The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, November 30th
Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.
Our Brunch with the Coaches event returns for 2022-2023 when we welcome former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost on Saturday, January 14, at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. We hope you can join us for a great meal as we hear from Coach Johnson on his experiences leading the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team and transitioning the Tommies to a Division I program, along with balancing both at the same time. Tickets are $30 per person. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club" to the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse on December 2 or 9, or by mail to the address listed.
Goals for a Goal 2022-2023: Make Your Pledge Today!
With the season a little over two months old, the Gopher Women's Hockey team has recorded 65 goals in 15 games, including converting 12 power-play opportunities. We again ask for your support helping to fund updates and improvements to Ridder Arena through our Goals for a Goal program, pledging to convert each goal scored throughout the regular season and postseason into a donation for the program, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.
To make a pledge, fill out this online form (preferred) or download the PDF version, print it, and mail it in to the listed address. After the postseason, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions. All contributions are tax-deductible donations to the Golden Gopher Fund.
#5/5 Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-3-2, 9-1-2 in WCHA)
vs.
Minnesota State University Mavericks (7-7-0, 5-7-0 WCHA)
Friday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena
Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m. - Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato
After a holiday trip to the greater Las Vegas area and a split of their non-conference games last weekend, the Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to Minnesota and to WCHA play, facing the Minnesota State University Mavericks in a home-and-home series. Action begins at Ridder Arena on Friday evening, December 2, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. The teams then head to Mankato for the rematch at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center on Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Traffic advisory on Friday – Please allow for extra vehicular and pedestrian traffic on campus at the U. on Friday. Gopher Volleyball hosts First & Second Round matches of the NCAA Tournament at Maturi Pavilion (the match between Florida State and Northern Iowa begins at 4:30 p.m.) and both Gopher Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving hosts the Minnesota Invitational at Freeman Aquatic Center (with the evening session beginning at 6:00 p.m.).
Television coverage Saturday – Saturday's game will be broadcast live in the Twin Cities area on FOX9+. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here.
Last time against Minnesota State – Playing the Mavericks less than two months ago, the Gophers posted their highest single-series output in 23 years, lighting the lamp 20 times in wins of 11-0 in Mankato & 9-4 at Ridder Arena. Grace Zumwinkle tallied a hat trick plus an assist on Friday and added another goal & 2 assists on Saturday for a 7-point series, Josefin Bouveng dished out a pair of assists Friday and followed it with a hat trick on Saturday, and Abbey Murphy recorded 6 points on 3 goals & 3 assists. Emily Oden also had a four-point series, dishing out four helpers. Skylar Vetter earned the shutout in Mankato with 17 saves; Makalya Pahl earned the win at Ridder but exited early after MSU's fourth goal, making 18 saves, with Vetter playing the last 16-1/2 minutes with two more saves. Alexis Paddington scored twice for the Mavericks.
About the Mavericks – Thanks to the unbalanced schedule, Minnesota State sits fourth in the WCHA standings with 16 points on a 5-7-0 conference record (with one of their losses coming in OT). That said, their five league wins have come in a four-game season sweep of St. Thomas and a win over Bemidji State, and their two non-conference victories – bringing their overall mark to 7-7-0 – came against Sacred Heart. But, outside of their two losses to the Gophers, MSU has outscored their other opponents 29-17.
Junior Jamie Nelson (#10) is averaging better than a point-per-game, holding the Mavericks' assist lead with 10 while scoring 4 times herself for 14 points. Senior Claire Butorac (#7; 3g, 6a) and junior Madison Mashuga (#22; 2g, 7a) each have 9 points. Freshman Taylor Otremba (#24) has a team-high 5 goals plus 3 assists, joining senior Brooke Bryant (#17; 2g, 6a) with 8 points each.
Junior Lauren Barbro (#37) has started 8 of Minnesota State's 14 games; she has a 3-5-0 record with one shutout, a 3.08 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Senior Alexa Berg (#1) started the other 6 contests plus made a relief appearance, posting a 4-2-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.17 GAA and a .917 SV%. Senior Calla Frank (#77) and junior Emerald Kelley (#55) remain on the roster but have not seeing any playing time this season.
Last action for Minnesota State – The Mavericks were idle last weekend. Playing with a short bench due to injuries & illnesses two weekends ago, MSU swept their home-and-home series against St. Thomas, 3-1 & 2-0, with only 17 skaters in the first contest and 14 in the second. Taylor Otremba scored in each game, Jamie Nelson tallied a goal and two assists, and Alexa Berg stopped all 27 shots she faced in Sunday's contest. Maija Almich netted the lone goal for the Tommies.
Gophers defeat Penn State, fall to Yale in Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase – Playing in a neutral-site Thanksgiving weekend tournament for the third time in four seasons, the Minnesota Women's Hockey team blitzed Penn State for 4 first-period goals to defeat Penn State 5-1 in the opening game of Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase in southern Nevada. However, the Gophers were on the wrong end of a four-goal first-period outburst by Yale in the championship game, falling 4-3.
Madison Kaiser, Taylor Heise, Peyton Hemp, and Grace Zumwinkle put the Gophers up 4-0 on the Nittany Lions after 20 minutes. Courtney Correia got Penn State on the board in the second stanza, but Minnesota killed off a major penalty later on and Ella Huber added an insurance goal in the third frame. PSU goaltender Josie Bothun made 31 saves; Skylar Vetter made 9 saves over the first 31 minutes, and Makalya Pahl stopped 17 shots in nearly 29 minutes of relief.
Yale's Rebecca Vanstone lit the lamp just 1:38 into Saturday's game. A flurry of goals followed midway through the first period; Hemp knotted the score for the Gophers and Huber put them ahead just 35 seconds later, but Emma Seitz evened things up for the Bulldogs just 10 seconds after that. Yale then struck twice more in the final minute of the period as Jordan Ray & Claire Dalton scored just 12 seconds apart for a 4-2 lead at the first intermission. That was all for Vetter, who left after making 8 saves. Minnesota got a glimpse of hope when Huber netted her second goal of the game and third of the weekend on a power play 4:09 into the second period, but the Gophers couldn't put another puck by Bulldogs goaltender Pia Dukaric, who made 29 saves in total. Pahl made 7 saves in her two-period appearance.
For the weekend, Huber tallied 4 points, adding an assist to her three goals. Hemp also had an assist to go with her two goals for a three-point weekend, while Kaiser added an assist to her goal. Vetter also recorded her first collegiate assist, coming on Zumwinkle's goal against Penn State.
Kaiser earns Rookie of the Week recognition
Gopher Women's Hockey freshman forward Madison Kaiser was honored Monday as the WCHA Rookie of the Week following her two-point (1 goal, 1 assist) performance in the Henderson Collegiate Hockey Showcase. She also posted a +2 plus-minus rating in the two games. Kaiser becomes the first Gopher freshman to earn weekly recognition from the league this season.
Congratulations, Madison!!
Around the WCHA...
Buckeyes get tie, win against Colgate – Playing a non-conference series before the holiday, Ohio State had to settle for a 4-4 tie against the Colgate last Tuesday due to a 48-save performance from Raiders goaltender Kayle Osborne and a game-tying goal Kristýna Kaltounková with 5:31 left in regulation. However the Buckeyes rebounded with a 6-2 victory over the Raiders on Wednesday. Jennifer Gardiner led OSU with 5 points on a goal & 4 assists, while Gabby Rosenthal added two goals & two assists and Sophie Jaques & Jenna Buglioni each tallied two goals and an assist. Danielle Serdachny recorded two goals and two assists for Colgate.
Huskies earn road sweep at Lindenwood – Jenniina Nylund tallied 3 goals & 3 assists and Taylor Lind added 3 goals and 2 assists for St. Cloud State as they swept Lindenwood on the road, 7-2 & 4-2. Morgan Neitzke scored twice for the Lions.
Beavers fall to Quinnipiac, defeat Sacred Heart – Playing in the Nutmeg Classic in Hamden, Connecticut, Bemidji State fell 5-0 in the semifinals to host Quinnipiac; Bobcats goaltender Catie Boudiette posted the 18-save shutout and Maya Labad recorded 2 goals and an assist. However, four different Beavers scored in a 4-1 victory over Sacred Heart in the consolation game despite 46 saves from Pioneers goaltender Carly Greene. BSU netminder Hannah Hogenson stopped a combined 49 shots in the two contests.
Upcoming games – All eight WCHA teams are in action in a full slate of league contests, with Friday & Saturday matinees in the other three series. St. Thomas and St. Cloud State play home-and-home starting in St. Cloud, Minnesota Duluth hosts Ohio State, and Wisconsin travels to Bemidji State.
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