The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, November 1st
Goals for a Goal: Gophers reach 30 goal, 10 PPG marks
The Gopher Women's Hockey team continues to light the lamp in the 2023-2024 season! Through seven games, the team has hit the 30-goal mark, with 10 of those coming on the power play. You can help us convert those goals into donations back to the team by registering for the Goals for a Goal program. Pledge a dollar amount for every goal the Gophers score during the regular season and postseason, with the option to double your pledge for power play goals.
Goals for a Goal pledges can be submitted electronically through this online form. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!
Enroll in the Power Play Club for 2023-2024!!
We want you to join us in supporting the Gopher Women's Hockey team as a member of the Power Play Club! Don't miss out on our three exclusive Chalk Talks with the coaching staff and our behind-the-scenes tour of Ridder Arena. You'll also be contributing to our fundraising for the program through your tax-deductible enrollment donation.
Time is starting to run short for the opportunity to sponsor a player’s or coach’s locker for the season! With a minimum of $600 donation, you can become a locker sponsor-level member, getting a plaque with your name affixed to a player's or coach's locker, a photo of you with that player or coach, and a special meal with the team. If you wish to sponsor a locker, please contact Rennie McPherson (before donating) at susanmcp58@gmail.com.
Registration also remains open for our basic membership tier, which includes up to two adults and any children at same address and requires a minimum donation of $50. Online registration is preferred at bit.ly/GWH_PPC_2324; 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".
#4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-2-0, 3-2-0 WCHA)
vs.
Minnesota State University Mavericks (2-6-0, 0-6-0 WCHA)
Friday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. – Ridder Arena
Saturday, November 4 at 4:00 p.m. - Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center – Mankato
The Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to the state of Minnesota for a home-and-home series against the Minnesota State University Mavericks. The series begins at Ridder Arena this Friday, November 3, at 6:00 p.m. before relocating to the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato for the rematch on Saturday, November 4, at 4:00 p.m.
Game coverage – Saturday's contest will be televised in the Twin Cities area on Fox 9+; you can find a channel guide here. Video from both games will be streamed on the B1G+ subscription service. As always, free audio play-by-play is available on GopherSports.com for both Friday and Saturday, starting roughly 20 minutes before each contest.
Last season against Minnesota State – The Gophers scored early and often against the Mavericks in their first two-game series last season, winning 11-0 in Mankato and 9-4 at Ridder Arena in October 2022. The Maroon & Gold only netted half as many goals in the rematch seven weeks later, but completed the season sweep with victories of 4-1 at Ridder and 6-0 in Mankato. Grace Zumwinkle led the Gophers with 12 points across the four meetings, lighting the lamp 4 times – including a hat trick in the first game – and dishing out 8 assists. Abbey Murphy found the back of the net 5 times and added 3 assists, while Taylor Heise tallied 3 goals & 5 assists. Abby Boreen (4g, 2a) and Ella Huber (2g, 4a) each recorded 6 points, and Josefin Bouveng netted a hat trick in the second of the four games. Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter allowed only 1 goal on 58 shots in over 3 games of action, resulting in a miniscule 0.31 goals-against average and .983 save percentage; Makayla Pahl started the second contest and made 18 saves but exited early after yielding four goals. Alexis Paddington scored twice and recorded an assist for MSU, while Kennedy Bobyck added a goal & an assist. Lauren Barbro started both games of the first series, making 69 saves in 91 minutes of action but getting roughed up for 15 goals against (.821 SV%; 9.82 GAA), while Alexa Berg stopped 98 shots but yielded the other 15 goals in just under 2½ games (.867 SV%, 6.07 GAA).
Analyzing the Mavericks – Minnesota State reached the 30-point mark in the 2022-2023 WCHA standings with a 9-18-1-0 (0-2 in OT) conference record but still finished sixth. They went 6-0-0 in regular-season non-conference play but were swept by Wisconsin in the league quarterfinals to see their year end with a 15-20-1 overall mark. Starting 2023-2024, they are one of three teams to not record a point after six conference contests, though they swept Sacred Heart in their opening weekend.
Senior Jamie Nelson (#10) finished as MSU's top scorer last season with 27 points on 5 goals and 22 assists despite appearing in only 29 of their 36 games; she is atop the team's scoresheet so far this season with 5 goals & 3 assists for 8 points. Fellow senior Madison Mashuga (#22) scored 10 goals with 12 assists for 22 points a year ago; she has 2 goals & 2 assists to open 2023-2024. A third senior, Sydney Langseth (#3), has 7 assists in the team's first 8 games this year, while sophomores Taylor Otremba (#24; 3g, 3a) and Whitney Tuttle (#7; 2g, 4a) each have 6 points.
Between the pipes, Lauren Barbro (#37) is back for her senior season after going 7-10-0 with 2 shutouts as a junior, posting a 2.98 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage; she's 1-3-0 this year with a shutout, a 3.35 GAA and an .887 SV%. Junior Suzette Faucher (#31) joined the Mavericks this year after two seasons playing for Franklin Pierce; in four starts plus a relief appearance, she's also 1-3-0 with a 3.50 GAA and an .878 SV%. Freshman Hailey Hansen (#33) saw one period of action three weekends ago at Wisconsin, stopping 12 of 14 shots.
Last weekend for Minnesota State – Facing St. Cloud State, Kennedy Bobyck lit the lamp for the Mavericks just 44 seconds into the series in Mankato. However, that would be all the scoring MSU would get as Huskies goaltender Sanni Ahola finished with 14 saves on Friday and Jojo Chobak posted a 26-save shutout on Saturday. Grace Wolfe found the back of the net twice for SCSU, Emma Gentry & Taylor Lind each added a goal and an assist, and they swept the Mavericks by scores of 3-1 & 2-0. Lauren Barbro stopped 28 shots and Suzette Faucher made 24 saves for MSU.
Gophers earn one point in Columbus – Josefin Bouveng posted a 5-point series and the trio of Ella Huber, Nelli Laitinen, and Abbey Murphy each added 2 goals & 2 assists as Minnesota went on the road against Ohio State. Unfortunately, the Gophers came home with only one point in the WCHA standings, falling 4-3 in overtime and 6-5. The Buckeyes' Jenn Gardiner took WCHA Forward of the Week honors for her 3-goal, 3-assist weekend, and Hannah Bilka added a goal and 3 helpers. Jocelyn Amos was named Rookie of the Week with 2 goals and an assist. Skylar Vetter was between the pipes for the Gophers in both games, stopping a career high 47 shots on Friday and making another 46 saves on Saturday but yielding 10 goals. Raygan Kirk made 25 saves for OSU on Friday and Amanda Thiele stopped 23 shots Saturday.
Laitinen named Defender of the Week
With her first career multi-goal game Saturday against Ohio State and four total points (2g, 2a) over the weekend, Gopher Women's Hockey sophomore Nelli Laitinen was named WCHA Defender of the Week!! Her four points also marked a career high for a series. Congratulations, Nelli!!
Around the WCHA
Minnesota Duluth earns sweep at Bemidji State – Beavers netminder Abbie Thompson stopped the first 39 shots she faced Friday and Taylor Nelson gave her a 1-0 lead early in the second period. However, Clara Van Wieren knotted score for UMD with 5:11 to play and former BSU forward Reece Hunt lit the lamp with 2:18 left for a 2-1 Bulldogs victory; Thompson finished with 42 saves. Van Wieren scored twice more on Saturday and Ève Gascon stopped all 21 shots she faced in a 6-0 UMD shutout and the weekend sweep.
Wisconsin stays perfect with sweep of St. Thomas – The Tommies erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits against the Badgers on Friday with goals by Nicole Vallerio, Ellah Hause, and Abby Promersberger to knot the score 3-3 in the second period, but Anna Wilgren lit the lamp for Wisconsin with 1:14 left before the intermission and Britta Curl added a third-period power-play insurance goal for a 5-3 win. Curl netted her second goal of the weekend and Ava McNaughton stopped all 17 shots she faced in a 3-0 UW shutout and the sweep. Kirsten Simms led the Badgers with 2 goals & 3 assists, while Casey O'Brien tallied a goal & 4 helpers. Calla Frank made 39 saves for UST in Saturday's contest.
Upcoming games – Conference action continues for all eight member teams on Friday and Saturday. St. Cloud State will host Wisconsin in a matinee series, with Saturday's 1 p.m. game televised on Fox 9+. Meanwhile, St. Thomas will visit Minnesota Duluth and Ohio State will make the long trip to face Bemidji State.
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