Two Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Editor's Note: With the Gopher Women's Hockey team having a bye this coming weekend, we're taking a cue from the staff at the U. and focusing this message on the Gopher alumni playing professionally. Enjoy!!
Our next regular edition of the Penalty Box Post will be published later this week.
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Potomak sisters invited to Hockey Canada's January camp
Sarah among the 35 participants in Calgary through remainder of month
The Potomak sisters – Sarah (pictured) and Amy – were among 47 invitees to Hockey Canada's BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp, being held in Calgary now through January 30. Sarah is one of 35 camp attendees, as Amy and 11 others are unable to participate due to collegiate commitments or other reasons.
The full invitee list from Hockey Canada can be found here.
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NWHL, Whitecaps 'bubble season' starts this Saturday (Jan. 23)
The National Women's Hockey League released it's regular-season and Isobol Cup Playoff schedule for the 'bubble season' being played at 1980 Rink-Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.
All six league teams will begin action this Saturday, January 23. The Minnesota Whitecaps, including Gopher alumnae Winny Brodt Brown, Amanda Leveille, Meghan Lorence, and Chelsey Brodt Rosenthal, open their schedule at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT that afternoon against the Boston Pride, then play again on Sunday, January 24, at 1 pm ET / Noon CT against the expansion Toronto Six.
The abbreviated schedule, with only 15 games in total and a round-robin format among the six squads, concludes on Saturday, January 30. Teams will be ranked for two additional seeding games between Sunday, January 31, and Wednesday, February 3. Those games will apply to overall records, teams will be reseeded, and the top 4 will play in the Isobel Cup Semifinals on Thursday, February 4, with the Championship Game on Friday, Feburary 5.
Details of video coverage of the games in Lake Placid are to be announced, but the league's partnership with Twitch is expected to continue. The league announced in December that NBCSN will televise the Isobel Cup Semifinals & Championship.
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Gopher alumnae make impact with PWHPA 'All-Stars' in Tampa
The 'all-star' team of Professional Women's Hockey Players Association members from the Minnesota and New Hampshire Regions completed its schedule of exhibition games against junior teams from the U.S. Premier Hockey League at that league's bubble site in Tampa, Florida, going 2-3-1 (W-L-OTL) in six contests.
Several Gopher alumnae contributed to the PWHPA team's offense. Kelly Pannek lit the lamp 3 times, all coming in the two games against the Boston Jr. Bruins and Utica Jr. Comets, following an earlier assist. Dani Cameranesi also recorded 4 points on a goal and 3 assists, Amanda Kessel added a goal and two assists, Gigi Marvin & Lee Stecklein each dished out two helpers, and Nicole Schammel found the back of the net in the team's opener. Hannah Brandt played in all five games but did not score.
Recaps of all six games are available from The Women's Hockey Tribune. Box scores from the five games against teams in the USPHL's National Collegiate Development Conference are available here.
We await additional news from the PWHPA regarding plans for the Secret® Dream Gap Tour and the Secret® Cup, involving teams from all five regional training hubs.
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Gophers playing in Europe and Asia...
Competing in the Frauen-Bundesliga with Mad Dogs Mannheim in Germany, recent Gopher alumna Alex Woken has made an immediate impact, leading the team in all three scoring categories with 13 goals, 8 assists, and 21 points in 17 games. The Mad Dogs are currently fourth in the league with a 9-0-0-8 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.
Patti Marshall has seen limited playing time in her first season with Brynäs IF in the Swedish Women's Hockey League, appearing in only 9 of the team's 29 games. However, Marshall has made the most of her opportunities, recording 11 points on 5 goals and 6 assists. The team is currently 2nd in the league standings with a 24-0-1-4 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.
Across the border in Turku, Finland, Katie Robinson has played in 16 of the 22 games for her pro club, TPS, in the Naisten Liiga (Women's League). Robinson has lit the lamp 3 times and dished out 10 assists for 13 points. TPS is currently sixth in their league with a 10-1-2-9 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, but they have clinched a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, Megan Bozek & Noora Räty continue to play with the Shenzhen, China-based KRS Vanke Rays in the Russian WHL, after winning the league championship last March. Bozek has appeared in all 14 games for the Vanke Rays this season, recording 13 points on 6 goals and 7 assists, with a +16 plus-minus rating. Räty has a 3-1 record in four games, stopping 74 of the 82 shots she's faced for a 2.44 goals-against average and .902 save percentage. The Vanke Rays are 3rd in the WHL with 35 standings points on an 11-1-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, but they are within striking distance of the top two teams, holding 4 games in hand over both along with being only roughly halfway through their schedule.
(All stats and team records through Sunday, January 17.)
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