Penalty Box Post
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Happy New Year!!
PPC membership & event news...
Membership reminder – Once again, a donation of $50 or more to the Power Play Club Fund at the University of Minnesota Foundation will enroll your household into the PPC for the season. To make your donation online, go to the Power Play Club Fund web page here. If you prefer to submit your donation by check, you can download the registration form here, fill it out, and mail it and your check to Laura Halldorson at the address listed on the form. If you have already enrolled as a Locker Sponsor for 2020-2021, you do not need to register again.
Locker Sponsorships still available!! With a donation of $600 or more, Locker Sponsors are recognized with their name(s) listed on the locker of their designated player or coach. If you are interested in being a Locker Sponsor, do not use the links above, but instead please contact Susan "Rennie" McPherson at membership@powerplayclub.org.
Online auction to open in January – Details are still being finalized for the Power Play Club's annual auction. As previously mentioned, the PPC is partnering with the Golden Gopher Fund to move the auction online for the 2020-2021 season, and it is expected to be open for approximately two weeks starting in mid-January. The auction tentatively includes several items signed by past GWH National Championship teams, Gopher alumna autographed photos, and at least two jerseys. Any questions can be sent to PPC president Bill Johnson at president@powerplayclub.org.
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Gophers - Bulldogs series is Postponed - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced this afternoon that the upcoming women's hockey series between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, set for January 4 & 5 at Ridder Arena, has been postponed, with make-up dates to be determined.
The U. of M. also sent out a press release about the postponement here.
We will continue to monitor updates from the WCHA and the U. regarding schedule changes. The Gophers are now set to return to action next weekend with a home-and-home series against St. Cloud State, starting January 9 at Ridder Arena at 4:07 p.m. and continuing January 10 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud (time TBA).
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Gopher alumnae and professional news...
NWHL announces TV coverage for Isobel Cup Playoffs, additional Lake Placid news – News continues to come from the National Women's Hockey League regarding their abbreviated "bubble season" in Lake Placid, NY, which runs between January 23 & February 5. The league announced that NBC Sports Network will provide television coverage of the Isobel Cup semifinals on Feb. 4 and the Championship on Feb. 5. They also announced a partnership with Yale University to provide COVID-19 testing for all six member teams, and that the season will have an all-female officiating staff courtesy of help and guidance from USA Hockey.
The Minnesota Whitecaps feature Gopher alumnae Winny (Brodt) Brown, Amanda Leveille, Meghan Lorence, and Chelsey (Brodt) Rosenthal, plus co-head coach Ronda Engelhardt and assistant coach Laura Slominski.
Seven (7) Gopher alumnae named to PWHPA select team to play in USPHL bubble – Meanwhile, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) announced the creation of a 24-player Select Team which will participate in the U.S. Premier Hockey League's “Hub City Tampa” from January 4 through 18. The PWHPA Selects will play exhibition games against USPHL teams from its Tier-2 National Collegiate Development Conference, plus take part in on-ice practice sessions and off-ice training.
The PWHPA Select Team was chosen from the organization's Minnesota and New Hampshire regional training hubs, and includes Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Nicole Schammel, Kelly Pannek, Hannah Brandt, Gigi Marvin, Dani Cameranesi, Amanda Kessel, and Lee Stecklein.
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Around the WCHA...
Last action – Minnesota State took 4 of 6 standings points in its series against Bemidji State in Mankato on December 17 & 18. The two teams traded goals through the first 40 minutes of the opener, then played a scoreless 3rd stanza and overtime to finish in a 2-2 tie; BSU took the third standings point for the game when Kara Werth netted the only goal in a four-round shootout. In the rematch, the Mavericks held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes and the Beavers took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission, but MSU tallied three 3rd-period goals to win 5-3. In the series, Paige Beebe (BSU) and Jamie Nelson (MSU) each recorded 2 goals and an assist, Ellie Moser (BSU) scored twice, and Anna Wilgren (MSU) added a goal and two assists.
Upcoming games – Bemidji State and Minnesota State both had short holiday breaks with only a single weekend off. The Beavers resume play with a road trip to Columbus to face Ohio State tomorrow and Saturday, January 1 & 2. The Mavericks host Wisconsin on Saturday and Sunday, January 2 & 3. St. Cloud State's lengthy break continues, as they are idle this weekend.
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Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at www.gophersports.com. You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on Twitter at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.