January 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 25, 2023

January 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 25th

Chalk Talk – Saturday, February 4 at 12:30 p.m.

The third and final PPC Chalk Talk of the 2022-2023 season with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is set for Saturday, February 4, at 12:30 p.m., prior to the second game of the series against Ohio State. The Chalk Talk is tentatively planned to be held in the Ridder Arena weight room (on the upper level). This member-exclusive event will include a discussion of team strategy and the previous night's game, plus time for a brief question & answer session.

Goals for a Goal – Gophers continue to light the lamp

With 11 goals scored against Bemidji State, including three tallied on the power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 127 times in 2022-2023, which includes 26 power play conversions!!

We continue to accept pledges to the Goals for a Goal program, converting each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements, with the option to double the per-goal amount for power play goals. 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Upcoming schedule reminder – February 11 vs. Wisconsin

We provide a friendly reminder that the Saturday, February 11 game between Minnesota and Wisconsin at Ridder Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. that evening. That game is Senior Night, so we hope to see many of you in attendance as we recognize and honor our Gopher seniors.

#3/3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-3-2, 17-1-2-1 WCHA)
at
#6/6 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (19-6-1, 13-6-1-0 WCHA)

Friday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 28 at 3:00 p.m.
AMSOIL Arena – Duluth

After extending its active winning streak to 10 games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads to Duluth for a crucial WCHA battle against the UMD Bulldogs, who enter the series with their own 9-game undefeated streak. Action at AMSOIL Arena begins with another Friday afternoon matinee, January 27 at 3:00 p.m., and continues Saturday, January 28, also at 3:00 p.m.

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

Last time against Minnesota Duluth – The Gophers took 5 of 6 standings points from the Bulldogs when the teams met at Ridder Arena in early November. Ella Huber and Lizi Norton scored in the first 6:02 of opener, but UMD's Gabby Krause lit the lamp in the second period and Nina Jobst-Smith converted a 3rd-period power play to even the score at 2-2. With no further scoring in regulation, Taylor Heise netted the first 3-on-3 OT goal in Gopher program history on a give-and-go with Grace Zumwinkle 15 seconds into the extra period for a 3-2 victory. In the rematch, Catie Skaja & Abbey Murphy put the Gophers up 2-0 only 35 seconds into the contest, Maggie Flaherty tallied for the Bulldogs on a power play later in the first, but Skaja, Josefin Bouveng, and Abigail Boreen all lit the lamp in a 4-minute span of the second stanza for a 5-1 lead. Minnesota Duluth 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. Skylar Vetter made a combined 50 saves on the weekend; Emma Söderberg made 41 saves in a little over 4 periods for the Bulldogs, and Hailey MacLeod stopped all 12 shots she faced in relief.

Analyzing the Bulldogs – Minnesota Duluth has climbed back to sixth in the two national polls, partially due to their previously-mentioned 9-game undefeated streak which started with an overtime victory over Ohio State and includes a series sweep of Wisconsin in Madison three weekends ago. Their 13-6-1-0 WCHA record has them comfortably in fourth in the league standings.

Grad student Gabbie Hughes (#17) just became the 7th player in Bulldogs program history to reach the career 200-point mark; she leads UMD in total scoring the season with 34 points, dishing out a team-high 27 assists while scoring 7 times herself. Fifth-year forward Anneke Linser (#13) has a team-leading 17 goals with 10 assists for 27 points; she is on a six-game scoring streak (8g, 3a in those contests). Fifth-year blueliner Ashton Bell (#26) also has double-digit goals with 10 while adding 15 assists for 25 points. Two others – senior Mannon McMahon (#16; 7g, 17a) and junior Nina Jobst-Smith (#28; 4g, 17a) have also surpassed the 20-point mark for the season.

Fifth-year goaltender Emma Söderberg (#30) has started 22 of UMD's 26 games this season, posting a 16-6-0 record with 7 shutouts, a .932 save percentage, and a 1.50 goals-against average. Freshman Hailey MacLeod (#35) is 3-0-1 with one shutout as a starter; including two relief appearances, she has a 0.63 GAA and .961 SV%. Graduate transfer Blanka Škodová (#31) has yet to play for the Bulldogs.

Last weekend for Minnesota Duluth – Anneke Linser & Naomi Rogge each lit the lamp 3 times, Gabbie Hughes, Ashton Bell & Nina Jobst-Smith each dished out 3 assists, and Emma Söderberg needed only 30 saves combined for a weekend road sweep of St. Thomas, 3-0 & 5-1. Anna Solheim scored for the Tommies to prevent back-to-back shutouts, and Saskia Maurer made 73 saves.

Gophers extend win streak to 10 with sweep of Bemidji State

The Gopher Women's Hockey team went 3-for-7 on the power play and also scored short-handed while Skylar Vetter and Olivia King combined for a 16-save 7-0 shutout victory Friday at Bemidji State, then completed the sweep of the Beavers with a 4-1 Saturday win on goals from four different players and another 18 saves from Vetter.

Taylor Heise led Minnesota with a power-play tally, a short-handed goal (replay via Twitter), and three assists. Grace Zumwinkle recorded two goals and an assist Friday and followed it with her 3rd goal of the weekend on Saturday. Abbey Murphy and Abigail Boreen each added two goals & an assist, with one of Boreen's goals coming on the player advantage. Peyton Hemp converted a power play on Friday, Josefin Bouveng opened the scoring on Saturday, and Madison Kaiser dished out four assists – two in each game. King made her season debut in Friday's third period, stopping all 4 shots she faced.

Claire Vekich lit the lamp for Bemidji State, and netminder Hannah Hogenson made a combined 83 saves.

Zumwinkle continues to climb up the Gophers' all-time goal list; now with 105, she has pulled within one of Krissy Wendell for fourth place. Heise's shorty was the 8th of her career, tying her with Ambria Thomas for fourth in Minnesota program history; she has also reached the top-10 for overall goals, tying Gigi Marvin with 87, and her 120 career assists are now within two of Kelly Stephens for fifth place on that list. The pair of Grace and Taylor were the first two Division I players to reach the 20-goal mark for the season.

Looking at team statistics, Minnesota now has 8 short-handed goals this year, maintaining a tie with the Stonehill College Skyhawks (NEWHA) for the most in Division I. The Gophers' 26 power-play tallies put them atop that scoring category after this past weekend.

Heise, Kaiser earn weekly league recognition

Following their performances in Bemidji, Gopher fifth-year co-captain Taylor Heise and freshman Madison Kaiser were honored as the WCHA Forward & Rookie of the Week, respectively. The weekly awards are the fourth of the year for Heise and second of the season for Kaiser. Congratulations, Taylor & Madison!!

Game schedule announced for 2023 Women's Worlds

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Hockey Canada and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) have released the game schedule for the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, bring played April 5 through 16 at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario (press release here).

Though still listed as #3 in the world rankings, Finland will be playing in Group B due to their sixth-place finish at the 2022 tournament; they will face newly-promoted France in the opening game of the 2023 edition. Team USA will play the midday game on April 5 against Japan, while host Canada will begin its title defense that evening against Switzerland. Czechia from Group A and Germany, Hungary & Sweden from Group B will play their first games on April 6.

Preliminary round play will feature two or three games each day between April 5 and 11, including the U.S. versus Canada on April 10 at 7 p.m. ET. After an off-day for all teams on April 12, a quadruple-header of quarterfinals will take place on April 13. The two semi-finals are set for April 15, and the tournament will finish on April 16 with the 5th-place game, Bronze Medal Game, and Gold Medal Game. Tournament packages and group tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow (Thursday, January 26) at womensworlds.hockey.

Elsewhere around the WCHA...

Buckeyes defeat Huskies twice but drop a standings point – Paetyn Levis tallied two goals & an assist, and four other Buckeyes each added a goal & an assist as Ohio State defeated St. Cloud State, 6-2, in the opening game of their series. OSU took 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the rematch on goals by Sophie Jaques and Jenna Buglioni, but Svenja Voight and Addi Scribner knotted the score for the Huskies and Sanni Ahola made 46 saves in regulation (47 in total) to force overtime, swiping a league standings point in the process. Still, Jenn Gardiner scored in the extra period to give the Buckeyes the 3-2 victory, her 4th point of the weekend (2g, 2a). Emma Gentry (SCSU) recorded a goal & two assists in the series.

Wisconsin sweeps Minnesota State – Lacey Eden and Britta Curl each scored twice (once apiece in each game) and Cami Kronish stopped a combined 49 of 50 shots plus tallied an offensive assist to lead the Badgers to a weekend sweep of the Mavericks, 2-1 & 6-0. Kelsey King scored for MSU on a power play.

This weekend – The other three league series feature Friday evening and Saturday afternoon games. Ohio State hosts Minnesota State, St. Thomas hosts Wisconsin, and St. Cloud State hosts Bemidji State, with Saturday's 1 p.m. BSU-SCSU game televised on Bally Sports North Extra as part of Hockey Day Minnesota coverage.

Standings:
1. Minnesota – 53 points (.883 pts%), 17-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (20-3-2 overall)
2. Ohio State – 51 points (.850 pts%), 17-2-1-1, 3-1 in OT (22-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 44 points (.733 pts%), 14-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (18-7-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 39 points (.650 pts%), 13-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (19-6-1 overall)
5. Minnesota State – 22 points (.367 pts%), 7-13-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-13-0 overall)
6. St. Cloud State – 20 points (.333 pts%), 6-14-0-0, 0-2 in OT (13-14-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.133 pts%), 2-17-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-18-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.050 pts%), 1-19-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-21-1 overall)

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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

January 18, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Power Play Club

January 18, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 18th

Goals for a Goal – Gophers continue to light the lamp

Tallying nine goals this past weekend with two of those coming on the power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 116 times so far this season, which includes 23 power play conversions!!

We thank those of you who have submitted a pledge for our Goals for a Goal program to convert each goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements. Every amount is appreciated. 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.

We also continue requesting additional pledges, with the option to double the per-goal amount for power play goals. 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Book launch: “Break Point” reviews history behind Title IX

As we celebrate 50 years of Gopher women's athletics at the varsity level, the University of Minnesota Press and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport are pleased to sponsor the book launch of Break Point: Two Minnesota Athletes and the Road to Title IX by Sheri Brenden. The launch event will be held on Tuesday, January 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the Little Theater at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka.

As noted in the event announcement, Brenden dug into the historical record to uncover the details of a 1972 gender equity lawsuit. She pieced together the athletic experience of two girls trying to compete on their high school teams—one was her sister, Peggy Brenden, a St. Cloud tennis player, and the other Toni St. Pierre, a Hopkins cross-country athlete. Their lawsuit would break ground for Title IX.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at z.umn.edu/12423. Cream & Amber Bookstore will have copies of the book available for purchase.

#3/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-3-2, 15-1-2-1 WCHA)
vs.
Bemidji State University Beavers (4-19-1, 1-17-0-0 WCHA)

Friday, January 20 at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 p.m.
Sanford Center – Bemidji

Looking to extend its current 8-game winning streak, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads out on its first road trip of 2023, traveling north to face the Bemidji State University Beavers at the Sanford Center in Bemidji. Action starts early with an afternoon matinee on Friday, January 20, at 3:00 p.m. and continues Saturday, January 21, at 2:00 p.m.

Television coverage Saturday – As with several past in-league road series, Saturday's game will be televised on FOX 9+ in the Twin Cities. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here.

Last time against Bemidji State – The Gophers opened the 2022-2023 regular season at home against the Beavers in early October. Abigail Boreen, Peyton Hemp & Abbey Murphy each lit the lamp twice in the opener, Lizi Norton, Grace Zumwinkle, Catie Skaja, and Emily Oden found the back of the net in game two, and Minnesota outshot Bemidji State 83-33 en route to 6-0 and 4-1 victories. Taylor Heise led all scorers with 4 points, dishing out two assists in each contest, while Boreen & Murphy each added an assist to their goals and Madeline Wethington recorded 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. Kate Boland scored the Beavers' only goal, and Hannah Hogenson made a combined 73 saves in the series.

Analyzing the Beavers – Bemidji State got the season underway with a 2-1-1 start in non-conference play, but they've gone 1-17-0-0 in WCHA action, getting only a 2-1 home win over Minnesota State in late October and leaving them in eighth place in the league standings. Across all games, they've been outscored 98-28.

Freshman Raeley Carney (#10) and sophomore Claire Vekich (#15) each have a team-high 3 goals; Carney is one of five Beavers with 5 points apiece. Sophomore defender Adriana Van De Leest (#24) has a team-leading 7 points, all coming on assists, while classmate Shelby Breiland (#7) is second in total scoring with 6 points on 2 goals & 4 assists.

Junior Hannah Hogenson (#1) has been BSU's primary goaltender, starting 21 of their 24 games; she is 3-17-1 with an .874 save percentage and 4.19 goals-against average. Sophomore Abbey Thompson (#35) is 1-2-0 in her three starts; combined with a pair of relief appearances, she has an .828 SV% and 5.80 GAA. Freshman Madison Faucher's (#33) only appearance was a 20-minute relief effort at Ohio State in November in which she stopped 9 of 11 shots.

Last weekend for Bemidji State – The Beavers' current skid extended to 6 games with 8-1 & 5-0 losses at Minnesota Duluth. Senior Reece Hunt netted their lone goal. Anneke Linser led UMD with 3 goals & 2 assists, Clara Van Wieran tallied two goals and an assist, Taylor Anderson lit the lamp twice, and Gabbie Hughes and Nina Jobst-Smith each added a goal & 3 assists. The Bulldogs outshot the Beavers by a combined 71-20.

Gophers sweep St. Thomas; Heise, Skaja reach career milestones
Grace Zumwinkle continues climb up Minnesota's goal-scoring list

Seven different Gopher Women's Hockey players lit the lamp and Skylar Vetter stopped 28 of the 29 shots she faced, earning her 5th shutout of the season, as Minnesota swept St. Thomas 5-0 & 4-1 at Ridder Arena.

Grace Zumwinkle's two first-period goals on Friday moved her into a 5th-place tie with Natalie Darwitz on Minnesota's career goal-scoring list (102). Abbey Murphy led all scorers in the contest with 3 points on a goal & two assists, Nelli Laitinen dished out two helpers, and Peyton Hemp & Josefin Bouveng also found the back of the net. Also having recorded an assist on Friday, Taylor Heise tallied the game-winning goal and two helpers on Saturday, becoming the 9th player in Gopher Women's Hockey program history to reach 200 career points. Abigail Boreen lit the lamp twice and Ella Huber also scored. Maddy Clough netted the lone goal for the Tommies.

With her 4-point weekend, Heise moved into 7th place in the Gopher career points list with 202, surpassing Dani Cameranesi & Ambria Thomas (201 each). Her three helpers in the series put her alone in 6th on the program's career assist list at 117. Meanwhile, Catie Skaja also hit a milestone with her 100th career point, earning an assist on Huber's goal on Saturday.

Klepinger, Lindsay, Team USA claim bronze at U18 Worlds

The U.S. Women's U18 National Team, including incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger & Ava Lindsay, claimed the bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship held in Östersund, Sweden, with a 5-0 victory over Finland after having been upset by Sweden, 2-1, in the semifinals.

The Americans fell to Canada 3-1 in their final preliminary round game but still earned a quarterfinal bye after earlier wins over both the Finns and Swedes. Sweden defeated Slovakia in the quarterfinals, 6-1, while Finland topped Czechia, 3-2. Canada squeaked by Finland in the semifinals, 3-2 in overtime, then cruised to a 10-0 blowout of the Swedes in the Gold Medal Game.

Klepinger and Lindsay finished the tournament with 3 points apiece; Lindsay recorded a goal & two assists, while Klepinger dished out 3 helpers and had a +4 plus-minus rating. We congratulate them both along with Gopher Women's Hockey assistant coach Jess Scott, who was serving as director of hockey operations for Team USA.

St. Thomas announces record gift for new on-campus arena

The University of St. Thomas announced yesterday a $75 million lead naming gift from Lee and Penny Anderson to construct a multiuse, on-campus arena in St. Paul that will be home to its men’s and women’s hockey and basketball programs. The Andersons are long-standing benefactors to the school, having made a large gift previously, though this new contribution is a record in St. Thomas' history. (Artist's rendering courtesy of the University of St. Thomas.)

As noted in the press release, designs are still being finalized for the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. The gift announced yesterday kicks off fundraising to raise $131 million for the venue, with total project costs estimated to be $175 million. The university is looking to break ground on the new facility in 2024, with a target opening of fall 2025. The published site plan image accompanying the gift announcement shows the arena's location as just west of Cretin Avenue at the end of Grand Avenue, behind the Anderson Parking Ramp; three existing buildings would be demolished to make way for the new venue.

Elsewhere around the WCHA...

Buckeyes sweep Badgers in Columbus – For the second-straight weekend, Wisconsin took the initial lead of a WCHA series but were shut down after that. Lacey Eden lit the lamp for the Badgers in the first period Friday at Ohio State, but Jenna Buglioni evened the score for the Buckeyes in the second stanza and, after a scoreless third frame, Sophie Jaques netted the overtime gamewinner for OSU with 39 seconds left in the extra period. Raygan Kirk made 27 saves for the win, while Cami Kronish took the loss despite stopping 34 shots. Paetyn Levis recorded a hat trick, Emma Maltais tallied a goal & two assists, Makenna Webster dished out 4 helpers, and Amanda Thiele needed only 17 saves to earn a 5-0 shutout victory for Ohio State Saturday and the weekend sweep. Jane Gervais made 34 saves for Wisconsin, who saw their skid extend to five games.

Mavericks overtake the Huskies with weekend sweep – Sydney Langseth recorded 2 goals & 2 assists, Claire Butorac added a goal & three assists, and Lauren Barbro and Alexa Berg stopped a combined 41 of 43 shots as Minnesota State swept St. Cloud State, 3-1 & 4-1, in Mankato, moving past the Huskies in the league standings. Svenja Voigt and Avery Myers scored for SCSU.

This weekend – Top-ranked Ohio State travels west for a Friday-Saturday matinee series at St. Cloud State, while Minnesota State visits Wisconsin and St. Thomas hosts Minnesota Duluth on Saturday & Sunday. Sunday's UMD-UST game will be broadcast on Bally Sports North.

Standings:
1. Minnesota – 47 points (.870 pts%), 15-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (18-3-2 overall)
2. Ohio State – 46 points (.852 pts%), 15-2-1-1, 2-1 in OT (20-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 38 points (.704 pts%), 12-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (16-7-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 33 points (.611 pts%), 11-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (17-6-1 overall)
5. Minnesota State – 22 points (.407 pts%), 7-11-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-11-0 overall)
6. St. Cloud State – 19 points (.352 pts%), 6-12-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-12-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.148 pts%), 2-15-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-16-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.056 pts%), 1-17-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-19-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Power Play Club

January 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 11th

Brunch with the Coaches reminder – Saturday at 9:45 a.m.

For those of you who registered for our Brunch with the Coaches event this Saturday, January 14, here's a reminder that it begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Club Room at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Enter the arena at the Sundet Lobby on the southwest corner of the building and take the elevator or stairs to the 3rd floor. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing from University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and Gophers head coach Brad Frost!!

Goals for a Goal – Gophers blast past 100-goal mark

Following another big weekend, Gopher Women's Hockey has netted 107 goals over 21 games, including converting 21 power plays. Pledge to convert each goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements through our Goals for a Goal program, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.

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.

#3/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-3-2, 13-1-2-1 WCHA)
vs. University of St. Thomas Tommies (7-14-1, 2-13-1-1 WCHA)

Friday, January 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Both games at Ridder Arena

After concluding their regular-season non-conference slate of games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to WCHA league action against their new cross-town rivals, the University of St. Thomas Tommies. Action at Ridder Arena starts Friday, January 13, at 6:00 p.m. and continues Saturday, January 14, at 2:00 p.m.

Minnesota last year against St. Thomas – The Gophers rolled to a four-game regular-season sweep of the Tommies, winning 8-0 & 8-2 in January and back-to-back 7-1 scores in February. That was immediately followed by a WCHA quarterfinal rematch which Minnesota won by scores of 4-0 & 5-1. The goal counts weren't the only lopsided stats as the Gophers held a 328-81 shot advantage. Abigail Boreen & Taylor Heise led the Gophers with 15 points apiece, with Boreen tallying 7 goals & 8 assists while Heise added 6 goals & 9 assists. Savannah Norcross recorded 9 points on 4 goals & 5 assists, while Catie Skaja and Amy Potomak each posted 8 points on 4 goals & 4 assists. Lauren Bench stopped 49 of 53 shots across 4 games (1.00 GAA, .925 SV%), while Skylar Vetter made 27 saves on 28 shots in the other 2 contests (0.50 GAA, .964 SV%). Luci Bianchi netted two goals for the Tommies, while Lauren Stenslie added a goal & an assist and Abby Promersberger dished out two helpers. Between the pipes for UST, Alexa Dobchuk started 5 of the games, making 221 saves with a 7.08 goals-against average and .870 save percentage, Saskia Maurer made 52 saves on 57 shots (.912 SV%) in the final contest, and Erin Cooley made 3 relief appearance with 16 saves on 17 shots over nearly 27 minutes of action (2.31 GAA, .941 SV%).

Analyzing the Tommies – Following a 3-14-0 start to their season, 0-13-0 in WCHA play, St. Thomas enters this weekend on a 4-game winning and 5-game undefeated streak. Included in that streak was their first-ever WCHA league series sweep, topping Bemidji State in December, which moved the Tommies into 7th place in the conference standings.

After four seasons at Dartmouth, graduate transfer Gabby Billing (#18) returned home to the state of Minnesota; the Rogers native is tied for the UST scoring lead with 9 points, coming on 5 goals & 4 assists. Sophomore defender Maddy Clough (#2) also has 9 points on 4 goals & 5 assists. Grad student Anna Solheim (#19) is the Tommies' assist leader with 7 while also netting one goal of her own for 8 points, while senior Maija Almich (#5) has a team-high 7 goals.

Sophomore goaltender Saskia Maurer (#29) is 4-7-1 with 2 shutouts in her 12 starts, posting a .917 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average. Senior Alex Dobchuk (#30) has a 2-7-0 record 9 starts, recording an .886 SV% and 4.13 GAA. Freshman Maggie Malecha (#33) earned a 28-save victory over Bemidji State in her first collegiate start; including 3 relief appearances, she has a .924 SV% and 2.50 GAA.

Last weekend for St. Thomas – Lauren Stenslie, Gabby Billing, and Allie Monrean each lit the lamp twice to fuel the Tommies to a weekend sweep of RIT, 5-1 & 3-0 in Mendota Heights. Alexa Dobchuk stopped 18 of 19 shots in the opener and Saskia Maurer posted the 24-save shutout in the rematch. Emma Roland netted the lone goal for the Tigers. Four of the eight UST goals were unassisted.

Gophers rout Merrimack, New Hampshire – Minnesota had little difficulty in its return to action following the holiday break, winning both games in the East/West Showcase, 9-2 over Merrimack and 8-1 over New Hampshire. Eighteen different Gophers earned a point and ten of them lit the lamp over the two contests; even goaltender Makayla Pahl got in on the action with an assist. Grace Zumwinkle led the way; following a goal against the Warriors on Friday, she posted a career-high 6 points on Saturday with 2 goals & 4 assists. Taylor Heise netted four goals, tallying a hat trick on Friday, her second in as many games. Abbey Murphy posted 5 points with 2 goals and 2 assists Saturday after an assist on Friday. Abigail Boreen (1g-3a), Catie Skaja (2g-2a), and Ella Huber (1g-3a) each recorded four points, while Nelli Laitinen (1g-2a), Madeline Wethington (1g-2a), Emily Oden (3a), and Emily Zumwinkle (3a) each added three points. Wethington's goal was her first of the season. Madison Kaiser and Peyton Hemp also lit the lamp. Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter made 14 saves for the victory over the Warriors, but saw her shutout streak ended after 261 minutes, 30 seconds, the 3rd longest run in Minnesota program history; meanwhile, Pahl stopped 15 of 16 shots for the win over the Wildcats, her first start since mid-October.

Milestones Achieved, Milestones Approached...

Grace Zumwinkle nets 100th career goal, earns league honor!!

Netting her 3rd goal of the weekend with 1:02 remaining in game against New Hampshire, Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forward Grace Zumwinkle became the 6th player in program history to reach the 100 career goal mark!! She joins Nadine Muzerall (139), Hannah Brandt (115), Amanda Kessel (108), Krissy Wendell (106), and Natalie Darwitz (102). Zumwinkle also set a new program record for career shots on goal, now with 735 and counting, surpassing Muzerall's 726.

On top of her 3 goals, Zumwinkle dished out 4 assists. Her 7-point performance in the East/West Showcase earned her honors as WCHA Forward of the Week, the ninth weekly award of her collegiate career!! She also posted a +5 plus-minus rating over the two games.

Congratulations, Grace!!

Heise, Skaja approach major career points marks

Two more Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forwards are nearing key milestones for career points...

Taylor Heise currently sits at 198 points on 84 goals and 114 assists. She is 9th on Minnesota's career overall scoring list, trailing Dani Cameranesi and Ambria Thomas for seventh (201). Heise's assist total has her in a three-way tie for sixth in that scoring category, matching Sarah Potomak and Kelly Pannek.

Catie Skaja currently sits at 99 points (40g-59a) after her 2-goal, 2-assist performance this past weekend.

Catching up from last week...

Heise, Vetter recognized as National Players of the Month

Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forward Taylor Heise and sophomore netminder Skylar Vetter were named National Women's Player & Goaltender of the Month, respectively, for December by the Hockey Commissioners Association last Wednesday.

Heise posted 15 points on 5 goals and 10 assists over just four games, including 2 goals & 4 assists against Minnesota State and a 3-goal, 6-assist series against St. Cloud State.

Vetter yielded just one goal with 67 saves in those four contests, earning 3 shutouts and giving her a 0.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage during the month.

Darwitz promoted to Minnesota's Associate Head Coach

The University of Minnesota and Gopher Women's Hockey head coach Brad Frost announced last Wednesday the promotion of Natalie Darwitz to Associate Head Coach of the team.

Darwitz is in her fourth year on the Gopher bench, having originally joined the coaching staff for the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 seasons before returning in 2021. Prior to her joining the Gophers most-recently, she was head coach of the Division III Hamline University Pipers in St. Paul, leading them to the D-III Frozen Four in 2018 and a national runner-up finish in 2019.

Long-time GWH followers remember Darwitz as wearing the Maroon & Gold on the ice from 2002 to 2005, earning back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005 and being named 2005 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player. In the 2004-05 season, Darwitz set an NCAA single-season record with 114 points and was named Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year. The three-time All-American currently ranks third in program history in points (246), first in points per game (2.48), fifth in goals (102), second in assists (144), and first in assists per game (1.45).

Congratulations and wishes of continued success, Coach Darwitz!!

Klepinger, Lindsay, Team USA win first two at U18 Worlds

Incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger & Ava Lindsay and the rest of the U.S. Women's U18 National Team have earned a quarterfinal bye at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship being held in Östersund, Sweden, following a 6-3 victory over the Swedes and an 8-1 win over Finland.

Lindsay has a goal & an assist in the two tournament games, while Klepinger also has an assist.

Canada has also earned a quarterfinal bye after defeating Finland (8-0) and Sweden (4-2). The Americans and Canadians will face each other in the final preliminary round game today (Wednesday, January 11) at 8 p.m. local time / 1 p.m. U.S. Central Time, with the contest televised live on NHL Network. The winner earns the top seed for the elimination round. More information is available on the tournament website here, with additional updates from USA Hockey at teamusa.usahockey.com/2023u18wwc.

Around the WCHA...

Bulldogs stun Badgers with sweep in Madison – Casey O'Brien put Wisconsin up 1-0 in the opener of their series against Minnesota Duluth, but UMD goaltender Emma Soderberg became a brick wall after that, stopping the other 44 shots she faced in that game. Anneke Linser, Katie Davis, and Gabbie Hughes lit the lamp for the 3-1 come-from-behind win. Soderberg was perfect with another 28 saves in the rematch, and Linser's third-period goal was enough for a 1-0 victory and the first series sweep by the Bulldogs over the Badgers since the 2012-2013 season and first in Madison since 2007-2008.

Huskies win two in East/West Showcase – In the other half of the East/West Showcase, Klára Hymlárová tallied 3 power play goals, Allie Cornelius scored twice, and Courtney Hall dished out 3 assists as St. Cloud State defeated New Hampshire 3-0 and Merrimack 3-1. Jojo Chobak stopped all 24 shots she faced against UNH.

Minnesota State rolls past Lindenwood – Taylor Otremba posted a 5-point performance with 2 goals & 3 assists, Madison Mashuga added a goal & 3 assists, and Lauren Barbro stopped 37 shots as the Mavericks shut out the Lions on the road, 8-0, in the opener. Brooke Bryant tallied two goals & an assist as MSU completed the weekend sweep with a 5-2 victory.

This weekend – WCHA teams are in action with in-league games for the remaining 6 weeks of the regular season. All series this weekend are being played Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, featuring Wisconsin facing Ohio State in Columbus. Meanwhile, Minnesota Duluth hosts Bemidji State and St. Cloud State visits Minnesota State.

Standings:
1t. Minnesota – 41 points (.854 pts%), 13-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (16-3-2 overall)
Ohio State – 41 points (.854 pts%), 13-2-1-1, 1-1 in OT (18-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 37 points (.771 pts%), 12-3-1-0, 1-1 in OT (16-5-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 27 points (.562 pts%), 9-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (15-6-1 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 19 points (.396 pts%), 6-10-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-10-0 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 16 points (.333 pts%), 5-11-0-0, 0-1 in OT (11-11-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.167 pts%), 2-13-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-14-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.062 pts%), 1-15-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-17-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Power Play Club

January 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 4th

Locker Sponsor event – Saturday, January 7

ATTENTION ALL LOCKER SPONSORS!! Just a reminder that our special event is scheduled for this Saturday, January 7, at Ridder Arena. If you have not received event details or know that you will be unavailable that day, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

LAST CALL!! Our Brunch with the Coaches event is Saturday, January 14, with former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost. The brunch will start at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. Tickets are $30 per person, and registrations must be received by this Friday, January 6. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club". Registrations will be collected at the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse on Friday.

Goals for a Goal continues through the postseason

With the resumption of the 2022-2023 season, we resume counting goals scored by the Gopher Women's Hockey team. Through 19 games, the squad has lit the lamp 90 times, including converting 17 power-play opportunities. We again request your assistance supporting the program and funding updates & improvements of Ridder Arena by enrolling in our Goals for a Goal program. Pledge to convert each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.

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.

East/West Showcase at Ridder Arena

Friday, January 6
#15 St. Cloud St. (11-10-0) vs. New Hampshire (7-14-0) – 2:30 p.m.
#5/4 Minnesota (14-3-2) vs. Merrimack (7-13-1) – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 7
St. Cloud State vs. Merrimack – 1:00 p.m.
Minnesota vs. New Hampshire – 4:30 p.m.

NCAA women's hockey resumes at Ridder Arena with the East/West Showcase as the Gophers wrap up their final two non-conference games of the regular season, facing the Merrimack College Warriors and University of New Hampshire Wildcats, both out of Hockey East. St. Cloud State also makes the quick trip to Minneapolis for the showcase.

Action begins this Friday, January 6, when St. Cloud State takes on New Hampshire at 2:30 p.m., followed by Minnesota against Merrimack at 6:00 p.m. Pairings switch on Saturday, January 7, when the Huskies and Warriors drop the puck at 1:00 p.m. followed by the Gophers and Wildcats at 4:30 p.m.

Traffic Alert on Saturday – Please note that Gopher Men's Basketball is in action at Williams Arena on Saturday, with their game starting at 11:00 a.m. If you are coming to the SCSU-Merrimack game, allow extra time for parking along with increased vehicular & pedestrian traffic as the basketball game concludes.

Minnesota last time against Merrimack – The Gophers' and Warriors' only previous meetings were at the start of the 2017-2018 season at Ridder Arena. Merrimack pulled off an upset in the opener, coming from 3-1 down to defeat Minnesota 4-3 behind a 54-save performance from goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers. However, the Gophers salvaged a weekend split with a 4-1 victory in the rematch. Nicole Schammel led Minnesota with 4 points in the series, tallying 2 goals & 2 assists. Kippin Keller and Olivia Knowles each added a goal & two assists, while Grace Zumwinkle recorded her first two career goals in the Maroon & Gold. Emily Volpe was the high scorer for the Warriors with 2 assists. Between the pipes for the Gophers, Sidney Peters made 8 saves in 25 minutes of action before Alex Gulstene stopped 21 of 22 shots in the remainder of the weekend. Following Demers' performance in game 1, Samantha Ridgewell made 35 saves for Merrimack in game 2.

Analyzing the Warriors – After starting the season 1-6-1, Merrimack has shown signs of improvement with a 6-7-0 record since then. They currently sit ninth in Hockey East with 12 points on a 4-11-1 conference mark (one win coming in OT).

Senior Katie Kaufman (#10), a Lake Elmo, MN native, leads the Warriors in points and assists, 15 and 8 respectively, while lighting the lamp 7 times as well. Sophomore Alexa Pongo (#26) has a team-high 8 goals with 3 assists for 11 points, while seniors Allison Reeb (#25; 5g, 4a) and Madison Oelkers (#13; 4g, 5a) each have 9 points.

Senior goaltender Emma Gorski (#31) is 4-8-1 with 1 shutout in her 13 starts, posting a .903 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average. Freshman Calli Hogarth (#41) has a 3-5-0 record with a shutout in her 8 starts, recording a .918 SV% and 2.76 GAA. Junior Aries Mustoe (#35) has not played this season and has seen only limited action the past two years.

Last action for Merrimack – The Warriors played a single game this past weekend, winning on the road against St. Anselm on Saturday, 4-2. Madison Oelkers and Teghan Inglis each recorded a goal & an assist, while Calli Hogarth stopped 23 of 25 shots. The Warriors outshot the Hawks 43-25.

Minnesota last time against New Hampshire – The Gophers and Wildcats have not met since Thanksgiving weekend 2012 in New Hampshire, when Minnesota held an 80-25 shot advantage in the series and completed a weekend sweep 10-2 & 4-0. In the opener, Hannah Brandt recorded a hat trick plus 2 assists, Amanda Kessel also tallied 5 points on two goals & three assists, and Meghan Lorence & Lee Stecklein each added a goal and two assists. Kessel added another goal & assist in the rematch, Stecklein lit the lamp for her fourth point in the series, Rachel Bona netted her second goal of the weekend, and Amanda Leveille earned her second-career victory and shutout with a 16-save performance.

Analyzing the Wildcats – New Hampshire has seen its struggles throughout the season, having gone 3-7-0 since the start of November, though they do sport a 4-0 shutout victory over then-#14 UConn. They currently sit just ahead of Merrimack in eighth in Hockey East with 16 points on a 5-12-0 conference mark (1-2 in OT).

Grad student Emily Pinto (#26) leads the Wildcats in points and assists, with 15 and 12 respectively, while lighting the lamp 3 times. Sophomore Kira Juodikis (#14) has a team-high 7 goals plus 5 assists for 12 points. Junior Brianna Brooks (#17) also has 12 points, coming on 4 goals & 8 assists.

Grad student Ava Boutilier (#35) and senior Nicky Harnett (#1) have split time between the pipes for UNH. Boutilier is 3-8-0 in 11 starts with 1 shutout, a .902 save percentage, and a 2.89 goals-against average. Harnett is 4-6-0 in UNH's other 10 games with 2 shutouts, a .921 SV%, and a 2.07 GAA. Freshman Ava Hills (#33) has yet to see any official action.

Last action for New Hampshire – The Wildcats also opened the post-holiday portion of their schedule with a non-conference game against St. Anselm on Monday, also earning a 4-2 victory at home after trailing 1-0 and 2-1. Kira Juodikis lit the lamp twice with an assist in between, while Brianna Brooks added a goal & an assist and Emily Pinto dished out two helpers.

Vetter brings home second monthly league award

Following back-to-back WCHA Goaltender of the Week awards at the start of December, Gopher Women's Hockey sophomore Skylar Vetter was honored as the league's Goaltender of the Month for December. It is Vetter's second monthly recognition after earning the honor for her play in October.

In series against Minnesota State and St. Cloud State, Vetter stopped 67 of 68 shots over four contests, posting 3 shutouts with a 0.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage. She is on an active shutout streak of 226 minutes, 23 seconds. For the season, she is 12-3-2 in her 17 starts with 4 shutouts, a 1.91 GAA, and a .923 SV%.

Congratulations, Skylar, and wishes of continued success as the season resumes!!

Future Gophers Klepinger, Lindsay at U18 World Championship

We send wishes of good luck to incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger and Ava Lindsay, along with the rest of the U.S. Women's U18 National Team, as they compete in the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship being held in Östersund, Sweden.

The Americans are in pre-tournament action today (Wednesday, January 4) against host Sweden at 4 p.m. local time / 9 a.m. U.S. Central in the city of Sundsvall. Tournament play begins on Sunday, January 8, again with Team USA facing host Sweden at 4 p.m. local time / 9 a.m. U.S. Central in Östersund.

At this time, no viewing options have been announced. We will share game updates on our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter). We also encourage you to check out the tournament website here, or get updates from USA Hockey at teamusa.usahockey.com/2023u18wwc.

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes roll past Lindenwood – Ohio State cruised to a series sweep on the road against Lindenwood, holding a combined 142-26 shot advantage and winning 9-1 & 6-0. Jenn Gardiner led the Buckeyes with 7 points on 3 goals & 4 assists, while Makenna Webster posted a 5-goal, 1-assist weekend including a natural hat trick on Saturday. Gabby Rosenthal added two goals & two assists, while Emma Maltais tallied a goal & 3 assists. Chloe Corbin netted the lone goal for the Lions.

Wisconsin splits top-5 series at Quinnipiac – In an anticipated battle in Hamden, CT, Wisconsin got goals by Nicole LaMantia, Lacey Eden, and Britta Curl, plus 21 saves from Cami Kronish for a 3-0 road shutout victory over Quinnipiac on Saturday. However, the Bobcats returned the favor on Sunday with goals by Kate Reilly, Nina Steigauf (PP), and Maya Labad, plus 34 saves from Catie Boudiette for their own 3-0 shutout win and the weekend split.

This weekend – In a pair of non-conference series on Friday and Saturday, St. Thomas hosts RIT while Minnesota State hits the road to play Lindenwood. In league play, Minnesota Duluth heads to Madison for a Saturday-Sunday series against Wisconsin. Bemidji State and Ohio State are idle.

Power Play Club

December 21, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Power Play Club

December 21, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, December 21st
Happy Holidays!!

Locker Sponsor event – Saturday, January 7

ATTENTION ALL LOCKER SPONSORS!! Please reserve the date of January 7th in your calendar for photos and a meal with your sponsoree. The event will take place prior to the East-West Classic at Ridder Arena. The approximately start time will be 11:30 a.m. for photos, with lunch to follow.

STAY TUNED to your email for more information. If you know that you will be unavailable that day, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

We are looking forward to seeing you on January 7th!

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

We also look forward to seeing many of you at our Brunch with the Coaches event on Saturday, January 14, with former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost. The brunch will start at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. Tickets are $30 per person, and registrations must be received by Friday, January 6. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club" to the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse, or send it by mail to the address listed.

Recap: Canada sweeps December Rivalry Series games
Team USA sees overall series lead shrink to 3 games to 2 with two to play

Canada's Women's National Hockey Team closed the deficit to their American counterparts to 3 games to 2 in the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series, winning 3-2 last Thursday night in Henderson, NV, and 3-2 in overtime on Monday in Los Angeles.

Amanda Kessel gave Team USA a 1-0 first intermission lead on Thursday, but Canada took a 2-1 advantage with second-period goals by Jamie Lee Rattray and Blayre Turnbull. Hilary Knight evened the score for the Americans 6:21 into the third period, but Sarah Nurse netted the game-winning goal from a sharp angle with 4:56 to play.

Monday's contest followed a similar script. Team USA took the initial lead as Kessel assisted on Cayla Barnes' first period goal, Laura Stacey & Sarah Fillier (power play) lit the lamp in the second stanza to put the Canadians ahead, and Taylor Heise responded in the third to tie things up for the U.S. This time the contest went to overtime, and Danielle Serdachny netted her first goal in international play 2:16 into the extra period to give Canada the win.

Canada will host the final two games in the series, expected to occur in February. Locations and exact dates are TBD.

Gophers in the Rivalry Series – Amanda Kessel leads the Gopher contingent at the Rivalry Series; prior to her goal and assist in the December games, she also posted an assist in the third November game to give her a total of 3 points. Kelly Pannek dished out a pair of assists during the November games, Hannah Brandt lit the lamp in the series opener, Taylor Heise scored on Monday, and Lee Stecklein recorded an assist on November 20. Abbey Murphy & Grace Zumwinkle did not score in their appearances in the December games.

Brampton, ON, to host 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship;
Tournament will run April 5 through 16

Hockey Canada and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) announced last Thursday that Brampton, Ontario, will host the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship, scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, through Sunday, April 16, 2023. As noted in the press release, the tournament was last played in the Greater Toronto Area in 2000.

The individual game schedule and ticket information will be announced in January. In the interim, fans are encouraged to register on the priority ticket list here.

Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae update...

Lee Stecklein leads the Gopher alumnae playing in the 2022-2023 Secret® Dream Gap Tour in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA); she also leads all defenders in the association with 8 points for Team Harvey's, coming on a goal and 7 assists. Sarah Potomak has 2 goals and 2 assists with Team adidas, Hannah Brandt has 2 goals and an assist while Emily Brown has an assist for Team Sonnet, and Kelly Pannek has an assist for Team Scotiabank. Team Harvey's currently leads the Secret® Dream Gap Tour standings with 21 points on a 5-3-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

Looking at the Premier Hockey Federation, specifically the Minnesota Whitecaps, Patti Marshall has been solid on defense, recording 9 points in 10 games, with 2 goals and 7 assists. Olivia Knowles has two points in her rookie season, tallying a goal & an assist, while Sydney Baldwin has an assist. Amanda Leveille continues to be a stalwart between the pipes, seeing all the action for the Whitecaps this season and posting a 4-4-2 (W-L-OTL) record with a 2.72 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. The 'Caps are currently third in the seven-team PHF with that same 4-4-2 record (14 points), though other teams currently below them in standings have games in hand.

Across the pond, Noora Räty has seen action for HPK in the Naisten Liiga (Women's League) in her native Finland. Appearing in 7 of the team's 28 games this season, Räty has a 3-3 record (W-L in games decided in regulation) plus a shootout victory, a 1.74 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. HPK currently sits fourth in the league with 49 points on a 14-3-1-10 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

Around the WCHA...

Tommies sweep Beavers amid several "firsts" – Makenna Deering's first-period goal Friday put Bemidji State up 1-0 on the road at St. Thomas, but that was the only lead they would have in the series; the Tommies scored three unanswered goals to win 3-1 and followed it with a 5-2 victory Saturday for their first-ever sweep of a WCHA league series. The Tommies had several other "firsts" on the weekend; Isabel Lippai netted her first goal at the Division I level, Kate Haug tallied her first collegiate goal after two earlier assists Saturday for the first 3-point game by a UST player in a WCHA series, and Maggie Malecha stopped 28 of 30 shots in her first collegiate start for the win on Saturday.

Ohio State sweeps Cornell in top-ten series – Gabby Rosenthal and Makenna Webster each recorded 2 goals & 2 assists and Jennifer Gardiner added a goal and two assists as the top-ranked Buckeyes defeated the #10 Big Red on the road, 4-3 & 4-0. OSU outshot Cornell 82-33 in the series, including 48-12 in the second game.

Minnesota State earns sweep of Long Island – Kelsey King exploded for 4 goals and an assist Friday, then added her fifth goal & sixth point of the weekend Saturday as the Mavericks swept the Sharks, 8-1 & 5-1. Alexis Paddington added three goals and an assist for MSU, while Jamie Nelson dished out 5 helpers.

Looking ahead – After a brief break this coming weekend, more non-conference action on the road concludes 2022 and opens 2023. Ohio State will head west to face Lindenwood on December 30 & 31, while Wisconsin travels east for a top-five matchup on December 31 & January 1 at Quinnipiac.

Copyright © 2022 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

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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

December 15, 2022

The Penalty Post Box Post - Thursday, December 15, 2022

Power Play Club

December 15, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Thursday, December 15th

Goals for a Goal: Gophers hit 90-goal mark at holiday break

Through 19 games and entering the holiday break, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has reached the 90-goal mark, including converting 17 power-play opportunities. We again request your assistance supporting the program and funding updates & improvements of Ridder Arena by enrolling in our Goals for a Goal program. Pledge to convert each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.

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.

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

Our Brunch with the Coaches event is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room as we welcome former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost. We look forward to hearing from Coach Johnson about his experiences leading the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team. transitioning the Tommies to a Division I program, and balancing both of those at the same time. Tickets are $30 per person. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club" to the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse, or send it by mail to the address listed. Registrations must be received by Friday, January 6.

Gophers shut out the Huskies

For the second time this season, Gopher Women's Hockey saw players record hat tricks in both games of a weekend series. The team also posted a pair of 5-goal second periods in the process. Combined with solid defensive performances, they rolled to 6-0 & 9-0 victories over St. Cloud State.

Though the Huskies were able to keep Minnesota off the scoreboard in the first 20 minutes last Friday at Ridder Arena, Grace Zumwinkle lit the lamp just 51 seconds into the second stanza to get things rolling. Ella Huber doubled the lead, Emily Oden assisted on an Abigail Boreen goal to make it 3-0, and then Oden found the back of the net herself to make it 4-0. Late in the period, Zumwinkle scored on a short-handed rush, and she completed her hat trick 10:58 into the third with a power-play marker. Skylar Vetter stopped all 14 shots she faced, Taylor Heise dished out 4 assists, and Abbey Murphy recorded 3 helpers.

Relocating to the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center for the rematch, it appeared the first period would again be scoreless until Allie Franco (pictured right) tallied her first career goal with 1:07 left in the stanza. Josefin Bouveng lit the lamp 2:45 into the second period, again opening the floodgates. Huber netted her second goal of the weekend, Heise tallied the next two to push the lead to 5-0, and Boreen recorded her second goal of the series with under 45 seconds before intermission. Zumwinkle struck 1:11 into the third, Heise completed her hat trick with a power-play marker, and Boreen lit the lamp again to complete the scoring. Vetter made another 15 saves to keep the Huskies off the scoreboard. Heise dished out two assists to go with her 3 goals, posting a 5-point game. Boreen recorded an assist to accompany her two goals, Franco, Huber, and Zumwinkle each also earned an assist, and Oden dished out 3 helpers for a 5-point weekend (also recording a +8 plus-minus rating).

Heise, Vetter earn weekly league honors... Again!

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, on Monday following their performances against St. Cloud State.

Heise recorded a team-high 9 points against the Huskies, recording her hat trick plus two assists on Saturday after dishing out 4 helpers on Friday, and posting a +7 plus-minus rating in the series. Vetter stopped all 29 shots she faced, extending her shutout streak to more than 11 periods as 223 minutes, 26 seconds.

Heise's honor is her third weekly award of the season, while Vetter's is her fifth and the second time she been recognized in back-to-back weeks.

Congratulations, Taylor and Skylar!!

Mid-season Recap

Minnesota currently sits atop the WCHA standings with 41 points, posting a 13-1-2-1 conference mark (1-0 in OT), though – due to an unbalanced schedule – Wisconsin holds a slight edge in points percentage (.881 vs. .854). Ohio State sits only one point back (40) with an .833 point percentage, while the Badgers have 37 points but two games in hand. Minnesota was 1-2-0 in non-conference play for a 14-3-2 overall record.

Ten (10) different Gopher players have recorded double-digit points and the team's season-long scoring average is 4.74, which is second among all Division I teams, trailing only Wisconsin (5.67). While the number of players having lit the lamp before the holiday break is down compared to last year (16 vs. last year's 17), the number finding the back of the net 10+ times has quadrupled; Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle have each tallied 13 goals, Abigail Boreen has scored 12 goals, and Abbey Murphy has 11. Heise also holds the team lead in the other two scoring categories, dishing out 21 assists for 34 total points. Zumwinkle has 18 helpers for 31 points, while Murphy dished out 12 assists for 23 points. Ella Huber is fourth in total scoring with 19 points on 8 goals and 11 assists, while Boreen has 6 assists for a total of 18 points. As with this time last year, Madeline Wethington is the top-scoring defenseman; though she has yet to light the lamp herself, she has dished out 11 assists.

The Gophers' scoring defense is again yielding less than two goals per game, but their 1.89 mark (36 goals in 19 games) is only third in the WCHA and 10th in the NCAA. Sophomore Skylar Vetter has been the team's primary netminder, starting 17 of the team's 19 contests and going 12-3-2 with 4 shutouts, a 1.91 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage. Senior Makayla Pahl won both of her two starts with one shutout; including two relief appearances, she has a 1.75 GAA and a .922 SV%.

Minnesota's power-play conversion rate currently stands second among WCHA teams and third nationally at 27.0% (17 of 63), but the penalty kill unit is fifth in the league at 82.0% (41 of 50). That said, a bright spot on the Gophers' PK is that they have only a -2 goal differential, tallying an NCAA-leading 7 short-handed goals with Heise and Murphy each having scored two. As with this time last year, Minnesota has yet to allow any shorties on their own power play.

Milestones galore!! There were multiple individual career milestones reached by the Gopher Women's Hockey team in the first part of the 2022-2023 season. Here's a recap of several...

With the team's 3-2 overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth on November 4, head coach Brad Frost reached 450 wins as the program's bench boss.
With the first of two goals against Minnesota State on December 2, Abigail Boreen reached the career 100-point mark. Additionally, her first goal this past Saturday against St. Cloud State was her 50th. Entering the break, she has 107 points on 51 goals & 56 assists.
With a goal and an assist this past Friday (Dec. 9) against SCSU, Emily Oden also reached the career 100-point mark. Adding 3 assists on Saturday, Oden now has 103 points on 29 goals & 74 assists.
Netting four goals this past weekend against the Huskies, Grace Zumwinkle moved into a tie for 6th on Minnesota's all-time goal scoring list with 97.
The Gophers' all-time total scoring list has a new entry into the top ten this season, as Taylor Heise currently sits in 10th with 194 points on 80 goals & 114 assists.

Return to action – The Gophers will resume play as hosts of the East/West Showcase at Ridder Arena in early January. Minnesota will face the Merrimack College Warriors on Friday, January 6 at 6:00 p.m., and the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on Saturday, January 7 at 4:30 p.m. St. Cloud State will also make another trip to Ridder, facing the Wildcats on Jan. 6 at 2:30 p.m. and the Warriors on Jan. 7 at 1:00 p.m.

Reminder: USA-Canada Rivalry Series games tonight & Monday
Tonight's game preceded by “Women of Gold” special on Bally Sports North

We reminder you, our fellow Gopher Women's Hockey fans, that the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series between the U.S. and Canada Women's National Teams resumes tonight (Thursday, December 15) in Henderson, NV, and continues next Monday, December 19, in Los Angeles. Both games will be televised on NHL Network at 9 p.m. CT.

As we noted last week, current Gophers Taylor Heise, Abbey Murphy, and Grace Zumwinkle are joining alumnae Hannah Brandt, Amanda Kessel, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein on Team USA roster for the two games. Good luck, ladies!!

“Women of Gold” special on Bally Sports North, tonight at 8 p.m. CT – One hour prior to tonight's USA-Canada game (Thursday, Dec. 15), tune into Bally Sports North for a special called “Women of Gold”, as Gopher alumnae and USA Hockey veterans Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein talk about their time in both programs.

Around the WCHA...

UMD earns win, tie vs. St. Thomas, but Tommies swipe two points – Ashton Bell tallied 2 goals & 2 assists and Mannon McMahon added a goal & 2 assists as Minnesota Duluth cruised to an 8-1 victory in their series opener against St. Thomas. McMahon gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the rematch, but UST netminder Saskia Maurer made 48 during run of play – including stopping McMahon on a second-period penalty shot – and Haley Maxwell netted her first collegiate goal on a power play to complete the game as a 1-1 overtime tie. The Tommies earned a second league standings point by winning the subsequent shootout 3-2; Maddy Clough netted the deciding goal in the fourth round.

Badgers sweep Mavericks in Mankato – Wisconsin earned another series sweep on the road, defeating Minnesota State 5-2 and 5-1. Britta Curl scored twice for the Badgers, Kirsten Simms & Laila Edwards each tallied a goal and 3 assists, and Natalie Buchbinder dished out 4 helpers. Alexis Paddington, Taylor Otremba, and Madison Mashuga scored for the Mavericks.

This weekend – Bemidji State visits St. Thomas in league play on Friday & Saturday. Two other WCHA teams will head to the state of New York for non-conference matchups, as Minnesota State plays a Friday-Saturday series at Long Island University while Ohio State has a Saturday-Sunday matchup at Cornell.

Looking ahead – More non-conference action on the road concludes 2022 and opens 2023. Ohio State will head west to face Lindenwood on December 30 & 31, while Wisconsin travels east for a top-five matchup on December 31 & January 1 at Quinnipiac.

Power Play Club

December 7, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Power Play Club

December 7, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, December 7th

GWH Teddy Bear Toss – this Friday vs. St. Cloud State

The annual White Bear Mitsubushi Teddy Bear Toss is back, scheduled for this Friday, December 9, in the game against St. Cloud State. Puck drop at Ridder Arena is set for 6:00 p.m., and the toss is scheduled for the first intermission.

Additionally, fans bringing teddy bears to toss will receive $5 day-of-game admission.

Teddy bears must be wrapped in plastic bags; bags will be provided at Ridder as necessary. All bears will be donated to the Masonic Children's Hospital. We send thanks in advance for everyone supporting this effort!

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

Entering the final 2022 weekend of action, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has recorded 75 goals, including converting 15 power-play opportunities. Pledge to convert each of those goals plus any scored the remainder of the regular season & postseason into donations to the team by enrolling in our Goals for a Goal program, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals. Collected funds will go towards 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.

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

#6/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-3-2, 11-1-2 in WCHA)
vs. #14/14 St. Cloud State Univ. Huskies (11-8-0, 6-8-0 WCHA)

Friday, December 9 at 6:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena
Saturday, December 10 at 3:00 p.m. - Herb Brooks National Hockey Center – St. Cloud

Wrapping up the 2022 portion of their schedule, the Gopher Women's Hockey team plays a second-straight home-and-home series, facing the newly-ranked St. Cloud State Huskies who also played home-and-home last weekend. Action begins at Ridder Arena on Friday evening, December 9, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. The teams then head to St. Cloud for the rematch at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Saturday, December 10 at 3:00 p.m.

Traffic advisory on Friday – Please allow for extra vehicular and pedestrian traffic on campus at the U. on Friday, as the Gopher Men's Hockey hosts Wisconsin at Mariucci Arena at 8:00 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.

This season against St. Cloud State – Minnesota swept the first two games against the Huskies in October, coming in league play, 4-2 & 2-1, but St. Cloud State earned a 4-1 upset victory in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Faceoff Classic in early November. Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle led the Gophers with 2 goals & an assist apiece over the three games, while Catie Skaja dished out 3 assists and Abigail Boreen & Abbey Murphy each added a goal and an assist. SCSU's Klára Hymlárová recorded 2 goals and an assist against Minnesota so far, while Emma Gentry and Bailey Burton have each added a goal and an assist. Skylar Vetter has been the only Gopher goaltender to see action against the Huskies this season, posting a 2.37 goals-against average and an.887 save percentage. After yielding 4 goals on the opening 8 shots by Minnesota, SCSU netminder Jojo Chobak stopped the next 24, resulting in an .889 SV%. Sanni Ahola was between the pipes for the Huskies in the other two contests, making 77 saves on 80 shots for a 1.51 GAA and .963 SV%.

About the Huskies – With a pair of wins this past weekend (more on that shortly), St. Cloud State has moved into fourth in the WCHA standings, improving to 19 points on a 6-8-0 conference record (with one of their losses coming in OT) after starting league play 0-6-0. Two highlights include taking Wisconsin to overtime in October and the Hall of Fame Game win over the Gophers. SCSU also has non-conference sweeps of RPI and Lindenwood for an 11-8-0 overall mark, earning them the #14 ranking in the latest national polls.

Fifth-year Jenniina Nylund (#81) is averaging better than a point-per-game, holding the Huskies' assist lead with 13 while scoring 11 times herself for 24 points. Senior Klára Hymlárová (#12) has a team-high 12 goals plus 5 assists for 17 points. Junior Emma Gentry (#20) also has double-digit goals with 11, plus 3 assists for 14 points, while senior Taylor Lind (#13) has also recorded 14 points on 5 goals & 9 assists.

Junior Sanni Ahola (#1) has started 11 of St. Cloud State's 19 games; she has a 6-5-0 record with one shutout, a 2.46 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage. Junior Jojo Chobak (#29) started the other 8 contests plus made a relief appearance, posting a 5-3-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.19 GAA and a .923 SV%. Freshman Julia Bachetti (#31) has yet to see any official action.

Last action for St. Cloud State – Taking on St. Thomas in a home-and-home series, the Huskies saw a 2-0 lead evaporate before getting a late goal from Courtney Hall to win 3-2, then traded leads with Tommies in the rematch before pulling away for a 6-3 victory and the weekend sweep. Klára Hymlárová recorded a hat trick on Saturday while Emma Gentry also lit the lamp 3 times in the series, Jenniina Nylund added a goal and two assists, and Grace Wolfe dished out 4 helpers. Sanni Ahola made 33 saves in Friday's victory. Lauren Stenslie netted two goals, one in each game, for the Tommies.

Gophers complete season sweep of Minnesota State

Kennedy Bobyck's first-period goal Friday night was the only highlight of the weekend for the Mavericks, as the Gophers scored 10 times unanswered for 4-1 & 6-0 victories in their home-and-home series, completing the four-game season sweep. Abigail Boreen knotted the score with a power-play marker, her 100th career point, and followed it with 3 more goals over the weekend, two of those also coming on the power play. After tallying an assist on Friday, Taylor Heise posted a 2-goal, 3-assist outburst on Saturday, with one of the goals coming short-handed. Abbey Murphy scored two goals, once in each game, including a shorty on Saturday. Grace Zumwinkle did not record a goal but dished out 5 assists, Ella Huber added a goal and an assist, Audrey Wethington lit the lamp once, and Allie Franco earned her first career point with an assist on Huber's goal.

Vetter earns fourth Goalie of the Week honor this season

Gopher Women's Hockey sophomore netminder Skylar Vetter was honored Monday as the WCHA Goaltender of the Week following her 38-save performance over two games in the series against Minnesota State, with only 1 goal against. The award is Vetter's fourth such recognition this season, along with being named Goaltender of the Month for October. In three full games as the starter plus a 16-minute relief appearance against the Mavericks, Vetter has stopped 57 of 58 shots for a .983 save percentage and 0.31 goals-against average.

Congratulations, Skylar!!

Bouveng recognized by Lindahl Academic Center

Recognition came from a performance not only on the ice but in the classroom, as Gopher Women's Hockey freshman Josefin Bouveng was named as one of the Lindahl Academic Center's Student-Athletes of the Month. Congratulations and good work, Josefin!!

7 Gophers named to Team USA December Rivalry Series Roster

Seven Gopher Women's Hockey representatives will be dressing in the Red, White & Blue of Team USA for the next two games of the Rivalry Series against Canada.

Current Gophers Taylor Heise, Abbey Murphy, and Grace Zumwinkle will join alumnae Hannah Brandt, Amanda Kessel, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein on the U.S. Women's National Team's December roster, which was announced by USA Hockey on Monday, December 5. The Americans will face their Canadian couterparts at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV, on Thursday, December 15, and at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, on Monday, December 19, with both games at 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CT and televised on NHL Network. Tickets to both games are still on sale, with links available on USA Hockey's Rivalry Series web page.

Congratulations and good luck, ladies!!

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes, Bulldogs split in Duluth – Ohio State and Minnesota Duluth battled to a pair of one-goal results, with the Buckeyes winning 2-1 Friday before the Bulldogs took a 5-4 overtime victory on Saturday. Emma Maltais netted the gamewinning goal after an earlier assist for OSU on Friday, while Gabby Rosenthal added two goals & an assist on Saturday. UMD's Kylie Hanley recorded two goals & an assist in the series, and Clara Van Wieran lit the lamp twice Saturday including the OT gamewinner.

Badgers steamroll Beavers – Wisconsin cruised to a series sweep on the road, routing Bemidji State 13-1 in the opener followed by a 4-1 victory in the rematch. Three different Badgers each posted seven-point weekends; Britta Curl lit the lamp 5 times – including a hat trick on Friday – and dished out two assists, while Casey O'Brien & Sophie Shirley added 2 goals & 5 assists apiece. Mya Headrick and Reece Hunt (PP) scored for the Beavers.

Upcoming games – Two other league series are occuring this weekend with Friday & Saturday games. Minnesota Duluth hosts St. Thomas in a pair of afternoon matinees, while Wisconsin visits Minnesota State Friday evening and Saturday afteroon. Bemidji State and Ohio State are idle.

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

December 5, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor - An Edition of the Penalty Box Post - Sunday, December 4, 2022

Power Play Club

December 5, 2022

The Two-Minute Minor
An Edition of the Penalty Box Post
Sunday, December 4th

GWH Teddy Bear Toss – Friday, December 9, vs. St. Cloud State

Going shopping this week? Pick up a teddy bear (or two, or several) while you're out and about!

The annual White Bear Mitsubushi Teddy Bear Toss is back, scheduled for this coming Friday, December 9, in the game against St. Cloud State. Game time at Ridder Arena is set for 6:00 p.m.

Additionally, fans bringing teddy bears to toss will receive $5 day-of-game admission.

All teddy bears will be donated to the Masonic Children's Hospital. We send thanks in advance for everyone supporting this effort!

2023 NCAA Frozen Four tickets now on sale!

Tickets are now on sale for the 2023 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Frozen Four, being held at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth on March 17th and 19th.

The 2023 edition of the Frozen Four will be the fourth time Duluth hosts the event, though the first time since 2012 when Minnesota defeated Wisconsin, 4-2, in the championship game.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster here. Single-session tickets for either semifinal Friday or championship Sunday range from $15 to $20. All-session tickets for both days are $25 to $35.

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

Our Brunch with the Coaches event returns for 2022-2023 when we welcome former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost on Saturday, January 14, at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. We look forward to hearing from Coach Johnson about his experiences leading the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team. transitioning the Tommies to a Division I program, and balancing both of those at the same time. Tickets are $30 per person. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club" to the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse, or send it by mail before January 6 to the address listed.

Power Play Club

November 30, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Power Play Club

November 30, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, November 30th

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

Our Brunch with the Coaches event returns for 2022-2023 when we welcome former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost on Saturday, January 14, at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. We hope you can join us for a great meal as we hear from Coach Johnson on his experiences leading the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team and transitioning the Tommies to a Division I program, along with balancing both at the same time. Tickets are $30 per person. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club" to the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse on December 2 or 9, or by mail to the address listed.

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

With the season a little over two months old, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has recorded 65 goals in 15 games, including converting 12 power-play opportunities. We again ask for your support helping to fund updates and improvements to Ridder Arena 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.

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.

#5/5 Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-3-2, 9-1-2 in WCHA)
vs.
Minnesota State University Mavericks (7-7-0, 5-7-0 WCHA)

Friday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena
Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m. - Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato

After a holiday trip to the greater Las Vegas area and a split of their non-conference games last weekend, the Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to Minnesota and to WCHA play, facing the Minnesota State University Mavericks in a home-and-home series. Action begins at Ridder Arena on Friday evening, December 2, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. The teams then head to Mankato for the rematch at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center on Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Traffic advisory on Friday – Please allow for extra vehicular and pedestrian traffic on campus at the U. on Friday. Gopher Volleyball hosts First & Second Round matches of the NCAA Tournament at Maturi Pavilion (the match between Florida State and Northern Iowa begins at 4:30 p.m.) and both Gopher Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving hosts the Minnesota Invitational at Freeman Aquatic Center (with the evening session beginning at 6:00 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 time against Minnesota State – Playing the Mavericks less than two months ago, the Gophers posted their highest single-series output in 23 years, lighting the lamp 20 times in wins of 11-0 in Mankato & 9-4 at Ridder Arena. Grace Zumwinkle tallied a hat trick plus an assist on Friday and added another goal & 2 assists on Saturday for a 7-point series, Josefin Bouveng dished out a pair of assists Friday and followed it with a hat trick on Saturday, and Abbey Murphy recorded 6 points on 3 goals & 3 assists. Emily Oden also had a four-point series, dishing out four helpers. Skylar Vetter earned the shutout in Mankato with 17 saves; Makalya Pahl earned the win at Ridder but exited early after MSU's fourth goal, making 18 saves, with Vetter playing the last 16-1/2 minutes with two more saves. Alexis Paddington scored twice for the Mavericks.

About the Mavericks – Thanks to the unbalanced schedule, Minnesota State sits fourth in the WCHA standings with 16 points on a 5-7-0 conference record (with one of their losses coming in OT). That said, their five league wins have come in a four-game season sweep of St. Thomas and a win over Bemidji State, and their two non-conference victories – bringing their overall mark to 7-7-0 – came against Sacred Heart. But, outside of their two losses to the Gophers, MSU has outscored their other opponents 29-17.

Junior Jamie Nelson (#10) is averaging better than a point-per-game, holding the Mavericks' assist lead with 10 while scoring 4 times herself for 14 points. Senior Claire Butorac (#7; 3g, 6a) and junior Madison Mashuga (#22; 2g, 7a) each have 9 points. Freshman Taylor Otremba (#24) has a team-high 5 goals plus 3 assists, joining senior Brooke Bryant (#17; 2g, 6a) with 8 points each.

Junior Lauren Barbro (#37) has started 8 of Minnesota State's 14 games; she has a 3-5-0 record with one shutout, a 3.08 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Senior Alexa Berg (#1) started the other 6 contests plus made a relief appearance, posting a 4-2-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.17 GAA and a .917 SV%. Senior Calla Frank (#77) and junior Emerald Kelley (#55) remain on the roster but have not seeing any playing time this season.

Last action for Minnesota State – The Mavericks were idle last weekend. Playing with a short bench due to injuries & illnesses two weekends ago, MSU swept their home-and-home series against St. Thomas, 3-1 & 2-0, with only 17 skaters in the first contest and 14 in the second. Taylor Otremba scored in each game, Jamie Nelson tallied a goal and two assists, and Alexa Berg stopped all 27 shots she faced in Sunday's contest. Maija Almich netted the lone goal for the Tommies.

Gophers defeat Penn State, fall to Yale in Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase – Playing in a neutral-site Thanksgiving weekend tournament for the third time in four seasons, the Minnesota Women's Hockey team blitzed Penn State for 4 first-period goals to defeat Penn State 5-1 in the opening game of Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase in southern Nevada. However, the Gophers were on the wrong end of a four-goal first-period outburst by Yale in the championship game, falling 4-3.

Madison Kaiser, Taylor Heise, Peyton Hemp, and Grace Zumwinkle put the Gophers up 4-0 on the Nittany Lions after 20 minutes. Courtney Correia got Penn State on the board in the second stanza, but Minnesota killed off a major penalty later on and Ella Huber added an insurance goal in the third frame. PSU goaltender Josie Bothun made 31 saves; Skylar Vetter made 9 saves over the first 31 minutes, and Makalya Pahl stopped 17 shots in nearly 29 minutes of relief.

Yale's Rebecca Vanstone lit the lamp just 1:38 into Saturday's game. A flurry of goals followed midway through the first period; Hemp knotted the score for the Gophers and Huber put them ahead just 35 seconds later, but Emma Seitz evened things up for the Bulldogs just 10 seconds after that. Yale then struck twice more in the final minute of the period as Jordan Ray & Claire Dalton scored just 12 seconds apart for a 4-2 lead at the first intermission. That was all for Vetter, who left after making 8 saves. Minnesota got a glimpse of hope when Huber netted her second goal of the game and third of the weekend on a power play 4:09 into the second period, but the Gophers couldn't put another puck by Bulldogs goaltender Pia Dukaric, who made 29 saves in total. Pahl made 7 saves in her two-period appearance.

For the weekend, Huber tallied 4 points, adding an assist to her three goals. Hemp also had an assist to go with her two goals for a three-point weekend, while Kaiser added an assist to her goal. Vetter also recorded her first collegiate assist, coming on Zumwinkle's goal against Penn State.

Kaiser earns Rookie of the Week recognition

Gopher Women's Hockey freshman forward Madison Kaiser was honored Monday as the WCHA Rookie of the Week following her two-point (1 goal, 1 assist) performance in the Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase. She also posted a +2 plus-minus rating in the two games. Kaiser becomes the first Gopher freshman to earn weekly recognition from the league this season.

Congratulations, Madison!!

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes get tie, win against Colgate – Playing a non-conference series before the holiday, Ohio State had to settle for a 4-4 tie against the Colgate last Tuesday due to a 48-save performance from Raiders goaltender Kayle Osborne and a game-tying goal Kristýna Kaltounková with 5:31 left in regulation. However the Buckeyes rebounded with a 6-2 victory over the Raiders on Wednesday. Jennifer Gardiner led OSU with 5 points on a goal & 4 assists, while Gabby Rosenthal added two goals & two assists and Sophie Jaques & Jenna Buglioni each tallied two goals and an assist. Danielle Serdachny recorded two goals and two assists for Colgate.

Huskies earn road sweep at Lindenwood – Jenniina Nylund tallied 3 goals & 3 assists and Taylor Lind added 3 goals and 2 assists for St. Cloud State as they swept Lindenwood on the road, 7-2 & 4-2. Morgan Neitzke scored twice for the Lions.

Beavers fall to Quinnipiac, defeat Sacred Heart – Playing in the Nutmeg Classic in Hamden, Connecticut, Bemidji State fell 5-0 in the semifinals to host Quinnipiac; Bobcats goaltender Catie Boudiette posted the 18-save shutout and Maya Labad recorded 2 goals and an assist. However, four different Beavers scored in a 4-1 victory over Sacred Heart in the consolation game despite 46 saves from Pioneers goaltender Carly Greene. BSU netminder Hannah Hogenson stopped a combined 49 shots in the two contests.

Upcoming games – All eight WCHA teams are in action in a full slate of league contests, with Friday & Saturday matinees in the other three series. St. Thomas and St. Cloud State play home-and-home starting in St. Cloud, Minnesota Duluth hosts Ohio State, and Wisconsin travels to Bemidji State.

Power Play Club

November 22, 2022

The Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Power Play Club

November 22, 2022

The Penalty Box Post
Tuesday, November 22nd

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

Through its first 13 games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has recorded 57 goals, including converting 10 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.

Save the Date – Brunch with the Coaches on January 14

Our Brunch with the Coaches event returns for 2022-2023 when we welcome former Gopher associate head coach and current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost on Saturday, January 14, at 9:45 a.m. We hope you can join us as we hear from Coach Johnson on his experiences leading the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team and the transition of the Tommies to a Division I program, along with balancing both at the same time. Registration will open next week.

Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase – Henderson, NV

Friday, November 25 – Semifinals at Lifeguard Arena
Boston Univ. (6-8-0) vs. #5 Yale (6-0-0) – 1 pm PT / 3 pm CT
#3 Minnesota (9-2-2) vs. #12 Penn St. (10-7-1) – 4 pm PT / 6 pm CT

Saturday, November 26 at The Dollar Loan Center
Third Place Game – 1 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. CT
Championship – 4 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. CT

Following a tough series in Madison, the #3 Gophers head west for Thanksgiving weekend, participating in the Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase in Henderson, Nevada. Action begins at Lifeguard Arena on Friday, November 25, with the Boston University Terriers and the Yale Bulldogs opening the tournament at 1:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. CT, followed by Minnesota facing the Penn State Nittany Lions at 4:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT. Action moves across town to The Dollar Loan Center on Saturday, November 26, with the 3rd Place Game at 1:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. CT and the Championship at 4:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT.

Last time against Penn State, Boston University, and Yale – Visiting Hockey Valley to open the 2015-2016 regular season, Minnesota shut out Penn State 2-0 & 5-0; Amanda Leveille and Sidney Peters stopped the combined 27 shots they faced, Kelly Pannek & Hannah Brandt each lit the lamp twice, and Megan Wolfe added a goal and an assist, while the Nittany Lions goaltenders combined for 74 saves. Minnesota visited Boston University in December 2016, splitting the series with a 5-1 Gopher victory followed by a 6-5 OT win for the Terriers; Kelly Pannek led Minnesota with 6 points (1g, 5a), Megan Wolfe tallied 5 points (1g, 4a), Sarah Potomak recorded two goals & two assists, and Kate Schipper added two goals & an assist, while BU's Natalie Flynn lit the lamp twice. Minnesota swept Yale at Ridder Arena the first weekend of January 2020, 6-3 & 4-1; Grace Zumwinkle netted 3 goals, Amy Potomak added two goals & an assist, Sarah Potomak tallied a goal & 3 assists, and Sydney Scobee made a combined 31 saves, while Claire Dalton led the Bulldogs with two goals & an assist.

Analyzing the Terriers & recent action – Boston University is 6-8-0 overall with a 5-7-0 mark in Hockey East, though they enter this weekend on a three-game winning streak after defeating #13 Vermont (4-3, OT) and sweeping #12 UConn (2-1 OT, 5-2). Against the Huskies, Brooke Disher (#27) tallied the overtime gamewinner Friday, Haylee Blinkhorn (#18) scored twice Saturday, and Catherine Foulem (#28) recorded a goal & two assists in the series. Senior Julia Nearis (#16) leads the Terriers in all three scoring categories, with 14 points on 6 goals & 8 assists, while junior Lacey Martin (#17) has 3 goals and also 8 assists. Foulem, a junior, and senior Nadia Mattivi (#6) each have 3 goals & 5 assists. Former Ohio State goaltender Andrea Brändli (#40) joined BU as a graduate transfer; she is 4-4-0 with 2 shutout in 8 starts, posting a 1.87 goals-against average and .944 save percentage; sophomore Callie Shanahan (#37) has started the other 6 games, posting a 2-4-0 record with a 3.33 GAA and .901 SV%.

Analyzing the Nittany Lions – Penn State (10-7-1, 3-1-0 in the CHA) has had its ups and downs, upsetting Wisconsin in the season opener but then falling 9-1 to the Badgers the next night, getting a win & a tie against Boston College, but being swept in series against Colgate & Yale (more on that shortly). Freshman Tessa Janecke (#15) and junior Kiara Zanon (#11) are averaging 1.00 points per game; Janecke has 11 goals & 7 assists, while Zanon has 7 goals & 11 assists. Senior Courtney Correia is third in scoring with 7 goals and 7 assists. Between the pipes, junior Josie Bothun (#30) has started 17 of Penn State's 18 games, going 9-7-1 with 2 shutouts, a 2.05 GAA and .921 SV%. Freshman Katie DeSa (#35) earned a win in her lone start against Franklin Pierce, stopping 10 of 11 shots, but she also yielded 3 goals on 5 shots in a very brief relief appearance against Wisconsin. Junior Annie Spring (#31) has also seen action, stopping 10 of 11 shots in 30 minutes of relief.

Analyzing the Bulldogs – As is standard for Ivy League teams, Yale didn't start the season until late October, but they're undefeated so far (6‑0‑0, 4-0-0 in the ECAC) including wins over Quinnipiac, Princeton, and a pair against Penn State, earning them the #5 ranking in the latest DCU/USCHO poll. Sophomore Anna Bargman (#22) and freshman Jordan Ray (#20) each have 4 goals & 4 assists to lead the Bulldogs. Sophomore Vita Poniatovskaia (#21) has tallied two goals & 4 assists, junior Elle Hartje (#4) has a goal & 5 helpers, and freshman Carina DiAntonio (#25) has lit the lamp 3 times and dished out an assist. Sophomore Pia Dukaric (#30) has been the only Bulldogs netminder to see action; she has two shutouts, a 0.82 GAA and .969 SV%.

Yale sweeps home series against Penn State – The Bulldogs hosted the Nittany Lions this past weekend, with Yale sweeping the series 3-0 & 2-1 (OT). Elle Hartje netted the overtime gamewinner Saturday after two assists on Friday, while Vita Poniatovskaia also recorded a goal and two helpers for the Bulldogs. Eleri MacKay netted the lone goal for PSU. Pia Dukaric stopped 50 of 51 shots for Yale, while Penn State's Josie Bothun made 54 saves.

Gophers held to only two points in Madison

The Gopher Women's Hockey team earned only two points in the WCHA standings on their Border Battle road trip, getting a 3-3 tie with a shootout win over Wisconsin on Saturday before falling 4-1 on Sunday.

Vivian Jungels and Laila Edwards gave the Badgers 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the opener but Peyton Hemp responded both times to knot the score, with her first goal coming shorthanded. Grace Zumwinkle tucked the puck into the Badger net for a 3-2 Gopher lead in the second period, but Britta Curl scored with an extra attacker and only 10.5 seconds remaining in regulation. Following a scoreless overtime period, Abbey Murphy netted the only goal of the subsequent shootout to earn the bonus point.

Wisconsin's Nicole LaMantia and Minnesota's Taylor Heise traded first-period power-play goals in the rematch, but Sarah Wozniewicz put the Badgers ahead late in the second stanza and Kirsten Simms & Jesse Compher scored in the third.

Between the pipes, Minnesota's Skylar Vetter made a combined 76 saves in the series; Wisconsin's Cami Kronish stopped 64 shots, though she entered Sunday's game in relief after starter Jane Gervais left with an injury only 3½ minutes into the contest.

Team USA defeats Canada in 2022-2023 Rivalry Series Game 3;
three Gopher alumnae record assists for American squad

The U.S. Women's National Hockey Team completed a sweep of the first three games of the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series against Canada, winning Game 3 by a 4-2 score in Seattle this past Sunday night. Hilary Knight led the Americans with 2 goals & an assist, while Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Amanda Kessel, Lee Stecklein, and Kelly Pannek each dished out an assist. The victory marked the first three-game winning streak for Team USA over Canada since 2019, and came in front of an American-record crowd of 14,551 fans at Climate Pledge Arena.

Action in the Rivalry Series will resume next month when the teams meet at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV, on Thursday, December 15.

Future Gophers Lindsay & Klepinger named to USA U-18 Team

Our congratulations and wishes of good luck to future GWH players Ava Lindsay and Elly Klepinger as they were named to the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Hockey Team headed to the 2023 IIHF U-18 Women's Championship, being played Janaury 8-15 in Östersund, Sweden.

Around the WCHA...

Ohio State rolls in home sweep of Bemidji State – Ten different Buckeyes lit the lamp as they swept the Beavers in Columbus, 5-0 & 7-1. Jenna Buglioni and Jenn Gardiner each recorded a goal & 3 assists, while Hadley Hartmetz tallied two goals and an assist. Calli Forsberg netted an unassisted power-play goal for BSU.

Mavericks sweep Tommies despite short bench – Minnesota State swept their home-and-home series against St. Thomas, 3-1 & 2-0, overcoming a short bench with only 17 skaters on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. Taylor Otremba scored in each game, Jamie Nelson tallied a goal and two assists, and Alexa Berg stopped all 27 shots she faced in Sunday's contest. Maija Almich netted the lone goal for UST.

Minnesota Duluth shuts out Harvard – Gabbie Hughes posted a 6-point series on a goal & 5 assists, Anneke Linser lit the lamp 3 times and dished out 2 assists, and Emma Soderberg & Hailey MacLeod combined for 29 saves in the series to shut out Harvard, 4-0 & 9-0. Alex Pellicci stopped a combined 93 shots for the Crimson.

Upcoming games – As we noted last week, OSU is in action before the holiday, hosting Colgate in non-conference competition tonight & tomorrow (Tuesday and Wednesday). St. Cloud State goes on the road to face Lindenwood on Friday & Saturday. Bemidji State is also traveling, playing in the Nutmeg Classic in Hamden, Connecticut; the Beavers face host Quinnipiac on Friday and either UConn or Sacred Heart on Saturday. Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, St. Thomas and Wisconsin are idle.