey season just 10 days away, we're providing an opportunity to hear from Coach Brad Frost at a preseason Chalk Talk this afternoon (Sept. 21) at 4:00 p.m. CT He will preview the year to come and the changes to the team, including nine new players in the Maroon & Gold. We may also be joined by other members of the GWH coaching staff.

We hope many of you will be able to join us on Zoom using this link, as we get ready for puck drop. We will also touch base on club-led fundraising efforts for this historic season.

2021-2022 PPC membership now open at all levels!!

To our fellow Gopher Women’s Hockey fans –

Registration to the Power Play Club for the 2021-2022 season is now open AT ALL LEVELS! Join us to support Gopher Women's Hockey as it enters its 25th season of competition and the 20th year playing at Ridder Arena!

As the official booster association of Gopher Women’s Hockey, the Power Play Club seeks to:

Build a bigger fan base.
Raise money to support the Gopher Women’s Hockey team.
Enrich the hockey experience at Ridder Arena (and at away games!).
Provide opportunities for member fun.

The Power Play Club is continuing its partnership with the Golden Gopher Fund on all fundraising efforts, with the GGF managing the club's membership enrollment again this season. Starting this year, all membership donations are 100% tax deductible while still counting toward the $1,000 minimum Gopher Athletics giving threshold for Ridder Arena Club Room access.

Last season we consolidated our number of member levels from four down to two. Those two levels remain for the 2021-2022 year as follows...

Locker Sponsor level – Please consider sponsoring a GWH player’s or coach's locker this season through our top membership tier. The donor's name is posted on a nameplate next to the locker, and the donor will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s) over Zoom. A minimum $600 donation (per locker) is required, though any amount over and above that is encouraged. Our goal for the 2021-2022 season is to have two Locker Sponsorships for each GWH player and coach. If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Basic Membership level – A minimum donation of $50 is required for our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address. Exclusive access to our three in-person Chalk Talk events is included.

Online registration is preferred at give.umn.edu/giveto/powerplayclub; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

As a Power Play Club member, you will have the opportunity to experience women’s hockey on a more personal level as you develop friendships with other fans, coaches and players. Your membership provides support and encouragement for the University of Minnesota Women’s Hockey Team players in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.

Gophers announce plans for program's 25th season!!

The University of Minnesota has announced plans honoring the history of Gopher Women's Hockey as the team enters its 25th year of competition on Friday, October 1 at Ridder Arena.

As noted in the press release and displayed here, a commemorative logo paying homage to the Gophers' 25th season and seven national championships will be used throughout the year. The logo will be displayed on merchandise available for purchase, and on signage throughout Ridder Arena. Some initial 25th season items are already available for purchase online; see the U.'s announcement for details.

Top 25 GWH Moments & 25th-season Celebration Game – As the season progresses, the top-25 moments in Gopher Women's Hockey history will be revealed, beginning with No. 25 being unveiled during the opener at Ridder Arena and on social media on October 1. The countdown will continue down to moment #1, which will be shared during the 25th Season Celebration Game on Saturday, February 5, against Bemidji State. More details about that game will be shared as it approaches.

All-Time Fan Favorites Team – The program will also call on fans to submit a lineup of their favorite Gopher stars. More information on this will be announced at a later date.

Brown, Knowles, Heise & Ostertag named as team captains

Catching up on releated news, the Gopher Women's Hockey team announced on September 10 that Emily Brown, Olivia Knowles, Taylor Heise, and Gracie Ostertag have been selected as team captains for the 2021-2022 season.

Fifth-year players Brown and Knowles will serve as the squad's captains, while seniors Heise and Ostertag will be assistant captains. This season will be Brown's third wearing the captain's 'C', while Knowles was an assistant captain last year.

Gophers ranked 4th in both national preseason polls

The Gopher Women's Hockey team was ranked fourth in both the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine preseason poll last Tuesday and the USCHO preseason poll released yesterday. The Gophers find themselves tied with WCHA rival Minnesota Duluth in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll while just edging out the Bulldogs for the fourth position in the USCHO poll.

Wisconsin tops both rankings, garnering 18 of the 19 first-place votes in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll and 13 of the 15 first-place votes in the USCHO poll. Northeastern is the only non-WCHA program in the top five in either ranking, placing second in both and picking up the remaining first-place votes. Both polls list Ohio State third, Colgate sixth, Boston College seventh, and Cornell eighth. Princeton and Penn State round out the top ten in both rankings, though the Tigers are ninth in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll while the Nittany Lions hold the #9 spot in the USCHO poll.

Gophers, St. Cloud State to play U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Game – The WCHA league game between Minnesota and St. Cloud State at Ridder Arena on Saturday, November 20, has been designated as the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-Off Classic. The Gophers are the defending Face-Off Classic champions after defeating Minnesota State 4-0 at Dakotah! Ice Center in Prior Lake in December 2019.

As noted in the press release from the U., Gopher assistant coach – and 2018 inductee – Natalie Darwitz will be one of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame members acknowledged at the event.

Aound the WCHA – Action begins this weekend for 4 teams

While Minnesota, Bemidji State, Minnesota Duluth, and St. Cloud State are idle for one more weekend before starting their respective 2021-2022 campaigns, action begins this weekend for the other four Western Collegiate Hockey Association programs.

The St. Thomas Tommies will open their first season as a Division I team and WCHA member with a league series on the road, facing the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Meanwhile, Minnesota State heads to the East Coast for a non-conference matchup against Merrimack, and Wisconsin travels south to face Lindenwood on the road.

All three series feature Friday evening and Saturday afternoon games. Game recaps will be posted to wcha.com, and we will provide links to them on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Power Play Club

September 21, 2021

The Penalty Box Post - Friday, September 10, 2021

Power Play Club

September 21, 2021

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).

Power Play Club

September 2, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor - Thursday, September 2, 2021

Power Play Club

September 2, 2021

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Thursday, September 2nd

IIHF Women's World Championship Final: Canada 3, USA 2, OT

Team USA's streak of five-straight IIHF Women's World Championship gold medals came to an end on Tuesday night when Canada came from behind to win 3-2 in overtime in Calgary.

The Americans took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission with Alex Carpenter scoring both goals. Gopher alumnae Amanda Kessel, Lee Stecklein, and Kelly Pannek recorded assists. But the Canadians battled back in the second stanza as Brianne Jenner converted an early power play and Jamie Lee Rattray knotted the score less than 5 minutes into the frame. Following a scoreless third period, the game went into 3-on-3 overtime, and Marie-Philip Poulin wired a hard shot past U.S. goaltender Nicole Hensley off the post and over the goal line for the victory. The win is the 11th for Team Canada, while Team USA claims its 11th silver medal.

Stecklein honored for World Championship performance – We send huge congratulations to Lee Stecklein, who was named the Best Defender at the World Championship by the IIHF Directorate and a member of the all-tournament team by the media. Lee led Team USA in total scoring with 7 points on 2 goals and 5 assists; she was also tied for third among all players with a team-high +12 plus-minus rating.

Other Gophers at the World Championship – All seven Gopher representatives playing with Team USA got onto the scoresheet at the tournament. As we noted this past Saturday, both Abbey Murphy and Grace Zumwinkle scored their first World Championship goals; Zumwinkle finished with 6 points in the tournament, netting 4 goals plus 2 assists, while Murphy added a second goal to her total. Kelly Pannek recorded 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points, Amanda Kessel did not find the back of the net herself but dished out 4 helpers, Dani Cameranesi tallied a goal & an assist, and Megan Bozek had two assists.

IIHF proposes World Championship in Olympic years – The IIHF Council made a proposal to its membership this past June to play the top-level Women’s World Championship in Olympic years. However, to avoid having two big tournaments within just two or three months, the World Championship those years would take place in August rather than spring. The proposal will be voted upon by the delegates at the 2021 IIHF Semi-Annual Congress in three weeks; if accepted, the next Women’s World Championship will take place in August 2022, with the Semi-Annual Congress also determining the venue of that event.

WCHA announces 3-year exclusive streaming deal with B1G+

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association annouced yesterday a new partnership with the Big Ten Network and B1G+ as its exclusive streaming platform for three years, beginning with the 2021-2022 season.

As noted in the announcement, games at all eight WCHA campuses will be streamed on the B1G+ platform, while the league is set to host at least two televised matchups on the Big Ten Network.

Three different packages – including a new WCHA Pass – are available to stream the hockey action. Details are available in the press release from the league.

Power Play Club

August 28, 2021

The Penalty Box Post - Saturday, August 28, 2021

Power Play Club

August 28, 2021

The Penalty Box Post
Saturday, August 28th

IIHF Women's World Championship Update: Zumwinkle, Murphy score first goals; Canada defeats USA in preliminary round

Host team Canada claimed the top spot in Group A and the #1 seed for the playoff round of 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship by defeating Team USA 5-1 in their preliminary round meeting on Thursday. Melodie Daoust and Renata Fast put the Canadians up 2-0 after one period, Jamie Lee Rattray doubled the lead with a pair of goals, and Sarah Nurse extended the advantage to 5-0 before the second intermission. Lee Stecklein broke up the shutout attempt with a blast early in the third period for the Americans, but they could get no closer and lost 5-1.

Both Canada and the U.S. were undefeated leading into Thursday's game. The Americans showed stout defense and goaltending, shutting out Switzerland and Finland by matching 3-0 scores and rolling over Russia, 6-0. Team Canada was challenged early by Finland, trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, but came back with five goals of their own to win 5-3; they followed it up with a 5-1 win over Russia and a 5-0 shutout of Switzerland. After dropping their first two games, the Finns came back to claim 3rd place in the group with shutout wins over Russia and Switzerland, 4-0 and 6-0. The Russians won their tournament opener, defeating Switzerland 3-1, but their three losses placed them fourth in Group A, with the winless Swiss in 5th.

The Czech Republic went undefeated to take the top spot in Group B and earn the #6 seed for the playoff round, winning over Denmark 6-1, Hungary 4-2, Japan 4-0, and Germany 2-0. The Japanese took second in the group with a 1-0 shutout of Denmark, a 4-1 victory over Hungary, and a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Germany. The Germans got wins over Hungary and Denmark, 3-0 and 3-1, to claim third in Group B and the final playoff round spot. Already knowing they did not qualify for the playoff round, the Hungarians and Danes squared off in the final game for both at the tournament, with Hungary earning their first-ever win in the Top Division, 5-1.

Playoff Round Quarterfinals – TODAY (Saturday, 8/28)

#4 Russian Olympic Committee vs. #5 Switzerland – 11 a.m. CT
#2 USA vs. #7 Japan – 2:30 p.m. CT
#1 Canada vs. #8 Germany – 6:00 p.m. CT
#3 Finland vs. #6 Czech Republic – 9:30 p.m. CT

The USA-Japan and Canada-Germany games will be broadcast live in the U.S. on NHL Network.

Gophers at the World Championship – Both playing in the first World Championship with Team USA, Abbey Murphy and Grace Zumwinkle have each scored goals for the national squad. Zumwinkle netted her first goal in Team USA's opener against Switzerland, also lit the lamp against Finland, and added a pair of assists against Russia; she is tied with fellow Gopher Lee Stecklein (2g, 2a) for the most points by any American (4). Murphy netted her first goal against the Russians. Two other Gophers have also recorded points on the scoresheet, as Kelly Pannek has lit the lamp twice and added an assist while Megan Bozek has dished out two helpers.

WWC records set – We also recognize long-time U.S. National Team members Hilary Knight and Brianna Decker. Knight's two goals in this year's World Championship gave her a new all-time record of 45 in WWC play, breaking the former mark of 44 set by Cammi Granato. Decker recorded her 38th and 39th career World Championship assists, setting a new American record.

Big Ten Conference makes two key announcements

The Big Ten Conference, together with the ACC and PAC-12, announced an alliance “on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling.” As noted in the announcement this past Tuesday, “the alliance will be guided in all cases by a commitment to, and prioritization of, supporting student-athlete well-being, academic and athletic opportunities, experiences and diverse educational programming. The three conferences are grounded in their support of broad-based athletic programs, the collegiate model and opportunities for student-athletes as part of the educational missions of the institutions.”

The alliance includes a scheduling component for football and men's & women's basketball, with options to “create new inter-conference games, enhance opportunities for student-athletes, and optimize the college athletics experience for both student-athletes and fans across the country.” The announcement also indicates that “the three conferences will also explore opportunities for the vast and exceptional Olympic Sports programs to compete more frequently and forge additional attractive and meaningful rivalries.”

It is currently unknown if and/or how the alliance will impact either men's or women's ice hockey.

Big Ten forfeiture policy clarified – On Monday, the Big Ten made a media statement clarifying its forfeiture policy as it relates to COVID-19, saying: ”The conference has determined that if one of its member institutions is unable to play a conference contest due to COVID-19, that contest shall be declared a forfeit and will not be rescheduled. That contest shall be considered a loss for the team impacted by COVID-19 and a win for its opponent in the conference standings. If both of the two competing teams are unable to participate in a scheduled Conference competition due to COVID-19 and as a result the competition is unable to occur on the calendar day on which it is scheduled, the competition shall be considered a ‘no contest.'”

Though not explicitly stated, the forfeiture policy is assumed to apply to all sports overseen by the Big Ten, including men's ice hockey. No official statement has been made to-date by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with regards to its Women's League.

Gopher Women's Hockey single-game tickets now on sale!!

In case you missed the posts on social media, Gopher Women's Hockey single-game tickets and 5-for-$25 mini-plans are now on sale on GopherSports.com or by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER. Mini-plans let you combine single tickets for 5 games for a discounted price of $25. Single-game tickets are $10 for reserved chairback seats and $8 for general admission bench seating.

Games in Madison – weekend of December 3-5 – We also share that single game tickets for the road games at Wisconsin will go on sale from the UW Ticket Office at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 14, but they will go fast. Tickets will be available online at UWBadgers.com or over the phone at 1-800-GO-BADGERS. The final details for those games are not yet set, but the series is scheduled for the weekend of December 3-5.