The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, February 22nd
PPC All-Member Meeting – Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m.
Here's another reminder that the annual Power Play Club All-Member Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. This will be an online meeting on Zoom, with the link to be shared shortly before the meeting date. The primary agenda item will be the election of members to the club's Board of Directors, though there will also be time for providing thoughts and feedback as we continually strive for improvement and look forward to the 2023-2024 season.
Goals for a Goal: Gophers enter postseason with 152 goals!
The math checks out. For the second-straight year, the Gopher Women's Hockey lit the lamp 152 times during the regular season, though this year's total includes 30 power play conversions!!
We thank everyone who has pledged in our Goals for a Goal program, converting each of those goals into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements. Our counting is not complete, as goals scored during the post-season will be included in the final total. We also continue to accept new pledges, with the option to double the per-goal amount for power play tallies. 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!
WCHA First Round / Quarterfinals – Best 2 out of 3 games
#2-seed Minnesota Golden Gophers (25-5-3, 22-3-3-1 WCHA)
vs. #7-seed St. Thomas Tommies (8-25-1, 3-24-1-1 WCHA)
Friday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 26 at 2:00 p.m. (if necessary)
Ridder Arena
For the second-consecutive year, the Gopher Women's Hockey team will open the WCHA playoffs against the University of St. Thomas Tommies after having just faced them to conclude the regular season. The best two-out-of-three-game quarterfinal series at Ridder Arena starts Friday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m., then continues Saturday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m. and (if necessary) Sunday, February 26 at 2:00 p.m.
Ticket information – Season ticket holders should have received tickets for the quarterfinal series as part of their plan, and should contact the U. of M. ticket office at 1-800-U-GOPHER with any questions or concerns. Single-game tickets for Friday's and Saturday's games are available for purchase here. If a Game 3 on Sunday is necessary, tickets will be made available at the conclusion of Saturday's contest.
Recap: Gophers finish regular season with sweep of Tommies – UST netminder Saskia Maurer earned WCHA Goaltender of the Week award by making 53 saves, 50 in regulation, to force overtime on Friday, but Abbey Murphy scored 2:17 into the extra period to give Minnesota the 2-1 OT victory. Nicole Vallerio lit the lamp for the first time this season to put the Tommies up 1-0 in the third period, but Taylor Heise knotted the score 57 seconds later.
Abigail Boreen lit the lamp twice in Saturday's rematch, netting the game-winning goal. Heise (PP) and Murphy each tallied their second goal of the weekend as well, winning 4-2 despite having St. Thomas score a pair of goals off Gopher defenders. Alexa Dobchuk made 55 saves for the Tommies.
Skylar Vetter stopped 42 of 45 shots between the pipes for the Gophers, and also earned an offensive assist on Saturday on Heise's goal. Nelli Laitinen dished out 3 assists in the series, while Emily Oden recorded 2 helpers.
Tommies analysis update – Sophomore Maddie Clough (#2) remains the St. Thomas' leading scorer, dishing out her 7th assist this season to go with 6 goals of her own for 13 points. Graduate student Anna Solheim (#19) added her 4th goal to accompany her team-high 8 assists for 12 points. Gabby Billing (#18) remains at 10 points, tallying 5 goals & 5 assists, while senior Maija Almich (#5) still has a team-leading 8 goals plus an assist for 9 points.
Both sophomore Saskia Maurer (#29) and senior Alexa Dobchuk (#30) saw their season-long goals-against averages and save percentages improve slightly. Maurer is now 5-13-1 with 3 shutouts in 19 starts, posting a 2.92 goals-against average & .917 save percentage. Dobchuk has a 2-11-0 record this season, with a 4.43 GAA & .894 SV%. Freshman Maggie Malecha (#33) remains 1-1-0 in two starts and 3 relief appearances, with a 2.67 GAA and .924 SV%.
Grace Zumwinkle joins GWH 200-point club!!
With an assist last Friday night against St. Thomas, fifth-year forward Grace Zumwinkle became the tenth player in Gopher Women's Hockey program history to reach the career 200-point mark, coming on 106 goals and 94 assists!! Congratulations, Grace!!
Rivalry Series – Canada defeats U.S. in Game 6; Game 7 is tonight! (Wednesday, Feb 22)
Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Kelly Pannek lit the lamp for the U.S. Women's National Team, but Brianne Jenner tallied a goal & two assists and Marie-Philip Poulin netted a goal for her 200th point with the Canada Women's National Team as they defeated the Americans, 5-1, on Monday night (USA Hockey recap / Hockey Canada recap).
The Canadian win knotted the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series at three games apiece, with the Game 7 finale tonight (Wednesday, Feb. 22) in Laval, Quebec. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT, with live television coverage on NHL Network.
Four incoming Gophers honored for H.S. senior year play
We send a shout-out to four members of the Gopher Women's Hockey freshman class of 2023-2024 who have been recognized for their senior year performances with their respective high school teams!
Lauren O'Hara (Centennial/Spring Lake Park) was named as one of five Minnesota Ms. Hockey finalists by Let's Play Hockey and East Metro Player of the Year by the Pioneer Press. O'Hara has 35 goals and 20 assists in 28 games, leading the team to Section 5AA Championship and a state tournament appearance.
Ava Lindsay (Minnetonka) was named Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year, posting 41 points for the Section 2AA champion Skippers on 23 goals and 18 assists in 23 games. Joining Lindsay on the Star Tribune's All-Metro First Team are Isa Goettl of (Andover; 27 games, 22g-44a-66pts) and Josie Hemp (Minnetonka; 27 games, 9g-29a-38pts).
Around the WCHA...
Buckeyes claim WCHA title with 4 points at Wisconsin – Jesse Compher tallied two goals & an assist, and Casey O'Brien added a goal & an assist as the Badgers took a 4-0 lead after the first period on Friday, but Ohio State came back with two goals each from Jenn Gardiner & Emma Maltais, sending the game to overtime tied 5-5; however, Gardiner was whistled for covering the puck in her own crease in OT, and Kirsten Simms scored on the resulting penalty shot for the 6-5 Wisconsin victory. After two scoreless periods to open Saturday's rematch, Lalya Edwards put the Badgers ahead 7:17 into the third stanza, but Maltais knotted the score on a power play with 4:17 to play, Madison Bizal put the Buckeyes ahead with 55.5 seconds remaining, and Bizal added an insurance goal on another power play 30 seconds later for a 3-1 victory, clinching the Ohio State's first WCHA Regular-Season Championship and the Julianne Bye Cup.
Bulldogs sweep Beavers in Bemidji – Gabbie Hughes recorded a goal & 5 assists, Ashton Bell added a goal & 3 assists, Maggie Flaherty dished out 4 helpers, and Naomi Rogge tallied two goals and an assist as Minnesota Duluth swept Bemidji State at the Sanford Center, 6-0 and 5-1. Reece Hunt scored for the Beavers. Emma Soderberg claimed UMD's career shutout record on Friday, earning her 21st with a 12-save performance.
Huskies sweep Mavericks on home ice – Taylor Lind recorded a goal & 5 assists, Courtney Hall and Addi Scribner each lit the lamp three times, and Klára Hymlárová added two goals & an assist as St. Cloud State swept Minnesota State 6-3 and 5-2 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Jamie Nelson and Alexis Paddington each tallied a goal & two assists for MSU.
Final regular-season standings:
1. Ohio State – 70 points (.857 pts%), 23-4-1-1, 3-2 in OT (28-4-2 overall)
2. Minnesota – 68 points (.810 pts%), 22-3-3-1, 2-0 in OT (25-5-3 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 60 points (.726 pts%), 19-7-2-1, 2-2 in OT (23-9-2 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 54 points (.690 pts%), 17-8-3-2, 4-2 in OT (23-8-3 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 36 points (.429 pts%), 11-16-1-0, 0-2 in OT (18-16-1 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 30 points (.357 pts%), 9-18-1-0, 0-2 in OT (15-18-1 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 12 points (.143 pts%), 3-24-1-1, 0-1 in OT (8-25-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 6 points (.071 pts%), 2-26-0-0, 0-0 in OT (5-28-1 overall)
Other WCHA Quarterfinal Pairings...
Best 2-out-of-3 / Friday, Saturday, and (if necessary) Sunday, February 24-26
#5-seed St. Cloud State University at #4-seed University of Minnesota Duluth
Friday at 3:00 p.m. CT / Saturday at 5:00 p.m. CT / Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT
#8-seed Bemidji State University at #1-seed Ohio State University
Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET / Saturday & Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET
#6-seed Minnesota State University at #3-seed University of Wisconsin
Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT / Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT / Sunday at 3:30 p.m. CT
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