October 30, 2023

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Monday, October 30, 2023

October 30, 2023

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit
Monday, October 30th

Heise signs three-year deal with PWHL Minnesota

Recent Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Taylor Heise – the first overall pick in the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League draft – has come to terms on a three-year contract with PWHL Minnesota, as announced by the team on X (formerly Twitter) and reported by The Hockey News last Thursday, October 26. Heise joins former Gophers Lee Stecklein and Kelly Pannek as Minnesota signees. Congratulations, Taylor!!

Copyright © 2023 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/X 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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Power Play Club

October 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Power Play Club

October 25, 2023

Goals for a Goal: Gophers on the board with 8 goals

The Gopher Women's Hockey team has lit the lamp 22 times in its opening five games, including 7 times on the power play, and the Power Play Club is asking for your assistance converting them to donations back to the team! Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.

Goals for a Goal pledges can be submitted electronically through this online form. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Power Play Club membership enrollment continues!!

Whether you join the Power Play Club through a basic membership or as a locker sponsor, we want you to enroll for 2023-2024, earning access to our three Chalk Talks with the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff and contributing to our fundraising for the team through your tax-deductible enrollment donation.

There is still time to sponsor a player’s or coach’s locker for the season! Locker sponsorships require a minimum of $600 donation. Locker sponsors will have a photo with the player or coach and a special meal with the team. If you wish to sponsor a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson (before donating) at susanmcp58@gmail.com.

You can join our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address, with a minimum donation of $50. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

#4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-0-0, 3-0-0 WCHA)
at #2/2 Ohio State University Buckeyes (5-1-0, 4-0-0 WCHA)
Friday, October 27 at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 28 at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT
OSU Ice Rink – Columbus, Ohio

Coming off an idle weekend, the Gopher Women's Hockey team flies out to the Eastern Time Zone for a second time in the opening month of the season, heading to Columbus, Ohio for a national top-four showdown against the #2-ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes. The series at the OSU Ice Rink opens Friday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT, and continues Saturday, October 28, at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT.

Game coverage – Video from both games will be streamed on the B1G+ subscription service. Free audio play-by-play is available on GopherSports.com for both Friday and Saturday, starting roughly 20 minutes before each contest.

Last season against Ohio State – The Gophers went 3-1-1 against the Buckeyes last year, including a playoff victory. Minnesota took the opener last October in Columbus, 4-2, before the two squads played to a 4-4 tie with OSU earning the shootout win for the bonus point. Meeting at Ridder Arena in early February, the Gophers again won 4-2 but the Buckeyes salvaged a split with a 5-1 victory the next day. But it was Minnesota which took home the WCHA Tournament Championship, its 8th, defeating Ohio State 3-1 in the Final Faceoff title game at Ridder in March. While Taylor Heise led the Gophers in total scoring against OSU with 7 points on 2 goals & 5 assists, Abbey Murphy lit the lamp 5 times and added an assist & Peyton Hemp recorded 3 goals and 3 helpers. Skylar Vetter played every minute between the pipes, posting a 2.76 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. Jennifer Gardiner tallied an OSU-high 6 points (2g, 4a) against Minnesota, while Sophie Jaques (3g, 2a) & Makenna Webster (1g, 4a) each added 5 points and Gabby Rosenthal recorded 3 goals and an assist. Amanda Thiele went 1-2-0 against the Gophers with a 2.76 GAA and .923 SV%, while Raygan Kirk was 0-1-1 with a 3.93 GAA and .862 SV%.

Analyzing the Buckeyes – Ohio State is looking to defend its 2022-2023 WCHA Regular Season Championship, the first for the program, after posting a 23-4-1 (3-2 in OT) conference record, with the lone shootout win, and going 33-6-2 overall but falling to Wisconsin in the NCAA Championship Game. They have started the new year 5-1-0, splitting the opening weekend on the road at then-#4 Colgate – losing 3-2 & winning 3-2 in OT – before sweeping Minnesota Duluth and St. Thomas.

Jennifer Gardiner (#12) is back for her 5th season after posting a team-high 57 points (21g, 36a) last year. Senior Makenna Webster (#8) – a two-sport athlete for OSU – is expected to return following the field hockey season; she recorded 39 points (15g, 24a) on the ice in 2022-2023 despite playing in only 31 of the team's 41 games. The Buckeyes have done some retooling with 6 new transfer players, two of whom are leading the team so far this season; Hannah Bilka (#9) has 4 goals & 6 assists for Ohio State after playing 4 years at Boston College, while Kiara Zanon (#21) has 4 goals and 4 assists in scarlet & gray following three seasons at Penn State. Sophomore Emma Peschel (#7; 2g, 4a) and Gardiner (1g, 5a) each have six points.

One thing that has not changed from last year is Ohio State's goaltending corps. Amanda Thiele (#30) led the Buckeyes in 2022-2023 with a 20-4-1 record, 4 shutouts, a .914 save percentage, and 1.81 goals-against average; now a senior, she has a 2-1-0 record with an .897 SV% and 2.00 GAA. Raygan Kirk (#1) posted an 8-2-1 mark with 2 shutouts, a .912 SV%, and a 2.03 GAA as a junior; she's 3-0-0 to start the new year with one shutout, a .941 SV%, and a 1.32 GAA. Fifth-year backup Quinn Kuntz (#35) was a perfect 5-0-0 in her five starts as a senior, recording 3 shutouts, a minuscule 0.60 GAA, and a .961 SV%; however, she has yet to see any action this season.

Last weekend for Ohio State – A trio of Buckeyes each posted five-point performances in a weekend sweep on the road at St. Thomas, 6-2 & 7-1. Kiara Zanon tallied 3 goals & 2 assists, Hannah Bilka added 2 goals & 3 assists, and Jennifer Gardner lit the lamp once and dished out 4 helpers. Ohio State outshot the Tommies 102-40 in the series, getting a combined 37 saves from Raygan Kirk and Amanda Thiele; the Buckeyes lit the lamp 4 times on their opening 17 shots, chasing UST starting goalie Calla Frank, but Maggie Malecha made 38 saves in relief on Friday and Olivia King stopped another 38 shots on Saturday. Cara Sajevic found the back of the net twice for St. Thomas.

Professional Women's Hockey League unveils official logo

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) unveiled their official league logo in a press release yesterday (Tuesday, October 24). The logo features “a stylized ‘W’ to highlight women, and crossed hockey sticks and a puck that nestle perfectly within the middle of the letterform.”

We continue to follow league news as it prepares for its inaugural season, with training camps scheduled to begin on November 15. Thirteen (13) Gopher alumnae are looking for roster spots, including pre-draft free agents Kelly Pannek (Minnesota) & Lee Stecklein (Minnesota), draftees Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota), Hannah Brandt (Boston), Emily Brown (Boston), Amanda Leveille (Minnesota), and Olivia Knowles (Toronto), and camp invitees Lauren Bench (Minnesota), Abigail Boreen (Minnesota), Gigi Marvin (Boston), Savannah Norcross (New York), and Catie Skaja (Minnesota). Patti Marshall has also been invited to Minnesota's training camp, but is not eligible to sign a standard player agreement under current league rules and will be required to start the season as a reserve.

Around the WCHA

St. Cloud State wins Icebreaker with two shutouts – Following two scoreless periods, Katie Kaufman lit the lamp for SCSU 9:27 into the third, Klára Hymlárová added an empty-netter with 39.3 seconds to play, and Sanni Ahola earned her 4th shutout in four starts with 21 saves to upset Northeastern, 2-0. Facing Lindenwood for the Icebreaker championship, Devyn Millwater scored for the Huskies only 11 seconds into the contest, CC Bowlby lit the lamp with a short-handed tally later in the first period, Hymlárová followed with a natural hat trick, and Jojo Chobak stopped all 34 shots she faced for a 5-0 victory.

Minnesota Duluth earns road sweep of Minnesota State – Mary Kate O'Brien recorded two goals & an assist, Gabby Krause lit the lamp twice, and Hailey MacLeod and Ève Gascon stopped a combined 50 of 52 shots as the Bulldogs swept the Mavericks in Mankato, 3-1 & 4-1. Jamie Nelson and Charlotte Akervik scored for MSU, and Lauren Barbro & Suzette Faucher combined for 47 saves.

Wisconsin keeps rolling with sweep of Bemidji State – Beavers netminder Abbie Thompson was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week after a 60-save performance last Friday night, stopping the first 35 shots she faced to keep the Badgers off the board through the first two periods; however, Wisconsin broke through in the third to win 4-0. They followed it up with an 8-1 rout Saturday to complete the weekend sweep. Maddi Wheeler tallied 2 goals & 2 assists, Britta Curl and Kirsten Simms each added two goals & an assist, and Lacey Eden dished out 4 helpers. Hailey Armstrong netted the lone goal for BSU, who were outshot 104-30.

Upcoming games – All eight teams will be in conference action on Friday and Saturday. Bemidji State hosts Minnesota Duluth in a pair of matinee contests, St. Cloud State visits Minnesota State in Mankato, and Wisconsin goes on the road to face St. Thomas.

Copyright © 2023 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post news bulletin via email by signing up here.

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

Power Play Club

October 23, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Monday, October 23, 2023

Power Play Club

October 23, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Monday, October 23rd

Frost signs contract extension through 2025-2026 season

Gopher Women's Hockey head coach Brad Frost signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him on the team bench through the 2025-2026 season, as announced by the university on Friday.

Frost is in his 17th season leading the program and – through the first five games of 2023-2024 – has a 482-99-39 career record (80.9%). He has also earned the AHCA Coach of the Year honor twice and been named WCHA Coach of the Year four times.

Congratulations, Coach Frost, and many wishes for continued success!!

GWH alumna Wendell named to WCHA 25th Anniversary Team

We also send congratulations to Gopher Women's Hockey alumna and 2005 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Krissy Wendell-Pohl upon being named to the WCHA's 25th Anniversary Team last Wednesday, October 18. Wendell-Pohl was among the first five honorees, joined by Wisconsin's Molly Engstrom and UMD's Caroline Ouellette, Jenny Schmidgall-Potter & Maria Rooth.

Wendell-Pohl, playing three seasons for the Gophers from 2002-03 to 2004-05, still remains fourth on Minnesota's all-time career scoring list with 237 career points (106g-131a). She won back-to-back national championships, WCHA regular-season titles, and WCHA postseason crowns in 2004 and 2005. Alongside teammate Natalie Darwitz, Wendell was the first three-time All-American in program history.

More names on the 25th Anniversary Top 25 Team will be revealed as the current season progresses.

Murphy, 3 GWH alums named to USA roster for November games

Catching up on slightly older news, current GWH assistant captain & junior forward Abbey Murphy (pictured) plus Minnesota alumnae Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, and Grace Zumwinkle were named to the U.S. National Team roster for its November Rivalry Series games against Canada. The two squads are scheduled to square off on Wednesday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. CT at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, and Saturday, November 11, at 1 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. CT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Both games will be televised live on NHL Network. Tickets for both contests, along with the February 11 game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, are available through USA Hockey's Rivalry Series page.

Congratulations and good luck, ladies!!

D1 in DC tickets

Later in November, the Gopher Women's Hockey team will be in greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area on Thanksgiving weekend for the D1 in DC showcase. Both Minnesota and the St. Thomas Tommies will face the Harvard Crimson and Cornell Big Red from the ECAC at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Alexandria, Virginia. General admission tickets at $25 for the entire showcase are on-sale here.

Copyright © 2023 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

October 19, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Thursday, October 19, 2023

Power Play Club

October 19, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Thursday, October 19th

Recap: Gophers outlast Huskies in home opener

In what turned out to be a low-scoring affair, the Gopher Women's Hockey team defended home ice in their Ridder Arena opener and remained undefeated with a 2-1 victory over St. Cloud State on Tuesday. Ava Lindsay netted her second career goal in the 2nd period, cleaning up the rebound of an initial shot by Emily Zumwinkle. The score stayed 1-0 into the final minute when Taylor Stewart tallied her first goal as a Gopher, a short-handed bouncer into an empty net despite a deflection off a Huskies defender's stick. Stewart's goal turned into the gamewinner as SCSU's Avery Farrell broke up the shutout bid, lighting the lamp with 5.2 seconds remaining, but Skylar Vetter's 14 saves were enough for the win. Emma Kreisz assisted on both Minnesota goals, and St. Cloud State netminder Jojo Chobak stopped 29 shots.

PPC Board sets $67,500 fundraising goal for 2023-2024

The Power Play Club Board of Directors, in partnership with the Golden Gopher Fund at the U. of M. Athletics Department, has set a $67,500 fundraising goal to support the Gopher Women's Hockey program for the 2023-2024 season. We thank everyone who has given generously in the past and already this year, but we ask for your continued support.

Donations through club programs go into the Women's Hockey Enhancement Fund to cover team expenses outside of its normal operating budget. These include recent updates to the Ridder Arena lower level area (outside the locker room and player lounge) along with the team's trip to the D1 in DC showcase on Thanksgiving weekend.

Here are some of the ways you can provide financial support:

Power Play Club enrollment – Two membership tier options

We encourage all GWH fans to enroll in the Power Play Club for the 2023-2024 season. A key membership benefit is exclusive access to our three Chalk Talks with the coaching staff!!

Locker sponsors get a plaque with their name affixed to a player’s or coach’s locker, a photo with that player / coach in front of their locker, and a special meal with the team. Sponsorships require a minimum of $600 donation per locker, and we are still looking for additional sponsors this year!! If you wish to sponsor a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson (before donating) at susanmcp58@gmail.com.

You can also contribute through our basic membership tier with a minimum donation of $50, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

Goals for a Goal – Gophers increase scoring total to 22!

Goals for a Goal is a pledge-per-goal program where the team assists in their own financial support. We encourage you to submit a pledge to convert each goal scored by the Gophers into a donation, and ask you to also consider doubling your pledge every time they convert on the power play. With their 2-1 victory this past Tuesday night, Minnesota has lit the lamp 22 times with seven (7) coming on the advantage.

Pledges can be made electronically using this online form, with the options to double your pledge for power-play goals. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Save the Date: Give to the Max Day 2023 – Thursday, November 16

The Power Play Club will again be participating in Give to the Max Day, the annual day of giving to non-profit organizations throughout the state of Minnesota, scheduled this year for Thursday, November 16. The PPC Board of Directors has already pledged to match the first $10,000 in GTMD donations.

We'll have more information as the event date approaches. Thank you for your consideration of this program.

Donations through PPC membership, Goals for a Goal, and Give to the Max Day
are 100% tax-deductible!!

Looking ahead – Gopher Women's Hockey online auction

After a brief hiatus, the online auction to support Gopher Women's Hockey will return in the latter half of the season. We thank our partners at the Golden Gopher Fund and the U. of M. Athletics Department for making this possible. Again, many details are to be announced as we approach the event dates.

Murphy named PPC Scholarship recipient for 2023-2024

Another way the Power Play Club supports Gopher Women's Hockey is through an endowed scholarship. We send congratulations to junior forward Abbey Murphy after being named the recipient of the PPC Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year. The Evergreen Park, IL, native is majoring in Business & Marketing Education in the College of Education & Human Development. Murphy was also named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree for 2022-2023. Congratulations, Abbey!!

If you wish to donate to the Power Play Club Scholarship Fund, you can do so here. (Note that gifts to the Scholarship Fund do not count toward the PPC Board of Directors' fundraising goal.)

Power Play Club

October 16, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Monday, October 16, 2023

Power Play Club

October 16, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Monday, October 16th

We send many thanks to you, our fellow fans, for your support of Gopher Women's Hockey. We continue asking for your help raising funds for the program as they proceed in their 27th season of play and the 25th year of WCHA competition. Here are a couple of ways to provide that assistance.

Goals for a Goal: Gopher scoring total increases to 20!

The Gopher Women's Hockey team netted 12 goals this past weekend, bringing their season total to 20 with seven (7) coming on the power play. We encourage you to submit a pledge to convert each of those goals into a donation back to the team through our Goals for a Goal program!

Pledges can be made electronically using this online form, with the options to double your pledge for power-play goals. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

PPC membership enrollment – Locker sponsors wanted!

Another way to donate to the Minnesota Women's Hockey program is to enroll in the Power Play Club for 2023-2024, earning access to our three Chalk Talks with the coaching staff!!

We are looking for additional locker sponsors this season, where a plaque with your name will be affixed to a player’s or coach’s locker and you will get a photo with that player / coach in front of their locker along with special meal with the team. Sponsorships require a minimum of $600 donation per locker. If you wish to sponsor a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson (before donating) at susanmcp58@gmail.com.

You can also contribute through our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address, with a minimum donation of $50. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

Gopher Women's Hockey Home Opener!!
#4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-0-0, 2-0-0 WCHA)
vs.
#14/15 St. Cloud State Univ. Huskies (5-1-0, 2-0-0 WCHA)
Tuesday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m. - Ridder Arena

After sweeping their conference-opening series this past weekend, the Gopher Women's Hockey team begins the home portion of its 2023-2024 schedule with a special Tuesday game tomorrow night – October 17 – against the St. Cloud State University Huskies. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Ridder Arena.

Ticket and concession deals!! Help us pack Ridder for the opener, as tickets for the contest will be only $5! We hope to see many of you there, and encourage you to arrive a few minutes early as the team will raise its 2023 WCHA Final Faceoff Champions Banner! Additionally, a special $2 Tuesday promotion is planned with $2 hot dogs and soft drinks.

Game coverage – Tuesday's contest will be televised on Big Ten Network (channel finder here) and streamed on the BTN channel on FoxSports.com. Free audio play-by-play is available on GopherSports.com here.

Last season against St. Cloud State – After the Gophers earned a weekend sweep of the Huskies last October, winning 4-2 & 2-1, St. Cloud State responded with a 4-1 upset victory in the non-conference U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Women's Faceoff Classic just over two weeks later. However, Minnesota soundly replied in their 4th and 5th meetings in December, shutting out SCSU 6-0 & 9-0. Grace Zumwinkle had a team-high 6 goals against the Huskies plus 3 assists, but Taylor Heise led in total scoring with 12 points on 5 goals & 7 assists, while Abbey Murphy and Emily Oden each added a goal & 6 helpers and Abigail Boreen recorded 4 goals and 2 assists. Skylar Vetter stopped 84 of 91 SCSU shots for a .923 save percentage and 1.41 goals-against average. Klára Hymlárová led the Huskies with two goals and an assist against the Gophers, while Bailey Burton and Emma Gentry each added a goal and an assist. Sanni Ahola started three of the five contests for St. Cloud State, earning the lone win and posting a .932 SV% and 2.68 GAA, but Jojo Chobak yielded 15 goals in her two starts plus a 22-minute relief appearance, resulting in a .845 SV% and 6.45 GAA.

Analyzing the Huskies – St. Cloud State is looking to finish in the top half of the WCHA regular-season standings and earn home ice for the conference playoffs, something they have not accomplished since 2009-2010. They posted a fifth-place result last year with an 11-16-1-0 (0-2 in OT) league record, though they were a perfect 7-0-0 in regular-season non-conference play. However, they were swept by Minnesota Duluth, 1-0 & 5-1, in the WCHA quarterfinals to end their season. The Huskies have started the new year with a 5-1-0 record and were ranked 14th & 15th in the national polls last week.

Among SCSU players returning from last year, fifth-year forward Klára Hymlárová (#12) was the highest scorer, tallying 26 points on 17 goals and 9 assists. Senior Emma Gentry (#20) also surpassed the 20-point mark in 2022-2023, recording 13 goals and 9 helpers, and junior defender Grace Wolfe (#8) dished out a team-high 16 assists while scoring twice herself. Six games into the new season, another junior blueliner – Ella Anick (#17) – leads the team with 6 points on a goal and 5 assist; graduate transfer CC Bowlby (#28) has 4 goals and an assist, while Dayle Ross (#2; 2g, 3a), Katie Kaufman (#10; 1g, 4a) and Wolfe (1g, 4a) each also have five points.

Goaltenders Sanni Ahola (#1) and Jojo Chobak (#29) are back for their senior years. As juniors, Ahola went 9-11-0 with one shutout, a .923 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against average, while Chobak was 9-7-1 with 5 shutouts, also a .923 SV%, and a 2.46 GAA. This season, Ahola is 3-0-0, all by shutout with 64 combined saves, while Chobak is 2-1-0 with an .896 SV% and 1.70 GAA (though 3 of the 5 goals she's yielded were with SCSU on the penalty kill). Freshman Paige Hoogendam (#31) has yet to see any official action.

This past weekend for St. Cloud State – The Huskies got their conference schedule started with a sweep of Bemidji State in St. Cloud, winning 5-2 & 3-0. The teams were tied 2-2 at the second intermission of the opener, with Beavers freshman Hailey Armstrong scoring twice, but the Huskies netted the next six goals unanswered. CC Bowlby lit the lamp 3 times in the series, including both game-winning tallies, while Dayle Ross and Alice Sauriol each added a goal & two assists and Katie Kaufman dished out 3 helpers. Jojo Chobak made 10 saves on Friday and Sanni Ahola posted a 17-save shutout on Saturday. BSU's Abbie Thompson stopped 51 shots in the series.

Gophers shut out St. Thomas – Abbey Murphy posted a 4-goal, 2-assist weekend and Skylar Vetter & Lucy Morgan stopped all 43 shots they faced (combined) as Minnesota swept the Tommies, 8-0 at Xcel Energy Center on Friday and 4-0 at St. Thomas Ice Arena on Saturday. Murphy opened scoring in the series with a natural hat trick, including a short-handed tally, and Vetter made 27 saves in Friday's contest. The Gophers were held scoreless over the first 43 minutes of the rematch, but Emma Kreisz netted her first collegiate goal, the eventual game-winning tally, on a power play; at the other end, Morgan made 16 saves to blank UST. In the series, Ella Huber lit the lamp twice and added an assist, while Josefin Bouveng scored her first goal of the season and dished out two helpers. Emma Conner scored in her first game back since last Thanksgiving weekend, and Peyton Hemp, Audrey Wethington (PP) & Nelli Laitinen joined Bouveng in netting their first goals of the season. Madeline Wethington dished out 3 assists, and Lauren O'Hara earned her first collegiate point with an assist.

Around the WCHA

Wisconsin juggernaut continues with sweep of MSU – Sevens were lucky for the Badgers; Kirsten Simms (4g, 3a), Britta Curl (2g, 5a), and Caroline Harvey (1g, 6a) each tallied 7 points as they blanked the Mavericks in Madison, 6-0 & 9-0. Lacey Eden (3g, 2a) and Casey O'Brien (1g, 4a) each added 5 points. Jane Gervais and Ava McNaughton combined for 34 saves and the two shutouts. Suzette Faucher stopped 49 shots for Minnesota State over four periods of action.

Ohio State earns road sweep in Duluth – Hadley Hartmetz recorded a hat trick Friday and Hannah Bilka netted Saturday's game-winning power-play goal & dished out 3 assists as the Buckeyes topped the host Bulldogs 5-2 & 2-0. Jenna Buglioni scored the eventual Friday gamewinner short-handed. Katie Davis and Reece Hunt lit the lamp and Ève Gascon made 71 saves in the series for UMD.

Upcoming games – Following tomorrow night's contest, St. Cloud State will head east for the Icebreaker Tournament in Fairfield, CT, taking on Northeastern on Friday and either Sacred Heart or Lindenwood on Saturday. In three Friday-Saturday league series, St. Thomas will host Ohio State, Minnesota Duluth will visit Minnesota State, and Bemidji State will face Wisconsin in Madison.

Power Play Club

October 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Power Play Club

October 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 11th

Goals for a Goal: Gophers on the board with 8 goals

The Gopher Women's Hockey team has started the season scoring 8 goals in their opening series, and the Power Play Club wants your assistance converting them to donations back to the team! Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals; 4 of the 8 goals last weekend came on the advantage.

Goals for a Goal pledges can be submitted electronically through this online form. . Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Power Play Club membership enrollment continues!!

Reminder: Home opener next Tuesday, October 17!!

We also provide a reminder that the home opener for the 2023-2024 Gopher Women's Hockey season is scheduled for next Tuesday, October 17, with 7 p.m. start time as the team takes on the St. Cloud State Huskies! A special $2 Tuesday promotion is planned with $2 hot dogs and soft drinks. Fans are also encouraged to arrive a few minutes early as the team will raise its 2023 WCHA Final Faceoff Champions Banner to the rafters of Ridder Arena! Watch your email inbox for the next Penalty Box Post early in the week previewing the game!

#4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0-0) - at University of St. Thomas Tommies (4-0-0)
Gophers-Tommies women's & men's doubleheader
Friday, October 13 – women's game at 4:07 p.m.
Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul

Second game – Saturday, October 14 at 4:00 p.m.
St. Thomas Ice Arena, Mendota Heights

After their season-opening series sweep in upstate New York, the Gopher Women's Hockey team is back in Minnesota but still technically on the road as they take on their cross-town opponents, the University of St. Thomas Tommies. The teams open their weekend series as part of a doubleheader at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Friday, October 13, with their game starting at 4:07 p.m. (followed by the Gopher Men's Hockey team also facing St. Thomas later in the evening). The second game of the weekend for the women will take place at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights on Saturday, October 14, at 4:00 p.m.

Tickets for Friday's doubleheader are still available starting at $30 (plus fees) through Ticketmaster.com. One ticket will get you admission into both games at the 'X'.

Game coverage – Friday's contest will be televised on Fox 9+ in the Twin Cities and surrounding area. Otherwise, video from both games will be streamed on the B1G+ subscription service. Free audio play-by-play is available on GopherSports.com for both Friday and Saturday.

Last season against St. Thomas – The Gophers took 11 of the 12 WCHA standings points against the Tommies in the regular season last year, winning 5-0 & 4-1 at Ridder Arena in January and earning 2-1 (OT) and 4-2 victories in Mendota Heights in February. Facing each other in a conference quarterfinal playoff series for the second-straight year, Minnesota ended UST's season with a 7-0 & 6-2 sweep. Taylor Heise led the Gophers with 13 points in the six contests, coming on 7 goals & 6 assists, Grace Zumwinkle also hit the double-digit mark with 10 points on 5 goals and 5 assists, and Abbey Murphy also lit the lamp 5 times and dished out 4 helpers for 9 points. Skylar Vetter played every minute against St. Thomas, yielding only 6 goals while making 106 saves for a 1.00 goals-against average and .946 save percentage. Nicole Vallario was the Tommies' top scorer against Minnesota with 3 points on a goal and two assists, while Maddy Clough, Anna Solheim, and Maija Almich each added a goal & an assist. St. Thomas' goaltenders were shelled by 310 shots off of Gopher sticks; Alexa Dobchuk posted a 4.59 GAA and .914 SV% in her two games, Saskia Maurer also recorded a 4.59 GAA and .912 SV% in her four starts, and Maggie Malecha stopped 10 of 12 shots in a 20-minute relief appearance.

Analyzing the Tommies – Following an eighth-place finish in the WCHA in their first season of Division I play in 2021-2022, St. Thomas improved to 7th in 2022-2023 with a 3-24-1-1 (0-1 in OT) conference record and an 8-25-1 regular-season overall mark. They look to continue that improvement under head coach Joel Johnson.

Junior Maddie Clough (#2) is back for the Tommies after leading the squad in 2022-2023 with 13 points on 6 goals & 7 assists. However, she's the only returning player to have hit double-digits last season. That said, UST has been heavily bolstered by a pair of freshmen: last year's Ms. Minnesota Ella Boerger (#15) and semifinalist Rylee Bartz (#6). Through their first four games this year, Boerger has 9 points on 5 goals & 4 assists while Bartz has added 7 points on 3 goals & 4 assists. Senior Brieja Parent (#23) is third in scoring, having dished out 5 helpers.

UST's goaltending corps has also seen some turnover from last season, as Coach Johnson has brought in a pair of graduate transfers with WCHA experience. Former Gopher Olivia King (#1) is 2-0-0 for the Tommies, stopping 21 of 25 shots for a 2.00 goals-against average and .840 save percentage. Calla Frank (#32) joins St. Thomas after previously playing at Minnesota State; she's also 2-0-0 with 34 saves on 39 shots for a 2.50 GAA and .872 SV%. Sophomore Maggie Malecha (#33) is their third goaltender; she was 1-1-0 in two starts last year plus 4 relief appearances, posting a 3.00 GAA and .915 SV%.

Last weekend for St. Thomas – The Tommies and Lindenwood Lions played two very different games this past weekend, but both resulted in UST victories and the weekend sweep. Maddie Brown, Rylee Bartz, and Nicole Vallario put St. Thomas ahead 3-0 after the opening 20 minutes of the series only to see Lindenwood knot the score at 3-3 with 6:51 to play after two goals by Gigi Pora and one by Quinn McLaren; however, Bartz lit the lamp a second time with only 18.4 seconds remaining to give the Tommies the 4-3 win, with Calla Frank making 18 saves between the pipes. Saturday's game left little doubt as St. Thomas built a 7-0 lead late in the second period; Ella Boerger tallied two goals & an assist and Cara Sajevic also lit the lamp twice. The Lions broke up the shutout bid by scoring twice on UST's Olivia King, who finished with 11 saves. Lindenwood netminder Natalie Ferenc, starting on Friday and entering in relief on Saturday, made 61 saves over 5 periods. Recording a pair of assists Friday before her 3-point effort on Saturday, Boerger was named WCHA Rookie of the Week.

Gophers earn road sweep of RIT

Minnesota opened its 2023-2024 with results at both ends of the ice, going on the road and defeating RIT 3-0 & 5-1. Abbey Murphy had a hand in all three goals of the opener, scoring the first two – both on the power play – and assisting on Madeline Wethington's tally. Skylar Vetter stopped all 17 shots she faced for the shutout. Scoring was a little more distributed in the rematch; Maggie Nicholson got things rolling with just her 2nd career goal 1:23 into the contest, Murphy netted her third power-play marker of the weekend, Madison Kaiser lit the lamp, Ella Huber recorded the Gophers' first short-handed goal of the year (unassisted), and Ava Lindsay scored her first collegiate goal on another power play with Emma Kreisz assisting for her first career point. Lucy Morgan earned her first victory in the Maroon & Gold, stopping 18 of 19 shots. Murphy finished with 5 points, adding another assist on Kaiser's goal, while Huber had three helpers for a four-point weekend.

Around the WCHA

Wisconsin continues offensive outburst – The Badgers rolled to another weekend sweep, taking their home-opening series 5-3 & 12-2 over Boston College. The Eagle held a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes on Thursday before Wisconsin took over, scoring three unanswered goals to win the opener and the first 6 of the rematch. Britta Curl led all players with 7 points (3g, 4a), while Sarah Wozniewicz (3g, 2a) and Marianne Picard (1g, 4a) each added 5 points.

Minnesota Duluth shuts out Long Island – Bulldogs goaltenders Ève Gascon and Hailey MacLeod needed only 22 saves combined to blank the Sharks, 6-0 & 4-0. Mannon McMahon led UMD on Friday with a four-goal outburst, while Clara Van Wieren netted the first three goals on Saturday after a pair of assists in the opener. LIU's Tindra Holm stopped 97 shots in the series.

Minnesota State cruises to sweep of Sacred Heart – Jamie Nelson tallied 7 points (4g, 3a), Sydney Langseth dished out 6 assists, and Taylor Otremba (3g, 2a) & Whitney Tuttle (2g, 3a) each added five points as the Mavericks rolled over the Pioneers, 9-0 and 7-1. Lauren Barbro & Suzette Faucher combined for 32 saves for MSU.

St. Cloud State splits against Mercyhurst – Marielle Parks scored for the Lakers on both a 5-on-3 power play and the follow-up 5-on-4 advantage, just 43 seconds apart early in the first period Friday; Ena Nystrøm made that hold up as the final result, stopping 26 shots for 2-0 shutout victory over the Huskies. SCSU salvaged the split on Saturday, though, despite another 36 saves from Nystrøm; Emma Gentry scored on a late first-period power play, and Sanni Ahola stopped all 28 shots she faced for a 1-0 shutout.

Bemidji State takes tie, loss vs. RPI – The Beavers took a 1-0 lead on Hailey Armstrong's goal midway through the first period of their opener against the Engineers, but RPI's Nyah Philip knotted the score just before intermission and neither team could find the back of the net over the remainder of regulation & overtime, resulting in a 1-1 tie. In the rematch, the Engineers took their own lead on a second-period power play, only to have BSU's Kayla Santl even things up 1 minute, 40 seconds later. However, Philip lit the lamp again six minutes after that and assisted on a third-period insurance goal to defeat the Beavers, 3-1. Abbie Thompson made a combined 48 saves for Bemidji State, while Amanda Rampado stopped 64 shots for RPI.

Upcoming games – Conference play begins for all eight league teams. Wisconsin continues its Thursday-Friday scheduling, hosting Minnesota State in Madison. Elsewhere, Ohio State visits Minnesota Duluth in a pair of matinee games Friday & Saturday, while St. Cloud State hosts Bemidji State Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

Power Play Club

October 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Power Play Club

October 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, October 4th

Goals for a Goal program accepting pledges for 2023-2024!!

As announced last week, our Goals for a Goal program is back for 2023-2024! Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason. You also have the option to double your pledge for power play goals. Last season the team scored 177 goals, with 33 coming on the power play.

Pledges can be submitted electronically through this online form. An offline option will be available soon.

After the postseason, you will receive an email from the Golden Gopher Fund with your pledge total and giving instructions. All contributions are tax-deductible donations to the Gopher Women's Hockey Enhancement Fund to cover expenses outside the team's normal operating budget – such as improvements to Ridder Arena. The Goals for a Goal program is part of the Power Play Club's goal of raising $67,500 for the team this season. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Power Play Club membership enrollment remains open!!

There is still time to sponsor a player’s or coach’s locker for the 2023-2024 season. Locker sponsorships require a minimum of $600 donation. Locker sponsors will have a photo with the player or coach and a special meal with the team. If you wish to sponsor a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson at susanmcp58@gmail.com.

You can also join the Power Play Club at the basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address, with a minimum donation of $50. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

GWH Regular Season Opener!!

#4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0-0) at RIT Tigers (2-0-2)
Friday and Saturday, October 6 & 7
Both games at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT
Gene Polisseni Center – Rochester, N.Y.

The 3rd-ranked Golden Gopher Women's Hockey team opens the 2023-2024 regular season with a road trip to upstate New York, where they'll face the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers at the Gene Polisseni Center in Rochester. Games on both Friday and Saturday, October 6 & 7, are scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT.

Game coverage – Video from both games will be streamed on the flohockey.tv subscription service. Free audio play-by-play with Dan Hamann is available on GopherSports.com for both Friday and Saturday.

Last time against RIT – The Tigers visited Ridder Arena two seasons ago in November 2021, but the Gophers cruised to a series sweep by scores of 10-0 and 7-1. Minnesota shelled RIT goaltenders with 131 total shots on goal, including a program record-tying 72 in the second game. Taylor Heise posted a 7-point weekend with 4 goals & 3 assists, including a hat trick in the series opener; Peyton Hemp & Catie Skaja recorded 2 goals and 2 assists apiece and Emma Conner & Crystalyn Hengler each added a goal and 3 assists. Four different Gopher goaltenders played in the series, making a combined 19 saves, with Olivia King stopping 10 shots in 52 minutes of work. Hana Solinger scored the Tigers' lone goal and Taylor Liotta made 82 saves in 77-1/2 minutes of action.

Analyzing the Tigers – RIT is looking to improve after finishing last in the College Hockey America standings in 2022-2023 with a 1-13-2 conference mark and 4-26-2 overall record, missing the league playoffs. They are already two weeks into their 2023-2024 schedule with a pair of ties against RPI and a weekend sweep of NCAA-debuting Assumption University.

The Tigers are looking for more scoring, having netted only 50 goals in 32 games last season and being shut out 10 times. Senior and Lakeville, MN, native Lindsay Maloney (#8) is the top-scoring returner for RIT with 13 points on 6 goals and 7 assists in 2022-2023. A pair of juniors posted 12 points apiece last year; Kylie Aquaro (#23) had one goal to go with her team-high 11 assists, while Athena Vasdani (#6) recorded 5 goals and 7 helpers. Through their first four games of 2023-2024, senior Emma Roland (#11) has two goals for the Tigers, while junior Jordyn Bear (#9) and sophomores Jaidan Fahrny (#15) & Lexi Sung (#18) each have a goal and two assists.

Junior goaltender Sarah Coe (#30) started 26 of RIT's 32 games last year, posting a 3-21-2 record with one shutout, a .911 save percentage, and a 3.15 goals-against average. Senior Emma Stephen (#36) made 4 starts, going 1-3-0 with a .913 SV% and 3.66 GAA. Sophomore Sophia Bellina (#29) went 0-2-0 in her two starts, yielding 6 goals on 60 shots. Coe started the Tigers' first three games this year, tallying a .956 SV% and 1.26 GAA, while Bellina earned her first collegiate victory in the team's fourth game (details below).

Last weekend for RIT – As noted previously, the Tigers were on the road facing the Assumption University Greyhounds, making their NCAA debut as new member of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA). RIT swept the series 3-2 and 5-1, outshooting Assumption 73-41 and getting two goals from Emma Roland & a goal and an assist by Lexi Sung. Sheridan Terrazzano netted the first goal in the Greyhounds' history. RIT netminder Sarah Coe earned the victory in the opener with 18 saves and Sophia Bellina stopped 20 of 21 shots to win the rematch. Between the pipes for Assumption, Carissa Mudrak stopped 38 of 41 shots on Friday while Jadyn Weiser made 27 saves Saturday.

Five Gopher alumnae receive PWHL tryout invitations

Following the PWHL pre-draft free agency signings of GWH alumnae Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein, both with Minnesota, and draft selections Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota), Hannah Brandt (Boston), Emily Brown (Boston), Amanda Leveille (Minnesota), and Olivia Knowles (Toronto), five more Gopher alums are among the 53 players receiving undrafted free agent tryouts, as reported by The Hockey News (with PWHL team listed):

Lauren Bench (Minnesota)
Abigail Boreen (Minnesota)
Gigi Marvin (Boston)

Savannah Norcross (New York)
Catie Skaja (Minnesota)

Training camps are scheduled to open on Wednesday, November 15. We will pass along additional PWHL news as we await not only the final camp rosters but also announcements of team nicknames and playing venues.

2023-2024 Rivalry Series game schedule announced; IIHF Women's World Championship tickets go on sale

The Rivalry Series between the U.S. and Canada Women's National Hockey Teams is back for 2023-2024, as USA Hockey and Hockey Canada announced a seven-game schedule between the squads starting next month.

Action will start south of the border as the Americans host contests in Tempe, Arizona, on November 8, and Los Angeles on November 11. The teams will move north in December with games in Kitchener & Sarnia, Ontario, on December 14 and 16, respectively. Following a break in January, games will resume with Hockey Canada hosting in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan on February 7 & 9 before the finale back on U.S. soil on February 11 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

All seven games will be televised on NHL Network. Tickets for the games in Tempe, L.A., and St. Paul will go on sale this Friday, October 6, with links to purchase at teamusa.usahockey.com/202324rivalryseries. Tickets for the games in Kitchener, Sarnia and Regina will also be available on Friday at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. Tickets for the game in Saskatoon will be available at a later date.

Following the Rivalry Series, the U.S. will host the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championship in Utica, New York, running April 3 through 14. Ticket packages for all games at the Adirondack Bank Center are now on sale at EmpireStateTix.com. The full tournament schedule is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Around the WCHA

Ohio State splits with Colgate – In a pair of games that were nearly mirror images of each other scoring-wise, the Buckeyes and Raiders split their season-opening contest with Colgate winning the opener 3-2 and OSU returning the favor with a 3-2 OT victory in the rematch. The eventual winning team for each contest took a 2-0 lead but their opponents knotted the score at 2-2 before the game-winning goal was tallied. Kristýna Kaltounková lit the lamp twice for the Raiders, Emma Pais scored Friday's gamewinner with 39.8 seconds left in regulation, and Danielle Serdachny dished out 3 assists. OSU's Sloane Matthews netted a goal in each game and Jenna Buglioni scored 2:32 into overtime on Saturday.

Wisconsin routs Lindenwood – After posting a 6-0 shutout victory to open their Thursday-Friday series, the Badgers set a new program scoring record in a 16-1 blowout win over the Lions in the rematch, holding a 118-22 SOG advantage for the series. Cassie Hall led Wisconsin in Friday's game with 4 goals, while Lacey Eden and Sophie Helgesen also netted hat tricks. Eden also had two goals in the opener, giving her 5 in the series. Britta Curl led Wisconsin with six points on a goal & 5 assists, and Kirsten Simms added two goals and three helpers. Sarah Davies tailled the lone goal for Lindenwood.

St. Thomas sweeps Franklin Pierce – A pair of freshmen led the way as the Tommies swept the Ravens at home, 7-2 & 5-2. Ella Boerger tallied three goals and an assist, while Rylee Bartz recorded a goal and 3 helpers. UST junior Abby Promersberger also lit the lamp twice, while Franklin Pierce's Alyssa Kawa scored three of their four goals. The Tommies outshot the Ravens 96-30.

Upcoming games – Wisconsin will again start the weekend early, hosting Boston College on Thursday and Friday. All other series will be played on Friday and Saturday. A WCHA team will face Lindenwood for a third-straight week as St. Thomas hosts the Lions. In another pair of home series, Bemidji State will play R.P.I. and Minnesota Duluth will face L.I.U. Heading out on eastern road trips, St. Cloud State will visit Mercyhurst and Minnesota State will take on Sacred Heart. Ohio State is idle.

Power Play Club

September 28, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Thursday, September 28, 2023

Power Play Club

September 28, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Thursday, September 28th

Goals for a Goal 2023-2024: Make Your Pledge Today!

The Power Play Club and the Golden Gopher Fund invite you to pledge your support to Gopher Women’s Hockey!

Our Goals for a Goal program is back for 2023-2024! Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason. You also have the option to double your pledge for power play goals. Last season the team scored 177 goals, with 33 coming on the power play.

Pledges can be submitted electronically through this online form. An offline option will be available soon.

After the postseason, you will receive an email from the Golden Gopher Fund with your pledge total and giving instructions. All contributions are tax-deductible donations to the Gopher Women's Hockey Enhancement Fund to cover expenses outside the team's normal operating budget – such as improvements to Ridder Arena. The Goals for a Goal program is part of the Power Play Club's goal of raising $67,500 for the team this season.

Thank you for your support of Gopher Women’s Hockey!

Calling all Gopher Women's Hockey fans!!

Attention Locker Sponsors:

Thank you to everyone supporting GWH by already signing up to be a locker sponsor in 2023-2024. The Golden Gopher Fund will be sending out emails soon with instructions on how to pay for your locker sponsorship. If you have not received those instructions by October 31, please contact Rennie McPherson at susanmcp58@gmail.com.

Recap: Gophers earn win in “preseason” exhibition

Minnesota Women's Hockey started their 2023-2024 campaign with an exhibition victory this past Saturday at Ridder Arena, defeating the Durham West Junior Lightning 6-0.

Lightning starting goaltender Madison Campbell kept the Gophers at bay for nearly 30 minutes, stopping everything sent her way. However, Durham West changed netminders at the start of a Minnesota power play, and the Lightning took another penalty eight seconds later to give the Gophers a 5-on-3 advantage. Senior Audrey Wethington capitalized with the game's opening goal and, still on the power play, junior Abbey Murphy also lit the lamp for a 2-0 lead. Murphy was not done, scoring twice more to complete a natural hat trick and put Minnesota up 4-0 at the second intermission. In the third, junior Peyton Hemp tacked on a pair of goals. At the other end of the ice, Skylar Vetter & Lucy Morgan combined for 12 saves and the shutout.

Gopher captains named

Junior Peyton Hemp has been named captain of the Gopher Women's Hockey team for 2023-2024, with juniors Ella Huber & Abbey Murphy and 5th-year Madeline Wethington as her assistants, as announced by head coach Brad Frost last Thursday. We send our congratulations to all four on this honor.

Around the WCHA...

St. Cloud State sweeps Union – Ella Anick tallied a goal and 3 assists, Emma Gentry added two goals and an assist, and Avery Farrell & Grace Wolfe each recorded a goal and two assists as the Huskies swept the visiting Garnet Chargers 6-1 & 4-0 in non-conference action. Jojo Chobak and Sanni Ahola each made 19 saves for SCSU. Riley Walsh netted the lone goal for Union.

Bemidji State falls twice at Lindenwood – Morgan Neitzke posted a 5-point weekend with 2 goals and 3 assists, and Sena Takenaka, Sarah Davies, and Rachel Goff each added a goal & two assists as the Lions earned a home sweep of the Beavers, winning 4-2 and 4-1. Taylor Nelson & Gabbie Smith each tallied a goal and an assist for BSU.

St. Thomas wins in exhibition – Six different Tommies lit the lamp as they defeated Durham West, 6-2, on Sunday.

Upcoming games – Lindenwood will host a second-straight WCHA opponent when Wisconsin pays them a visit tonight and tomorrow (Thursday & Friday). A national top-five battle will ensue when #2 Ohio State opens its season with a non-conference road series at #4 Colgate on Friday evening & Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, St. Thomas hosts Franklin Pierce on Friday afternoon & Saturday night.

Copyright © 2023 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/X 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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Power Play Club

September 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Power Play Club

September 25, 2023

Posted on September 25, 2023 due to webmaster unavailability - PPC members received this newsletter via email on September 20th.

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, September 20th

Postgame reception on Saturday, September 23

The Gopher Women's Hockey season is nearly upon us, and we welcome our fellow Power Play Club members and GWH fans back with a postgame reception in the Ridder Arena lobby following the team's exhibition game against the Durham West Jr. Lightning this Saturday, September 23. We encourage you to stick around as we will hear from the newcomers to the GWH family!!

PPC member registration open at all levels!!

We continue to encourage you, our fellow Gopher Women's Hockey fans, to enroll in the Power Play Club for the 2023-2024 season if you have not done so already!

A minimum donation of $50 is required for our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. To register offline, download the form here and send it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

For a minimum $600 donation, you can become a Locker Sponsor for the season, our top membership tier. Your name would be posted on a nameplate next to a player's or coach's locker, with an opportunity to meet with your respective player(s) at our event in January. If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at susanmcp58@gmail.com (before making a donation).

Over the season, we will hold three Chalk Talks with the GWH coaching staff. These are exclusive member-only events. Due to the road game-heavy start to the schedule, our first Chalk Talk is set for December 2 prior to the game against Bemidji State.

Special Exhibition Opener!! Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Durham West Jr. Lightning
Saturday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m. CT, Ridder Arena

The 27th season of Minnesota Women's Hockey begins with an exhibition contest this Saturday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m. CT when the Gophers host the Durham West Jr. Lightning.

FREE ADMISSION!! Saturday's game features free admission with no ticketing. We hope to see many of you there!!

Live streaming of the game will be available on the B1G+ subscription service.

About the Junior Lightning – The Durham West Girls Hockey Association operates in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, immediately east of Toronto, and fields teams at several levels including a Canadian Junior prep squad which previously played in the Provincial Women's Hockey League of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association. They currently compete in exhibition contests and select tournaments, and feature 10 players with NCAA commitments.

Having already started their 2023-2024 schedule, the Junior Lightning have an 8-1 record, but their one loss came in their last contest this past Sunday. This coming weekend, their game against the Gophers is the second of three in Minnesota; they will play against Shattuck-St. Mary's (Prep) in Faribault on Friday and at St. Thomas in Mendota Heights on Sunday.

Analyzing the Gophers – Following a 25-5-3 regular-season record with a 23-3-3-3 conference mark that placed them second in the league standings, Minnesota claimed its 8th WCHA Tournament Championship, sweeping St. Thomas 7-0 and 6-2 in the conference quarterfinals, defeating Wisconsin 4-2 in the semis, and topping Ohio State 3-1 in the Final Faceoff Championship Game. The Gophers also avenged their 2022 NCAA Quarterfinal loss to Minnesota Duluth, defeating the Bulldogs 3-0 in the 2023 tournament quarterfinal, but the season would come to an end in the Frozen Four with a 3-2 semifinal overtime loss to the Badgers.

Minnesota enters the 2023-2024 season as a much different team following the departure of 11 players from last year's roster. Most notably, four of the top five scorers from 2022-2023 – Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle, Abigail Boreen, and Catie Skaja – are gone after combining for 88 goals and 111 assists. Changes have also occurred on the bench with the addition of new assistant coaches Greg "Boom" May and Mitch Baker.

A trio of junior forwards leads this year's squad: Abbey Murphy (#18) is the top-scoring returning player, having hit the 50-point mark last year with 29 goals and 21 assists, Ella Huber (#26) lit the lamp 10 times while dishing out 19 helpers, and Peyton Hemp (#15) found the back of the net 16 times while recording 12 assists. Meanwhile, the attack lines will be bolstered by four incoming freshmen: Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year Ava Lindsay (#9) & All-Metro First Team member Isa Goettl (#12), Hungarian National Team member Emma Kreisz (#13), and Minnesota Ms. Hockey finalist Lauren O'Hara (#21).

The Gopher defensive corps will see the return of 5th-year player Madeline Wethington (#5), who led the blueliners in offensive categories last year with 6 goals and 20 assists. Sophomore Nelli Laitinen (#7) is also back after recording 3 goals and 16 assists in 2022-2023. The pairings are not only bolstered by incoming freshmen Josie Hemp (#6) and Elly Klepinger (#22), but also by two graduate transfers; Taylor Stewart (#2) joins the Gophers after four years at Minnesota Duluth, and Solveig Neunzert (#27) becomes the first German player for Minnesota after previously playing at Princeton.

Junior Skylar Vetter (#31) is the leading returning goaltender for the Gophers in 2023-2024, posting a 27-6-3 record last season with 7 shutouts, a 1.84 goals-against average, and a .926 save percentage. Another graduate transfer, Lucy Morgan (#32), joins the Maroon & Gold after four years at St. Lawrence, where she was named Second Team All-American as a junior; she was 15-17-3 for the Saints last year with 4 shutouts, a .915 SV%, and a 2.26 GAA. Sophomore Sophia Johnson (#35), a mid-season addition to the Gopher roster last season, has yet to see any official game action.

Around the WCHA

This weekend – Two WCHA teams will get the regular season underway this weekend with non-conference action on Saturday and Sunday. St. Cloud State will host the newly-renamed Union College Garnet Chargers, while Bemidji State opens its schedule on the road at Lindenwood. As previously mentioned, St. Thomas will host the Durham West Junior Lightning in exhibition competition on Sunday.

Copyright © 2023 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

September 25, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Power Play Club

September 25, 2023

Posted on September 25, 2023 due to webmaster unavailability - PPC members received this newsletter via email on September 19th.

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Tuesday, September 19th

Professional Women's Hockey League Inaugural Draft. - Taylor Heise selected as PWHL's first overall draft pick - Zumwinkle, Brandt, Brown, Leveille, Knowles also drafted

Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Taylor Heise was selected as the #1 overall draft pick by Minnesota in the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League Draft yesterday afternoon in Toronto, as announced by sports legend and PWHL Advisory Board member Billie Jean King (video courtesy of CBC Sports via YouTube).

Heise was the first of six Gopher alumnae picked in the 15-round draft...

Round 1: Minnesota selected Taylor Heise, pick #1 overall
Round 3: Minnesota selected Grace Zumwinkle, #13 overall
Round 5: Boston selected Hannah Brandt, #27 overall
Round 8: Boston selected Emily Brown, #46 overall
Round 11: Minnesota selected Amanda Leveille, #61 overall
Round 15: Toronto selected Olivia Knowles, #86 overall

The list of all 90 draft selections can be found here. As noted in reporting by The Hockey News, the next step in the process is for draft picks to sign with their respective teams. The draft guarantees each player's rights belong to their team for a two-year period, but players are not obligated to accept a contract nor are teams obligated to offer one. Separately, the six teams in the league will be holding tryouts for undrafted free agents and completing signings to fill out their rosters.

We congratulate Taylor, Grace, Hannah, Emily, Amanda, and Olivia on being drafted, and send best wishes for continued success as they enter this next chapter in their playing careers!!

Copyright © 2023 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.