February 16, 2023

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Thursday, February 16, 2023

February 16, 2023

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit
Thursday, February 16th

Following Tuesday's announcement of their All-Academic Team, the WCHA named 89 players as 2022-2023 Scholar-Athletes yesterday. Included in that list were Gopher Women's Hockey's Peyton Hemp, Olivia King, Maggie Nicholson, Emily Oden, Gracie Ostertag, Catie Skaja, Skylar Vetter, Audrey Wethington, Madeline Wethington, and Grace Zumwinkle.

We give a special shout-out to Ostertag, who was honored for the fourth time! Additionally, King, Oden, Skaja and Madeline Wethington were recognized as three-time honorees.

As noted in the announcement, WCHA Scholar-Athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade point average of at least a 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for their previous two semesters or three quarters. Student-athletes may also qualify if their overall GPA is at least a 3.50 for all terms at their present institution.

Congratulations, ladies!! Keep up the great work!!

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Follow the Gopher women's hockey team and all Univ. of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics at gophersports.com. You can also find the Gopher women's hockey team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GopherWomensHockey and on Twitter at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Power Play Club

February 16, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Power Play Club

February 16, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, February 15th

PPC All-Member Meeting – Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE!! 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 – Count climbs to 146 goals

Entering the final weekend of the 2022-2023 regular season, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 146 times – including 29 power play conversions!!

As the playoffs loom, we provide a reminder that goals scored during the post-season will be included in the count for our Goals for a Goal program, converting each of those goals into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements. We thanks everyone who has pledged so far and we 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!!

Regular Season Finale!
#4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (23-5-3, 20-3-3-1 WCHA)
at University of St. Thomas Tommies (8-23-1, 3-22-1-1 WCHA)

Friday and Saturday, February 17 & 18 - Both games at 6:00 p.m.
St. Thomas Ice Arena, Mendota Heights

The Gopher Women's Hockey team concludes the 2022-2023 regular season with a trip across town for a road series against the Univerity of St. Thomas Tommies. The teams square off at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights on Friday and Saturday, February 17 & 18, with both games at 6:00 p.m.

Television coverage – Saturday's game will be televised on FOX 9+ in the Twin Cities. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here. Both games will also have video streaming available on the B1G+ subscription service.

Last time against St. Thomas – Seven different Gopher Women's Hockey players lit the lamp and Skylar Vetter stopped 28 of the 29 shots she faced as Minnesota swept St. Thomas five weeks ago at Ridder Arena, 5-0 & 4-1. In the opener, Grace Zumwinkle netted two first-period goals, Abbey Murphy recorded 3 points on a goal & two assists, Nelli Laitinen dished out two helpers, and Peyton Hemp & Josefin Bouveng also found the back of the net. Also having recorded an assist on Friday, Taylor Heise tallied the game-winning goal and two helpers in the rematch, hitting the 200 career points mark. Abigail Boreen lit the lamp twice and Ella Huber also scored. For the Tommies, Maddy Clough netted the lone goal while Alexa Dobchuk made 41 saves Friday and Saskia Maurer stopped 38 shots Saturday.

Analyzing the Tommies – Coming to the close of their second season at the Division I level, St. Thomas has racked up 8 overall wins, including sweeps of Lindenwood, RIT, and Bemidji State. They currently sit seventh in the conference standings after winning a third game over the Beavers and also earning a tie and shootout win against UMD back in December.

Sophomore defender Maddie Clough (#2) is the Tommies' leading scorer with 12 points, recording 6 goals and 6 assists. Graduate student Anna Solheim (#19) has a team-high 8 assists plus 3 goals of her own for 11 points. Another graduate student, Gabby Billing (#18) is the third UST player with 10 points, tallying 5 goals & 5 assists. Senior Maija Almich (#5) has a team-leading 8 goals plus an assist for 9 points.

Sophomore netminder Saskia Maurer (#29) is 5-12-1 with 3 shutouts in her 18 starts, posting a 2.98 goals-against average & .912 save percentage. Senior Alexa Dobchuk (#30) has a 2-10-0 record this season, with a 4.45 GAA & .889 SV%. Freshman Maggie Malecha (#33) is 1-1-0 in two starts and has also made 3 relief appearances; she has a 2.67 GAA and .924 SV%.

Last weekend for St. Thomas – The Ohio State Ice Rink in Columbus was not hospitable to the Tommies as they were swept by the Buckeyes, 6-1 & 5-0. OSU's Makenna Webster & Gabby Rosenthal each recorded two goals and an assist, Emma Maltais tallied a goal and 4 helpers, and Jenna Buglioni dished out 5 assists. Maija Almich lit the lamp for UST, and Alexa Dobchuck & Saskia Maurer each made 46 saves.

Gophers drop five points to Wisconsin at sold-out Ridder

Despite back-to-back nights of Ridder Arena record crowds of 3,539 spectators, the Gopher Women's Hockey team was only able to earn one WCHA standings point against Wisconsin, earning a 2-2 tie but losing the subsequent shootout and dropping the rematch by a wild 7-5 score.

The Badgers took a pair of one-goal leads on Friday when Katie Kotlowski and Jesse Compher lit the lamp. However, Abbey Murphy and Taylor Heise each scored to draw the Gophers even. But, despite a 24-5 shot advantage after the second intermission, Minnesota could not find a go-ahead tally and the game finished knotted up. In the shootout, Wisconsin's Britta Curl netted the only goal in the third round for the bonus point.

The Gophers took a 2-0 lead in the rematch on Heise's 4th short-handed goal of the season and a power-play tally by Catie Skaja. The Badgers responded with the next four goals, including two by Kirsten Simms, to go up by two in the third period, but Murphy netted her second goal of the weekend and Heise tallied her third to knot the score at 4-4. However, the game flipped back in Wisconsin's favor inside the final five minutes as Carolyn Harvey, Casey O'Brien, and Compher (empty net) scored to take a 7-4 lead. Grace Zumwinkle lit the lamp with 57 seconds remaining, but it wasn't enough and the Gophers fell.

Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter made a combined 57 saves for Minnesota, while Cami Kronish stopped 80 shots for Wisconsin.

Zumwinkle, Heise continue climbs in Gopher record books – Grace Zumwinkle's late goal on Saturday was the 106th of her career, moving her into a tie with Minnesota legend Krissy Wendell for fourth on the program's all-time list; after also dishing out 3 assists against the Badgers, she moved into sole possession of 10th place on the career points list, reaching a total of 199 to activate another milestone watch. Heise's 88th, 89th, and 90th career goals moved her into ninth on the list, surpassing Ambria Thomas, and she also passed Thomas for fourth in career short-handed goals with 9.

Minnesota lands 18 on WCHA All-Academic Team

Our congratulations to the eighteen (18) Gopher Women's Hockey players who have been named to the 2023 WCHA All-Academic Team, as announced by the league yesterday: Abigail Boreen, Taylor Heise, Peyton Hemp, Crystalyn Hengler, Ella Huber, Olivia King, Sadie Lindsay, Abbey Murphy, Maggie Nicholson, Savannah Norcross, Emily Oden, Gracie Ostertag, Catie Skaja, Skylar Vetter, Audrey Wethington, Madeline Wethington, Emily Zumwinkle, and Grace Zumwinkle!!

As shared in the press release from the league, the WCHA All-Academic Team includes student-athletes who have completed one year of eligibility at their present institutions, prior to the academic year, and have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in their previous two semesters or three quarters.

Around the WCHA...

Bulldogs take 5 points from Huskies – A power-play goal by Gabbie Hughes put Minnesota Duluth up 1-0 in their opener against St. Cloud State, but Huskies goaltender Jojo Chobak stopped the other 43 shots she faced and Emma Gentry knotted the score with 3:12 to play in regulation. After a scoreless overtime, Maggie Flaherty netted the only goal of the shootout – the second-straight UMD game in which that occurred – to take the bonus point. The Bulldogs followed that up with a 2-0 shutout in the rematch, getting goals from Ashton Bell (PP) & Taylor Anderson. Emma Soderberg stopped a combined 35 of 36 shots for the Bulldogs; Sanni Ahola made 30 saves on Saturday for SCSU.

Mavericks sweep Beavers in Mankato – Kelsey King recorded two goals and an assist, Madison Mashuga lit the lamp twice, and Alexa Berg posted a 22-save shutout on Saturday as Minnesota State earned a home sweep over Bemidji State, 3-2 and 4-0. Reece Hunt and McKayla Zilisch scored for BSU.

This weekend – Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State will get the action underway with a Friday-Saturday matinee series in Bemidji. St. Cloud State hosts Minnesota State in the battle for 5th place in the league standings on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon (MSU holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the earlier series against SCSU). Finally, Ohio State visits Wisconsin in the conclusion of the regular season, with games on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Standings (* indicates team has clinched home ice for WCHA quarterfinals):
1. Ohio State* – 66 points (.872 pts%), 22-3-1-1, 3-1 in OT (27-3-2 overall)
2. Minnesota* – 63 points (.808 pts%), 20-3-3-1, 1-0 in OT (23-5-3 overall)
3. Wisconsin* – 58 points (.756 pts%), 18-6-2-1, 1-2 in OT (22-8-2 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth* – 48 points (.654 pts%), 15-8-3-2, 4-2 in OT (21-8-3 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 30 points (.385 pts%), 9-16-1-0, 0-2 in OT (16-16-1 overall)
Minnesota State – 30 points (.385 pts%), 9-16-1-0, 0-2 in OT (15-16-1 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 11 points (.141 pts%), 3-22-1-1, 0-0 in OT (8-23-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 6 points (.077 pts%), 2-24-0-0, 0-0 in OT (5-26-1 overall)

Power Play Club

February 8, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Power Play Club

February 8, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, February 8th

Goals for a Goal – Gophers light lamp 139 times

With another 5 goals scored last weekend against Ohio State, one coming on a power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 139 times – including 28 power play conversions – with two weekends to go in 2022-2023 regular season!!

We again thank everyone who has committed to turn each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements through our Goals for a Goal program. We continue to accept pledges as the playoffs approach, 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!

Senior Weekend / Border Battle

#3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (23-4-2, 20-2-2-1 WCHA)
vs.
#8 Wisconsin Badgers (21-8-1, 17-6-1-0 WCHA)

Friday, February 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Ridder Arena

The Gopher Women's Hockey team hosts its final home series of the 2022-2023 regular season with a critical WCHA matchup, hosting the Wisconsin Badgers in the Border Battle! The rivals square off at Ridder Arena on Friday, February 10 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Senior Day recognition and a GOLD OUT on Saturday – We join the Gophers in encouraging fans to arrive by 7:15 p.m. on Saturday for the pregame recognition of the senior class: Olivia King, Makayla Pahl, Madeline Wethington, and a special recognition for Grace Zumwinkle. Additionally, fans are urged to wear gold-colored apparel as we cheer on the team in its regular-season home finale.

Tickets for this weekend are limited with less than 200 remaining for each game. We encourage fans to order tickets in advance at z.umn.edu/8duy.

Television coverage this weekend – In case you cannot make it to Ridder Arena or you wish to record the action for replay viewing, both games this weekend will be televised live. Friday's game will be shown on Bally Sports North Extra (channel guide) while Saturday's game will be on Big Ten Network (channel guide). As always, online video streaming of both games is also available on the B1G+ subscription service.

Last time against Wisconsin – The Gophers were able to only earn two points in the WCHA standings when they faced the Badgers in Madison in November; the squads played to a 3-3 tie in the opener with Minnesota earning the shootout bonus point, but Wisconsin took game two, 4-1. Vivian Jungels and Laila Edwards gave the Badgers 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the first game but Peyton Hemp responded both times to knot the score, her first coming shorthanded. Grace Zumwinkle put the Gophers up 3-2 in the second period, but Britta Curl tied it up with a late extra attacker goal. Following a scoreless overtime period, Abbey Murphy netted the only goal of the subsequent shootout. Wisconsin's Nicole LaMantia and Minnesota's Taylor Heise traded first-period power-play goals in the rematch, but the Badgers rattled off the next three goals, coming from Sarah Wozniewicz, Kirsten Simms & Jesse Compher. Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter made a combined 76 saves for the Gophers; Wisconsin's Cami Kronish stopped 64 shots, though she entered Sunday's game in relief after starter Jane Gervais left with an injury only 3½ minutes into the contest.

Analyzing the Badgers – Following a 16-2-1 start to the season, Wisconsin has been a sub-.500 team, going 5-6-0, since the calendar flipped to 2023, scoring only a cumulative 2 goals in the six losses. Though they remain third in the WCHA standings with a 10-point lead over Minnesota Duluth, they are ranked #8 in the national polls and are 7th and 8th in the two mathematical rankings.

Junior Casey O'Brien (#26) leads Wisconsin in total scoring with 36 points on 14 goals & 22 assists. Redshirt sophomore Lacey Eden (#6) and redhsirt senior Britta Curl (#17) are tied with a team-high 16 goals apiece; Eden has dished out 18 assists for 34 points, while Curl has 12 helpers for 28 points. Freshman defender Caroline Harvey (#4) has recorded a team-leading 23 assists while lighting the lamp 9 times herself for 32 points. Graduate player Sophie Shirley (#9) is the fourth Badgers with 30 points, tallying 10 goals and 20 assists.

Redshirt senior Cami Kronish (#30) has seen a majority of the action between the pipes this season; including her relief appearance against the Gophers, she has a 13-6-1 record with 6 shutouts and leads the WCHA with a 1.25 goals-against average & .936 save percentage. Redshirt sophomore Jane Gervais (#1) is 8-2-0 with two shutouts and one no-decision, posting a 1.59 GAA and .926 SV%. Freshman Chloe Baker (#32) has yet to see any official action.

Last weekend for Wisconsin – A Kohl Center "Fill the Bowl" crowd of 14,430 saw the visiting St. Cloud State Huskies earn their first win over the Badgers in nearly 8 years; SCSU netminder Jojo Chobak stopped all 39 shots she faced and Jenniina Nylund scored in the first period for the 1-0 shutout upset. The Huskies took another 1-0 lead in the rematch on a Courtney Hall goal, but Wisconsin responded with Jesse Compher, Caroline Harvey, and Laila Edward lighting the lamp. St. Cloud State closed to 3-2 on a Taylor Lind short-handed goal, but they could not find an equalizer and the Badgers salvaged the split.

Gophers split with top-ranked Ohio State

Minnesota Women's Hockey retained the top spot in the WCHA standings entering the final two weeks of the regular season, getting a split against the nationally top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at Ridder Arena.

The Gophers withstood an early attack by the Buckeyes in the opener and took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Peyton Hemp netted a pass from Josefin Bouveng. Abigail Boreen scored another backdoor goal on a Taylor Heise feed, and Abbey Murphy lit the lamp on the power play to push the lead to 3-0. Ohio State closed within one early in the third after goals by Gabby Rosenthal and Jenn Gardiner (PP), but Murphy was the recipient of Taylor Heise's third assist of the night, burying the puck to put the Gophers back up by two. Skylar Vetter stymied OSU the rest of the way, finishing with 31 saves and earning the 4-2 victory. Raygan Kirk made 23 saves for the Buckeyes.

The rematch started similarly, with Madeline Wethington tallying her second goal of the season for the 1-0 Gopher lead. However, things went downhill quickly for Minnesota as OSU's Sloane Matthews scored less than 3 minutes later and Hadley Hartmetz lit the lamp 19 seconds after that on a deflection off a defender. The Gophers remained within one through the second period, but the Buckeyes broke the game open in the third stanza on goals by Rosenthal, Kenzie Hauswirth, and Paetyn Levis, getting a 5-1 win and the series split. Vetter made another 27 saves, and Amanda Thiele stopped 32 shots for Ohio State. Gardiner dished out two assists to finish the weekend with 4 points (1g, 3a).

Zumwinkle garners national award for January play

Fifth-year co-captain Grace Zumwinkle earned another award for her play during the month of January, being named National Co-Player of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners Association. As we noted last week, Zumwinkle recorded a WCHA-high 16 points on 8 goals & 8 assists while posting a +14 plus-minus rating. She became the sixth Gopher to reach the career 100-goal mark and improved to fifth on the program's all-time goal list with 105; additionally, she took sole possession of 10th place on Minnesota's all-time career points list with 195 (105G, 90A). Congratulations, Grace!!

Around the WCHA...

Bulldogs earn 4 points in Mankato, clinch home ice – Minnesota State took a 3-1 lead on UMD in their series opener after goals by Kelsey King & Charlotte Akervik. However, Mary Kate O'Brien pulled the Bulldogs within one, Gabbie Hughes netted the unassisted, game-tying goal with 3:53 left in regulation, and Hughes tallied her third point of the game on Mannon McMahon's overtime gamewinner for the 4-3 victory. The teams played to a scoreless tie in the rematch; Emma Soderberg (UMD) and Alexa Berg (MSU) both earned shutouts, making 20 & 32 saves, respectively. Maggie Flaherty netted the only goal of the subsequent shootout to give Minnesota Duluth the bonus point, completing the four point weekend. With that result, the Bulldogs became the fourth and final team to clinch home ice for the WCHA best-of-3 quarterfinals.

Tommies, Beavers split in Bemidji – Allie Monrean, Lauren Stenslie & Anna Solheim lit the lamp and Saskia Maurer stopped all 32 shots she faced as St. Thomas shutout Bemidji State in their opener, 3-0. However, Khloe Lund tallied a goal and 3 assists in the rematch, Reece Hunt, Taylor Nelson & Claire Vekich also lit the lamp, and Abbie Thompson made 30 saves for the Beavers to earn their second conference win of the season, 4-1.

This weekend – All four league series this week include Friday evening and Saturday afternoon games. St. Thomas and Ohio State get things underway in Columbus, St. Cloud State visits Minnesota Duluth, and Minnesota State hosts Bemidji State in Mankato.

Standings (* indicates team has clinched home ice for WCHA quarterfinals):
1. Minnesota* – 62 points (.861 pts%), 20-2-2-1, 1-0 in OT (23-4-2 overall)
2. Ohio State* – 60 points (.833 pts%), 20-3-1-1, 3-1 in OT (25-3-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin* – 53 points (.736 pts%), 16-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (21-8-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth* – 43 points (.597 pts%), 14-8-2-1, 4-2 in OT (20-8-2 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 29 points (.403 pts%), 9-15-0-0, 0-2 in OT (16-15-0 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 24 points (.333 pts%), 7-16-1-0, 0-2 in OT (13-16-1 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 11 points (.153 pts%), 3-20-1-1, 0-0 in OT (8-21-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 6 points (.083 pts%), 2-22-0-0, 0-0 in OT (5-24-1 overall)

Power Play Club

February 6, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Monday, February 6, 2022

Power Play Club

February 6, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Monday, February 6th

GWH Senior Celebration – Sunday, February 12
RSVPs requested by end-of-day tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 7)

We provide a reminder that RSVPs are being accepted for the 2023 Gopher Women's Hockey Senior Celebration recognizing Minnesota's senior & 5th-year players. The event is scheduled for Sunday, February 12, in Club Cambria at Huntington Bank Stadium, with doors opening at 11:15 a.m. and the meal & program to occur at Noon. Tickets are $50 for adults and $20 for children 12 & under.

Due to the tight timeline, the registration form & payment can be submitted at the event, but RSVPs to Jess Scott are requested by tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7!! RSVPs can be submitted by calling or texting her at 763-443-4860, or by emailing her at jascott@umn.edu.

The registration form is available to download at bit.ly/GWH_Banquet_2023.

GOLD OUT planned for Saturday's Senior Day game - Puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

As we close out the home portion of the 2022-2023 regular season, Saturday's Border Battle contest against Wisconsin at Ridder Arena will be a GOLD OUT game. Fans are urged to wear gold-colored apparel as we cheer on the Gophers and their seniors and fifth-year players.

Due to television coverage on Big Ten Network, the game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time. That said, we encourage fans to arrive by 7:15 p.m. for the pregame recognition of the Gopher Women's Hockey senior class.

Tickets for both games this weekend are limited, and we encourage our fellow fans to purchase them in advance. Go to z.umn.edu/8d1c to order yours today!!

Potomak named to Canadian roster for Rivalry Series games

Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Sarah Potomak was named to the 24-player Team Canada roster for the final two games of the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series against the United States, as announced by Hockey Canada last Thursday. Potomak becomes the sixth Gopher participating in the contests as Hannah Brandt, Emily Brown, Amanda Kessel, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein were named to the American roster earlier last week.

The games are scheduled for Monday, February 20, at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Wednesday, February 22, at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec; puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT for both, with live telvision coverage on NHL Network.

Congratulations on the call-up, Sarah, and good luck to all our Gophers!!

Goaltender Sophia Johnson added to 2022-2023 GWH roster

Gopher Women's Hockey added former Minnetonka High School goaltender Sophia Johnson as a freshman on the 2022-2023 roster last week, wearing #30.

Johnson was the goaltender of record in 27 of the Skippers' 30 games last season, posting a 20-7-0 record as she backstopped them to a runner-up finish in the Minnesota Class AA State Tournament. She finished with 5 shutouts, a 1.80 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage. Following that effort, she was named YouthHockeyHub's 2022 Girls Goalie of the Year, joining past winners and now-Gophers Skylar Vetter (2018) and Olivia King (2019).

We send our warmest welcome to Sophia as she joins the Gopher Women's Hockey family!!

Power Play Club

February 3, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Friday, February 3rd

Power Play Club

February 3, 2023

The Two-Minute Minor
An edition of the Penalty Box Post
Friday, February 3rd

Gopher Women’s Hockey Senior Celebration - Sunday, February 12, 2023
Club Cambria – Huntington Bank Stadium
11:15 AM Doors Open
12:00 PM Meal & Program

Please join the Gopher Women’s Hockey team as we celebrate our 2022-2023 season, honor our senior and 5th year players, and get excited for a big playoff run! The meal will be a buffet, with vegetarian or children’s meal (12 & Under) also available.

Email, Text or Call in your RSVP(s) to jascott@umn.edu / 763-443-4860

RSVP’s must be submitted via email, text or phone call, no later than Tuesday, February 7th.

Due to the timeline, registration form & payment can be submitted at the event.
Adults: $50 per person. Children: $20 per person.
Check or cash accepted on site. Please make checks payable to: University of Minnesota

Bring this form, along with payment, to the venue on February 12.

Please contact Jess Scott with any questions – jascott@umn.edu / 763-443-4860.

Skylar Vetter named national Goalie of the Year semifinalist; Bouveng, Kaiser & Laitinen on Rookie of the Year ‘watch list’

Gopher sophomore Skylar Vetter earned more recognition yesterday as she was named one of 11 semifinalists for national Goalie of the Year by the Hockey Commissioners Association. Vetter was one of three WCHA netminders honored, joining Wisconsin's Cami Kronish and Minnesota Duluth's Emma Söderberg. As indicated in the HCA announcement, three finalists will be announced during conference championships and the winner will be announced during the NCAA Frozen Four in Duluth. Congratulations, Skylar!!

The HCA also published its 'watch list' for the national Rookie of the Year award, which included Gopher freshmen Josefin Bouveng, Madison Kaiser, and Nelli Laitinen among the 28 named players. The final selection will be chosen from the five conference Rookie of the Year winners, with a vote of Division I assistant coaches (one vote per school) used to identify the national honoree. Congratulations, Josefin, Madison, and Nelli!!

Power Play Club

February 1, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Power Play Club

February 1, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, February 1st

Chalk Talk – this Saturday, February 4 at 12:30 p.m.

The third and final PPC Chalk Talk of the 2022-2023 season with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is set for this Saturday, February 4, at 12:30 p.m., prior to the second game of the series against Ohio State. This member-exclusive event will take place in the Ridder Arena weight room (on the upper level) and include a discussion of team strategy & the previous night's game, plus time for a brief question & answer session.

Goals for a Goal – Gopher goal count continues to climb

After netting 7 goals against Minnesota Duluth, including one on the power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 134 times in 2022-2023, which includes 27 power play conversions!!

We continue to accept pledges to the Goals for a Goal program, converting each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements, with the option to double the per-goal amount 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

#3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (22-3-2, 19-1-2-1 WCHA)
vs.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (24-2-2, 19-2-1-1 WCHA)

Friday, February 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Ridder Arena

With three weekends to go in the regular-season, the top seed in the WCHA conference playoffs is potentially on the line as current standings-leading Minnesota Golden Gophers host the nationally #1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The top-three battle at Ridder Arena is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 3, and will continue at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 4.

Ticket information – Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance for both this weekend's contests against Ohio State and the Border Battle series against Wisconsin (Feb. 10 & 11). Go to z.umn.edu/8d1c to get yours today!!

Last time against Ohio State – On the road in Columbus at the end of October, Minnesota took 4 WCHA standings points from the Buckeyes, getting a 4-2 win before a 4-4 tie with OSU taking the shootout. After Nelli Laitinen opened the scoring for the Gophers, Jenna Buglioni (PP) & Sophie Jaques gave the Buckeyes a 2-1 second intermission lead. But Taylor Heise evened score 18 seconds into the third frame, Peyton Hemp reestablished the Gophers' lead with 9:51 to play, and Abigail Boreen added an insurance goal with 3:31 remaining for a 4-2 victory. In the rematch, Abbey Murphy (PP) and Josefin Bouveng scored 47 seconds apart for Minnesota, but Makenna Webster tallied for the Buckeyes to cut the Gopher lead to 2-1. Murphy pushed the lead back to two (3-1) early in the third period, but OSU rallied with goals by Jennifer Gardiner and Jaques (PP) to knot the score with 7:13 to play. Heise netted her second goal of the weekend, a short-handed tally 66 seconds later, but Jaques converted on the same OSU power play 33 seconds after that. The teams skated the through the remainder of regulation and a 5-minute overtime without additional scoring, completing the game tied 4-4. Going to a shootout, Jaques put the Buckeyes up 1-0 in the 2nd round, Grace Zumwinkle scored in the 3rd round to even things up, but Buglioni lit the lamp in round 4 to take the bonus point in the WCHA standings. Skylar Vetter played both games in net for the Gophers, making a combined 70 saves; Amanda Thiele stopped 28 shots for OSU in the opener, and Raygan Kirk made 27 saves in the rematch. Heise & Murphy finished the series with 3 points apiece (2g, 1a for each), while Catie Skaja and Gracie Ostertag each dished out 3 helpers.

Analyzing the Buckeyes – Ohio State has been the top-ranked team in both national polls since mid-November. Outside of their loss and tie against the Gophers, the only other blemishes on their record were a tie against Colgate and an overtime loss at Minnesota Duluth. They enter this weekend on their own 10-game winning streak.

The Buckeyes feature four veteran players who have each surpassed the 30-point mark this season. Senior Jennifer Gardiner (#12) leads OSU in total scoring with 42 points on 16 goals & 26 assists. Graduate player Sophie Jaques (#18) continues to post ridiculous numbers from a defensive position, tallying a team-high 19 goals while dishing out 18 assists for 37 points. Two other graduate players have each posted 32 points; Emma Maltais (#17) has a team-leading 27 assists while lighting the lamp 5 times herself, while Paetyn Levis (#27) has 18 goals & 14 assists.

Junior netminder Amanda Thiele (#30) has started 14 games for Ohio State this season, posting a 12-1-1 record with 3 shutouts; including one relief appearance, she has an .895 save percentage and a 1.94 goals-against average. Senior Raygan Kirk (#1) is 8-1-1 with two shutouts in her 10 starts, posting a .919 SV% and 1.83 GAA. Fellow senior Quinn Kuntz (#35) is 4-0-0 with two shutouts as a starter, recording a 0.75 GAA and .949 SV%. Freshman Lexington Secreto (#34) has yet to see any official action.

Last weekend for Ohio State – Paetyn Levis recorded 3 goals and an assist, Jennifer Gardiner lit the lamp twice, Sophie Jaques & Riley Brengman each added a goal and an assist, and Madison Bizal dished out 3 helpers at the Buckeyes swept Minnesota State, 6-2 & 4-2. Quinn Kuntz started for OSU on Friday and stopped 15 shots, while Amanda Thiele made 22 saves on Saturday. Claire Butorac led the Mavericks with a goal & two assists, and Lauren Barbro & Alexa Berg combined for 87 saves in the series.

Gophers' winning streak continues with sweep of Minn. Duluth

A two-goal performance by Abbey Murphy on Friday, two goals & an assist from Peyton Hemp and a key third-period tally by Abigail Boreen on Saturday, and a combined 55-save showing by Skylar Vetter fueled the Gopher Women's Hockey team to a weekend sweep of UMD, 3-1 & 4-3.

After a scoreless opening period Friday, Catie Skaja put Minnesota up 1-0 just past the midway point of the second stanza. UMD's Taylor Stewart knotted the score just 37 seconds into the third frame, but Murphy put the Gophers back ahead with 12:04 to play, then added an empty-net insurance goal with 1:21 left. Vetter stopped 31 of 32 shots.

Hemp tallied on a first-period power play on Saturday. The teams traded goals after that; Josefin Bouveng put the Gophers up 2-0 early in the 2nd, but Gabby Krause lit the lamp for the Bulldogs on a power play eight minutes later. Hemp scored again with 6 minutes left in the middle period, but Mannon McMahon again pulled UMD within one, 3-2, three-and-a-half minutes into the third. Boreen gave the Gophers their third two-goal lead, scoring unassisted with 10:29 to play; that was a necessary tally as the Bulldogs got a 6-on-4 power play goal with an extra attacker with 2:30 remaining. That was all that Vetter allowed, though, making 24 saves in total for the win and the weekend sweep.

Emma Soderberg made a combined 55 saves for Minnesota Duluth.

Vetter doubles up on league awards; Bouveng, Zumwinkle also honored

For the second time this season, Gopher sophomore Skylar Vetter was named both WCHA Goaltender of the Week and WCHA Goaltender of the Month at effectively the same time. Vetter posted a perfect 7-0-0 record in January, stopping 127 of 135 shots – including her 55 saves this past weekend against Minnesota Duluth – for a .940 save percentage and 1.20 goals-against average. The weekly award was her sixth this season, while the monthly honor was her third.

Two other Gophers were honored by the league. Freshman Josefin Bouveng was named WCHA Rookie of the Week, the first honor her career, after recording two points – one goal & one assist – and a +2 rating against the Bulldogs. Fifth-year co-captain Grace Zumwinkle was recognized as WCHA Forward of the Month, her sixth monthly award and first this season, after recording a league-high 16 points (8G, 8A) and a +14 plus-minus rating. Zumwinkle became the sixth Gopher to reach the career 100-goal mark and she's now fifth all-time with 105, and her two assists this past weekend put her alone in 10th place on Minnesota's all-time career points list with 195 (105G, 90A).

We send our congratulations to Skylar, Josefin, and Grace on these honors!!

Brown, 4 other GWH alums named to U.S. Rivalry Series roster

Five Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae have been named to the Team USA roster for the final two games of the 2022-2023 Rivalry Series against Canada later this month.

Notably, defender Emily Brown will make her debut with the senior national team. After completing her collegiate career at Minnesota last season, Brown has been playing with Team Sonnet in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), where she has one assist in 11 games.

Brown will be joined by U.S. National Team veterans Hannah Brandt, Amanda Kessel, Kelly Pannek, and Lee Stecklein for the February contests. The games are scheduled for Monday, February 20, at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Wednesday, February 22, at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec; puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT for both, with live telvision coverage on NHL Network.

We congratulate and send best wishes to our five Gophers!!

Halldorson honored as State of Hockey Legacy Award recipient

As announced last Wednesday and presented during Hockey Day Minnesota festivities on Saturday, inaugural Gopher Women's Hockey coach Laura Halldorson was named the recipient of the 2023 State of Hockey Legacy Award, given by the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Hockey and Bally Sports North. As noted in the announcement, The State of Hockey Legacy Award recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary and long-term contributions to hockey in Minnesota.

In ten seasons on the Gopher bench, Halldorson led the team to a 278-67-22 record (.787), four WCHA regular-season titles (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005), three WCHA Tournament championships (2002, 2004, 2005), and three national championships (2000, 2004 & 2005). She was named American Hockey Coaches Association's Division 1 Coach of the Year three times (1997-98, 2001-02, and 2003-04) and was inducted into the university's M Club Hall of Fame in 2014.

Congratulations, Coach Halldorson!!

Around the WCHA...

All-session tickets for the 2023 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff, being held again at Ridder Arena on March 3 & 4, will go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, February 2, at 10 a.m. CT. Package prices are $37 for reserved chairback seating, $27 for adult general admission, $20 for general admission for seniors, students & youth, and $10 for general admission group seating (groups of 10+). Tickets can be purchased from the U. of M. Ticket Office here or by phone at 1-800-U-GOPHER.

Badgers roll in road sweep of Tommies – Maddy Clough scored for St. Thomas for an early 1-0 lead 4:24 into their series against Wisconsin, but the visitors from Madison netted the next 9 goals en route to a 6-1, 3-0 sweep. Casey O'Brien led the Badgers with 3 goals & 2 assists, Maddi Wheeler added 2 goals & 2 assists, and Cami Kronish & Jane Gervais combined to stop 30 of 31 shots. UST's Alexa Dobchuk made 50 saves on Friday, and Maggie Malecha stopped 36 shots Saturday.

Huskies sweep Beavers – Jenniina Nylund and Addi Scribner both scored on power plays and Jojo Chobak stopped all 32 shots she faced to give St. Cloud State a 2-0 shutout win Friday over Bemidji State. Claire Vekich put the Beavers up 1-0 early in the second period on Saturday, but Scriber knotted the score 7:24 in the third period, Courtney Hall lit the lamp with 3:47 to play, and Sanni Ahola made 25 saves in total for a 2-1 SCSU victory and the weekend sweep. Hannah Hogenson stopped a combined 50 shots for BSU.

This weekend – Bemidji State will host St. Thomas and Minnesota Duluth will visit Minnesota State in series starting with Friday afternoon matinees. St. Cloud State heads to Madison to face Wisconsin starting Friday evening. All three series continue on Saturday afternoon.

Standings (* indicates team has clinched home ice for WCHA quarterfinals):
1. Minnesota* – 59 points (.894 pts%), 19-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (22-3-2 overall)
2. Ohio State* – 57 points (.864 pts%), 19-2-1-1, 3-1 in OT (24-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin* – 50 points (.758 pts%), 16-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (20-7-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 39 points (.591 pts%), 13-8-1-0, 3-2 in OT (19-8-1 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 26 points (.394 pts%), 8-14-0-0, 0-2 in OT (15-14-0 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 22 points (.333 pts%), 7-15-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-15-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.121 pts%), 2-19-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-20-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.045 pts%), 1-21-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-23-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Power Play Club

January 25, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 25th

Chalk Talk – Saturday, February 4 at 12:30 p.m.

The third and final PPC Chalk Talk of the 2022-2023 season with a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey coaching staff is set for Saturday, February 4, at 12:30 p.m., prior to the second game of the series against Ohio State. The Chalk Talk is tentatively planned to be held in the Ridder Arena weight room (on the upper level). This member-exclusive event will include a discussion of team strategy and the previous night's game, plus time for a brief question & answer session.

Goals for a Goal – Gophers continue to light the lamp

With 11 goals scored against Bemidji State, including three tallied on the power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 127 times in 2022-2023, which includes 26 power play conversions!!

We continue to accept pledges to the Goals for a Goal program, converting each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements, with the option to double the per-goal amount 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Upcoming schedule reminder – February 11 vs. Wisconsin

We provide a friendly reminder that the Saturday, February 11 game between Minnesota and Wisconsin at Ridder Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. that evening. That game is Senior Night, so we hope to see many of you in attendance as we recognize and honor our Gopher seniors.

#3/3 Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-3-2, 17-1-2-1 WCHA)
at
#6/6 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (19-6-1, 13-6-1-0 WCHA)

Friday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 28 at 3:00 p.m.
AMSOIL Arena – Duluth

After extending its active winning streak to 10 games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads to Duluth for a crucial WCHA battle against the UMD Bulldogs, who enter the series with their own 9-game undefeated streak. Action at AMSOIL Arena begins with another Friday afternoon matinee, January 27 at 3:00 p.m., and continues Saturday, January 28, also at 3:00 p.m.

Television coverage – Saturday's game will be televised on FOX 9+ in the Twin Cities. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here.

Last time against Minnesota Duluth – The Gophers took 5 of 6 standings points from the Bulldogs when the teams met at Ridder Arena in early November. Ella Huber and Lizi Norton scored in the first 6:02 of opener, but UMD's Gabby Krause lit the lamp in the second period and Nina Jobst-Smith converted a 3rd-period power play to even the score at 2-2. With no further scoring in regulation, Taylor Heise netted the first 3-on-3 OT goal in Gopher program history on a give-and-go with Grace Zumwinkle 15 seconds into the extra period for a 3-2 victory. In the rematch, Catie Skaja & Abbey Murphy put the Gophers up 2-0 only 35 seconds into the contest, Maggie Flaherty tallied for the Bulldogs on a power play later in the first, but Skaja, Josefin Bouveng, and Abigail Boreen all lit the lamp in a 4-minute span of the second stanza for a 5-1 lead. Minnesota Duluth pulled back within two on third-period goals by Mannon McMahon and Clara Van Wieren (PP, extra attacker), but they ran out of time as the Gophers celebrated the 5-3 victory and the series sweep. Skylar Vetter made a combined 50 saves on the weekend; Emma Söderberg made 41 saves in a little over 4 periods for the Bulldogs, and Hailey MacLeod stopped all 12 shots she faced in relief.

Analyzing the Bulldogs – Minnesota Duluth has climbed back to sixth in the two national polls, partially due to their previously-mentioned 9-game undefeated streak which started with an overtime victory over Ohio State and includes a series sweep of Wisconsin in Madison three weekends ago. Their 13-6-1-0 WCHA record has them comfortably in fourth in the league standings.

Grad student Gabbie Hughes (#17) just became the 7th player in Bulldogs program history to reach the career 200-point mark; she leads UMD in total scoring the season with 34 points, dishing out a team-high 27 assists while scoring 7 times herself. Fifth-year forward Anneke Linser (#13) has a team-leading 17 goals with 10 assists for 27 points; she is on a six-game scoring streak (8g, 3a in those contests). Fifth-year blueliner Ashton Bell (#26) also has double-digit goals with 10 while adding 15 assists for 25 points. Two others – senior Mannon McMahon (#16; 7g, 17a) and junior Nina Jobst-Smith (#28; 4g, 17a) have also surpassed the 20-point mark for the season.

Fifth-year goaltender Emma Söderberg (#30) has started 22 of UMD's 26 games this season, posting a 16-6-0 record with 7 shutouts, a .932 save percentage, and a 1.50 goals-against average. Freshman Hailey MacLeod (#35) is 3-0-1 with one shutout as a starter; including two relief appearances, she has a 0.63 GAA and .961 SV%. Graduate transfer Blanka Škodová (#31) has yet to play for the Bulldogs.

Last weekend for Minnesota Duluth – Anneke Linser & Naomi Rogge each lit the lamp 3 times, Gabbie Hughes, Ashton Bell & Nina Jobst-Smith each dished out 3 assists, and Emma Söderberg needed only 30 saves combined for a weekend road sweep of St. Thomas, 3-0 & 5-1. Anna Solheim scored for the Tommies to prevent back-to-back shutouts, and Saskia Maurer made 73 saves.

Gophers extend win streak to 10 with sweep of Bemidji State

The Gopher Women's Hockey team went 3-for-7 on the power play and also scored short-handed while Skylar Vetter and Olivia King combined for a 16-save 7-0 shutout victory Friday at Bemidji State, then completed the sweep of the Beavers with a 4-1 Saturday win on goals from four different players and another 18 saves from Vetter.

Taylor Heise led Minnesota with a power-play tally, a short-handed goal (replay via Twitter), and three assists. Grace Zumwinkle recorded two goals and an assist Friday and followed it with her 3rd goal of the weekend on Saturday. Abbey Murphy and Abigail Boreen each added two goals & an assist, with one of Boreen's goals coming on the player advantage. Peyton Hemp converted a power play on Friday, Josefin Bouveng opened the scoring on Saturday, and Madison Kaiser dished out four assists – two in each game. King made her season debut in Friday's third period, stopping all 4 shots she faced.

Claire Vekich lit the lamp for Bemidji State, and netminder Hannah Hogenson made a combined 83 saves.

Zumwinkle continues to climb up the Gophers' all-time goal list; now with 105, she has pulled within one of Krissy Wendell for fourth place. Heise's shorty was the 8th of her career, tying her with Ambria Thomas for fourth in Minnesota program history; she has also reached the top-10 for overall goals, tying Gigi Marvin with 87, and her 120 career assists are now within two of Kelly Stephens for fifth place on that list. The pair of Grace and Taylor were the first two Division I players to reach the 20-goal mark for the season.

Looking at team statistics, Minnesota now has 8 short-handed goals this year, maintaining a tie with the Stonehill College Skyhawks (NEWHA) for the most in Division I. The Gophers' 26 power-play tallies put them atop that scoring category after this past weekend.

Heise, Kaiser earn weekly league recognition

Following their performances in Bemidji, Gopher fifth-year co-captain Taylor Heise and freshman Madison Kaiser were honored as the WCHA Forward & Rookie of the Week, respectively. The weekly awards are the fourth of the year for Heise and second of the season for Kaiser. Congratulations, Taylor & Madison!!

Game schedule announced for 2023 Women's Worlds

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Hockey Canada and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) have released the game schedule for the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, bring played April 5 through 16 at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario (press release here).

Though still listed as #3 in the world rankings, Finland will be playing in Group B due to their sixth-place finish at the 2022 tournament; they will face newly-promoted France in the opening game of the 2023 edition. Team USA will play the midday game on April 5 against Japan, while host Canada will begin its title defense that evening against Switzerland. Czechia from Group A and Germany, Hungary & Sweden from Group B will play their first games on April 6.

Preliminary round play will feature two or three games each day between April 5 and 11, including the U.S. versus Canada on April 10 at 7 p.m. ET. After an off-day for all teams on April 12, a quadruple-header of quarterfinals will take place on April 13. The two semi-finals are set for April 15, and the tournament will finish on April 16 with the 5th-place game, Bronze Medal Game, and Gold Medal Game. Tournament packages and group tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow (Thursday, January 26) at womensworlds.hockey.

Elsewhere around the WCHA...

Buckeyes defeat Huskies twice but drop a standings point – Paetyn Levis tallied two goals & an assist, and four other Buckeyes each added a goal & an assist as Ohio State defeated St. Cloud State, 6-2, in the opening game of their series. OSU took 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the rematch on goals by Sophie Jaques and Jenna Buglioni, but Svenja Voight and Addi Scribner knotted the score for the Huskies and Sanni Ahola made 46 saves in regulation (47 in total) to force overtime, swiping a league standings point in the process. Still, Jenn Gardiner scored in the extra period to give the Buckeyes the 3-2 victory, her 4th point of the weekend (2g, 2a). Emma Gentry (SCSU) recorded a goal & two assists in the series.

Wisconsin sweeps Minnesota State – Lacey Eden and Britta Curl each scored twice (once apiece in each game) and Cami Kronish stopped a combined 49 of 50 shots plus tallied an offensive assist to lead the Badgers to a weekend sweep of the Mavericks, 2-1 & 6-0. Kelsey King scored for MSU on a power play.

This weekend – The other three league series feature Friday evening and Saturday afternoon games. Ohio State hosts Minnesota State, St. Thomas hosts Wisconsin, and St. Cloud State hosts Bemidji State, with Saturday's 1 p.m. BSU-SCSU game televised on Bally Sports North Extra as part of Hockey Day Minnesota coverage.

Standings:
1. Minnesota – 53 points (.883 pts%), 17-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (20-3-2 overall)
2. Ohio State – 51 points (.850 pts%), 17-2-1-1, 3-1 in OT (22-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 44 points (.733 pts%), 14-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (18-7-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 39 points (.650 pts%), 13-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (19-6-1 overall)
5. Minnesota State – 22 points (.367 pts%), 7-13-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-13-0 overall)
6. St. Cloud State – 20 points (.333 pts%), 6-14-0-0, 0-2 in OT (13-14-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.133 pts%), 2-17-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-18-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.050 pts%), 1-19-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-21-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 18, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Power Play Club

January 18, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 18th

Goals for a Goal – Gophers continue to light the lamp

Tallying nine goals this past weekend with two of those coming on the power play, the Gopher Women's Hockey has lit the lamp 116 times so far this season, which includes 23 power play conversions!!

We thank those of you who have submitted a pledge for our Goals for a Goal program to convert each goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements. Every amount is appreciated. 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.

We also continue requesting additional pledges, with the option to double the per-goal amount 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. Thanks, and GO GOPHERS!!

Book launch: “Break Point” reviews history behind Title IX

As we celebrate 50 years of Gopher women's athletics at the varsity level, the University of Minnesota Press and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport are pleased to sponsor the book launch of Break Point: Two Minnesota Athletes and the Road to Title IX by Sheri Brenden. The launch event will be held on Tuesday, January 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the Little Theater at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka.

As noted in the event announcement, Brenden dug into the historical record to uncover the details of a 1972 gender equity lawsuit. She pieced together the athletic experience of two girls trying to compete on their high school teams—one was her sister, Peggy Brenden, a St. Cloud tennis player, and the other Toni St. Pierre, a Hopkins cross-country athlete. Their lawsuit would break ground for Title IX.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at z.umn.edu/12423. Cream & Amber Bookstore will have copies of the book available for purchase.

#3/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (18-3-2, 15-1-2-1 WCHA)
vs.
Bemidji State University Beavers (4-19-1, 1-17-0-0 WCHA)

Friday, January 20 at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 p.m.
Sanford Center – Bemidji

Looking to extend its current 8-game winning streak, the Gopher Women's Hockey team heads out on its first road trip of 2023, traveling north to face the Bemidji State University Beavers at the Sanford Center in Bemidji. Action starts early with an afternoon matinee on Friday, January 20, at 3:00 p.m. and continues Saturday, January 21, at 2:00 p.m.

Television coverage Saturday – As with several past in-league road series, Saturday's game will be televised on FOX 9+ in the Twin Cities. To find your FOX 9+ channel number, click here.

Last time against Bemidji State – The Gophers opened the 2022-2023 regular season at home against the Beavers in early October. Abigail Boreen, Peyton Hemp & Abbey Murphy each lit the lamp twice in the opener, Lizi Norton, Grace Zumwinkle, Catie Skaja, and Emily Oden found the back of the net in game two, and Minnesota outshot Bemidji State 83-33 en route to 6-0 and 4-1 victories. Taylor Heise led all scorers with 4 points, dishing out two assists in each contest, while Boreen & Murphy each added an assist to their goals and Madeline Wethington recorded 3 helpers. Makayla Pahl stopped all 17 shots she faced for a shutout in the opener, while Skylar Vetter made 15 saves on 16 shots in the rematch. Kate Boland scored the Beavers' only goal, and Hannah Hogenson made a combined 73 saves in the series.

Analyzing the Beavers – Bemidji State got the season underway with a 2-1-1 start in non-conference play, but they've gone 1-17-0-0 in WCHA action, getting only a 2-1 home win over Minnesota State in late October and leaving them in eighth place in the league standings. Across all games, they've been outscored 98-28.

Freshman Raeley Carney (#10) and sophomore Claire Vekich (#15) each have a team-high 3 goals; Carney is one of five Beavers with 5 points apiece. Sophomore defender Adriana Van De Leest (#24) has a team-leading 7 points, all coming on assists, while classmate Shelby Breiland (#7) is second in total scoring with 6 points on 2 goals & 4 assists.

Junior Hannah Hogenson (#1) has been BSU's primary goaltender, starting 21 of their 24 games; she is 3-17-1 with an .874 save percentage and 4.19 goals-against average. Sophomore Abbey Thompson (#35) is 1-2-0 in her three starts; combined with a pair of relief appearances, she has an .828 SV% and 5.80 GAA. Freshman Madison Faucher's (#33) only appearance was a 20-minute relief effort at Ohio State in November in which she stopped 9 of 11 shots.

Last weekend for Bemidji State – The Beavers' current skid extended to 6 games with 8-1 & 5-0 losses at Minnesota Duluth. Senior Reece Hunt netted their lone goal. Anneke Linser led UMD with 3 goals & 2 assists, Clara Van Wieran tallied two goals and an assist, Taylor Anderson lit the lamp twice, and Gabbie Hughes and Nina Jobst-Smith each added a goal & 3 assists. The Bulldogs outshot the Beavers by a combined 71-20.

Gophers sweep St. Thomas; Heise, Skaja reach career milestones
Grace Zumwinkle continues climb up Minnesota's goal-scoring list

Seven different Gopher Women's Hockey players lit the lamp and Skylar Vetter stopped 28 of the 29 shots she faced, earning her 5th shutout of the season, as Minnesota swept St. Thomas 5-0 & 4-1 at Ridder Arena.

Grace Zumwinkle's two first-period goals on Friday moved her into a 5th-place tie with Natalie Darwitz on Minnesota's career goal-scoring list (102). Abbey Murphy led all scorers in the contest with 3 points on a goal & two assists, Nelli Laitinen dished out two helpers, and Peyton Hemp & Josefin Bouveng also found the back of the net. Also having recorded an assist on Friday, Taylor Heise tallied the game-winning goal and two helpers on Saturday, becoming the 9th player in Gopher Women's Hockey program history to reach 200 career points. Abigail Boreen lit the lamp twice and Ella Huber also scored. Maddy Clough netted the lone goal for the Tommies.

With her 4-point weekend, Heise moved into 7th place in the Gopher career points list with 202, surpassing Dani Cameranesi & Ambria Thomas (201 each). Her three helpers in the series put her alone in 6th on the program's career assist list at 117. Meanwhile, Catie Skaja also hit a milestone with her 100th career point, earning an assist on Huber's goal on Saturday.

Klepinger, Lindsay, Team USA claim bronze at U18 Worlds

The U.S. Women's U18 National Team, including incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger & Ava Lindsay, claimed the bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship held in Östersund, Sweden, with a 5-0 victory over Finland after having been upset by Sweden, 2-1, in the semifinals.

The Americans fell to Canada 3-1 in their final preliminary round game but still earned a quarterfinal bye after earlier wins over both the Finns and Swedes. Sweden defeated Slovakia in the quarterfinals, 6-1, while Finland topped Czechia, 3-2. Canada squeaked by Finland in the semifinals, 3-2 in overtime, then cruised to a 10-0 blowout of the Swedes in the Gold Medal Game.

Klepinger and Lindsay finished the tournament with 3 points apiece; Lindsay recorded a goal & two assists, while Klepinger dished out 3 helpers and had a +4 plus-minus rating. We congratulate them both along with Gopher Women's Hockey assistant coach Jess Scott, who was serving as director of hockey operations for Team USA.

St. Thomas announces record gift for new on-campus arena

The University of St. Thomas announced yesterday a $75 million lead naming gift from Lee and Penny Anderson to construct a multiuse, on-campus arena in St. Paul that will be home to its men’s and women’s hockey and basketball programs. The Andersons are long-standing benefactors to the school, having made a large gift previously, though this new contribution is a record in St. Thomas' history. (Artist's rendering courtesy of the University of St. Thomas.)

As noted in the press release, designs are still being finalized for the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. The gift announced yesterday kicks off fundraising to raise $131 million for the venue, with total project costs estimated to be $175 million. The university is looking to break ground on the new facility in 2024, with a target opening of fall 2025. The published site plan image accompanying the gift announcement shows the arena's location as just west of Cretin Avenue at the end of Grand Avenue, behind the Anderson Parking Ramp; three existing buildings would be demolished to make way for the new venue.

Elsewhere around the WCHA...

Buckeyes sweep Badgers in Columbus – For the second-straight weekend, Wisconsin took the initial lead of a WCHA series but were shut down after that. Lacey Eden lit the lamp for the Badgers in the first period Friday at Ohio State, but Jenna Buglioni evened the score for the Buckeyes in the second stanza and, after a scoreless third frame, Sophie Jaques netted the overtime gamewinner for OSU with 39 seconds left in the extra period. Raygan Kirk made 27 saves for the win, while Cami Kronish took the loss despite stopping 34 shots. Paetyn Levis recorded a hat trick, Emma Maltais tallied a goal & two assists, Makenna Webster dished out 4 helpers, and Amanda Thiele needed only 17 saves to earn a 5-0 shutout victory for Ohio State Saturday and the weekend sweep. Jane Gervais made 34 saves for Wisconsin, who saw their skid extend to five games.

Mavericks overtake the Huskies with weekend sweep – Sydney Langseth recorded 2 goals & 2 assists, Claire Butorac added a goal & three assists, and Lauren Barbro and Alexa Berg stopped a combined 41 of 43 shots as Minnesota State swept St. Cloud State, 3-1 & 4-1, in Mankato, moving past the Huskies in the league standings. Svenja Voigt and Avery Myers scored for SCSU.

This weekend – Top-ranked Ohio State travels west for a Friday-Saturday matinee series at St. Cloud State, while Minnesota State visits Wisconsin and St. Thomas hosts Minnesota Duluth on Saturday & Sunday. Sunday's UMD-UST game will be broadcast on Bally Sports North.

Standings:
1. Minnesota – 47 points (.870 pts%), 15-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (18-3-2 overall)
2. Ohio State – 46 points (.852 pts%), 15-2-1-1, 2-1 in OT (20-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 38 points (.704 pts%), 12-5-1-0, 1-2 in OT (16-7-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 33 points (.611 pts%), 11-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (17-6-1 overall)
5. Minnesota State – 22 points (.407 pts%), 7-11-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-11-0 overall)
6. St. Cloud State – 19 points (.352 pts%), 6-12-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-12-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.148 pts%), 2-15-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-16-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.056 pts%), 1-17-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-19-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Power Play Club

January 11, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 11th

Brunch with the Coaches reminder – Saturday at 9:45 a.m.

For those of you who registered for our Brunch with the Coaches event this Saturday, January 14, here's a reminder that it begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Club Room at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Enter the arena at the Sundet Lobby on the southwest corner of the building and take the elevator or stairs to the 3rd floor. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing from University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and Gophers head coach Brad Frost!!

Goals for a Goal – Gophers blast past 100-goal mark

Following another big weekend, Gopher Women's Hockey has netted 107 goals over 21 games, including converting 21 power plays. Pledge to convert each goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team for Ridder Arena improvements through our Goals for a Goal 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.

#3/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-3-2, 13-1-2-1 WCHA)
vs. University of St. Thomas Tommies (7-14-1, 2-13-1-1 WCHA)

Friday, January 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Both games at Ridder Arena

After concluding their regular-season non-conference slate of games, the Gopher Women's Hockey team returns to WCHA league action against their new cross-town rivals, the University of St. Thomas Tommies. Action at Ridder Arena starts Friday, January 13, at 6:00 p.m. and continues Saturday, January 14, at 2:00 p.m.

Minnesota last year against St. Thomas – The Gophers rolled to a four-game regular-season sweep of the Tommies, winning 8-0 & 8-2 in January and back-to-back 7-1 scores in February. That was immediately followed by a WCHA quarterfinal rematch which Minnesota won by scores of 4-0 & 5-1. The goal counts weren't the only lopsided stats as the Gophers held a 328-81 shot advantage. Abigail Boreen & Taylor Heise led the Gophers with 15 points apiece, with Boreen tallying 7 goals & 8 assists while Heise added 6 goals & 9 assists. Savannah Norcross recorded 9 points on 4 goals & 5 assists, while Catie Skaja and Amy Potomak each posted 8 points on 4 goals & 4 assists. Lauren Bench stopped 49 of 53 shots across 4 games (1.00 GAA, .925 SV%), while Skylar Vetter made 27 saves on 28 shots in the other 2 contests (0.50 GAA, .964 SV%). Luci Bianchi netted two goals for the Tommies, while Lauren Stenslie added a goal & an assist and Abby Promersberger dished out two helpers. Between the pipes for UST, Alexa Dobchuk started 5 of the games, making 221 saves with a 7.08 goals-against average and .870 save percentage, Saskia Maurer made 52 saves on 57 shots (.912 SV%) in the final contest, and Erin Cooley made 3 relief appearance with 16 saves on 17 shots over nearly 27 minutes of action (2.31 GAA, .941 SV%).

Analyzing the Tommies – Following a 3-14-0 start to their season, 0-13-0 in WCHA play, St. Thomas enters this weekend on a 4-game winning and 5-game undefeated streak. Included in that streak was their first-ever WCHA league series sweep, topping Bemidji State in December, which moved the Tommies into 7th place in the conference standings.

After four seasons at Dartmouth, graduate transfer Gabby Billing (#18) returned home to the state of Minnesota; the Rogers native is tied for the UST scoring lead with 9 points, coming on 5 goals & 4 assists. Sophomore defender Maddy Clough (#2) also has 9 points on 4 goals & 5 assists. Grad student Anna Solheim (#19) is the Tommies' assist leader with 7 while also netting one goal of her own for 8 points, while senior Maija Almich (#5) has a team-high 7 goals.

Sophomore goaltender Saskia Maurer (#29) is 4-7-1 with 2 shutouts in her 12 starts, posting a .917 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average. Senior Alex Dobchuk (#30) has a 2-7-0 record 9 starts, recording an .886 SV% and 4.13 GAA. Freshman Maggie Malecha (#33) earned a 28-save victory over Bemidji State in her first collegiate start; including 3 relief appearances, she has a .924 SV% and 2.50 GAA.

Last weekend for St. Thomas – Lauren Stenslie, Gabby Billing, and Allie Monrean each lit the lamp twice to fuel the Tommies to a weekend sweep of RIT, 5-1 & 3-0 in Mendota Heights. Alexa Dobchuk stopped 18 of 19 shots in the opener and Saskia Maurer posted the 24-save shutout in the rematch. Emma Roland netted the lone goal for the Tigers. Four of the eight UST goals were unassisted.

Gophers rout Merrimack, New Hampshire – Minnesota had little difficulty in its return to action following the holiday break, winning both games in the East/West Showcase, 9-2 over Merrimack and 8-1 over New Hampshire. Eighteen different Gophers earned a point and ten of them lit the lamp over the two contests; even goaltender Makayla Pahl got in on the action with an assist. Grace Zumwinkle led the way; following a goal against the Warriors on Friday, she posted a career-high 6 points on Saturday with 2 goals & 4 assists. Taylor Heise netted four goals, tallying a hat trick on Friday, her second in as many games. Abbey Murphy posted 5 points with 2 goals and 2 assists Saturday after an assist on Friday. Abigail Boreen (1g-3a), Catie Skaja (2g-2a), and Ella Huber (1g-3a) each recorded four points, while Nelli Laitinen (1g-2a), Madeline Wethington (1g-2a), Emily Oden (3a), and Emily Zumwinkle (3a) each added three points. Wethington's goal was her first of the season. Madison Kaiser and Peyton Hemp also lit the lamp. Between the pipes, Skylar Vetter made 14 saves for the victory over the Warriors, but saw her shutout streak ended after 261 minutes, 30 seconds, the 3rd longest run in Minnesota program history; meanwhile, Pahl stopped 15 of 16 shots for the win over the Wildcats, her first start since mid-October.

Milestones Achieved, Milestones Approached...

Grace Zumwinkle nets 100th career goal, earns league honor!!

Netting her 3rd goal of the weekend with 1:02 remaining in game against New Hampshire, Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forward Grace Zumwinkle became the 6th player in program history to reach the 100 career goal mark!! She joins Nadine Muzerall (139), Hannah Brandt (115), Amanda Kessel (108), Krissy Wendell (106), and Natalie Darwitz (102). Zumwinkle also set a new program record for career shots on goal, now with 735 and counting, surpassing Muzerall's 726.

On top of her 3 goals, Zumwinkle dished out 4 assists. Her 7-point performance in the East/West Showcase earned her honors as WCHA Forward of the Week, the ninth weekly award of her collegiate career!! She also posted a +5 plus-minus rating over the two games.

Congratulations, Grace!!

Heise, Skaja approach major career points marks

Two more Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forwards are nearing key milestones for career points...

Taylor Heise currently sits at 198 points on 84 goals and 114 assists. She is 9th on Minnesota's career overall scoring list, trailing Dani Cameranesi and Ambria Thomas for seventh (201). Heise's assist total has her in a three-way tie for sixth in that scoring category, matching Sarah Potomak and Kelly Pannek.

Catie Skaja currently sits at 99 points (40g-59a) after her 2-goal, 2-assist performance this past weekend.

Catching up from last week...

Heise, Vetter recognized as National Players of the Month

Gopher Women's Hockey fifth-year forward Taylor Heise and sophomore netminder Skylar Vetter were named National Women's Player & Goaltender of the Month, respectively, for December by the Hockey Commissioners Association last Wednesday.

Heise posted 15 points on 5 goals and 10 assists over just four games, including 2 goals & 4 assists against Minnesota State and a 3-goal, 6-assist series against St. Cloud State.

Vetter yielded just one goal with 67 saves in those four contests, earning 3 shutouts and giving her a 0.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage during the month.

Darwitz promoted to Minnesota's Associate Head Coach

The University of Minnesota and Gopher Women's Hockey head coach Brad Frost announced last Wednesday the promotion of Natalie Darwitz to Associate Head Coach of the team.

Darwitz is in her fourth year on the Gopher bench, having originally joined the coaching staff for the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 seasons before returning in 2021. Prior to her joining the Gophers most-recently, she was head coach of the Division III Hamline University Pipers in St. Paul, leading them to the D-III Frozen Four in 2018 and a national runner-up finish in 2019.

Long-time GWH followers remember Darwitz as wearing the Maroon & Gold on the ice from 2002 to 2005, earning back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005 and being named 2005 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player. In the 2004-05 season, Darwitz set an NCAA single-season record with 114 points and was named Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year. The three-time All-American currently ranks third in program history in points (246), first in points per game (2.48), fifth in goals (102), second in assists (144), and first in assists per game (1.45).

Congratulations and wishes of continued success, Coach Darwitz!!

Klepinger, Lindsay, Team USA win first two at U18 Worlds

Incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger & Ava Lindsay and the rest of the U.S. Women's U18 National Team have earned a quarterfinal bye at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship being held in Östersund, Sweden, following a 6-3 victory over the Swedes and an 8-1 win over Finland.

Lindsay has a goal & an assist in the two tournament games, while Klepinger also has an assist.

Canada has also earned a quarterfinal bye after defeating Finland (8-0) and Sweden (4-2). The Americans and Canadians will face each other in the final preliminary round game today (Wednesday, January 11) at 8 p.m. local time / 1 p.m. U.S. Central Time, with the contest televised live on NHL Network. The winner earns the top seed for the elimination round. More information is available on the tournament website here, with additional updates from USA Hockey at teamusa.usahockey.com/2023u18wwc.

Around the WCHA...

Bulldogs stun Badgers with sweep in Madison – Casey O'Brien put Wisconsin up 1-0 in the opener of their series against Minnesota Duluth, but UMD goaltender Emma Soderberg became a brick wall after that, stopping the other 44 shots she faced in that game. Anneke Linser, Katie Davis, and Gabbie Hughes lit the lamp for the 3-1 come-from-behind win. Soderberg was perfect with another 28 saves in the rematch, and Linser's third-period goal was enough for a 1-0 victory and the first series sweep by the Bulldogs over the Badgers since the 2012-2013 season and first in Madison since 2007-2008.

Huskies win two in East/West Showcase – In the other half of the East/West Showcase, Klára Hymlárová tallied 3 power play goals, Allie Cornelius scored twice, and Courtney Hall dished out 3 assists as St. Cloud State defeated New Hampshire 3-0 and Merrimack 3-1. Jojo Chobak stopped all 24 shots she faced against UNH.

Minnesota State rolls past Lindenwood – Taylor Otremba posted a 5-point performance with 2 goals & 3 assists, Madison Mashuga added a goal & 3 assists, and Lauren Barbro stopped 37 shots as the Mavericks shut out the Lions on the road, 8-0, in the opener. Brooke Bryant tallied two goals & an assist as MSU completed the weekend sweep with a 5-2 victory.

This weekend – WCHA teams are in action with in-league games for the remaining 6 weeks of the regular season. All series this weekend are being played Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, featuring Wisconsin facing Ohio State in Columbus. Meanwhile, Minnesota Duluth hosts Bemidji State and St. Cloud State visits Minnesota State.

Standings:
1t. Minnesota – 41 points (.854 pts%), 13-1-2-1, 1-0 in OT (16-3-2 overall)
Ohio State – 41 points (.854 pts%), 13-2-1-1, 1-1 in OT (18-2-2 overall)
3. Wisconsin – 37 points (.771 pts%), 12-3-1-0, 1-1 in OT (16-5-1 overall)
4. Minn. Duluth – 27 points (.562 pts%), 9-6-1-0, 3-2 in OT (15-6-1 overall)
5. St. Cloud State – 19 points (.396 pts%), 6-10-0-0, 0-1 in OT (13-10-0 overall)
6. Minnesota State – 16 points (.333 pts%), 5-11-0-0, 0-1 in OT (11-11-0 overall)
7. St. Thomas – 8 points (.167 pts%), 2-13-1-1, 0-0 in OT (7-14-1 overall)
8. Bemidji State – 3 points (.062 pts%), 1-15-0-0, 0-0 in OT (4-17-1 overall)

Power Play Club

January 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Power Play Club

January 4, 2023

The Penalty Box Post
Wednesday, January 4th

Locker Sponsor event – Saturday, January 7

ATTENTION ALL LOCKER SPONSORS!! Just a reminder that our special event is scheduled for this Saturday, January 7, at Ridder Arena. If you have not received event details or know that you will be unavailable that day, please contact Rennie McPherson at lockersponsorship@powerplayclub.org.

Brunch with the Coaches – Saturday, January 14 at 9:45 a.m.

LAST CALL!! Our Brunch with the Coaches event is Saturday, January 14, with former Gopher associate head coach & current University of St. Thomas head coach Joel Johnson and our own Brad Frost. The brunch will start at 9:45 a.m. in the 3M Arena at Mariucci Club Room. Tickets are $30 per person, and registrations must be received by this Friday, January 6. Download the registration form here (PDF file) and return it with a check made out to the "Power Play Club". Registrations will be collected at the PPC table on the Ridder Arena concourse on Friday.

Goals for a Goal continues through the postseason

With the resumption of the 2022-2023 season, we resume counting goals scored by the Gopher Women's Hockey team. Through 19 games, the squad has lit the lamp 90 times, including converting 17 power-play opportunities. We again request your assistance supporting the program and funding updates & improvements of Ridder Arena by enrolling in our Goals for a Goal program. Pledge to convert each Gopher goal scored during the regular season & postseason into donations to the team, 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.

East/West Showcase at Ridder Arena

Friday, January 6
#15 St. Cloud St. (11-10-0) vs. New Hampshire (7-14-0) – 2:30 p.m.
#5/4 Minnesota (14-3-2) vs. Merrimack (7-13-1) – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 7
St. Cloud State vs. Merrimack – 1:00 p.m.
Minnesota vs. New Hampshire – 4:30 p.m.

NCAA women's hockey resumes at Ridder Arena with the East/West Showcase as the Gophers wrap up their final two non-conference games of the regular season, facing the Merrimack College Warriors and University of New Hampshire Wildcats, both out of Hockey East. St. Cloud State also makes the quick trip to Minneapolis for the showcase.

Action begins this Friday, January 6, when St. Cloud State takes on New Hampshire at 2:30 p.m., followed by Minnesota against Merrimack at 6:00 p.m. Pairings switch on Saturday, January 7, when the Huskies and Warriors drop the puck at 1:00 p.m. followed by the Gophers and Wildcats at 4:30 p.m.

Traffic Alert on Saturday – Please note that Gopher Men's Basketball is in action at Williams Arena on Saturday, with their game starting at 11:00 a.m. If you are coming to the SCSU-Merrimack game, allow extra time for parking along with increased vehicular & pedestrian traffic as the basketball game concludes.

Minnesota last time against Merrimack – The Gophers' and Warriors' only previous meetings were at the start of the 2017-2018 season at Ridder Arena. Merrimack pulled off an upset in the opener, coming from 3-1 down to defeat Minnesota 4-3 behind a 54-save performance from goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers. However, the Gophers salvaged a weekend split with a 4-1 victory in the rematch. Nicole Schammel led Minnesota with 4 points in the series, tallying 2 goals & 2 assists. Kippin Keller and Olivia Knowles each added a goal & two assists, while Grace Zumwinkle recorded her first two career goals in the Maroon & Gold. Emily Volpe was the high scorer for the Warriors with 2 assists. Between the pipes for the Gophers, Sidney Peters made 8 saves in 25 minutes of action before Alex Gulstene stopped 21 of 22 shots in the remainder of the weekend. Following Demers' performance in game 1, Samantha Ridgewell made 35 saves for Merrimack in game 2.

Analyzing the Warriors – After starting the season 1-6-1, Merrimack has shown signs of improvement with a 6-7-0 record since then. They currently sit ninth in Hockey East with 12 points on a 4-11-1 conference mark (one win coming in OT).

Senior Katie Kaufman (#10), a Lake Elmo, MN native, leads the Warriors in points and assists, 15 and 8 respectively, while lighting the lamp 7 times as well. Sophomore Alexa Pongo (#26) has a team-high 8 goals with 3 assists for 11 points, while seniors Allison Reeb (#25; 5g, 4a) and Madison Oelkers (#13; 4g, 5a) each have 9 points.

Senior goaltender Emma Gorski (#31) is 4-8-1 with 1 shutout in her 13 starts, posting a .903 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average. Freshman Calli Hogarth (#41) has a 3-5-0 record with a shutout in her 8 starts, recording a .918 SV% and 2.76 GAA. Junior Aries Mustoe (#35) has not played this season and has seen only limited action the past two years.

Last action for Merrimack – The Warriors played a single game this past weekend, winning on the road against St. Anselm on Saturday, 4-2. Madison Oelkers and Teghan Inglis each recorded a goal & an assist, while Calli Hogarth stopped 23 of 25 shots. The Warriors outshot the Hawks 43-25.

Minnesota last time against New Hampshire – The Gophers and Wildcats have not met since Thanksgiving weekend 2012 in New Hampshire, when Minnesota held an 80-25 shot advantage in the series and completed a weekend sweep 10-2 & 4-0. In the opener, Hannah Brandt recorded a hat trick plus 2 assists, Amanda Kessel also tallied 5 points on two goals & three assists, and Meghan Lorence & Lee Stecklein each added a goal and two assists. Kessel added another goal & assist in the rematch, Stecklein lit the lamp for her fourth point in the series, Rachel Bona netted her second goal of the weekend, and Amanda Leveille earned her second-career victory and shutout with a 16-save performance.

Analyzing the Wildcats – New Hampshire has seen its struggles throughout the season, having gone 3-7-0 since the start of November, though they do sport a 4-0 shutout victory over then-#14 UConn. They currently sit just ahead of Merrimack in eighth in Hockey East with 16 points on a 5-12-0 conference mark (1-2 in OT).

Grad student Emily Pinto (#26) leads the Wildcats in points and assists, with 15 and 12 respectively, while lighting the lamp 3 times. Sophomore Kira Juodikis (#14) has a team-high 7 goals plus 5 assists for 12 points. Junior Brianna Brooks (#17) also has 12 points, coming on 4 goals & 8 assists.

Grad student Ava Boutilier (#35) and senior Nicky Harnett (#1) have split time between the pipes for UNH. Boutilier is 3-8-0 in 11 starts with 1 shutout, a .902 save percentage, and a 2.89 goals-against average. Harnett is 4-6-0 in UNH's other 10 games with 2 shutouts, a .921 SV%, and a 2.07 GAA. Freshman Ava Hills (#33) has yet to see any official action.

Last action for New Hampshire – The Wildcats also opened the post-holiday portion of their schedule with a non-conference game against St. Anselm on Monday, also earning a 4-2 victory at home after trailing 1-0 and 2-1. Kira Juodikis lit the lamp twice with an assist in between, while Brianna Brooks added a goal & an assist and Emily Pinto dished out two helpers.

Vetter brings home second monthly league award

Following back-to-back WCHA Goaltender of the Week awards at the start of December, Gopher Women's Hockey sophomore Skylar Vetter was honored as the league's Goaltender of the Month for December. It is Vetter's second monthly recognition after earning the honor for her play in October.

In series against Minnesota State and St. Cloud State, Vetter stopped 67 of 68 shots over four contests, posting 3 shutouts with a 0.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage. She is on an active shutout streak of 226 minutes, 23 seconds. For the season, she is 12-3-2 in her 17 starts with 4 shutouts, a 1.91 GAA, and a .923 SV%.

Congratulations, Skylar, and wishes of continued success as the season resumes!!

Future Gophers Klepinger, Lindsay at U18 World Championship

We send wishes of good luck to incoming 2023-2024 Gopher freshmen Elly Klepinger and Ava Lindsay, along with the rest of the U.S. Women's U18 National Team, as they compete in the 2023 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship being held in Östersund, Sweden.

The Americans are in pre-tournament action today (Wednesday, January 4) against host Sweden at 4 p.m. local time / 9 a.m. U.S. Central in the city of Sundsvall. Tournament play begins on Sunday, January 8, again with Team USA facing host Sweden at 4 p.m. local time / 9 a.m. U.S. Central in Östersund.

At this time, no viewing options have been announced. We will share game updates on our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter). We also encourage you to check out the tournament website here, or get updates from USA Hockey at teamusa.usahockey.com/2023u18wwc.

Around the WCHA...

Buckeyes roll past Lindenwood – Ohio State cruised to a series sweep on the road against Lindenwood, holding a combined 142-26 shot advantage and winning 9-1 & 6-0. Jenn Gardiner led the Buckeyes with 7 points on 3 goals & 4 assists, while Makenna Webster posted a 5-goal, 1-assist weekend including a natural hat trick on Saturday. Gabby Rosenthal added two goals & two assists, while Emma Maltais tallied a goal & 3 assists. Chloe Corbin netted the lone goal for the Lions.

Wisconsin splits top-5 series at Quinnipiac – In an anticipated battle in Hamden, CT, Wisconsin got goals by Nicole LaMantia, Lacey Eden, and Britta Curl, plus 21 saves from Cami Kronish for a 3-0 road shutout victory over Quinnipiac on Saturday. However, the Bobcats returned the favor on Sunday with goals by Kate Reilly, Nina Steigauf (PP), and Maya Labad, plus 34 saves from Catie Boudiette for their own 3-0 shutout win and the weekend split.

This weekend – In a pair of non-conference series on Friday and Saturday, St. Thomas hosts RIT while Minnesota State hits the road to play Lindenwood. In league play, Minnesota Duluth heads to Madison for a Saturday-Sunday series against Wisconsin. Bemidji State and Ohio State are idle.