Gophers reach historic 700th win with sweep of Bemidji State
The University of Minnesota Women's Hockey Team earned the 699th and 700th victories in its history, defeating the Bemidji State University Beavers 5-2 and 3-2 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji.
The Gophers recorded the first 19 shots on goal in Friday's contest and took a 1-0 lead on an unassisted tally by Amy Potomak. The Beavers evened the score when their first shot on goal off the stick of Paige Beebe found the back of the net, but Potomak responded less than two minutes later and Audrey Wethington gave the Gophers a two-goal lead 81 seconds after that. Following a scoreless second stanza, Abigail Boreen extended Minnesota's lead to 4-1 four minutes into the third frame, and Ella Huber pushed it to 5-1 with 3:38 to play. Lydia Passolt scored for Bemidji State 33 seconds later, but the Beavers got no closer. Skylar Vetter earned her first collegiate victory with 21 saves, while BSU's Hannah Hogenson stopped 52 shots.
Minnesota took a very early lead in the rematch on Saturday when Boreen lit the lamp just 49 seconds into the contest. The teams then traded power-play goals later in the first, with Clair Vekich tying the score for the Beavers before Huber reestablished a Gopher lead, 2-1. Peyton Hemp tallied in the second period to put Minnesota up 3-1. Bemidji State kept things close and pulled within one when Greyson Myers scored with 5:53 to play, but the Gopher defense tightened as well and held on for the victory. Lauren Bench, playing in her final Sandford Center game, stopped 25 shots for the win, while Hogenson made another 33 saves.
Taylor Heise led all players with 4 points, dishing out a pair of assists in each game. Hemp recorded two assists on Friday before her goal on Saturday, and Emily Oden had 3 assists in the series. Myers also posted a 3-point series for the Beavers, with two assists Friday before lighting the lamp Saturday.
Hemp earns monthly conference honor for October
Freshman forward Peyton Hemp was named WCHA Rookie of the Month for October, as announced by the conference yesterday.
Hemp is tied for second on the team with 11 points, coming on 3 goals – including two gamewinners – and 8 assists. She is also tied for the Gophers' lead in plus-minus rating with a +10.
The award is the first conference honor of Hemp's collegiate career. Congratulations, Peyton!!
GWH alumnae Brodt sisters re-sign with Whitecaps for '21-22
Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Winny Brodt Brown and Chelsey (Brodt) Rosenthal re-signed with the Minnesota Whitecaps in the Premier Hockey Federation for the 2021-2022 season on Monday.
Both sisters have been members of the Whitecaps since 2007, and the upcoming year marks Winny's 18th and Chelsey's 15th playing professionally. Each has 7 points in the franchise's three seasons in the PHF, with Winny recording a goal and 6 assists and Chelsey dishing out 7 helpers.
The duo are the 5th and 6th Gophers to sign with the Whitecaps for the upcoming campaign, joining Patti Marshall, Alex Woken, Nicole Schammel, and Meghan Lorence. The 'Caps open the season on the road at Boston this Saturday, November 6 at 6 p.m. CT, with the rematch Sunday, November 7, at Noon CT; both games will be streamed live on Twitch.
Around the WCHA...
Recent action – St. Thomas recorded its first series sweep as a Division I program, defeating RIT 3-1 and 2-1 in non-conference play. Nicole Vallario scored the gamewinner and an insurance goal on Friday, while Abby Promersberger and Allie Monrean each added a goal and an assist in the series.
Sophie Jacques tallied 3 goals and 2 assists, Jennifer Gardiner added 2 goals and 3 assists, and Paetyn Levis lit the lamp 4 times as Ohio State steamrolled St. Cloud State, 5-2 and 10-1.
Makenna Webster's hot hand continued for Wisconsin, as she recorded 4 goals and an assist – including a natural hat trick on Saturday – in the Badgers' 2-1 and 6-2 sweep of Minnesota State. Brooke Bryant tallied a goal and two assists for the Mavericks.
Upcoming games – Two series start Friday evening and continue Saturday afternoon, as St. Thomas hosts Ohio State and Minnesota State visits St. Cloud State. Meanwhile, Bemidji State heads to Madison to face Wisconsin on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Minnesota Duluth is idle for the second of three-straight weekends.
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