The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 7, 2026

All-member PPC Chalk Talk – Saturday, Jan. 10 at 6:00 p.m.

The second of our three member-exclusive Chalk Talks for the 2025-2026 season is scheduled for January 10 at 6:00 p.m.  We will be joined by one of the Gopher coaches to discuss on-ice strategy and the team's performance in the previous game.  The event will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, on the upstairs level across the hall from the suites and press box.

 

Enrollment continues for basic PPC membership!

Membership in the Power Play Club provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Enrollment in our Basic Membership level is still open and requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

 

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 31

 The Power Play Club's annual Brunch with the Coaches with be taking place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome University of Wisconsin women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson and Minnesota head coach Brad Frost.  Coach Johnson has led the Badgers since 2002 and also served as the head coach of Team USA for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

This is a separate-fee event, with tickets running $30 per person for PPC members and $40 per person for non-members.  At this time, we are not able to accept credit card payments.  Instead, please download the registration form here or pick one up at the PPC table at an upcoming GWH home game; fill out the form; and submit it with a check made out to the Power Play Club to the address indicated or in-person again at Ridder Arena.  Note that registrations must be received by Sunday, January 25.

 

Goals for a Goal – Gophers pass century mark for season

Another method for providing financial support for the Gopher Women's Hockey program is by enrolling in the Goals for a Goal program, a pledge-per-goal campaign to convert the team's scoring into donations back to the them.

After another high-scoring weekend (details below), the Gophers passed the century mark for scoing in 2025-2026, lighting the lamp 102 times with fifteen (15) of those coming on the power play!  Register a pledge for every goal tallied through the playoffs, with the option to double your pledge for power play conversions.  Pledges can be submitted electronically through the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal.  Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions.  Thanks as always for your support of this effort!!

#3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-4-0, 10-4-0-0 WCHA) vs. #12 Minnesota State Univ. Mavericks (11-8-1, 5-8-1-1 WCHA)

Friday, January 9 at 6:00 p.m. (CT) : Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato
Saturday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m. – Ridder Arena

Following the completion of their regular-season non-conference schedule, Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to Minnesota for the second half of WCHA play.  They take on the Minnesota State University Mavericks in a home-and-home matchup, hoping to even the season series after being upset twice by MSU in November.  This weekend's action begins in Mankato at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center this Friday, January 9 at 6:00 p.m.  The teams relocate to Ridder Arena for the rematch on Saturday, January 10, at 7:30 p.m. (with a reminder that this is a time change from the original schedule).

Game coverage –

 
Last time against Minnesota State – The Gophers' first series against the Mavericks this season resulted in Minnesota State's first regular-season weekend sweep in the rivalry since January 2007, taking down the Maroon & Gold 3-1 in the opener at Ridder Arena and 4-1 in the rematch in Mankato.  MSU freshman forward Mercury Bischoff earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors for her 4-goal, 2-assist performance, and Hailey Hansen was named WCHA Goalie of the Week for stopping 66 of 68 shots.

Abbey Murphy opened the scoring for the weekend, but Bischoff pulled MSU even less than 4 minutes later.  The game remained tied 1-1 with four minutes left in regulation, but Ava Guillemette lit the lamp for the Mavericks on a sharp-angle shot just under the crossbar with 3:20 to go and Kianna Roeske added an empty-netter.  Hannah Clark made 24 saves for the Gophers, while Hansen stopped 39 shots.

Bischoff converted a power play 13:20 into the rematch in Mankato, but the Josefin Bouveng responded on a Gopher power play just 79 seconds later.  However, Bischoff tallied her second goal of the game in the second period and Whitney Tuttle doubled that lead soon afterward.  Bischoff then completed a hat trick with an empty-net goal with 1:48 to play.  Layla Hemp stopped 21 shots for the Gophers, while Hansen made another 27 saves.

Analyzing the Mavericks – MSU is the fifth of six ranked WCHA teams in Division I women's college hockey, sitting 12th with an 11-8-1 overall record.  Much of that is due to their perfect 6-0-0 mark against non-conference opponents, but they are sub-.500 in conference play at 5-8-1-1, getting the two wins over the Gophers but losing once to St. Thomas, once to St. Cloud State, and playing Bemidji State to a tie.

Freshman Mercury Bischoff (#14) is MSU's leader in both goals and overall scoring, lighting the lamp 12 times and adding 5 assists for 17 points.  Juniors Kamryn Van Batavia (#9) and Lauren Zawoyski (#17) are tied for second with 15 points apiece; Van Batavia has 6 goals & 9 assists, while Zawoyski has a team-high 14 helpers while finding the back of the net once herself.  Senior Taylor Otremba (#24) is fourth with 12 points on 2 goals and 10 assists, and former Gopher and sophomore Ayla Puppe (#16) has also cracked double-digit points with 11 (6g, 5a).

Junior Hailey Hansen (#33) has been Minnesota State's primary goaltender so far this season, starting 17 of their 20 games; she is 8-8-1 with three shutouts, a 2.74 goals-against average, and a .915 save percentage.  Freshman Kaydence Roeske (#31) is a perfect 3-0-0 in her three starts, winning two of them by shutout and recording a 0.67 GAA and .970 SV%.  Senior Avery Stilwell (#1) saw her first action in roughly four years earlier this season, but it came in a two-period relief appearance against Wisconsin in which she allowed 4 goals on 14 shots.

Last action for Minnesota State – The Mavericks were one of two WCHA teams to not return to action this past weekend.  Hosting St. Cloud State in the first weekend of December, MSU was shut out by the visiting Huskies 4-0 in the series opener as Emilia Kyrkkö posted a 28-save clean sheet, Svenja Voigt tallied a goal & an assist, and Maria Mikaelyan dished out 3 helpers.  But the Mavericks held on for a 3-2 overtime victory in the rematch; Zoe Lopez & Mercury Bischoff scored in regulation and Kamryn Van Batavia found the back of the net 1:50 into the extra period.  Hailey Hansen made 55 combined saves for MSU in the series.

Gophers shut out Pioneers Friday, set scoring record Saturday

An East Coast trip proved to be the perfect way to resume action for the Gopher Women's Hockey team while also completing non-conference play.  Visiting the Sacred Heart University Pioneers, Minnesota outshot the hosts 115-28 in the series and earned a 4-0 shutout in the opener before setting a new program record for goals in a single game in the rematch, a 14-2 victory.

Abbey Murphy & Chloe Primerano each recorded a goal and an assist on Friday, Kendra Distad and Nelli Laitinen also scored, and Hannah Clark posted a 15-save clean sheet.  Jillian Petruno made 48 saves for the Pioneers.

But already leading 2-0 after the first 20 minutes Saturday, Minnesota lit the lamp five times in the middle stanza, then tallied another seven goals in the third period.  The 14 goals broke the old GWH single-game record of 12, which occurred on two occasions.  Fifteen different Gophers found the scoresheet with nine of them each recording multiple points.  Murphy tied the program's individual single-game record for points with 7, recording a hat trick plus four assists, matching the mark set by prior Gopher greats Sarah Potomak, Hannah Brandt, and Nadine Muzerall.  Laitinen also tallied a hat trick, the first of her career, and added two assists.  Josefin Bouveng added a goal & three helpers; after also getting an assist on Friday, her point streak now sits at 19-straight games.  Jamie Nelson dished out 4 assists, Bella Fanale recorded two goals & an assist, Distad and Primerano each tallied a goal & two assists, and Tereza Plosová, Emma Kreisz, and Ava Lindsay also lit the lamp.  Clark stopped the only two shots she faced over the first 33½ minutes of the game before giving way to Sophia Johnson, who made 9 saves.  Ella Holm converted two power plays for the Pioneers.

  

Laitinen, Murphy earn weekly conference honors

Gopher Women's Hockey co-captains Nelli Laitinen and Abbey Murphy were honored Monday as WCHA Defender and Forward of the Week, respectively, for their performances against Sacred Heart.

Laitinen's award was her second career WCHA weekly honor, coming after she netted the game-winning goal on Friday and followed it with her first career hat trick plus two assists on Saturday for a six-point series.  She also posted a +7 plus-minus rating in the series.

Murphy collected her third weekly honor of 2025-2026 and the tenth of her career after recording nine points (4g, 5a) and a +6 plus-minus rating over the two-game sweep, including (as mentioned above) tying a Minnesota program record for points in a single game with 7 (3g, 4a) on Saturday.  For her career, Murphy moved into fourth place on the Gopher all-time scoring list with 238 career points, surpassing Nadine Muzerall (235) and Krissy Wendell (237); she currently trails Natalie Darwitz for third (246).

Plosová, Mlýnková named to Czechia Olympic Hockey Team

We send congratulations and good luck wishes to Gopher Women's Hockey freshman Tereza Plosová and alumna Natálie Mlýnková upon being named to the 2026 Czechia Olympic Women's Hockey Team yesterday.  The are the 7th and 8th U. of M. representatives named to participating teams.

Plosová is set to make her Olympic debut, while Mlýnková returns to the Winter Games for the second time in her career.  Both have represented Czechia at the IIHF Women's World Championships, three times for Plosová and six for Mlýnková.

Czechia opens the tournament in Milan & Cortina, Italy, against the United States on Thursday, February 5, at 9:40 a.m. Central Time.

Excelling in the classroom – Fall 2025 GPA posted

We give a shout-out to the entire Gopher Women's Hockey team on posting a 3.55 cumulative GPA for the Fall 2025 semester.  Additional kudos go to freshman Sienna D'Alessandro and sophomore Gracie Graham on each recording a 4.0 GPA for the term!!  Great job, ladies!!

 
Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes sweep Nittany Lions in top-five clash – Sloane Matthews tallied two goals & two assists, Joy Dunne and Hilda Svensson each added a goal & 2 assists, Maxine Cimoroni lit the lamp twice, and Hailey MacLeod stopped a combined 43 of 45 shots as Ohio State swept the visitors from Penn State, 5-1 and 4-1.  Katie DeSa and Madison Campbell combined for 76 saves for PSU, and Maddy Christian & Tessa Janecke scored.

Bulldogs fall twice in Friendship Series – A trip "across the pond" to Belfast, Northern Ireland, did not provide the desired results for Minnesota Duluth in the Friendship Series tournament.  Trailing 2-0 in the third period of the semifinal against Harvard, Thea Johansson & Grace Sadura scored for UMD to force overtime, but Carla McSweeney lit the lamp for the Crimson with 20.8 seconds left in the extra period to defeat the Bulldogs, 3-2.  Facing Quinnipiac in Saturday's third-place game, Caitlin Kraemer scored unassisted in the first period to put UMD up 1-0, but Taylor Brueske knotted things up for the Bobcats later in the stanza, Emerson Jarvis gave Quinnipiac the lead 6 minutes into the third stanza, and Kahlen Lamarche added an empty-netter for a 3-1 upset.

Beavers get win, tie at Merrimack – In the other matchup of a WCHA traveling east for non-conference action, Autumn Cooper, Morgan Smith, and Hailey Armstrong scored for Bemidji State, and Kaitlin Groess stopped 29 of 30 shots for a 3-1 weekend-opening victory at Merrimack.  Smith and Raeley Carney gave the Beavers a pair of one-goal leads in Sunday's rematch, but Avery Anderson and McKenzie Cerrato lit the lamp for the Warriors to knot the score early in the second period; neither team was able to find the back of the net the rest of the way and the contest finished tied 2-2.

Exhibition – St. Thomas at St. Cloud State – No game report was published.

Looking ahead – In addition to Minnesota & Minnesota State, the other six WCHA teams are also in conference action with Friday and Saturday games.  Play begins with a Friday matinee contest in Duluth as the Bulldogs host Wisconsin.  Elsewhere, Ohio State visits St. Cloud State and St. Thomas hosts Bemidji State.

Standings:
1. Wisconsin – 37 points (.881 pts%), 12-1-1-1, 1-0 in OT (18-1-1 overall)
2. Ohio State – 32 points (.762 pts%), 11-3-0-0, 1-0 in OT (17-3-0 overall)
3. Minnesota – 30 points (.714 pts%), 10-4-0-0, 0-0 in OT (16-4-0 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 24 points (.571 pts%), 8-6-0-0, 0-0 in OT (12-8-0 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 17 points (.405 pts%), 5-8-1-1, 1-1 in OT (11-8-1 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 12 points (.286 pts%), 3-10-1-0, 1-3 in OT (7-12-1 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 10 points (.238 pts%), 3-11-0-0, 2-3 in OT (8-12-0 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 6 points (.143 pts%), 2-11-1-0, 1-0 in OT (5-12-3 overall)

Copyright © 2026 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

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

Follow the Power Play Club online atwww.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on X atx.com/powerplayclub.

Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics atgophersports.com.  You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on X atx.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Saturday, January 3, 2026

Laitinen & Murphy, four Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae named to Olympic team rosters for 2026 Winter Games

Current Gopher Women's Hockey team co-captains Nelli Laitinen & Abbey Murphy and alumnae Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle were selected yesterday to represent their respective nations at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games next month in Milan & Cortina, Italy.
 
Murphy, Heise, Pannek, Stecklein, and Zumwinkle were named to the U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team roster in a joint release with the rosters of the American Olympic Men's Hockey Team and Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.  The 2026 Winter Games will be the fourth Olympics for Stecklein, the third for Pannek, the second for both Murphy & Zumwinkle, and the first for Heise.  Stecklein and Pannek earned gold medals in 2018 in PyeongChang, and they were joined by Murphy and Zumwinkle as silver medalists in 2022 in Beijing.  Stecklein also previously earned silver in 2014 in Sochi.

Laitinen will be headed to her second Winter Games after being named to Finland's 2026 Olympic Women's Hockey Team.  She and her Finnish teammates claimed bronze at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing; in the process, Laitinen tallied 7 points on 2 goals & 5 assists.

Though the Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics will occur on Friday, February 6, the women's ice hockey tournament begins the previous day – Thursday, February 5.  Preliminary round play in the tiered group format runs through Tuesday, February 10.  All five teams from Group A plus the top 3 teams from Group B will qualify for the playoff round, which begins with the quarterfinals on February 13 & 14, followed by the semifinals on Monday, February 16, and the medal games on Thursday, February 19.

We congratulate all six players on these honors and send a round of good luck wishes their way!!  We continue to watch for additional Olympic team roster announcements, expected over the coming days.

Copyright © 2026 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Locker Sponsor gathering – RSVPs due Monday, January 5, 2026

Power Play Club members in our Locker Sponsorship tier are reminded that our special event is set for January 10 before the second game of the series against Minnesota State.  Locker sponsors are asked to be meet in the Ridder Arena ticket lobby by 2:30 p.m.  RSVPs are required by Monday, January 5, by emailing PPC board member Bob Milligan; please indicate how many people will be in attendance in your group.  We look forward to seeing you there!

 

All-member PPC Chalk Talk – January 10, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

The second of our three member-exclusive Chalk Talks for the 2025-2026 season is scheduled for January 10 at 6:00 p.m.  We will be joined by one of the Gopher coaches to discuss on-ice strategy and the team's performance in the previous game.  The event will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, on the upstairs level across the hall from the suites and press box.


Enrollment remains open for basic PPC membership!

Membership in the Power Play Club provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Enrollment in our Basic Membership level is still open and requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

 

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 31

The Power Play Club's annual Brunch with the Coaches with be taking place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome University of Wisconsin women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson and Minnesota head coach Brad Frost.  Coach Johnson has led the Badgers since 2002 and also served as the head coach of Team USA for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

This is a separate-fee event, with tickets running $30 per person for PPC members and $40 per person for non-members.  At this time, we are not able to accept credit card payments.  Instead, please download the registration form here or pick one up at the PPC table at an upcoming GWH home game; fill out the form; and submit it with a check made out to the Power Play Club to the address indicated or in-person again at Ridder Arena.  Note that registrations must be received by Sunday, January 25.

 

Goals for a Goal resumes after 84 “first half” goals

Another method for providing financial support for the Gopher Women's Hockey program is our Goals for a Goal program, a pledge-per-goal campaign to convert the team's scoring into donations back to the them.

Entering the “second half” of the 2025-2026 season, the Gophers have lit the lamp 84 times this year, with twelve (12) of those coming on the power play!  Register a pledge for every goal tallied all the way through the playoffs, with the option to double your pledge for power play conversions.  Pledges can be submitted electronically through the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal.  Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions.  Thanks as always for your support of this effort!!

#3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-4-0, 10-4-0-0 WCHA)
at Sacred Heart University Pioneers (5-12-1, 4-9-1-1 NEWHA)

Friday, January 2 at 5:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, January 3 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. CT
Martire Family Arena – Fairfield, CT

Opening the 2026 portion of their schedule, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads to Connecticut for its final non-conference matchup of the regular-season, facing the Sacred Heart University Pioneers in a first-ever meeting.  Action at Martire Family Arena in Fairfield, CT, begins this Friday, January 2 with a 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT puck drop, and continues with the rematch on Saturday, January 3, at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT.

Game coverage –

 
Analyzing the Pioneers – Sacred Heart's women's hockey program was founded in 1996 as a Division III program, but has been a Division I team since the 2003-2004 season, playing as an independent until becoming a charter member of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) in 2017.  Tom O'Malley is now in his 23rd year as head coach of the Pioneers, spanning their entire D-I history.

Sacred Heart is the defending NEWHA Tournament champion, winning as the #3 seed and earning them an NCAA Tournament berth last March.  However, they find themselves in 7th place so far in 2025-2026 with a 4-9-1-1 (0-1 in OT) conference mark.  They're also only 1-3-0 in non-conference play, with their lone win coming in the season opener at RPI.

Five of the Pioneers' top six scorers are Minnesota natives and include two pairs of sisters.  Sophomore Ella Holm from Moorhead (#10) is their overall leading scorer with 9 points on 4 goals & 5 assists.  Seniors Sami Bowlby (#16, from Savage) and Alyssa Antonakis (#94, from Lakeville) both transferred to Sacred Heart for the 2024-2025 season and have 8 points apiece this year, Bowlby with 4 goals & 4 assists and Antonakis with 2 goals & 6 helpers.  Sophomore Addie Bowlby (#24), junior Bria Holm (#55), and sophomore Ally Cohen (#46, from Newton, MA) have each added 7 points; Addie Bowlby has a team-high 5 goals plus 2 assists, Cohen has 3 goals & 4 helpers, and Bria Holm has dished out 6 assists while lighting the lamp once herself.

Senior netminder Jillian Petruno (#63) is in her fourth year as a Pioneer and has started 13 of their games this season; she has a 5-7-1 record with one shutout, a 2.05 goals-against average, and a .943 save percentage.  Mia Wendell (#31) is Sacred Heart's primary backup as a grad transfer from Yale; she's made seven appearances this year for the Pioneers but is 0-5-0 in her five starts, posting a 3.65 GAA and an .897 SV%.  Junior and Dayton, MN, native Lauren Larson (#33) has made two relief appearances, stopping 12 of 13 shots (.923 SV%) in a combined 52+ minutes of action.  First-year goalie Mikayla Williams (#00) has yet to see any official playing time.

Last action for Sacred Heart – Like the Gophers, the Pioneers last played over the first weekend of December, taking on Assumption in a home-and-home series.  Starting at home, SHU played the Greyhounds to a 2-2 tie and won the shootout 1-0 in three rounds; Addie Bowlby netted the shootout-winning goal.  However, Assumption successfully defended their home ice in the rematch, defeating the Pioneers 4-2.  For the weekend, Maddie Smith (#2) and Hailey Jussila (#12) led Sacred Heart, each tallying a goal and an assist.

2026 Olympic Winter Games – Milan & Cortina, Italy
Women's ice hockey roster announcements have begun

Roster announcements for the 2026 Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Tournament have begun, starting with France and Japan, and more are expected over the upcoming days.  As previewed online yesterday, USA Hockey's men's, women's, and sled hockey rosters for the Olympics & Paralympics will be released this Friday, January 2, during the 8 a.m. ET hour of TODAY on NBC & Peacock.

While the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics are on Friday, February 6, the women's ice hockey tournament begins on Thursday, February 5.  The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has set up a tournament website here, including a full schedule of games.

We will share roster announcements, particularly those including current Gophers and U. of M. alumnae, as they become available.  Watch our social media accounts (Facebook / X) for details.

 
Around the WCHA...

Upcoming games – In addition to the Gophers, five other WCHA squads resume their schedules this weekend.  Most notably, Ohio State hosts Penn State in a battle of top-five teams; Saturday's game will be televised in the Twin Cities area on Fox 9+ at 2:30 p.m. (CT).  Minnesota Duluth has already traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to play in the 2026 Friendship Series women's tournament, facing Harvard to open the event Friday and either Boston University or Quinnipiac on Saturday.  Bemidji State will travel to Massachusetts for a Saturday-Sunday road series against Merrimack.  In exhibition play, St. Cloud State will host a single game against St. Thomas on Saturday.  Minnesota State and Wisconsin will return to play next week.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.


The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, December 17, 2025

View the December 17th Penalty Box Post newsletter

Next member-exclusive PPC Chalk Talk – Jan. 10 at 6 p.m.; Club enrollment still open at Basic Membership level!!

As mentioned in recent past issues of our Penalty Box Post newsletter, the Power Play Club – the official booster club of the Gopher Women’s Hockey (GWH) program – provides the opportunity to experience women’s hockey on a more personal level as you develop friendships with other fans.

One of those ways is our member-exclusive Chalk Talk, where we will be joined by one of the Gopher coaches to discuss on-ice strategy and the team's performance in the previous game.  Our next Chalk Talk is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, at 6:00 p.m., before the second game of the weekend series against the Minnesota State University Mavericks.  The Chalk Talk will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, on the upstairs level across the hall from the suites and press box.

Membership in the club also provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Enrollment in our Basic Membership level is still open and requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

 

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 31

The Power Play Club's annual Brunch with the Coaches with be taking place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome University of Wisconsin women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson and Minnesota head coach Brad Frost.  Coach Johnson has led the Badgers since 2002 and also served as the head coach of Team USA for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

This is a separate-fee event, with tickets running $30 per person for PPC members and $40 per person for non-members.  At this time, we are not able to accept credit card payments.  Instead, please download the registration form here or pick one up at the PPC table at an upcoming GWH home game; fill out the form; and submit it with a check made out to the Power Play Club to the address indicated or in-person again at Ridder Arena.  Note that registrations must be received by Sunday, January 25.

U.S. completes Rivalry Series sweep of Canada; Swedes, Hungarians finish atop European event standings

Gopher Women's Hockey representatives found the scoresheet for several national teams in action last week, including some important contributions.

Already with a two games to none lead in the Rivalry Series, Team USA completed the four-game sweep with a 10-4 victory last Wednesday and a 4-1 win in Saturday's finale, both occuring in Edmonton, Alberta.  Current Gopher captain Abbey Murphy led the American scoring in Wednesday's contest with two goals & two assists, alumna Kelly Pannek added two goals and a helper, Taylor Heise recorded two assists, and Grace Zumwinkle also dished out an assist.  Heise added two more assists in Saturday's game, the second coming on the eventual game-winning goal.  The sweep is the first in the history of the Rivalry Series for either team, and last Wednesday's result was the first time Canada had ever yielded 10 goals in a contest.

Playing without several key veterans, Team Finland was able to only post a third-place finish in the December Women's Euro Hockey Tour event they hosted; they defeated Sweden, 3-2, but fell 4-3 to Switzerland and were shut out 5-0 by Czechia.  Sweden earned a 3-1 upset win over the Czechs and a 5-2 victory over the Swiss to earn the top spot on the weekend.  The Czechs' win over the Finns was their second after they had defeated Switzerland, 2-1, to open the action.  Tereza Plosová recorded a goal and an assist for Czechia in their three games, Josefin Bouveng lit the lamp for Sweden against Finland, and Nelli Laitinen dished out two assists for the Finns against Switzerland.

Hungary's National Women's team raised some eyebrows at the Four Nations Tournament played in France, defeating Olympic qualifier Japan 2-0 to open the event, taking another Olympic qualifier – France – to a shootout before falling 3-2, then finishing with a 6-1 rout of Slovakia to take the top spot in the event standings.  Gopher junior forward Emma Kreisz tallied 3 points (1g, 2a) for the Hungarians, including a goal & an assist against the Slovaks.  The Francs finished in second place, getting a 5-3 win over Slovakia but dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to Japan.  The Japanese took third place after defeating the Slovaks, 3-2.

Five future Gophers headed to 2026 IIHF U18 Women's Worlds

We send wishes of good luck to five Gopher Women's Hockey recruits who were named to the Under-18 Women's National Teams for their respective countries for the upcoming 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship, being played January 10 through 18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia.

Sloane Hartmetz and Katya Sander were named to Team USA's roster back on October 31.  Hartmetz returns to the U.S. roster after earning a silver medal at the 2025 U18 World Championship.

Adrianna Milani, Maddie McCullough, and Rachel Piggott were announced as members of Team Canada last Thursday, December 11.  McCullough and Piggott won gold with Canada at the 2025 tournament.

We also give a shout-out to two more members of the Gopher Women's Hockey family involved with the tournament.  Current Gopher associate head coach Greg "Boom" May will be serving as an assistant coach for Team USA, while GWH alumna Courtney Kennedy will be serving as the American head coach.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Saturday, December 6, 2025

Gophers on the International Stage Next Week:
Final pre-Olympic international games scheduled next week - six current Gophers, five alumnae expected to see action

Six members of the current Gopher Women's Hockey team and five Minnesota alumnae are expected to see action playing for their respective national teams next week, the final tune-ups for the nations who qualified for February's Olympic Winter Games in Milan & Cortina, Italy.

Six players at Canada-U.S. Rivalry Series – The Rivalry Series between the national teams of Canada and the United States continues with the Americans holding a two games-to-none advantage after a pair of victories in November (4-1 in Cleveland, OH, and 6-1 in Buffalo, NY).  The two squads will meet on Wednesday, December 10 and Saturday, December 13, with both games starting at 7 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. CT at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.  USA Hockey has not published a new roster for the next two games; Abbey Murphy and alums Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, and Grace Zumwinkle were named to the team back in October.  Meanwhile, Gopher sophomore defender Chloe Primerano was announced this past Monday to Canada's roster for the upcoming contests, both of which will be televised on NHL Network in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.

Bouveng, Laitinen, Plosová, Mlýnková at Women's Euro Hockey Tour – Meanwhile, four Gopher representatives will be participating at the Women's Euro Hockey Tour's next stop in Lahti & Hämeenlinna, Finland, on Wednesday through Friday, December 10-12.  Freshman Tereza Plosová and alumna Natálie Mlýnková were named to Czechia's National Team roster on November 28, senior defender Nelli Laitinen was named as a member of host Finland's team this past Tuesday (Dec. 2), and senior forward Josefin Bouveng was announced as a member of the Sweden National Team on Thursday (Dec. 4).  The four-team event also includes Switzerland, with the following game schedule:
 

  • Czechia vs. Switzerland – Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • Finland vs. Sweden – Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • Czechia vs. Sweden – Thursday, Dec. 11 at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • Finland vs. Switzerland – Thursday, Dec. 11 at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • Switzerland vs. Sweden – Friday, Dec. 12 at 6:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • Finland vs. Czechia – Friday, Dec. 12 at 10:00 a.m. U.S. Central

 
Kreisz at Four Nations Tournament – In a separate Four Nations Tournament being played in Dunkirk, France on December 11 through 13, Gopher junior Emma Kreisz will be playing on the Hungary National Team after being named to that squad's roster on Thursday (Dec. 4).  In addition to France and Hungary, Japan and Slovakia are also participating with the following game schedule:
 

  • Hungary vs. Japan – Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • France vs. Slovakia – Thursday, Dec. 11 at 12:30 p.m. U.S. Central

  • Japan vs. Slovakia – Friday, Dec. 12 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • France vs. Hungary – Friday, Dec. 12 at 12:30 p.m. U.S. Central

  • Hungary vs. Slovakia – Saturday, Dec. 13 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central

  • France vs. Japan – Saturday, Dec. 13 at 12:30 p.m. U.S. Central

 
Germany to play Austria home-and-home – Another Olympic participant, the Germany National Team, will also be in action, playing Austria in a pair of games next weekend: Saturday, December 13 in Memmingen, Germany, and Sunday, December 14 in Dornbirn, Austria.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Events this Saturday, December 6, 2025:

Teddy Bear Toss & Skate with the Gophers

We again encourage you to pick up a new teddy bear or other stuffed animal (or two or three) and bring it to the Gopher Women's Hockey game at Ridder Arena this Saturday against St. Thomas for a Teddy Bear Toss at intermission.  Puck drop for the contest is set for 2 p.m.  All stuffed animals collected will be donated to the M Health Fairview's Masonic Children's Hospital.  (Note, though, that they will need to be placed in tied-off plastic bags in order to be donated.)  Our thanks to everyone who participates in this great event!!

The annual Skate with the Gophers event is also scheduled for Saturday following the game against St. Thomas.  This year's skate is a paid, ticketed event; tickets can be purchased here for $8 apiece, and note that a separate ticket to the game (available for purchase here) and a completed participation waiver for ice access are also required.  There are two sessions, with player autographs for those not skating at the time.  We look forward to seeing you at the game!!

 

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 31, 2026

The Power Play Club's annual Brunch with the Coaches with be taking place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome University of Wisconsin women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson and Minnesota head coach Brad Frost.  Coach Johnson has led the Badgers since 2002 and also served as the head coach of Team USA for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

This is a separate-fee event, with tickets running $30 per person for PPC members and $40 per person for non-members.  At this time, we are not able to accept credit card payments.  Instead, please download the registration form here or pick one up at the PPC table at an upcoming GWH home game; fill out the form; and submit it with a check made out to the Power Play Club to the address indicated or in-person again at Ridder Arena.  Note that registrations must be received by Sunday, January 25.

Join the Power Play Club!!  Last call for Locker Sponsors!!

The Power Play Club is the official booster club of the Gopher Women’s Hockey (GWH) program.  As a member, you have the opportunity to experience women’s hockey on a more personal level as you develop friendships with other fans.  Membership in the club provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Membership is open at two levels...

Our Locker Sponsor level posts each sponsor's name on a player's or coach's locker, and donors will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s)/coach at our event in January (with pictures and a team meal).  A minimum $1,000 donation (per locker) is required.  This is our last call for Locker Sponsors for the 2025-2026 season!  If you are interested, either as a renewing or new sponsor, please contact Bob Milligan at milligandanes@gmail.com as soon as possible but please wait to submit your donation as specific instructions for doing so will be sent to you.  We also provide a reminder to those who have received the donation instructions that your contribution is due by December 31, 2025.

The Basic Membership level requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

#3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-4-0, 8-4-0-0 WCHA)
vs. Univ. of St. Thomas Tommies (8-10-0, 3-9-0-0 WCHA)

Friday, December 5 at 2:00 p.m. - Lee and Penny Anderson Arena – St. Paul
Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena

After a weekend off for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Gopher Women's Hockey team concludes the 2025 portion of its schedule with a home-and-home WCHA series against the University of St. Thomas Tommies.  Minnesota gets its first look at the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul when the series begins this Friday, December 5 with a 2 p.m. matinee puck drop.  Both squads will then make the short 4-mile trip to Ridder Arena for the rematch on Saturday, December 6, also at 2 p.m.

Game coverage –

 
Last year against St. Thomas – The Gophers swept the four-game regular-season series against the Tommies in 2024-2025.  Meeting last December at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, the Maroon & Gold earned a 5-0 shutout in the opener and took the rematch by a 6-2 score.  Squaring off again in January at Ridder Arena, Minnesota posted 4-2 and 5-1 victories.  The Gophers outshot the Tommies by a combined 158 to 73.

Abbey Murphy again led Minnesota in all three scoring categories, tallying 10 points on 4 goals and 6 assists, including a 5-point (2g, 3a) performance in the first game.  Nelli Laitinen was second in total scoring against St. Thomas with 6 points, lighting the lamp once and dishing out 5 helpers, and Sydney Morrow added two goals and 3 assists for 5 points.  Rylee Bartz and former Gopher Sadie Lindsay each recorded a goal & an assist for the Tommies against Minnesota last year.

Hannah Clark saw all the action against St. Thomas, making 68 saves with a 1.25 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.  Dani Strom started all four games for the Tommies, making 124 saves but yielding 18 goals for a 4.93 GAA and .873 SV%.  Maggie Malecha relieved Strom for the third period of the first contest, stopping 14 of 15 shots.

Analyzing the Tommies – Gopher alumna Bethany Brausen is now in her first full year as head coach of the St. Thomas Women's Hockey program, now playing at their new on-campus home in St. Paul.  UST started the season with 8-straight road games, winning the first five and going 6-2-0 over that span; however, they've cooled off with a 2-8-0 record since then.

The Tommies have also been overtime warriors, taking five of their games – all in WCHA play – to extra time and going 2-3-0 in those contests.  Three of the five came against teams currently higher than them in the league standings: a road win over Minnesota State (2-1), a home loss to Ohio State (3-2), and road loss at Wisconsin (4-3).  They also exchanged 4-3 overtime results (one win, one loss) at St. Cloud State.

Four of UST's top five scorers this season come from their junior class.  Rylee Bartz (#6) has already surpassed her sophomore scoring total; she leads the Tommies with 19 points on 10 goals & 9 assists.  Ella Boerger (#15) has a team-high 14 assists while lighting the lamp 4 times herself for 18 points.  Sophomore Ilsa Lindaman (#19) is third in scoring with 16 points on 8 goals and 8 assists after recording only 4 points (1g, 3a) as a freshman.  Two more juniors are tied for fourth with 13 points apiece; Ellah Hause (#18) has 4 goals & 9 assists, while last season's scoring leader for St. Thomas, Maddie Brown (#10), has 3 goals and 10 helpers.  Sophomore Chloe Boreen (#20) is the sixth Tommie to have reached double-digit scoring so far season, tallying 12 points on 7 goals and 5 assists.

After becoming the Tommies' primary goaltender as a freshman last season, posting a 6-20-2 record in 29 starts, sophomore Dani Strom (#1) has taken a backup role so far this year; she's 1-1-0 with one no decision in three games with a 5.21 goals-against average and .804 save percentage.  Instead, graduate student Julia Minotti (#37) has transferred in after three seasons at Clarkson and taken the lead role; she has a 7-9-0 record with 2 shutouts, a 2.44 GAA, and a .909 SV%.  Freshman Nora Hannan (#31) has made three relief appearances, yielding 7 goals on 51 shots in just over 71 minutes of action (5.89 GAA, .863 SV%).  Senior Maggie Malecha (#33) remains on the St. Thomas roster but has yet to play this season; she appeared in 8 games last year (3 starts), posting an 0-4-0 record.

Last action for St. Thomas – Like the Gophers, the Tommies were idle this past weekend.  As noted in our previous Penalty Box Post, they were swept at Wisconsin two weekends ago but, after being shut out 8-0 in the opener of that series, took the Badgers to overtime in the rematch before falling 4-3.  Maddie Brown tallied a goal & an assist and netminder Julia Minotti made 47 saves for UST in the Saturday contest.

 
Around the WCHA

Minnesota State earns home sweep of Dartmouth – Mercury Bischoff remained hot with 3 goals and an assist, Lauren Goldsworthy tallied two goals & an assist, Lauren Zawoyski dished out 4 helpers, and MSU goaltenders Hailey Hansen and Kaydence Roeske combined to stop 45 of 47 shots to give the Mavericks a pair of non-conference wins over the Big Green, 5-2 and 5-0.

BSU loses opener, settles for tie in rematch vs. Lindenwood – Hailey Armstrong tallied two goals & an assist for Bemidji State in their series at Lindenwood, but Michaela Paulinyova lit the lamp twice in a 7-4 win for the Lions on Friday, Zsofia Pazmandi scored twice for LU to erase a pair of one-goal deficits to tie the Beavers 2-2 on Saturday, and Lexi Secreto made a combined 63 saves in the series.

Ohio State earns "sweep", SCSU splits at D1 In DC showcase – Hilda Svensson tallied a hat trick & two assists and Joy Dunne added a goal & 4 helpers as the Buckeyes shut out Clarkson, 8-0, on Friday; Kassidy Carmichael and Sanni Vanhanen each lit the lamp twice for OSU in a 5-0 shutout of Colgate on Saturday.  Sofianna Sundelin recorded a hat trick for St. Cloud State on Friday, her third goal coming 1:40 into overtime, to defeat Colgate, 3-2, on Friday, but Clarkson's Bridget Stevenson & Sara Manness each scored and Arianne Leblanc stopped all 29 shots she faced to shut out the Huskies on Saturday, 2-0.  SCSU's Emilia Kyrkkö made a combined 57 saves over the weekend.

Wisconsin cruises at SMASHVILLE – Lacey Eden tallied 2 goals & 2 assists, Kirsten Simms added a goal & 2 assists, and Caroline Harvey became the WCHA's all-time top career scoring defender with a three-assist performance as the Badgers defeated Mercyhurst 5-1 on Saturday.  Wisconsin then claimed the SMASHVILLE Showcase's Guitar Trophy with a 17-2 drubbing of Stonehill on Sunday; Simms and McKayla Zilisch each tallied a hat trick plus an assist, Cassie Hall added two goals & two assists, Laila Edwards recorded a goal and four helpers, and the Badgers set new UW program records for goals in a game (17), goals in a period (9 in the second), and shots on goal in a game (87).

Upcoming games – The other six WCHA teams are also back in Friday & Saturday conference play.  St. Cloud State faces Minnesota State in Mankato with a Friday matinee start.  Bemidji State hosts Minnesota Duluth, but the big series of the weekend is in Columbus as #1 Wisconsin visits #2 Ohio State.

Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.


The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Teddy Bear Toss & Skate with the Gophers – Saturday, December 6

Doing some holiday shopping in the next week?  We encourage you to pick up a new teddy bear or other stuffed animal (or two or three) and bring it to the Gopher Women's Hockey game at Ridder Arena on Saturday, December 6 against St. Thomas for a Teddy Bear Toss at intermission.  Puck drop for the contest is set for 2 p.m.  All stuffed animals collected will be donated to the M Health Fairview's Masonic Children's Hospital.  (Note, though, that they will need to be placed in tied-off plastic bags in order to be donated.)  Our thanks to everyone who participates in this great event!!

The annual Skate with the Gophers event is also scheduled for Saturday, December 6, following the game against St. Thomas.  This year's skate is a paid, ticketed event; tickets can be purchased here for $8 apiece, and note that a separate ticket to the game (available for purchase here) and a completed participation waiver for ice access are also required.  There are two sessions, with player autographs for those not skating at the time.  We look forward to seeing you at the game!!

 

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 31

The Power Play Club's annual Brunch with the Coaches with be taking place on Saturday, January 31 at 9:45 a.m. as we welcome University of Wisconsin women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson and Minnesota head coach Brad Frost.  Coach Johnson has led the Badgers since 2002 and also served as the head coach of Team USA for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

This is a separate-fee event, with tickets running $30 per person for PPC members and $40 per person for non-members.  At this time, we are not able to accept credit card payments.  Instead, please download the registration form here or pick one up at the PPC table at an upcoming GWH home game; fill out the form; and submit it with a check made out to the Power Play Club to the address indicated or in-person again at Ridder Arena.  Note that registrations must be received by Sunday, January 25.

 

Goals for a Goal – Gophers season scoring total reaches 75

The Power Play Club's Goals for a Goal program is a pledge-per-goal campaign to convert Gopher Women's Hockey's scoring into donations back to the team.  Entering their second bye week of the season, the Gophers have lit the lamp 75 times this year, with twelve (12) of those coming on the power play!

Register a pledge for every goal tallied all the way through the playoffs, with the option to double your pledge for power play conversions.  Pledges can be submitted electronically through the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal.  Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions.

 

Support the Gophers by joining the Power Play Club!!

The Power Play Club is the official booster club of the Gopher Women’s Hockey (GWH) program.  As a member, you have the opportunity to experience women’s hockey on a more personal level as you develop friendships with other fans.  Membership in the club provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Membership is open at two levels...

Our Locker Sponsor level posts each sponsor's name on a player's or coach's locker, and donors will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s)/coach at our event in January (with pictures and a team meal).  A minimum $1,000 donation (per locker) is required.  If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Bob Milligan at milligandanes@gmail.com as soon as possible but please wait to submit your donation as specific instructions for doing so will be sent to you.

The Basic Membership level requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

Gophers swept as Minnesota State earns pair of upsets

The Gopher Women's Hockey team came up empty against Minnesota State this past weekend as the Mavericks earned their first regular-season series sweep in the rivalry since January 2007, upsetting the Maroon & Gold 3-1 at Ridder Arena on Friday and 4-1 in Mankato on Saturday.

The series got off to a good start for the Gophers as Abbey Murphy netted her 18th goal of the season 12:27 into Friday's contest, but MSU freshman Mercury Bischoff evened the score less than 4 minutes later.  The game remained tied 1-1 with four minutes left in regulation, but Ava Guillemette lit the lamp for the Mavericks on a sharp-angle shot just under the crossbar with 3:20 to go.  Minnesota could not find the equalizer, and Kianna Roeske added an empty-netter for Minnesota State.  Hannah Clark made 24 saves for the Gophers, while Hailey Hansen stopped 39 shots for the Mavericks.  Bischoff recorded two assists to go with her goal.

Moving to the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center for the rematch, Bischoff gave the Mavericks an initial lead, converting a power play 13:20 into the game, but the Gophers' responded when Josefin Bouveng also converted on a power play just 79 seconds later.  However, MSU took the again in the second period as Bischoff tallied her second goal of the game, and Whitney Tuttle doubled that lead a short time later.  Minnesota was unable to get any shots on goal for a large chunk of the third period, and Bischoff completed a hat trick with an empty-net goal with 1:48 to play.  Layla Hemp made 21 saves for the Gophers, while Hansen stopped another 27 shots for the Mavericks.

Bouveng and Murphy each earned an assist on the other's goal.  With her six-point (4g, 2a) series, Bischoff was named WCHA Rookie of the Week, and Hansen earned the honor as WCHA Goaltender of the Week with 66 saves on 68 shots.

Murphy catches Heise for sixth on GWH all-time scoring – With her assist on Josefin Bouveng's goal on Saturday, Abbey Murphy reached 227 career points on 121 goals & 106 assists, moving her into a tie with 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Taylor Heise for 6th all-time in Gopher Women's Hockey history.  Murphy's next point will put her sixth by herself, and she now sits eight points behind Nadine Muzerall for fifth (at 235).

Around the WCHA...

Badgers need OT to complete sweep of Tommies – Lacey Eden recorded two goals and two assists, Caroline Harvey a goal & 3 assists, and Ava McNaughton posted a 13-saves shutout as Wisconsin rolled to an 8-0 home victory over St. Thomas on Thursday.  However, Friday's rematch was a back-and-forth affair; the Tommies an initial lead on a power-play goal by Maddie Brown, Eden (SH) and Laila Edwards put the Badgers ahead in the second period, and UST's Teagan Kulenkamp and Rylee Bartz gave them a 3-2 lead with 6:53 left in regulation.  But it was Wisconsin coming out victorious as Kirsten Simms scored an extra-attacker goal with 1:26 remaining in the third and Cassie Hall buried a rebound 2:32 into overtime to complete the series sweep.

Buckeyes earn road sweep of Bulldogs – Joy Dunne lit the lamp twice and Hailey MacLeod stopped 24 of 25 shots Friday as Ohio State defeated Minnesota Duluth, 3-1, at AMSOIL Arena on Friday.  Dunne added her third goal of the weekend plus two assists and Genny Klein stopped 31 of 32 shots for OSU on Saturday as they completed the series sweep with a 4-1 victory.  Ève Gascon made a combined 77 saves for UMD.

Huskies, Beavers split in Bemidji – Payton Remick tallied two goals & an assist and Emilia Kyrkkö posted a 21-save clean sheet as St. Cloud State shut out Bemidji State, 4-0, on Friday.  BSU appeared in control Saturday, leading 4-1 at the second intermission behind a pair of goals from Raeley Carney, but SCSU rallied to light the lamp four times in the third to go ahead 5-4 with 4:29 left in regulation, getting a goal & two assists from Grace Wolfe; however, Isa Goettl knotted the score for the Beavers on an extra-attacker goal with 31.4 seconds remaining and Hailey Armstrong won the game for Bemidji State 1:03 into overtime, 6-5.

Upcoming games – The Thanksgiving holiday weekend features non-conference action for five WCHA teams.  St. Cloud State and Ohio State are in the D1 in DC Showcase in Washington, each playing single games against Colgate and Clarkson.  In a pair of traditional two-game series, both on Friday & Saturday, Minnesota State hosts Dartmouth and Bemidji State travels south to face Lindenwood.  Wisconsin is participating in the SMASHVILLE Women's Collegiate Hockey Showcase in Nashville, taking on Mercyhurst on Saturday and Stonehill on Sunday.  Like the Gophers, Minnesota Duluth and St. Thomas are idle.


Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Friday, November 21, 2025

Twelve (12) Gopher alumnae named to PWHL opening rosters

We send our congratulations and wishes of good luck to the twelve Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae who were named to PWHL rosters yesterday (Thursday, November 20; * indicates reserve player)...

  • Abby Boreen – Vancouver Goldeneyes

  • Hannah Brandt – Boston Fleet

  • Emily Brown – Seattle Torrent

  • Taylor Heise – Minnesota Frost

  • Peyton Hemp – Ottawa Charge

  • Ella Huber – Boston Fleet

  • Olivia Knowles* – New York Sirens

  • Natálie Mlýnková – Montréal Victoire

  • Savannah Norcross – New York Sirens

  • Kelly Pannek – Minnesota Frost

  • Lee Stecklein – Minnesota Frost

  • Grace Zumwinkle – Minnesota Frost

We also send additonal shout-outs to Brown, Pannek and Stecklein on their leadership for their respective teams.  Pannek & Stecklein have served as alternate captains for Minnesota the past two seasons, and Brown was named one of Seattle's alternate captains yesterday for their inaugural season.

All eight PWHL are in action between tonight and this Sunday to open the league's regular season, with the schedule as follows...

  • Toronto Sceptres at Minnesota Frost – tonight (Friday, Nov. 21) at 6 p.m. CT

  • Seattle Torrent at Vancouver Goldeneyes – tonight at 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CT

  • New York Sirens at Ottawa Charge – Saturday (Nov. 22) at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT

  • Montréal Victoire at Boston Fleet – Sunday (Nov. 23) at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT


All PWHL games will be streamed on the league's YouTube page.  You can also check the PWHL website for other ways to watch the team in your area; go to the specific page for the team, then select "Schedule" and "Where to Watch".


Copyright © 2025 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter 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 X at x.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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.


The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Goals for a Goal – Gophers extend season scoring total to 73

Following a high-scoring weekend sweep, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has lit the lamp 73 times this season, with eleven (11) of those coming on the power play!

We continue requesting your help to convert those goals into donations back to the GWH program through the Goals for a Goal program.  Register a pledge for every goal scored by the Gophers all the way through the playoffs, with the option to double your pledge for power play conversions.  Pledges can be submitted electronically through the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal.  Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions.

 

Support the Gophers by joining the Power Play Club!!

The Power Play Club is the official booster club of the Gopher Women’s Hockey (GWH) program.  As a member, you have the opportunity to experience women’s hockey on a more personal level as you develop friendships with other fans.  Membership in the club provides financial support as our best fundraising vehicle for the team, and encourages the players and coaching staff in their quest for academic and athletic excellence.  Membership is open at two levels...

Our Locker Sponsor level posts each sponsor's name on a player's or coach's locker, and donors will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s)/coach at our event in January (with pictures and a team meal).  A minimum $1,000 donation (per locker) is required.  If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Bob Milligan at milligandanes@gmail.com as soon as possible but please wait to submit your donation as specific instructions for doing so will be sent to you.

The Basic Membership level requires a minimum donation of $125, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions.  Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".

Looking ahead – Skate with the Gophers, December 6

The annual Skate with the Gophers event is scheduled for Saturday, December 6, following the home game against St. Thomas at Ridder Arena.  Puck drop for the contest is set for 2 p.m.  This year's skate is a paid, ticketed event; tickets can be purchased here for $8 apiece, and note that a separate ticket to the game (available for purchase here) and a completed participation waiver for ice access are also required.  There are two sessions, with player autographs for those not skating at the time.  We look forward to seeing you at the game!!

#2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-2-0, 8-2-0-0 WCHA)
vs. Minnesota State Univ. Mavericks (6-7-1, 2-7-1-1 WCHA)
Friday, November 21 at 6:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena
Saturday, November 22 at 2:00 p.m. – Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato

The Gopher Women's Hockey team wraps up the November portion of its 2025-2026 schedule with a home-and-home WCHA series against the Minnesota State University Mavericks.  Action begins at Ridder Arena this Friday, November 21 at 6 p.m. before both squads head to Mankato for the rematch at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center on Saturday, November 22 at 2 p.m.

Game coverage –

 
Last year against Minnesota State – The Gophers swept the four-game regular-season series against the Mavericks.  Meeting in October, the Maroon & Gold took the opener 8-2 at Ridder Arena, then came from behind to defeat MSU 3-2 in overtime in Mankato.  In their next series in January, the Gophers won 8-3 in Minneapolis before completing the weekend sweep with a 5-2 road victory.  However, a matchup in the first round of the WCHA conference playoffs at Ridder required three games; the Gophers won Game 1 by a 6-1 score, but MSU outlasted Minnesota with a 5-4 double-overtime victory in Game 2.  But the Gophers took the decider, 6-2, to end the Mavericks' season.

Abbey Murphy led Minnesota in all three scoring categories across the seven games, netting 7 goals and dishing out 11 assists for 18 points.  Four other Gophers also hit double-digit points: Josefin Bouveng lit the lamp 5 times and tallied 8 assists, Ella Huber added 4 goals & 8 assists, Peyton Hemp tallied 6 goals and 5 assists, and Chloe Primerano dished out 9 helpers while scoring once herself.  Additionally, Emma Kreisz had the top single-game performance, recording 2 goals and 3 assists in the playoff opener.  JuliAnna Gazdik was Minnesota State's top scorer thanks to 7 assists plus one goal of her own, while Jamie Nelson tallied 2 goals & 5 assists, Madison Mashuga added 2 goals & 3 assists, and Alexis Paddington lit the lamp 3 times.  Mashuga netted the game-winning goal in Minnesota State's playoff game victory.

Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter earned the first win in Mankato, stopping 13 of 15 shots, but Hannah Clark went 5-1 in the other six contests, making 142 saves with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.  Olivia King also made her final collegiate appearance for the Gophers, stopping 5 shots in just over five minutes of the playoff decider.  MSU's Hailey Hansen started six of the games as well, making 191 saves but yielding 34 goals for a 5.65 GAA and .849 SV%, Jessie McPherson stopped 42 of 47 shots in one start and one relief appearance for a 3.80 GAA and an .894 SV%, and Suzette Faucher stopped 6 shots in the final period of the decider.

Analyzing the Mavericks – Minnesota State has finished sixth in the WCHA regular-season standings each of the last three seasons; they sit tied for 5th so far this year with a 2-7-1-1 (0-1 in OT) league record.  Non-conference sweeps of Rensselaer on the road and Lindenwood at home have them 6-7-1 overall.

Only one of MSU's top six scorers last season is back with the Mavericks this year; senior Taylor Otremba (#24) is currently tied for second on the squad with 8 points on 2 goals and 6 assists.  Junior defender Lauren Zawoyski (#17), who entered this season with only 6 career points (1g, 5a) over her first two years, is currently leading Minnesota State with 10 points on a goal and 9 helpers.  Sophomore and former Gopher Ayla Puppe (#16) is tied with Otremba, recording 4 goals & 4 assists, and the quartet of junior Kamryn Van Batavia (#9), freshman Mercury Bischoff (#14), sophomore Lauren Goldsworthy (#4), and freshman Zoe Lopez (#10) have each also lit the lamp 4 times.

After leading the Mavericks with a 10-14-1 record and 3 shutouts last year, junior Hailey Hansen (#33) is again their top netminder; she's 4-7-1 in 12 starts this season with another 3 shutouts, a 3.07 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage.  Freshman Kaydence Roeske (#31) has won both of her starts (against Lindenwood and Bemidji State), stopping a combined 43 of 45 shots for a 1.00 GAA and .956 SV%.  Senior Avery Stilwell (#1) remains MSU's third goalie; she made only her third career appearance – and first since November 2021 – entering in relief against Wisconsin, stopping 10 of 14 shots in two periods of action.

Last weekend: MSU swept at Ohio State – Facing the #3-ranked Buckeyes on the road, Minnesota State fell 5-2 and 7-3.  Sara Swiderski led OSU with 6 points on a goal and 5 assists, and Hilda Svensson (2g, 3a) & Sanni Vanhanen (1g, 4a) each posted 5 points.  Kamryn Van Batavia lit the lamp twice, once in each game, for the Mavericks, Lauren Zawoyski added a goal and an assist, and Hailey Hansen made a combined 79 saves.

Gophers win Field Trip Day game, complete sweep of Beavers

Outshooting Bemidji State by a combined 119-22, the Gopher Women's Hockey team won their Field Trip Day game at 3M Arena on Friday, 6-2, and followed it up with a 9-2 victory Saturday at Ridder Arena to complete the series sweep.

The Beavers got on the board first when a Gopher turnover led to Morgan Smith lighting the lamp just 14 seconds into Friday's contest.  Minnesota knotted the score on an Emma Kreisz goal later in the first period, then took the lead when Sydney Morrow found the back of the net short-handed in the second stanza.  That said, BSU's Isa Goettl scored on a 5-on-3 power play to send the game to the second intermission tied again, 2-2.  But Ava Lindsay put the Gophers ahead again 5:26 into the third period, and Jamie Nelson, Josefin Bouveng (short-handed), and Abbey Murphy also scored.  Hannah Clark made 10 saves for the win, while Bemidji State's Kaitlin Groess stopped 50 shots.

Kreisz tallied the first Gopher goal again Saturday, Chloe Primerano doubled the lead less than 2 minutes later, and Tereza Plosová pushed the advantage to 3-0 before the first intermission.  Bella Fanale scored on a second-period power play, but BSU's Maddie Kaiser lit the lamp and Smith netted her second goal of the weekend to make it 4-2.  However, Nelson also netted her second goal of the series, Fanale tallied her second of the game, Lindsay and Morrow each found the back of the net again, and freshman Sydney Bailey recorded her first collegiate goal.  Layla Hemp earned the win, needing only 8 saves; Ava Hills started the game for the Beavers and made 49 saves before Groess entered in relief and stopped 5 shots.

Dishing out 4 assists, Murphy led Minnesota in total scoring with 5 points.  A quintet of Gophers – Fanale (2g, 2a), Kreisz (2g, 2a), Lindsay (2g, 2a), Bouveng (1g, 3a), and Madison Kaiser (4a) – each recorded four points.

Minnesota announces signings of six 2026-2027 freshmen

Coach Brad Frost and Gopher Women's Hockey announced Monday the signings of six players to become the members of the team's freshman class of 2026-2027:

  • Sloane Hartmetz (Defense / Phoenixville, PA / Shattuck-St. Mary's)

  • Maddie McCullough (Forward / Newmarket, Ont. / Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins)

  • Adrianna Milani (Forward / Oakville, Ont. / Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins)

  • Rachel Piggott (Forward / Richmond Hill, Ont. / Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins)

  • Payton Rolli (Goaltender / Warroad, MN / Warroad High School)

  • Katya Sander (Defense / Chanhassen, MN / Holy Family Catholic)


We pass along our warmest greetings, and we look forward to seeing Sloane, Maddie, Adrianna, Rachel, Payton & Katya wearing the Maroon and Gold next fall!!

Around the WCHA...

Badgers win Friday at St. Cloud, Huskies earn tie Saturday – Caroline Harvey tallied two goals and an assist, Kirsten Simms added a goal & 2 assists, and Ava McNaughton stopped 18 of 19 shots as Wisconsin defeated St. Cloud State 5-1 in the series opener at the National Hockey Center.  However, the Huskies rallied from 3-1 and 4-3 down on Saturday to earn a 4-4 tie against the top-ranked Badgers; Simms recorded another goal & an assist and Kelly Gorbatenko put Wisconsin in the lead on a power play with 5:41 left in regulation, but Maria Mikaelyan lit the lamp twice for SCSU, including the game-tying power-play conversion with 3:46 to go in the third.  McNaughton stopped another 34 shots for the Badgers, while Emilia Kyrkkö made 52 saves for the Huskies.  Wisconsin won the shootout, 2-1, on Laney Potter's 7th-round goal to earn the bonus standings point.

Bulldogs earn road sweep of Tommies – Ève Gascon stopped 33 of 34 shots and Grace Sadura netted the eventual game-winning goal as Minnesota Duluth earned a 3-1 road victory over St. Thomas on Friday.  Gascon made another 35 saves, Sadura tallied her second goal of the series, and Madison Burr scored the game-winner as UMD prevailed 4-2 on Saturday for the weekend sweep.  Ella Boerger and Ellah Hause each recorded a goal & an assist for UST in Saturday's contest, and Julia Minotti made a combined 49 saves in the series.

Upcoming games – This weekend features a full slate of conference action.  St. Thomas and Wisconsin get things started with a Thursday-Friday series in Madison, Bemidji State hosts St. Cloud State for a pair of matinee games Friday & Saturday, and Ohio State visits Minnesota Duluth for a Friday-Saturday matchup.

Copyright © 2025 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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, November 12, 2025

PPC Chalk Talk – Saturday (November 15) at 12:30 p.m.

The first Power Play Club member-exclusive Chalk Talk of the year is scheduled for this Saturday, November 15, at 12:30 p.m., before the second game of the series against the Bemidji State University Beavers.  We will be joined by one of the Gopher coaches to discuss on-ice strategy and the team's performance in Friday's contest.  The Chalk Talk will be held in the Ridder Arena Weight Room, on the upstairs level across the hall from the suites and press box.

 

Membership enrollment continues for 2025-2026 season!

PPC membership enrollment for the 2025-2026 season remains open!  Again, your enrollment donations are our biggest source of financial support for the Gopher Women's Hockey team!

Locker Sponsor level – We are still accepting enrollments in our top membership tier.  Each sponsor's name is posted on a nameplate next to a player's or coach's locker, and donors will have an opportunity to meet with their respective player(s)/coach at our event in January (with pictures and a team meal).  A minimum $1,000 donation (per locker) is required, though any amount over and above that is encouraged.  If you are interested, either as a renewing or new Locker Sponsor, please contact Bob Milligan at milligandanes@gmail.com as soon as possible but please wait to submit your donation as specific instructions for doing so will be sent to you.

Basic Membership level – A minimum donation of $125 is required for our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address.  Online registration is preferred at z.umn.edu/PPC25; 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 up to 58 through 12 games

After 12 games, a little over one-third of the way through the regular season, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has lit the lamp 58 times, with ten (10) of those coming on the power play!

Again, help us convert those goals into donations back to the GWH program through the Goals for a Goal program.  Register a pledge for every goal scored by the Gophers all the way through the playoffs, with the option to double your pledge for power play conversions.  Pledges can be submitted electronically through the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal.  Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions.

#2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-2-0, 6-2-0-0 WCHA) vs. Bemidji State Univ. Beavers (3-6-1, 1-6-1-0 WCHA)
Field Trip Day Game – 3M Arena at Mariucci - Friday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena

Following a weekend off for most of Gopher Women's Hockey team, they return home – sort of – for a WCHA series against the Bemidji State Unviersity Beavers.  The teams will first play in the Gophers' second-annual Field Trip Day game, this year being held at 3M Arena at Mariucci; game time is set for 12:00 p.m. this Friday, November 14.  The teams will then move next door to Ridder Arena for the rematch on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m.

Game coverage –

 
Season ticket seating on Friday – Per an email sent by the U. of M. Ticket Office last week, GWH season ticket holders were advised to sit in sections 17 through 20 at 3M Arena for Friday's contest.

Last year against Bemidji State – The Gophers and Beavers met five times in the regular season last year, with the Maroon & Gold sweeping all five.  Playing in Bemidji last November, the Gophers earned 2-1 & 4-1 victories.  The two squads then met in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Faceoff Classic in Lakeville on New Year's Day; Bemidji State took the initial lead, but Minnesota came back to win 4-1.  Squaring off again in late January, the Gophers again earned a 4-1 win at Ridder Arena and completed the sweep with a 3-1 decision at the Hockey Day Minnesota outdoor game in Shakopee.  The Gophers also more than doubled-up the Beavers on shots-on-goal across the five contests, 169 to 83.

Eleven (11) of the Gophers' 17 goals against the Beavers came from Natálie Mlýnková & Abbey Murphy.  Mlýnková lit the lamp six times, including a two-goal performance in the opener in Bemidji and a hat trick in the Hall of Fame Game; she also dished out a pair of assists for 8 points.  Murphy found the back of the net five times, including two 2-goal games, and recorded 3 assists to also post 8 points.  Ella Huber added a goal and 6 assists in the five meetings.  Morgan Smith was the only Beaver with multiple points, scoring BSU's lone goals in the second game in Bemidji and the outdoor game.  Hannah Clark earned all five wins with 78 saves, a .940 save percentage, and a 1.01 goals-against average; Sophia Johnson also made a brief appearance in Bemidji but did not face an official shot on goal in 3 minutes, 19 seconds of action.  BSU netminders Kaitlin Groess & Eva Filippova split the five contests, posting similar stats; Groess played in the two games at the Sanford Center and the outdoor game, making 90 saves with a .909 SV% and 3.07 GAA, while Filippova stopped 62 shots in her two starts with a .912 SV% and 3.10 GAA.

Earlier this season: Gophers defeat BSU in exhibition – Meeting in Brainerd for an exhibition contest in September, Ava Lindsay led Minnesota with a hat trick, scoring once in the 1st period and twice more in the 2nd, as the Gophers defeated Bemidji State 6-1 after 60 minutes.  Sienna D'Alessandro and Tereza Plosová also lit the lamp in the contest.  Layla Hemp, Sophia Johnson & Hannah Clark each saw a period of action between the pipes.  Following the third stanza, the Gophers and Beavers played another full 5 minutes of 3-on-3 competition, with Emma Kreisz finding the back of the net.  After that, the teams also held a shootout, for which results were unavailable.

Analyzing the Beavers – After three-straight seasons finishing at the bottom of the WCHA standings, Bemidji State is looking for improvement this year; getting their first conference win this past weekend (more on that shortly) has moved them out of 8th place for the time being.  They currently hold a 1-6-1-0 league record and a 3-6-1 mark overall, being outscored 33-14 in their ten games.

The Beavers' top four scorers last season are not only back but are again at the top of their stat sheet to start 2025-2026.  Sophomore Morgan Smith (#21) is leading with way with 7 points on 2 goals & 5 assists.  Junior Hailey Armstrong (#29) has lit the lamp 6 times to open the new year.  Fellow junior Kate Johnson (#14) also has 6 points, tallying a goal & 5 helpers, and former Gopher Isa Goettl (#9) – now in her junior year – has two goals and an assist. 

Sophomore netminder Kaitlin Groess (#1) saw a majority of the action for Bemidji State last year, going 3-19-0 with a 3.98 goals-against average and an .887 save percentage; she's 3-3-0 with a shutout, a 3.65 GAA and an .883 SV% so far this season.  Senior Ava Hills (#33) joined the Beavers as a transfer from St. Anselm, having also playing at New Hampshire previously; she's appeared in five games so far for Bemidji State, going 0-3-1 in her four starts despite a 2.44 GAA and .933 SV%.  Freshman Ashlyn Hazlett (#35) made a one-period relief appearance against Wisconsin, yielding 3 goals on 8 shots.  Junior Eva Filippova (#30) went 2-9-0 in 12 starts for BSU last season with one no-decision, one shutout, a 3.25 GAA, and an .897 SV%; however, she has not played since suffering an injury last February.

Last weekend: Beavers earn upset win Saturday to split with Tommies – Playing in Bemidji, Jenessa Gadzik and Rylee Bartz each tallied a goal & two assists for #13 St. Thomas and Julia Minotti posted a 17-save clean sheet in a 5-0 victory over Bemidji State on Friday; Ava Hills made 16 saves for the Beavers.  However, a short-handed goal by Izy Fairchild and an unassisted tally by Shelby Sandberg put BSU up 2-0 early in the third period of Saturday's rematch; Chloe Boreen netted her second goal of the series for St. Thomas with 4:06 to play, but they could not find the equalizer as Kaitlin Groess finished with 27 saves for the Beavers to earn a 2-1 upset win and the series split.

International updates...
Team USA wins first two games of Fall 2025 Rivalry Series;
Murphy nets hat trick, Heise tallies 4 points in opener

The U.S. Women's National Hockey Team will do no worse than splitting the four-game Fall 2025 Rivalry Series after defeating Canada in the first two contests, 4-1 in Cleveland, OH, last Thursday and 6-1 in Buffalo, NY, on Saturday.

Current Gopher captain Abbey Murphy and alumna Taylor Heise were instrumental in the Americans' Game 1 victory.  Canada took an initial lead when Sarah Fillier lit the lamp on a power play 9½ minutes into the contest, but Heise evened the score just 16 seconds later when she redirected a shot from Laila Edwards into the Canadian net.  In the second period, Murphy blasted home a one-timer on power play off a pass from Heise to put Team USA in the lead, and the duo connected again on a nearly-identical play at even strength later in the stanza for a 3-1 advantage.  Another power play in the third period saw Heise send a pass across the slot which Kirsten Simms directed to a wide open Murphy, burying it into the net to complete her hat trick – the first for either team in the history of the Rivalry Series.  U.S. goaltender Aerin Frankel kept the Canadians from getting any closer, finishing with 26 saves, while Ève Gascon stopped 23 shots for Canada.

Murphy's hat trick was matched two nights later by Team USA captain Hilary Knight, who scored twice on the power play and added an empty-netter late.  That said, Gopher alumna Kelly Pannek tallied the game-winning goal off a feed from Murphy.  Heise also recorded her fifth point of the weekend with an assist on a third-period goal by Hayley Scamurra.  Edwards netted an unassisted goal and dished out two helpers, while Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin lit the lamp as well.  Gwyneth Philips made 29 saves for Team USA, while Kayle Osborn stopped 26 shots for the Canadians.

The teams are scheduled to play twice more next month – Wednesday, December 10 and Saturday, December 13, both at 7 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. CT in Edmonton, Alberta.  The games will be televised on NHL Network and TSN.

Euro Hockey Tour: Finland remains undefeated, Sweden finishes 2nd for the weekend – In last week's Lidl Hockey Games in Ängelholm, Sweden, the second stop of the 2025-2026 Women's Euro Hockey tour featuring four of the top European national teams, Finland took the top spot with victories over Switzerland (2-1), Czechia (4-1), and Sweden (2-1 in OT), remaining undefeated across both events.  The host Swedes were the surprise of this month's stop; after going winless in August, they finished in second place last week with a 4-1 upset of Czechia on Wednesday and earning standings points in their other two games – a 2-1 shootout loss to Switzerland and the overtime loss to Finland.  The Czechs took third with a 1-0 victory over the Swiss.

None of the Gophers participating in the event – senior Josefin Bouveng (Sweden), freshman Tereza Plosová (Czechia) and alumna Natálie Mlýnková (Czechia) – recorded a point in the event, but we continue to watch for future national team invitations.  The four nations will participate in the December stop of the tour in Tampere, Finland.

Germany, Slovakia tie atop Deutschland Cup standings – Playing in Landshut, Germany, Slovakia's National Women's Team earned wins over Hungary (3-2) & France (2-1) and took the hosts Germans to overtime (3-2 Germany) to finish with a surprising 7 points in the event standings.  That put them at the top of the table with the Germans, who got a 2-1 shootout win over France and a 9-1 rout of Hungary; their win over the Slovaks was the tiebreaker for the weekend.  The Hungarians finished third after a 4-1 victory over France.

Japan shuts out competition at IIHF Asia Championship – Japan's Women's National Team cruised to a second-straight IIHF Asio Championship, shutting out host Kazakhstan (6-0), South Korea (7-0), and China (4-0).  The Chinese took second behind a 3-2 shootout victory over South Korea and a 6-0 shutout of the Kazakhs.  Kazakhstan finished third after defeating the Koreans, 3-1.

 
Around the WCHA...

Upcoming games – The other six league teams are also in conference action with games Friday & Saturday.  St. Thomas hosts Minnesota Duluth, Wisconsin visits St. Cloud State, and Minnesota State heads to Columbus to face Ohio State.

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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 X at x.com/GopherWHockey.