November 20, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Friday, November 18, 2022

November 20, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Friday, November 18th

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Give to the Max Day donations surpass matching gift threshold

We send a very hearty and gracious thank you to everyone who contributed to our Give to the Max Day fundraiser yesterday. Our GTMD objective for full matching was reached late in the afternoon, and as of 11:30 p.m. last night we had raised (including the match) over $21,500 !!

GWH head coach Brad Frost shared a note of thanks on Twitter.

Goals for a Goal Update

Our fundraising efforts for the 2022-2023 Gopher Women's Hockey season continue in the Goals for a Goal campaign. As with our Give to the Max Day effort, funds raised go to support Ridder Arena improvements.

Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score throughout the regular season and postseason. There's also an option to double your pledge for power play goals! In their first 11 games, the team lit the lamp 53 times with nine of those coming on the power play.

We encourage you to make your pledge online, or download the PDF version, print it, 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.

PPC Board of Directors Update

At its meeting this past Tuesday night, the Power Play Club Board of Directors approved the addition of Matt Floding & J. Lindsay as directors to finish out open terms which expire on March 31, 2023. We welcome them to the board!!

Henderson tournament to follow Border Battle

Following this weekend's Border Battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin at LaBahn Arena in Madison, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads out to southern Nevada for the Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase on November 25 & 26. The event also includes the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Yale Bulldogs, and the Boston University Terriers.

Tickets are on sale for the consolation and championship games on Saturday, Nov. 26, at The Dollar Loan Center, but each ticket purchased includes complimentary admission to the Friday, Nov. 25, games at Lifeguard Arena (capacity permitting). Tickets can be purchased through axs.com here.

Once again, we thank our fellow GWH financial supporters who donated last season to make this event possible. We'll have our preview of the games in next week's Penalty Box Post.

USA defeats Canada in first 2 games of 2022-2023 Rivalry Series

Team USA took the first two games of the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series against Canada, getting a 4-3 shootout victory on Tuesday and winning 2-1 last night.

Gopher alumna Hannah Brandt opened the scoring in Tuesday's contest, and Hilary Knight pushed the American lead to 2-0 in the second period. However, Claire Thompson & Marie-Philip Poulin knotted the score for the Canadians before the second intermission, and Emily Clark gave them a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Still down a goal inside the final two minutes of regulation, Team USA got a power play and pulled netminder Nicole Hensley for a 6-on-4 attack, capitalizing when Alex Carpenter lit the lamp with 1:29 remaining. The game went to overtime where Hensley stopped Poulin on a penalty shot to force a shootout; Hensley then stoned all four Canadian shooters she faced, while Knight and Carpenter scored to give the Americans the win.

After a scoreless first stanza last night, Canada's Laura Stacey was taken down from behind on a second-period breakaway, resulting in another penalty shot; this time Poulin made no mistake, lighting the lamp for a 1-0 lead. But Rory Guilday scored for the Americans on a long shot from the point just 72 seconds later to knot the score, and Carpenter cleaned up a third-period rebound with 6:36 to play to give Team USA the victory. Kelly Pannek recorded an assist on Carpenter's goal.

The teams will play their third game this Sunday, November 20, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle at 4 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. CT. They then take a break before a pair of December contests: Thursday, December 15, at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV and Monday, December 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Visit the USA Hockey Rivalry Series page for links to purchase tickets to these matchups. All games will be televised live on NHL Network.

Copyright © 2022 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.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 Twitter at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Power Play Club

November 17, 2022

Penalty Box Post - Thursday, November 17, 2022

Power Play Club

November 17, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Thursday, November 17th

TODAY is Give to the Max Day! Help us raise $20,000 for Gopher Women's Hockey!!

The Power Play Club board and volunteers have pledged to match the first $10,000 of donations made today, Thursday, November 17, dollar for dollar. With the match, help us raise a total of $20,000! Donate at bit.ly/GWH_GTMD2022.

Funds raised will go to support updates and improvements to Ridder Arena, like the beautiful new Gopher Olympians wall. Additionally, all donations made through 11:59 p.m. this evening will earn double points for the Gopher Loyalty Program managed by the U. of M. Intercollegiate Athletics Department.

#1/2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-1-1, 9-0-1 in WCHA)
vs.
#3/3 Univ. of Wisconsin Badgers (10-2-0, 7-1-0 WCHA)

Saturday & Sunday, November 19-20 - Both games at 2:00 p.m. CT at LaBahn Arena, Madison, WI

The Border Battle rivarly is renewed for the 2022-2023 season as the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads to Madison to face the 3rd-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Action at LaBahn Arena starts Saturday, November 19, at 2:00 p.m. and continues on Sunday, November 20, also at 2:00 p.m.

Television coverage Saturday – Saturday's game will be broadcast live in the Twin Cities area on FOX9+. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here.

Last season against Wisconsin – The Gophers went 3-0-1 against the Badgers in the 2021-2022 campaign, winning 3-2 in Madison last December, playing to a 2-2 overtime tie and winning the subsequent shootout the next day, then earning their first weekend sweep in the Border Battle since 2016 with 2-1 & 4-3 victories at Ridder Arena in January.

Despite only netting 11 goals as a team in the 4 games, nine (9) different Gophers lit the lamp. Taylor Heise & Catie Skaja each recorded 2 goals and an assist, while Peyton Hemp & Emily Oden each added a goal and two assists. Abigail Boreen led Minnesota in total scoring with 4 assists, three of which came in the final contest. Casey O'Brien led the Badgers with 3 goals & an assist, Maddi Wheeler added a goal and two assists, Sarah Wozniewicz dished out three helpers, and Brette Pettet lit the lamp twice. Between the pipes for Minnesota, Lauren Bench stopped 98 of 105 shots – a .933 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average – over three of the four contests, while Makayla Pahl made 40 saves on 41 shots (.976 SV%) in her one start. Wisconsin netminder Kennedy Blair posted a 2.75 GAA and .896 SV% across all four games.

About the Badgers – Wisconsin lost only 6 WCHA games in 2021-2022, matching Minnesota & Ohio State, but three ties pushed them into a third-place finish in the league standings behind the Gophers & Buckeyes. After sweeping Bemidji State in the conference quarterfinals, they fell to OSU in the semifinals. They earned an NCAA Tournament bid and defeated Clarkson 3-1 in the First Round, but fell to Northeastern 4-2 in the quarterfinals.

The 2022-2023 campaign for the Badgers started off auspiciously as they lost at Penn State, 4-1. However, they defeated the Nittany Lions by a resounding 9-1 result in the rematch, starting a nine-game winning streak before their series at Minnesota Duluth three weekends ago (more on that shortly). Currently, they sit third in the WCHA standings and both national polls, still trailing the Gophers and Buckeyes.

The Badgers entered the season without two of their top-three scorers from last year, as Daryl Watts graduated and Makenna Webster transferred. But Casey O'Brien (#26) is back for her junior year; after tallying 55 points (27g, 28a) last season, she has 17 points on 6 goals & 11 assists in the current campaign. Wisconsin's top two scorers so far, each with 19 points, were centralized with Team USA last season; redshirt sophomore Lacey Eden (#6) has a team-high 10 goals with 9 assists, while freshman blueliner Caroline Harvey (#4) has already been named WCHA Rookie of the Month twice with 6 goals and a team-high 13 assists. Fifth-year player Sophie Shirley (#9) has also picked up her game, recording 7 goals and 10 assists so far this year.

Much like the Gophers, Wisconsin is relying on home-grown goaltending this year after having had transferred veterans between the pipes the past several seasons. Redshirt senior Cami Kronish (#30) and redshirt sophomore Jane Gervais (#1) had only 4 combined starts prior to this season; they have split the first 12 games of 2022-2023. Kronish has a 4-2-0 record this year, but all four wins have been shutouts; for her career, she has a 0.97 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Gervais is a perfect 6-0-0 with one shutout and a career 1.30 GAA and .932 SV%. Freshman Chloe Baker (#32) is the third goaltender on the Badgers' roster; she has yet to see any official action.

Last action for Wisconsin – The Badgers have not played since the end of October when they made the trip north to play at Minnesota Duluth. Lacey Eden lit the lamp unassisted to put UW up in the opener; however, Gabbie Hughes knotted the score for UMD with 2:50 remaining in regulation, and Nina Jobst-Smith found the back of the net in overtime for a 2-1 Bulldogs win. The rematch saw both teams hold leads, but Wisconsin took a 4-2 third-period advantage after Eden netted her 2nd goal of the weekend and Caroline Harvey lit the lamp twice. Ashton Bell scored for the Minnesota Duluth with 9:01 to play, but the Badgers took the 4-3 victory. Cami Kronish had 23 saves for UW on Friday, and Jane Gervais stopped 35 shots on Saturday.

Gophers sign Hungarian National Team forward Kreisz

Minnesota Women's Hockey announced yesterday that Emma Kreisz has signed to become the sixth member of the freshman class of 2023-2024. Kreisz, a native of Budapest, Hungary, will become the first Hungarian to play for the Gophers. Currently, Kreisz is playing for Stanstead prep school in Quebec, where she posted 47 points (27g, 20a) in 37 games in 2021-2022. She has also played for the senior Hungarian National Team in the 2019 Women's World Championship Division I-A tournament, the 2021 & 2022 Women's World Championships (top division), and the 2022 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Kreisz joins Lauren O'Hara, Elly Klepinger, Ava Lindsay, Josie Hemp, and Isa Goettl as next season's Gopher freshmen.

We pass along our warmest greetings to Emma, and look forward to seeing her wearing the Maroon & Gold next fall!!

Around the WCHA...

Tommies earn road sweep over Lindenwood – Starting a weekend series with an unusual Thursday morning puck drop, St. Thomas earned only their second sweep as a Division I program with 4-1 & 5-3 victories at Lindenwood. Gabby Billing and Saskia Maurer earned WCHA Forward & Goaltender of the Week honors, respectively; Billing recorded 4 points on a goal & 3 assists, while Maurer stopped 46 of 50 shots in the two contests. Maddie Clough added two goals & an assist and Maija Almich also lit the lamp twice.

Bulldogs sweep Huskies in St. Cloud – Maggie Flaherty scored twice, Anneke Linser recorded a goal and an assist, Emma Söderberg stopped all 14 shots she faced Friday, and Hailey MacLeod made 18 saves Saturday as Minnesota Duluth swept St. Cloud State on the road, 2-0 & 5-1. Grace Wolfe netted the lone goal for SCSU late in regulation Saturday to prevent being shutout over the weekend.

Minnesota State wins in exhibition – Sydney Langseth recorded two goals & an assist, Taylor Otremba added a goal & two assists, and four other Mavericks lit the lamp as they defeated Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire 7-1 on Monday night. Sophie Rausch scored late in regulation for the Blugolds.

Upcoming games – Two Friday-Saturday series get the weekend started as Bemidji State visits Ohio State in Columbus and Minnesota Duluth hosts a non-conference matchup against Harvard. Meanwhile, St. Thomas and Minnesota State will play a home-and-home series starting Saturday in Mendota Heights before moving to Mankato on Sunday. St. Cloud State is idle this weekend. Next week, OSU will play two more games before Thanksgiving, hosting Colgate in non-conference competition on Tuesday & Wednesday.

Power Play Club

November 10, 2022

Penalty Box Post - Thursday, November 10, 2022

Power Play Club

November 10, 2022

Penalty Box Post
Thursday, November 10th

Give to the Max Day: PPC Board Announces $10,000 Match!

Next Thursday, November 17, is Give to the Max Day. The Power Play Club board and volunteers have pledged to match all donations dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. That means all gifts will be doubled, up to a total of $20,000!

Funds raised will go to support updates and improvements to Ridder Arena, like the beautiful new Gopher Olympians wall.

The GTMD page to make your online donation will be live soon, so look for the link in the next Penalty Box Post.

Goals for a Goal 2022-2023: Make Your Pledge Today!

Through its first 11 games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has recorded 53 goals, including converting 8 power-play opportunities. Help us support the squad through our Goals for a Goal program, pledging to convert each goal scored throughout the regular season and postseason into a donation for the program, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals. Your donation will help fund updates and improvements to Ridder Arena.

To make a pledge, fill out this online form (preferred) or download the PDF version, print it, and mail it in to the listed address. 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.

Board of Directors meeting – Tuesday, November 15

Here's another reminder that the next meeting of the Power Play Club Board of Directors is scheduled for Tuesday evening, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held online over Zoom. Board meetings continue to be open to all registered club members; please contact Dave Malerich at vicepresident@powerplayclub.org if you wish to attend.

Gophers sweep UMD to retain #1 ranking in national polls, but fall to SCSU in U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Game

The Gopher Women's Hockey team remained undefeated in WCHA play with a weekend sweep of Minnesota Duluth at Ridder Arena, 3-2 (OT) & 5-3, but their 10-game unbeaten streak to start the season ended Monday night in Andover with a 4-1 loss to St. Cloud State in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-off Classic.

Minnesota took an opening 2-0 lead on the Bulldogs when Ella Huber and Lizi Norton scored in the opening 6:02 of Friday's contest. However, UMD battled back as the game progressed, with Gabby Krause lighting the lamp in the second period and Nina Jobst-Smith converting a 3rd-period power play to even the score at 2-2. After the remaining 17 minutes of regulation elapsed with no further goals, Taylor Heise scored on a give-and-go with Grace Zumwinkle 15 seconds into overtime, the first 3-on-3 OT goal in Gopher program history, for a 3-2 victory. Skylar Vetter made 27 saves, while UMD's Emma Söderberg stopped 29 shots.

The Gophers got off to an even faster start on Saturday, with Catie Skaja scoring only 25 seconds in and Abbey Murphy doubling the lead 10 seconds later. The Bulldogs again cut into the lead when Maggie Flaherty tallied on a power play, making the score 2-1 at the first intermission. But Minnesota went on another scoring burst in the second period with 3 goals in a 4-minute span; Skaja netted her second of the game on a power play, Josefin Bouveng lit the lamp 52 seconds later, and Abigail Boreen took a shot which bounced a shot off the goalpost, off Söderberg's back, and into the net to make it 5-1. That was all for Söderberg as she was relieved by Hailey MacLeod. UMD pulled back within two on third-period goals by Mannon McMahon and Clara Van Wieren (PP, extra attacker), but they ran out of time as the Gophers celebrated the 5-3 victory and the series sweep. Vetter made another 23 saves, while MacLeod stopped 15 shots after Söderberg's initial 12 saves.

In the series, Skaja (2g, 1a), Huber (1g, 2a), and Zumwinkle (3a) each finished with 3 points.

Unfortunately, Minnesota's momentum was abruptly halted on Monday night as St. Cloud State goaltender Sanni Ahola stopped 34 of 35 Gopher shots in the Hall of Fame Game. At the other end of the ice, Klára Hymlárová & Addi Scribner lit the lamp for the Huskies in the first period and Bailey Burton tallied on a power play 23 seconds into the 2nd stanza to push their lead to 3-0. Heise netted her sixth goal of the season to cut SCSU's advantage to 3-1, but the Gophers got no closer and Allie Cornelius added an insurance goal for the 4-1 upset. Vetter made 15 saves.

With one-third of their regular-season schedule now complete, the Gophers are idle this coming weekend. They return to action when the Border Battle against Wisconsin resumes at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Saturday & Sunday, November 19-20.

Frost reaches career victory #450...

We send our congratulations to Minnesota Women's Hockey head coach Brad Frost as Friday's win over Minnesota Duluth was his 450th career victory as the Gophers' bench boss!!

Heise, Vetter go back-to-back with weekly league honors

Gopher fifth-year Taylor Heise and sophomore Skylar Vetter were both honored by the WCHA as the league's Forward & Goaltender of the Week, respectively, for the second-straight week following their performances against Minnesota Duluth.

Heise recorded a team-high 4 points against the Bulldogs, netting the overtime game-winning goal on Friday and dishing out 3 assists. Vetter stopped 50 of 55 shots (a .909 save percentage) in winning both games.

Congratulations, Taylor and Skylar!!

Gopher announce first two 2023-2024 freshmen signings

Coach Brad Frost and the Gopher Women's Hockey team announced yesterday via Twitter and Facebook that forward Lauren O'Hara (Blaine, MN; Centennial HS) and defender Elly Klepinger (Corcoran, MN; Minnetonka HS) have signed to become the first two members of the team's freshman class of 2023-2024.

We pass along our warmest greetings, and look forward to seeing Lauren & Elly wearing the Maroon & Gold next fall!!

Around the WCHA...

Huskies earn road sweep over Beavers – Before their victory over the Gophers on Monday, St. Cloud State earned a big six points in the WCHA standings with a sweep of Bemidji State on the road, 2-0 & 3-1. Emma Gentry lit the lamp twice, and Olivia Cvar & Klára Hymlárová each added a goal and an assist. Sanni Ahola posted a 15-save shutout on Friday & Jojo Chobak stopped 28 of 29 shots on Saturday for SCSU. Anika Stoskopf netted the lone goal for BSU and Hannah Hogenson made 50 saves in the series.

Buckeyes shut out Tommies – Ohio State got back into the win column in a big way, sweeping St. Thomas 4-0 & 6-0 in Mendota Heights. Emma Peschel netted her first 3 career goals for the Buckeyes, while Sophie Jaques & Gabby Rosenthal each added 2 goals & an assist. OSU senior goaltender Quinn Kuntz earned a 16-save shutout in her first career start on Saturday. Saskia Maurer made 47 saves Saturday & Alexa Dobchuk stopped 52 shots Sunday for UST.

Mavericks earn non-conference sweep of Sacred Heart – Jamie Nelson posted a 5-point series with 3 goals & 2 assists as they cruised to a sweep of Sacred Heart in Mankato, 4-1 & 5-1. Charlotte Akervik and Taylor Otremba each also lit the lamp twice, and Brooke Bryant dished out 4 assists. Lauren Barbro & Alexa Berg each made 16 saves in net for MSU. Delani MacKay and Cassandra Nevers scored for the Pioneers, and Carly Greene made a combined 64 saves.

Upcoming games – Action begins this morning (Thursday, Nov. 10) when St. Thomas opens a two-game series on the road at Lindenwood, continuing tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. St. Cloud State will look to continue its hot hand, hosting Minnesota Duluth in a matinee series Friday & Saturday afternoon. Early next week, Minnesota State will host an exhibition contest against the Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds on Monday night. Bemidji State, Ohio State & Wisconsin are idle.

Power Play Club

November 4, 2022

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - November 4, 2022

Power Play Club

November 4, 2022

Tickets have gone on sale for the Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase, the Thanksgiving weekend event November 25 & 26 in Henderson, Nevada, featuring the Minnesota Golden Gopher Women's Hockey team, the Penn State University Nittany Lions, the Yale University Bulldogs, and the Boston University Terriers. The event will be an in-season mini-tournament as follows:

Semifinals – Friday, November 25 at Lifeguard Arena

Yale vs. Boston Univ. – 1:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. CT
Minnesota vs. Penn State – 4:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT

Saturday, November 26 at The Dollar Loan Center

Consolation (Friday's losing teams) – 1:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. CT
Championship (Friday's winning teams) – 4:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT

Ticket sales are specifically for Saturday's contests at The Dollar Loan Center, but each ticket purchased includes complimentary admission to the Friday's games at Lifeguard Arena (capacity permitting). Tickets can be purchased through axs.com here.

We also send our thanks to our fellow GWH financial supporters who donated last season to make this event possible. For more opportunities to support the U. of M. Women's Hockey program, we encourage you to watch our Penalty Box Post newsletters for details on the upcoming Give to the Max Day occurring on Thursday, November 17, or you can sign up for the 2022-2023 Goals for a Goal campaign which raises money through pledges for every goal scored by the Gophers throughout the season.

Power Play Club

November 3, 2022

The Penalty Box - Thursday, November 3, 2022

Power Play Club

November 3, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Thursday, November 3rd

Part Two - continued from PBP - November 2nd

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-off Classic
Minnesota Gophers vs. St. Cloud State University Huskies
Monday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Andover Community Center, Andover, MN

Following their upcoming weekend series against UMD, Minnesota will face St. Cloud State in the 2022 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-off Classic on Monday night, November 7. Puck drop for this third meeting of the season between the Gophers and Huskies is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Andover Community Center. This game will be treated as a non-conference contest in the regular-season standings.

SOLD OUT!! As announced by the WCHA yesterday, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game is sold out. A few tickets may become available on Monday if either Minnesota or St. Cloud State return any of their allotment.

Last weekend: Huskies sweep Tommies – Klára Hymlárová lit the lamp 3 times, Jenniina Nylund recorded 2 goals & 2 assists, and Emma Gentry also found the back of the net twice as St. Cloud State earned their first two conference wins of the season, sweeping St. Thomas 4-1 and 4-0. Between the pipes, Sanni Ahola stopped 13 of 14 shots and Jojo Chobak made 20 saves in a shutout effort for the Huskies. Luci Bianchi netted the lone goal for UST.

St. Cloud State update – With her 4 points this past weekend, Nylund (#81) leads SCSU in all three scoring categories, posting 7 goals, 5 assists, and 12 points. Hymlárová (#12) and Gentry (#20) have 6 goals piece; Hymlárová also has two assists for 8 points, while Gentry has one assist and 7 points.

Factoring in the past two weekends, junior goaltender Sanni Ahola (#1) has seen her season stats improve; she now has a 2.99 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. Fellow junior Jojo Chobak (#29) also saw her goals-against average drop to 2.34 GAA, while her save percentage is virtually unchanged at .926.

Upcoming for the Huskies – St. Cloud State will head north for a pair of afternoon matinee games Friday & Saturday at Bemidji State before playing the Gophers on Monday night.

GWH alumna Räty announces retirement from international play

As reported by the International Ice Hockey Federation on Monday, Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Noora Räty has announced her departure from the Finland Women's National Hockey Team, effectively retiring from international play after a storied career. Räty, a two-time NCAA champion and the all-time winningest goaltender in Gopher program history (114 victories), won two Olympic bronze medals (2010 & 2018) in four Winter Games (2006-2018), and one silver & four bronze medals in nine IIHF Women's World Championship tournaments. (Photo by Andrew Nelles - USA TODAY Sports)

As noted in the IIHF report, Räty is continuing to play in Finland's top women's domestic league, signing with HPK Hameenlinna for a second-straight season; in four games this year, she has a 2-2 record with a 1.27 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. Off the ice, she is a board member of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association, and has signed on as the goaltending coach for the Chinese Women's National Team potentially through 2025.

We send Noora best wishes in her next journey!!

Whitecaps, 4 Gopher alumnae open PHF season this weekend

The Minnesota Whitecaps – featuring Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Sydney Baldwin, Olivia Knowles, Amanda Leveille, and Patti Marshall – open their fifth season of play in the Premier Hockey Federation this weekend, starting on the road in Toronto on Saturday & Sunday (Nov. 5 & 6). The Whitecaps' home-opening weekend is scheduled for November 18 & 19 against the Boston Pride at the Richfield Ice Arena, with tickets on sale at whitecaps.goigniter.com.

The PHF expanded to seven teams with the addition of the Montreal Force in 2022-2023. With that expansion, each team will play a 24-game regular-season schedule which concludes on Sunday, March 12. All games will be streamed live on the ESPN+ subscription service in the U.S. following the announcement of an exclusive rights agreement between the league and ESPN.

PWHPA announces fourth showcase with All-Star events

While the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) gears up for the second stop of its 2022-2023 Secret® Dream Gap Tour this weekend – November 4-6 – in Truro, Nova Scotia, the organization announced its fourth event of the tour: the Canadian Tire All-Star Weekend in greater Ottawa, Ontario on December 9-11. Games between the four member teams will by played in Kemptville, Gatineau, and Ottawa, ON, on Dec. 9 & 10, followed by All-Star events including a skills competition and 3-on-3 challenge at the Canadian Tire Centre on Dec. 11.

This weekend's games in Truro include Gopher alumnae Hannah Brandt (Team Sonnet), Emily Brown (Team Sonnet), Kelly Pannek (Team Scotiabank), Sarah Potomak (Team adidas), and Lee Stecklein (Team Harvey's). All six games on the full round-robin schedule will be streamed on cbcsports.ca. Action starts tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 4) at 2:30 p.m. CT (game schedule here).

Elsewhere around the WCHA...

Beavers, Mavericks split in Bemidji – Sydney Langseth put Minnesota State up 1-0 to open their road series at Bemidji State last weekend, but Shelby Breiland and Reece Hunt scored for BSU for a 2-1 come-from-behind victory. In the rematch, Langseth netted her second goal of the weekend for MSU, followed by Taylor Otremba &Charlotte Akervik lighting the lamp, all within a span of 58 seconds; that was enough for goaltender Alexa Berg, who stopped all 27 shots she faced for a 3-0 shutout for the Mavericks to get the series split. Hannah Hogenson made 50 combined saves over the weekend for the Beavers.

Upcoming games – In addition to the Gophers hosting UMD & St. Cloud State visiting Bemidji State, Minnesota State will host Sacred Heart in non-conference action on Friday & Saturday and Ohio State will come to the Twin Cities for a league series at St. Thomas on Saturday & Sunday. Wisconsin is idle until November 19.

Power Play Club

November 2, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Power Play Club

November 2, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, November 2nd

#1/1 Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-0-1, 7-0-1 in WCHA)
vs.
#5/#5 Univ. of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (7-3-0, 3-3-0)
Friday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, November 5 at 2:00 p.m. CT
Ridder Arena

After taking 4 of 6 standings points in a critical road series last weekend and earning the #1 ranking in both national polls, the Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to Ridder Arena to face a familiar rival, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The two teams will square off starting Friday, November 4, at 6:00 p.m. CT and continue on Saturday, November 5, at 2:00 p.m.

Last season against Minnesota Duluth – The Gophers and Bulldogs split their four regular-season meetings in 2021-2022. In Duluth last October, Minnesota took the opener 3-1 before UMD responded with a 5-4 overtime victory in the rematch. At Ridder Arena in December, the Bulldogs won 3-2 but the Gophers earned a series split with a 2-1 victory. The squads next met in the WCHA semifinals, with the top-seeded Gophers earning a 5-1 win. However, UMD got the last laugh, ending the Gophers' season with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory in the NCAA Quarterfinals at Ridder.

Fourteen (14) different Gophers recorded points against the Bulldogs, with 10 of them lighting the lamp. Abigail Boreen led the way with 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points. Peyton Hemp netted only one goal but dished out 4 assists for 5 points. Taylor Heise, Catie Skaja, and Audrey Wethington each recorded 2 goals & 2 assists, while Emily Oden also found the back of the net twice. For UMD, Gabbie Hughes and Elizabeth Giguere each recorded 7 points against Minnesota, including pairing up on the goal which elimiated the Gophers from the NCAA Tournament; Hughes had 4 goals & 3 assists, while Giguere posted 3 goals & 4 assists. Anna Klein added a goal & 4 assists, while Mannon McMahon recorded 2 goals & 2 assists. Gopher goaltender Lauren Bench played in 5 of the 6 contests, including both playoff games, posting a 2.41 goals-against average and .899 save percentage, while Mikayla Pahl stopped 24 of 25 shots (a .960 SV%) in the Gophers' final game of calendar 2021. With the front-heavy schedule, Emma Söderberg was in net for the Bulldogs for all four regular-season contests, then returned from the Olympics in time for the NCAA Tournament; she posted a .932 SV% and 2.20 GAA. Jojo Chobak stopped 34 of 38 shots (an .895 SV%) in the WCHA semifinal.

About the Bulldogs – Minnesota Duluth had moments of inconsistency in the 2021-2022 regular-season, suffering 9 losses with 8 of those in WCHA play, but still finished solidly in 4th in the league standings with a 19-8-1 conference record and 22-9-1 overall mark. They also needed a third game to advance past Minnesota State out of the WCHA quarterfinals after losing the second contest of that series. However, following their league semifinal loss to the Gophers, they went on a three-game run in the NCAA Tournament, defeating Harvard 4-0, upsetting the Gophers 2-1, and knocking off Northeastern 2-1 (2OT) in the national semifinal before falling to Ohio State 3-2 in the championship game.

Despite losing 3 of their last 4 games this year, UMD has retained the #5 ranking in the national polls, going 7-3-0 to start 2022-2023. They have also played overtime in the opening games of their last 4 weekends, posting a 3-1-0 record in those contests.

The Bulldogs entered the new season without two of their top-three scorers from last year, as both Elizabeth Giguere and Anna Klein graduated. But Gabbie Hughes (#17) returned for her fifth year; after tallying 59 points (22g, 37a) last season, she leads the team with 14 points on 3 goals & 11 assists in the current campaign. A big pick-up was the return of fifth-year defender Ashton Bell (#26) after she was centralized with Team Canada in 2021-2022; she has a team-leading 6 goals plus 4 assists this year. Senior Mannon McMahon (#16) is third in total scoring with 8 points on 3 goals & 5 assists, while sophomore Gabby Krause (#18) has lit the lamp 4 times and recorded an assist.

Fifth-year goaltender Emma Soderberg (#30) made a late announcement that she was returning to UMD for 2022-2023, entering with a career 33-16-0 record, 10 shutouts, a .932 save percentage and 1.87 goals-against average; having started all ten games for the Bulldogs so far this year, she has 2 shutouts, a .928 SV%, and 1.52 GAA. Freshman Hailey MacLeod (#35) stopped the single shot she faced in a 14-minute appearance in UMD's opening series against LIU. Graduate transfer Blanka Škodová (#31) has yet to play for UMD, but has a career 17-19-10 record over four years at Vermont, with 2 shutouts, a 2.32 GAA, and .901 SV%.

UMD splits with Wisconsin – Facing a second-straight top-five opponent in the form of the Badgers, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing in the opener on an unassisted goal by Lacey Eden; however, Gabbie Hughes knotted the score with 2:50 remaining in regulation, and Nina Jobst-Smith netted her second-career goal – her first of the season – to give Minnesota Duluth a 2-1 overtime victory. The rematch saw both teams hold leads, but the Wisconsin took a 4-2 third-period lead after Eden netted her 2nd goal of the weekend and Caroline Harvey lit the lamp twice. Ashton Bell scored for the Bulldogs with 9:01 to play, but they fell 4-3. Hughes and Jobst-Smith added assists Saturday to their goals on Friday. Emma Soderberg stopped 50 of 55 shots in the series for UMD; Cami Kronish had 23 saves for the Badgers on Friday, and Jane Gervais stopped 35 shots on Saturday.

Gophers earn 4 points with win, tie at Ohio State – Nelli Laitinen gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead at the first intermission of their opening game in Columbus. Jenna Buglioni (PP) & Sophie Jaques put the Buckeyes ahead 2-1 late in the second period, but Taylor Heise evened score 18 seconds into the third frame, Peyton Hemp reestablished the Gophers' lead with 9:51 to play, and Abigail Boreen added an insurance goal with 3:31 remaining for a 4-2 victory. Abbey Murphy (PP) and Josefin Bouveng scored 47 seconds apart early in the rematch, but Makenna Webster tallied her first goal as a Buckeye to make the score 2-1 Gophers after 20 minutes. Following a scoreless second stanza, Murphy pushed Minnesota's lead back to two (3-1) early in the third, but Ohio State rallied with goals by Jennifer Gardiner and Jaques (PP) to knot the score with 7:13 to play. Heise netted her second goal of the weekend, a short-handed tally 66 seconds later, to put Minnesota ahead 4-3, but Jaques converted on the same OSU power play 33 seconds after that. The teams skated the remaining 5:34 of regulation and a 5-minute overtime without additional scoring, completing the game as a 4-4 tie. Going to a shootout, Jaques put the Buckeyes up 1-0 in the 2nd round, Grace Zumwinkle scored in the 3rd round to even things up, but Buglioni lit the lamp in round 4 to take the bonus point in the WCHA standings. Skylar Vetter played both games in net for the Gophers, making a combined 70 saves; Amanda Thiele stopped 28 shots for OSU in the opener, and Raygan Kirk made 27 saves in the rematch. Heise & Murphy each finished the series with 3 points apiece (2g, 1a for each), while Catie Skaja and Gracie Ostertag each dished out 3 helpers.

Vetter earns trio of league awards; Heise, Murphy also honored

After stopping 70 shots against then-#1 Ohio State, recording a .921 save percentage in those two contests, Gopher sophomore netminder Skylar Vetter was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week on Monday, her second such honor in the past three series. Her effort was also recognized as the league's Howie's Hockey Tape Performance of the Week.

Following the weekly awards announcements, Vetter was named WCHA Goaltender of the Month for October yesterday. Vetter made a total of 144 saves in seven appearances, posting a 5-0-1 record in her 6 starts with a .935 save percentage and 1.57 goals against average. This is the first monthly award of her collegiate career.

Two other Gophers were honored by the league. Fifth-year co-captain Taylor Heise was named WCHA Forward of the Week, her first honor of the season and fourth FOTW award of her career, after recording two goals (one short-handed) & an assist against the Buckeyes. Sophomore Abbey Murphy was recognized as WCHA Forward of the Month, the first monthly award of her career, after recording a team-high 14 points (8g, 6a) for a league-leading 1.75 points per game; four of her goals came on the power play, one was short-handed, and she also posted a +9 plus-minus rating.

We send our congratulations to Skylar, Taylor, and Abbey on these honors!!

Power Play Club

October 31, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor - An Edition of the Penalty Box Post - Monday, Oct 31, 2022

Power Play Club

October 31, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Monday, October 31st

PPC Chalk Talk – Saturday, November 5 at 12:30 p.m.

Here's another reminder that the second Power Play Club Chalk Talk with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is scheduled for Saturday, November 5 at 12:30 p.m. in the Ridder Arena weight room (upstairs) prior to the second game of the upcoming rivalry series against Minnesota Duluth. This member-exclusive event will include a discussion of team strategy, a review of the previous night's game film, and time for a brief question & answer session.

PPC membership enrollment remains open!

As noted last week, membership enrollment into the Power Play Club for the 2022-2023 season remains open and can be completed anytime!

A minimum donation of $50 gets you registered into our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address. Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC22; 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".

We continue to encourage Locker Sponsorship tier sign-ups with a minimum $600 donation, raising a significant amount of revenue for the team. In addition to club membership, donors will get a photo with their respective player or coach, and meal with the team on a game day (tentatively set for January 7, 2023). If you are interested in sponsoring a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Second PWHPA tournament this weekend with 5 GWH alumnae

The second stop of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association's (PWHPA's) 2022-2023 Secret® Dream Gap Tour is scheduled for this weekend – November 4-6 – in Truro, Nova Scotia. The five Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae active for the first showcase earlier this month have been listed on team rosters for event #2: Hannah Brandt (Team Sonnet), Emily Brown (Team Sonnet), Kelly Pannek (Team Scotiabank), Sarah Potomak (Team adidas), and Lee Stecklein (Team Harvey's). This weekend's action features a full six-game round-robin schedule, with all contests streamed on cbcsports.ca. Action starts Friday (Nov. 4) at 2:30 p.m. CT (game schedule here).

As we previously reported, Pittsburgh will host the third Dream Gap Tour stop November 25-27, featuring four games and other community events including two girls hockey clinics.

Five Gopher alums named to U.S. and Canada National Teams
for first three contests of 2022-2023 Rivalry Series

In between PWHPA showcase events, the USA and Canada Women's National Hockey Teams will play their first three games of the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series:

Tuesday, November 15 at 9 p.m. CT
Prospera Place, Kelowna, British Columbia
Thursday, November 17 at 9 p.m. CT
Sandman Centre, Kamloops, British Columbina
Sunday, November 20 at 6 p.m. CT
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington

Five Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae were named to the rosters last week for these games. Hannah Brandt, Kelly Pannek, Amanda Kessel, and Lee Stecklein were among the 23 players announced by USA Hockey last Tuesday, while Sarah Potomak made the 23-player roster released by Hockey Canada on Wednesday.

We send our congratulations and wishes of good luck to all five. Game coverage details have not been announced at this time; we will share that information when it becomes available. A fourth game of the Rivalry Series is set for Thursday, December 15, in Henderson, NV.

Power Play Club

October 26, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Power Play Club

October 26, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 26th

PPC Chalk Talk – Saturday, November 5 at 12:30 p.m.

The second Power Play Club Chalk Talk with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is scheduled for Saturday, November 5 at 12:30 p.m. in the Ridder Arena weight room (upstairs) prior to the second game of the rivalry series against Minnesota Duluth. This member-exclusive event will include a discussion of team strategy, a review of the previous night's game film, and time for a brief question & answer session.

PPC membership enrollment continues!

If you have not yet enrolled in the Power Play Club for the 2022-2023 season, you can do so at any time.

A minimum donation of $50 gets you registered into our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address. Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC22; 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".

We continue to encourage Locker Sponsorship tier sign-ups with a minimum $600 donation, raising a significant amount of revenue for the team. In addition to club membership, donors will get a photo with their respective player or coach, and meal with the team on a game day (tentatively set for January 7, 2023). If you are interested in sponsoring a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Note that donations for both membership tiers are 100% tax-deductible! Additionally, new members are entitled to a Gopher Women's Hockey automobile decal showing support of the team; decals are also available to renewing members needing a replacement. You can inquire at the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse during any regular-season home game.

Goals for a Goal 2022-2023: Make Your Pledge Today!

The Goals for a Goal program also continues taking pledges to support Gopher Women’s Hockey. Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals. Your donation will help fund updates and improvements to Ridder Arena, such as the new GWH Olympian display and additional planned changes.

The Gophers have lit the lamp 36 times in their opening six contests, with six of those coming on the power play!

To make a pledge, fill out this online form (preferred) or download the PDF version, print it, and mail it in to the listed address. 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.

#2/2 Minnesota Gophers (6-0-0, 6-0-0 in WCHA)
at
#1/#1 Ohio State University Buckeyes (8-0-0, 8-0-0)

Friday, October 28 at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 29 at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT

OSU Ice Rink, Columbus, OH

The #2 Gopher Women's Hockey team heads out for its first full two-game road series of the season, and it's a battle of the top-two teams nationally when they square off against the #1-ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes at the OSU Ice Rink in Columbus, Ohio. Action begins early Friday evening, October 28, with a 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT puck drop, and continues at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 29.

Last season against Ohio State – The Gophers' 2021-2022 season got off to a rough start when they were swept by the Buckeyes, 4-2 & 4-1, at Ridder Arena. Meeting again in January in Columbus, OSU took the third game with a 2-1 overtime decision before Minnesota replied with a 5-3 victory and the weekend split. The two teams met a fifth time in the WCHA Championship Game; the Gophers held a 2-0 lead after two periods, but the Buckeyes knotted the score in the third and lit the lamp on an overtime power play for a 3-2 win and the title, with Sophie Jaques tallying both the game-tying and game-winning goals.

Taylor Heise netted four of Minnesota's 11 goals against the Buckeyes and added two assists for 6 points over the five contests. Abigail Boreen added a goal & four assists, while Catie Skaja dished out 3 helpers. But Jaques was on fire for Ohio State, recording 10 points on 5 goals & 5 assists against the Gophers. Jennifer Gardiner scored only one goal but tallied 5 assists, while Jenna Buglioni lit the lamp twice and added 3 helpers. Gopher goaltender Lauren Bench stopped 78 shots over 3 games, posting a 2.64 goals-against average and .907 save percentage, while Skylar Vetter made 27 saves on 31 shots (an .871 SV%) in the second game and Mikayla Pahl stopped 32 of 35 shots (a .914 SV%) in the Gophers' lone win. Between the pipes for the Buckeyes, Amanda Braendli made 62 saves with 3 goals against – a .954 SV% & 1.50 GAA – in the opening weekend, while Amanda Thiele went 2-1-0 in the other 3 games with a .928 SV% and 2.29 GAA.

About the Buckeyes – Ohio State finished 2nd in the 2021-2022 WCHA regular-season standings but went on to win the league's playoff title, defeating Wisconsin in the semifinals (2-1) before the OT victory over the Gophers. They followed it up with three one-goal victories in NCAA Tournament play, topping Quinnipiac 4-3 in a double-OT quarterfinal, Yale 2-1 in the semis, and Minnesota Duluth 3-2 to win their first national championship.

OSU has remained the #1 team in the national polls several weeks into the 2022-2023 campaign, going 8-0-0 to start the season. Their lone blemish came when one of their games went to overtime last weekend (more on that shortly).

Much like Minnesota, Ohio State is relying on an experienced core of fifth-year players. Defender Sophie Jaques (#18) led the Buckeyes in total scoring in 2021-2022 with 59 points on 21 goals & 38 assists, earning her honors as a Patty Kazmaier Award top-three finalist; eight games into the new season, she again leads the team with 12 points on 7 goals & 5 assists. Forward Paetyn Levis (#27) was second in scoring last year with a team-high 24 goals & 29 assists for 53 points; she's currently sits with 2 goals & 7 assists this season. Emma Maltais returns for her fifth season after winning a gold medal with the Canadian Olympic Team last year; she current has a goal & 8 assists. Gabby Rosenthal (#15) trails only Jaques in goals scored this season, lighting the lamp 5 times while dishing out 3 assists. But amid those "upperclassmen", senior forward Jennifer Gardiner (#12) joins Jaques with 12 points early on, coming on 4 goals & 8 assists.

With Andrea Braendli missing portions of last season due to commitments with the Switzerland Olympic Team, Amanda Thiele (#30) took over between the pipes; through her first two seasons, she had a 20-3-0 record with an outstanding .942 save percentage and 1.28 goals-against average. Braendli has now graduated, formally making Thiele OSU's primary goaltender as a junior; while she has a perfect 6-0-0 record so far, she's only posted an .874 SV% and 2.14 GAA. After two years as the primary netminder for Robert Morris, Raygan Kirk (#1) joined OSU last season in a backup role; entering her senior year with a career .929 SV% and 1.94 GAA, she has only only yielded 2 goals in 2 games (1.00 GAA) this season with a .931 SV%. Freshman Lexington Secreto (#34) has joined the Buckeyes' roster but has not yet seen any official action.

Ohio State takes 5 points from Minnesota Duluth – In the first meetings this season of national top-five WCHA teams and also a rematch of last year's NCAA championship game, the Buckeyes defeated UMD by a pair of 3-2 results, though the first of the two required overtime to give the Bulldogs a league standings point. Jennifer Gardiner led OSU in the series with 2 goals & an assist, while Jenna Buglioni lit the lamp twice on Friday – including the unassisted, breakaway OT gamewinner – and Amanda Thiele stopped a combined 38 shots. Minnesota Duluth's Gabbie Hughes recorded a goal & two assists and Emma Soderberg made 63 saves.

Gophers double up Huskies in weekend sweep – Minnesota netted four goals on their first 8 shots of the series against St. Cloud State, with Abbey Murphy, Abigail Boreen (PP), Grace Zumwinkle, and Taylor Heise each lighting the lamp and recording an assist. The Huskies reduced their deficit to 4-2 in the opening game after goals by Klára Hymlárová and Olivia Cvar, but they got no closer. Game two of the weekend saw Emma Gentry give SCSU a 1-0 lead just 54 seconds into the contest, but Madison Kaiser knotted the score for the Gophers later in the first period and Zumwinkle cleaned up a rebound in the third stanza (photo below) for a 2-1 win and the sweep. Skylar Vetter made a combined 40 saves to earn the two victories; Jojo Chobak stopped 32 shots for SCSU in the opener and Sanni Ahola made 43 saves in the rematch.

Around the WCHA...

Badgers roll in sweep of Beavers – Kirsten Simms recorded a goal & 4 assists, Lacey Eden added 2 goals & 2 assists, and Laila Edwards dished out 4 helpers as Wisconsin powered past Bemidji State, 8-0 & 7-1. Gabbie Smith recorded the lone goal for BSU.

Minnesota State earns first two wins with sweep of St. Thomas – Kianna Roeske recorded a goal & an assist, Jamie Nelson dished out 4 helpers, and the Mavericks outshot the Tommies 70-27 in their home-and-home series, earning their first two victories of the season with a 3-1, 2-0 sweep. Gabby Billing scored the lone goal for UST.

Upcoming games – While this week's schedule features four in-conference Friday-Saturday series, two start with Friday afternoon matinees as Bemidji State hosts Minnesota State and Wisconsin visits Minnesota Duluth. The remaining matchup is home-and-home as St. Cloud State & St. Thomas open their weekend in Mendota Heights on Friday before continuing Saturday in St. Cloud.

Power Play Club

October 19, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Power Play Club

October 19, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 19th

Goals for a Goal 2022-2023: Make Your Pledge Today!

The Power Play Club and the Golden Gopher Fund invite you to pledge your support to Gopher Women’s Hockey. Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason. You can also choose to double your pledge for power play goals. Your donation will help fund updates and improvements to Ridder Arena, such as the new GWH Olympian display.

Through the first four games of the 2022-2023 season, the Gophers tallied an amazing 30 goals, with five of those coming on the power play!

To make a pledge, fill out this online form (preferred) or download the PDF version, print it, and mail it in to the listed address. 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.

PPC membership enrollment continues!

Enrollment into the Power Play Club for the 2022-2023 Gopher Women's Hockey season is still open!! We encourage all our fellow GWH fans to sign up as a way to support the program. As noted last week, we are close to reaching the goal of having 50 Locker Sponsorships this year. The locker sponsor program raises a significant amount of revenue for the team. If you are interested in sponsoring a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

We also provide a reminder that you can still join at the basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address, with a minimum donation of $50. Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC22; 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".

Note that donations for both membership tiers are 100% tax-deductible! Additionally, new memberships are entitled to a Gopher Women's Hockey automobile decal showing support of the team; decals are also available to renewing members needing a replacement. You can inquire at the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse during any regular-season home game.

For those of you who have signed up to be a locker sponsor in 2022-2023, thank you!. The Golden Gopher Fund will be sending out emails to you this month with instructions on how to pay for your locker sponsorship. If you have not received those instructions by October 31, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

#2/2 Minnesota Gophers (4-0-0, 4-0-0 in WCHA)
vs. St. Cloud State Univ. Huskies (2-4-0, 0-4-0 in WCHA)

Friday, October 21 at 3:00 p.m. CT, Herb Brooks National Hockey Center – St. Cloud

Saturday, October 22 at 2:00 p.m. CT, Ridder Arena

Gopher Women's Hockey faces another home-and-home series, taking on their I-94 rivals, the St. Cloud State University Huskies. They also have another Friday afternoon matinee start with the puck drop scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on October 21 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. The series then relocates to Ridder Arena for the second game on Saturday, October 22, starting at 2:00 p.m.

We hope you can join us for Saturday's contest as the University of Minnesota celebrates 25 seasons of the Gopher Women's Hockey program and the anniversaries of their 2012 & 2013 NCAA Championships!!

Last season against St. Cloud State – The Gophers swept the season series against the Huskies last year, winning 6-2 & 5-1 in November and 5-3 & 5-1 in February. Scoring was again spread out as fifteen (15) different Gophers recorded a point over the four contests. The top line of Taylor Heise, Catie Skaja, and Abigail Boreen combined for 11 goals and 26 points against SCSU; Heise & Skaja each tallied 9 points on 3 goals & 6 assists, while Boreen lit the lamp a team-high 5 times while dishing out 3 assists. Olivia Knowles added 2 goals & 4 assists for 6 points, all coming in St. Cloud. Makayla Pahl played those two games at the National Hockey Center, stopping 42 of 45 shots (a .933 save percentage and 1.50 GAA), while Skylar Vetter made 20 saves in the November contest at Ridder Arena and Lauren Bench stopped 14 shots in the February home game. Emma Gentry & Olivia Cvar each lit the lamp twice and added an assist for SCSU, while Addi Scribner recorded a goal & an assist. Between the pipes for the Huskies, Sanni Ahola played in three of the four games, recording a 5.00 GAA and .878 SV%, while Emma Polusny stopped 55 of 59 shots (.932 SV%) in her one start.

About the Huskies – St. Cloud State finished seventh in the 2021-2022 WCHA regular-season standings with a 4-20-3 league record (1-1 in overtime, 1-2 in the shootout), though they went 5-1-0 in non-conference play. Their season came to an end in the conference quarterfinals, being shut out by Ohio State 6-0 & 3-0 in Columbus.

The Huskies' 2022-2023 campaign started with a hint of promise after sweeping Renssalaer in non-conference action at home, 5-0 & 3-2. However, the transition to WCHA play has not been kind as they have lost their last four games, falling to Ohio State and Wisconsin, though they picked up a point in the league standings by going to overtime against the Badgers last Saturday (more on that shortly).

The most-notable change for St. Cloud State during the off-season was with their coaching staff. Brian Idalski was hired as their head coach on May 19, returning to the WCHA after previously leading North Dakota 11 seasons (before that program disbanded in 2018). Gopher alumna Mira Jalosuo was named as an assistant coach at SCSU on September 1, coming in from the high school coaching ranks. Jinelle Siergiej, a Wisconsin alumna, remains as a carry-over from the previous staff and is now in her 9th season as an assistant coach for the Huskies.

On the ice, the Huskies' top eleven scorers from last year are back for the 2022-2023 season. Senior co-captain Taylor Lind (#13) had a team-high 25 points and 17 assists, while lighting the lamp 8 times herself. Junior Emma Gentry (#20) netted a team-high 15 goals while dishing out 8 assists for 23 points. Fifth-year co-captain Jenniina Nylund (#81) was third in scoring with 15 points on 7 goals & 8 assists despite only playing 18 games due to Finland Olympic team commitments. All three are atop the scoring table starting the new year; Nylund leads the way with 5 goals & 2 assists, Lind has 2 goals & 4 assists, and Gentry has 3 goals & a helper.

Junior goaltender Sanni Ahola (#1) is the top returner for SCSU; through her first two seasons, she has an 8-18-1 career record (5-13-0 last year) with a 3.60 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. The Huskies also picked up the services of junior Jojo Chobak (#29), who transferred in from Minnesota Duluth; she had a breakout season last year with a 10-4-1 record and 3 shutouts for the Bulldogs, while posting a career 1.88 GAA and .926 SV%. Freshman Julia Bachetti (#31) also joined the St. Cloud State roster this season. So far in 2022-2023, Ahola is 1-3-0 with a 3.78 GAA and .902 SV%, while Chobak is 1-1-0 with a 2.58 GAA and .925 SV%.

St. Cloud State swept at home by Wisconsin – Hosting their first WCHA home series of the season, the Huskies had a tough time against the Badgers, losing 5-0 and 3-2 (OT). SCSU held a 2-0 lead in Saturday's game on a pair of goals by Jenniina Nylund before Wisconsin battled back; Casey O'Brien scored an extra-attacker goal with 1:01 left in regulation to force overtime, and Caroline Harvey completed a 2-goal, 2-assist weekend with the gamewinner 3:10 into the extra period. For the Badgers in the series, Jesse Compher recorded a goal & 3 assists and Nicole LaMantia tallied 2 goals & an assist. Jojo Chobak made 45 saves for the Huskies on Friday, and Sanni Ahola stopped 42 shots on Saturday.

Gophers post offensive outburst in sweep of Mavericks – For the first time in 23 years, Minnesota Women's Hockey lit the lamp 20 times in a two-game weekend series, defeating Minnesota State 11-0 in Mankato and 9-4 at Ridder Arena. Grace Zumwinkle, Abbey Murphy, and Josefin Bouveng accounted for 10 of those goals; Zumwinkle tallied a hat trick plus an assist on Friday and added another goal & 2 assists on Saturday for a 7-point series, Bouveng dished out a pair of assists Friday and followed it with a hat trick on Saturday, and Murphy recorded 6 points on 3 goals and 3 assists. Emily Oden also had a four-point series, dishing out four helpers. Skylar Vetter earned the shutout on Friday with 17 saves; Makalya Pahl earned the win on Saturday but exited early after MSU's fourth goal, making 18 saves, and Vetter played the last 16-1/2 minutes with two more saves. Alexis Paddington scored twice for the Mavericks.

Zumwinkle, Vetter earn WCHA honors – GWH fifth-year Grace Zumwinkle and sophomore Skylar Vetter earned WCHA recognition as Forward & Rookie of the Week, respectively, as announced by the league on Monday following their performances against Minnesota State. Zumwinkle's award is the tenth weekly honor of her Gopher career, while Vetter was honored for the third time. Congratulations, Grace & Skylar!!

Zumwinkle continues climbing Gopher goal list – Additionally, Grace Zumwinkle's four goals against the Mavericks pushed her total to 89 for her collegiate career, moving her into a 8th-place tie with Ambria Thomas on Minnesota's all-time goal scoring list, passing Gigi Marvin (87 goals) in the process.

Note that Dani Cameranesi is currently 7th on the list with 93 goals.

Kaiser, Laitinen, Bouveng net first collegiate goals!

Three Gopher freshmen each recorded their first collegiate goals in the series against Minnesota State. Madison Kaiser & Nelli Laitinen lit the lamp in Friday's game in Mankato. On Saturday at Ridder Arena, Josefin Bouveng not only scored her first career goal but also her second & third for her first collegiate hat trick!! Congratulations, ladies!!

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes remain undefeated after sweep of Beavers – Sophie Jaques posted a 6-point series on 4 goals & 2 assists, and Kenzie Hauswirth & Emma Maltais each added a goal & 2 assists to keep Ohio State undefeated with a 4-0, 5-2 sweep on the road against Bemidji State. Genevieve Hendrickson and Kendra Fortin scored for the Beavers, and Hannah Hogenson made a combined 79 saves.

St. Thomas splits with Franklin Pierce – Hosting the Ravens in non-conference action, the Tommies earned their first-ever shutout victory as a Division I program on Friday, winning 3-0 on goals by Maija Almich, Molly Grundhoffer, and Anna Solheim (PP), and 11 saves by Saskia Maurer. Eagan, MN, native Mikayla Kelley put Franklin Pierce ahead in the second period on Saturday, but UST's Maddie Clough lit the lamp, her 3rd point of the series, to equalize 3 minutes later; however, Ravens goaltender Suzette Faucher made 55 saves in regulation to force overtime and Kelley scored again 2:54 into the extra period to get the 2-1 win and the weekend split.

Upcoming games – Action begins early this week with a pair of Thursday-Friday series as Bemidji State visits Wisconsin while St. Thomas & Minnesota State play home-and-home, starting in Mankato. The feature series of the weekend is the league's first meeting of nationally ranked teams as #1/1 Ohio State hosts #4/5 Minnesota Duluth in Columbus on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Power Play Club

October 12, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Power Play Club

October 12, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 12th

#2/2 Minnesota Gophers (2-0-0, 2-0-0 in WCHA)
vs. Minnesota State Univ. Mavericks (0-4-0, 0-4-0 in WCHA)

Friday, October 14 at 3:00 p.m. CT
Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato

Saturday, October 15 at 2:00 p.m. CT
Ridder Arena

The Gopher Women's Hockey team gets its first road test of the 2022-2023 season on the front half of a home-and-home series against the Minnesota State University Mavericks. It's also a matinee start as the puck will drop at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 14, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. The action will return to Ridder Arena on Saturday, October 15, starting at 2:00 p.m.

SATURDAY TRAFFIC ALERT!! We encourage our fellow fans to please allow time for additional vehicular and pedestrian traffic on campus on Saturday afternoon as the Gopher Volleyball team is also in home action at Maturi Pavilion, with their match starting at 3 p.m.

Last season against Minnesota State – The Gophers faced the Mavericks in a pair of home-and-home series last season. The Maroon & Gold earned a sweep in the October games, winning 3-0 at Ridder and 6-2 in Mankato. They also took the first game of the January series, 7-2 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, but MSU won the next day at Ridder Arena, 5-4 in overtime. Sixteen (16) different Gophers recorded a point over the four contests; Amy Potomak led the way with 7 points, scoring all five of her goals (including a hat trick) and one of her two assists in Mankato. Taylor Heise lit the lamp twice and added 4 assists against the Mavericks, while Ella Huber dished out 6 helpers and Madeline Wethington tallied two goals & three assists. Makayla Pahl saw a majority of the action between the pipes for the Gophers, going 2-1-0 with a shutout while stopping 45 of 49 shots for a .918 save percentage and 1.68 goals-against average; Skylar Vetter played a combined four periods over the two contests in Mankato, earning a win in her one start and posting a 1.50 GAA and .939 SV%, but Lauren Bench was roughed up in her brief appearance, yielding 3 goals on only 8 shots against in one period of work. For Minnesota State, Kelsey King tallied 6 points against the Gophers, lighting the lamp twice and dishing out 4 assists, while Kennedy Bobyck also tallied two goals and added two assists. Calla Frank saw all the action guarding the Mavericks' crease, recording a 4.92 GAA and .894 SV% over the four meetings.

About the Mavericks – Minnesota State finished the 2021-2022 regular season fifth in the WCHA with a 10-17-1 league record (1-1 in overtime, 1-0 in the shootout), though they swept Merrimack and Lindenwood in non-conference play. After finishing 26 points behind Minnesota Duluth in the conference standings and losing to be Bulldogs 5-4 in the first game of their league quarterfinal series, they earned a 3-1 upset victory in game 2 to forced a deciding third game. However, MSU's season came to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss in that contest.

The Mavericks' 2022-2023 campaign has started with a very tough schedule. They are 0-4 after being swept at home by Ohio State and on the road at Minnesota Duluth. The only bright spot is that they picked up a point in the WCHA standings by taking the first game against the Bulldogs to overtime.

MSU looks to improve despite losing their top scorer from last year, Brittyn Fleming, to graduation and the Minnesota Whitecaps. A trio of seniors return as the second, third, and fourth scorers from last year's squad; Kelsey King (#20) recorded 41 points on 18 goals and 23 assists, Kennedy Bobyck (#12) tallied 28 points on 9 goals and 19 assists, and Charlotte Akervik (#8) added 25 points on 8 goals and 17 assists from the blue line. Bobyck leads the Mavericks with 3 points (1G, 2A) in their first four games of 2022-2023.

The Mavs roster features three goaltenders who saw action for them in 2021-2022 plus a transfer. Senior Calla Frank (#77) was 10-15-1 in her 26 starts last year, posting an .892 save percentage and 3.45 goals-against average. Junior Lauren Barbro (#37) stopped 27 of 30 shots to win in her only appearance last season; over her first two years, she has a 2-2-0 record with a 3.45 GAA and .874 SV%. Another junior, Emerald Kelley (#55), saw her only career action last season, winning her lone start and making a one-period relief appearance, posting a 2.25 GAA and .870 SV%. Senior Alexa Berg (#1) returned to Minnesota, joining the Mavericks as a graduate transfer after 4 seasons at Division III Norwich University where she posted a career 27-12-2 record with a 1.49 GAA and .932 SV%. Barbro & Berg have split the opening four games for Minnesota State, with Barbro stopping 70 of 74 shots (2.02 GAA, .946 SV%) and Berg making 79 saves on 86 shots (3.53 GAA, .919 SV%).

Minnesota State falls twice in Duluth – The Mavericks' third game of the regular season wound up much like their first two, taking a loss after holding a lead. Kennedy Bobyck gave MSU a 1-0 lead at Minnesota Duluth with a first-period shorthanded goal, but UMD's Kylie Hanley knotted the score just over 8 minutes later and – after a scoreless second and third periods – Ashton Bell lit the lamp for the Bulldogs 14 seconds into overtime for the 2-1 result. MSU never led in the rematch, as Taylor Anderson & Gabby Krause put UMD up 2-0 in the first period and Emma Söderberg made 10 saves to shut out the Mavericks by that score.

Gophers sweep opening weekend vs. Bemidji State – Abigail Boreen, Peyton Hemp & Abbey Murphy each lit the lamp twice on Friday, Lizi Norton, Grace Zumwinkle, Catie Skaja, and Emily Oden found the back of the net on Saturday, and Minnesota outshot Bemidji State 83-33 en route to 6-0 and 4-1 victories. Taylor Heise led all scorers with 4 assists, two in each contest, while Boreen & Murphy each added an assist to their goals and Madeline Wethington dished out 3 helpers. Makayla Pahl stopped all 17 shots she faced for a shutout in the opener, while Skylar Vetter made 15 saves on 16 shots in the rematch. BSU's Kate Boland scored their only goal in the second period of Saturday's contest, and Hannah Hogenson made a combined 73 saves over the weekend.

Zumwinkle reaches milestone 150th career point – With an assist on Friday and the game-winning goal on Saturday, Gopher fifth-year Grace Zumwinkle reached 150 points for her collegiate career, recording 85 goals and 65 assists!! Zumwinkle is already 10th on Minnesota's all-time goal-scoring list and has now closed within two of Gigi Marvin for 9th place (87 goals). Congratulations, Grace!!

Bouveng, Laitinen, Norton get first points as Gophers – We give shout-outs to freshmen Josefin Bouveng & Nelli Laitinen as they each recorded two assists in the series against Bemidji State, their first collegiate points, and to fifth-year Lizi Norton for lighting the lamp on Saturday with her first goal as a Gopher!! Congratulations, ladies!!

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes sweep Huskies in Columbus – Paetyn Levis posted a six-point series with 2 goals and 4 assists, and Sloane Matthews & Sophie Jaques each lit the lamp 3 times to lead Ohio State to a weekend sweep of St. Cloud State, 5-2 and 6-2. Jenniina Nylund scored twice for SCSU.

Wisconsin cruises to sweep of St. Thomas – Eleven (11) different Badgers lit the lamp en route to sweeping the Tommies in Madison, 5-0 and 9-1. Sarah Wozniewicz and Nicole LaMantia each tallied two goals & two assists, and Carolyn Harvey added a goal & 3 assists. Gabby Billing, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth, tallied her first goal as a Tommie, but Wisconsin outshot UST 97-29 in the series.

Upcoming games – St. Thomas will host a rare Friday afternoon-Saturday evening series against Franklin Pierce in non-conference action, Wisconsin will visit St. Cloud State on Friday evening & Saturday afternoon, and Bemidji State will host a Saturday-Sunday series against Ohio State. Minnesota Duluth is idle.