The Two-Minute Minor: An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Grace Zumwinkle is your 2024 PWHL Rookie of the Year
PWHL MN forward also named to All-Star Second Team & Rookie Team

We send our congratulations to Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Grace Zumwinkle, who was named the PWHL's Rookie of the Year yesterday following a stand-out first season with PWHL Minnesota.  Zumwinkle was also honored as a member of the league's Second All-Star Team and Rookie Team.  (Image courtesy of the PWHL)

Zumwinkle tied for seventh league-wide in regular-season scoring, leading Minnesota with 19 points on 11 goals & 8 assists while also posting a +6 plus-minus rating and converting on all three of her shootout attempts.  She added another goal during the PWHL playoffs.

Boreen, Kessel drafted by PWHL Montréal; Wethington to Ottawa

Coming off her partial season with league champions PWHL Minnesota while continuing her graduate studies at the U. of M., Gopher alumna Abigail Boreen will now head north of the border to Montréal, being selected 17th overall in the second round of Monday night's 2024 PWHL Draft.

Boreen tallied 4 goals & an assist in just 9 regular-season contests, and added another assist during the semifinal round against Toronto.

Recent GWH graduate Madeline Wethington had to wait until the seventh – and final – round of the draft to hear her name called.  She was selected 38th overall by PWHL Ottawa, becoming the first Gopher associated with that organization.

Wethington completed her collegiate career by hitting the 100-point mark in her final game, becoming the 7th blueliner in program history to reach the milestone, recording 27 goals & 73 assists.

Three picks later, Montréal used their final selection to choose collegiate and international stand-out Amanda Kessel 41st overall, continuing her comeback bid after taking a year off from competitive action.

Kessel is second all-time in Gopher scoring with 248 points on 108 goals & 140 assists.  Internationally, she has 59 career points (20g, 39a) over six IIHF World Championships with Team USA, and 15 points (6g, 9a) at three Olympic Winter Games.

Congratulations and good luck, Abby, Madeline, and Amanda!!

Darwitz, PWHL Minnesota part ways

 News broke last Friday, June 7, that PWHL Minnesota and Natalie Darwitz had parted ways, ending her tenure as the team's general manager nine days after the squad won the inaugural Walter Cup Championship and just three days before the league's draft.

The Power Play Club takes no position on this development, but we wish Natalie all the best in her next opportunity.  We also send our congratulations following her formal Class of 2024 induction into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame on May 26.

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Monday, June 3, 2024

PPC Board Meeting – tomorrow (Tuesday, June 4) at 7 p.m.

Here's one more reminder that the next meeting of the Power Play Club Board of Directors is scheduled for tomorrow evening – Tuesday, June 4 – at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be held online on Zoom.  PPC board meetings are open to all enrolled club members; 2023-2024 registration will apply for all off-season meetings this summer.  If you are interested in attending, please contact club president Bill Johnson at billjohnson013@gmail.com or vice president Dave Malerich at dmalerich@yahoo.com.

Maura Crowell named new head coach of Dartmouth Big Green;
Laura Schuler to lead UMD Bulldogs as interim head coach

Maura Crowell was named as the new head coach of the Dartmouth College Big Green women's hockey team this past Friday, May 31, departing Minnesota Duluth after nine seasons as the Bulldogs' bench boss, as announced in separate statements by Dartmouth and UMD.

Crowell led the Bulldogs to five NCAA Tournaments (including the last four), advancing to the Frozen Four in both 2021 & 2022 and an NCAA runner-up finish in 2022.  Across her nine years in Duluth, she posted a 174-115-28 overall record (including post-season play) and a 121-84-23 mark in WCHA regular-season action.

Per the press release from UMD, director of athletics Forrest Karr said that the university will begin a national search for Crowell's replacement.

In the meantime, Minnesota Duluth associate head coach Laura Schuler will take over as the program's interim head coach.  Schuler previously served a head coach of the Canada National Women's Team in the 2015-2016 & 2016-2017 seasons and Canada's 2018 Olympic silver medal-winning squad; she also has prior collegiate head coaching experience at UMass Boston, Northeastern, and Dartmouth.  A Northeastern University alumna, she was a three-time Women's World Championship gold medalist as a player with Team Canada.  Schuler has been a member of UMD's coaching staff a combined 10 years over two stints (2008-2015, 2021-present).

Gophers → PWHL quick hits...

 We give one more shout-out to the Gopher Women's Hockey representatives with 2024 Walter Cup winner PWHL Minnesota: Amanda Leveille, Abby Boreen, Grace Zumwinkle, Taylor Heise, Lauren Bench, assistant coach Mira Jalosuo, Kelly Pannek, strength coach Cal Dietz, Lee Stecklein, and general manager Natalie Darwitz!!

Ian Kennedy at The Hockey News documented GWH alumna Abby Boreen's entry into the 2024 PWHL Draft despite having played portions of the recently-completed season with PWHL Minnesota.  As noted by Kennedy, [Boreen will] become the first player in major professional sports to win a championship, and then need to be drafted afterward to be able to continue playing in the league.

PWHL Draft ticket update – Ticket availability for the 2024 PWHL Draft, being held next Monday, June 10 at 6 p.m. at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, was postponed twice more.  As of the venue's website last night, tickets will be made available this afternoon, June 3, at 2 p.m. CT.

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Thursday, May 30, 2024

PWHL Minnesota wins inaugural Walter Cup Championship;

Gopher alumna Taylor Heise wins Kloss Award as playoff MVP


PWHL Minnesota claimed the inaugural Walter Cup Championship with a 3-0 victory in Game 5 of the Finals on the road against Boston. Nicole Hensley was named the game's MVP with a 17-save shutout performance, and Liz Schepers, Michela Cava, and team captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield (empty-net) lit the lamp. Mellissa Channell assisted on all three goals, and Gopher alumna Taylor Heise also dished out an assist. Aerin Frankel made 41 saves for Boston.

We send congratulations to all the Gopher Women's Hockey representatives with PWHL Minnesota: Heise, Kelly Pannek, Lee Stecklein, Grace Zumwinkle, Abby Boreen, reserve goaltenders Lauren Bench & Amanda Leveille, assistant coach Mira Jalosuo, and general manager Natalie Darwitz!!

We also send another shout-out to Gopher alums Hannah Brandt, Emily Brown, and Gigi Marvin on a great season and playoff run with PWHL Boston.

An additional round of congratulations goes to Heise on being named the inaugural winner of the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP Award!! She tallied a league-high 8 points in the post-season on 5 goals and 3 assists. Heise is pictured receiving the award from its namesake, Ilana Kloss, along with PWHL Board of Directors members Royce Cohen (left) and Stan Kasten (right).

PWHL Draft ticket availability postponed to today (May 30)

Event scheduled for Monday, June 10th at Roy Wilkins Auditorium

Updating the news we shared earlier this week, tickets for the 2024 PWHL Draft will be available to the public in limited quantities beginning today (Thursday, May 30) at 2:00 p.m. CT; the digital tickets will be required to attend. Fans can also purchase a PWHL Draft Premium Experience Upgrade for $125 (plus applicable fees and taxes). The seven-round, 42-player draft itself is being held on Monday evening, June 10, beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul.

We provide a reminder that Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae Abby Boreen, Amanda Kessel, Lucy Morgan, Noora Räty, and Madeline Wethington were named in the list of 167 players who have been declared eligible for the draft, and we again send all five best wishes ahead of the event!!

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Five Gopher alumnae named to PWHL draft-eligible list
2024 PWHL Draft scheduled for Monday, June 10th in St. Paul

Five Gopher Women's Hockey alumnae were named Saturday in the list of 167 players who have been declared eligible for the 2024 PWHL Draft, being held on Monday evening, June 10, beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul.

As noted in our Two-Minute Minor email this past Friday (May 24), former Gopher great Amanda Kessel and recent GWH alumna Madeline Wethington were previously confirmed as draft-eligible.  Joining them on the list are forward Abigail Boreen and goaltenders Lucy Morgan & Noora Räty.

Boreen signed two 10-day contracts with PWHL Minnesota during the 2024 regular-season and also appearing in the Minnesota's league semifinal series against Toronto, recording 4 goals and 2 assists in 14 overall games.  As a Gopher, she tallied 125 points on 60 goals and 65 assists in 165 games over five seasons.

Morgan completed her collegiate play this past season with the Gophers, posting a 15-3-0 record with 3 shutouts, a 1.65 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.  Over her NCAA career spanning 5 seasons, she posted a 57-46-22 record with 16 shutouts, a 1.94 GAA, and a .929 save percentage.

Räty remains the Gophers' all-time goaltending wins leader with 114, including a tie for the season record-high of 38 (set in 2012-2013); she also has program highs for shutouts (43) and saves (3,250), is 2nd in save percentage (.946), and 3rd in goals-against average (1.34).  She has played in several different leagues professionally since graduating, but is better known for her international play with the Finland National Team, winning two Olympic bronze medals and one silver & four bronze medals at the IIHF Women's World Championship, being named the World Championship Best Goaltender five times.

Per a separate press release from the PWHL, tickets for the draft are free and will be available to the public in limited quantities beginning tomorrow (Wednesday, May 29) at 2:00 p.m. CT; the digital tickets will be required to attend.  Fans can also purchase a PWHL Draft Premium Experience Upgrade for $125 (plus applicable fees and taxes).

We send all five Gopher alumnae best wishes ahead of the draft!!

PWHL Walter Cup Finals: Game 5 on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT
Series between Boston & Minnesota tied 2-2 after splitting Games 3 & 4

We again send best wishes to the seven Gopher alumnae on the active rosters of PWHL Boston and Minnesota – Hannah Brandt (BOS), Emily Brown (BOS), Taylor Heise (MIN), Gigi Marvin (BOS), Kelly Pannek (MIN), Lee Stecklein (MIN), and Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) – heading into tomorrow's (Wednesday, May 29) deciding Game 5 of the league's Walter Cup Finals.

Heise recorded a goal & an assist, Zumwinkle netted a short-handed empty-net goal, and Pannek tallied an assist as Minnesota won 4-1 in Game 3 to take a 2 games to 1 lead, but Boston avoided elimination with a 1-0 double-overtime victory in Game 4 as Alina Müller lit the lamp at the 18:36 mark of the second extra period.

Wednesday's Game 5 is set for 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA.  The game will be streamed on the PWHL's YouTube channel, and will be televised in the Twin Cities area on Bally Sports North Extra (tentative – may be moved to the primary Bally Sports North).

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An Edition of the Penalty Box Post - Friday, May 24, 2024

PPC Board of Directors Meeting – Tuesday, June 4 at 7 p.m.

 We provide a reminder that the next meeting of the Power Play Club Board of Directors is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be held online on Zoom.  PPC board meetings are open to all enrolled club members; 2023-2024 registration will apply for all off-season meetings this summer.  If you are interested in attending, please contact club president Bill Johnson at billjohnson013@gmail.com or vice president Dave Malerich at dmalerich@yahoo.com.

Gopher Women's Hockey announces 2024-2025 season schedule

 The Gopher Women's Hockey announced its 2024-2025 season schedule yesterday (accompanying press release here) as the program prepares for its 28th season of Division I varsity competition.

Similar to last year, the front-half of the season will feature only 6 home games.  Minnesota will begin the 2024-2025 campaign on the road against the Connecticut Huskies on September 27 & 28 before hosting Boston University for the home-opening series on October 4 & 6.  The last of the non-conference games will occur at the start of the second-half of the season when Penn State, Brown, and Bemidji State come to Minneapolis for an east-west showcase at Ridder Arena.  The schedule also features four home-and-home weekends, two against Minnesota State and two against St. Cloud State.

WCHA releases composite schedule of league games

Additionally, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association published its schedule of all 112 league games for the 2024-2025 season yesterday.  Defending WCHA regular-season and NCAA champion Ohio State will get things started early with back-to-back in-conference series, first at home against Minnesota Duluth September 21-22 and then on the road at Bemidji State September 27-28.

GWH alums Kessel, Wethington declare for 2024 PWHL Draft

After taking a year off from competitive action, it has now been confirmed that Minnesota Women's Hockey alumna and 2013 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Amanda Kessel has declared herself eligible for the 2024 Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Draft.  As noted in reporting by Ian Kennedy at The Hockey News, Kessel (age 32) scored five points in six games for Team Adidas on the PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour in 2022-2023, and recorded nine points in seven games with Team USA at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship.  She spent this past year working for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins in a front office role.

Meanwhile, recent Gopher alumna Madeline Wethington has also declared for the draft.  She spoke about her upcoming plans with FOX 9's Dawn Mitchell on a recent episode of the Dawn Of Sports podcast.  Once again, Wethington was a three-time All-WCHA selection, playing in a program-high 173 career games and becoming the 7th GWH defender to score 100 career points.

Shout-outs...

We send a shout-out to the 2023-2024 Gopher Women's Hockey team on having another great semester in the classroom, posting a 3.56 grade-point average for the Spring 2024 term!! Great job, ladies!!

PWHL Finals: Boston vs. Minnesota – Series tied 1-1 (best of 5)

We also send a shout-out to the seven Gopher alumnae on the active rosters of PWHL Boston and Minnesota – Hannah Brandt (BOS), Emily Brown (BOS), Taylor Heise (MIN), Gigi Marvin (BOS), Kelly Pannek (MIN), Lee Stecklein (MIN), and Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) – as they compete in the league's Walter Cup Finals.

Heise tallied two goals and an assist, but Brandt also lit the lamp, Brown dished out two helpers, and Marvin also recorded an assist as Boston took Game 1 by a 4-3 score.  No Gophers earned any points in Game 2, but two goals from Sophie Jaques and a 20-save performance by Nicole Hensley gave Minnesota a 3-0 victory to knot the series at one game apiece.

Game 3 is tonight (Friday, 5/24) at 6 p.m. CT and Game 4 is Sunday (5/26) at 5 p.m. CT at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.  Both games will be streamed on the PWHL's YouTube channel, and tomorrow's game will be televised in the Twin Cities area on Bally Sports North Extra.  (Sunday's game will be on BSN or BSN Extra, but which one is TBA.)

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Gophers Sign Transfers Mlýnková, Parkkonen for 2024-2025

The Gopher Women's Hockey team and head coach Brad Frost announced Monday the signing of transfers Natálie Mlýnková and Krista Parkkonen to the program for the 2024-2025 season.  Both come to Minnesota after previously playing for the University of Vermont Catamounts and representing their respective home countries at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship last month.

Mlýnková will become the first Gopher to hail from the Czech Republic, and is the reigning Hockey East Player of the Year after tallying 26 points on a league-best 15 goals and 11 assists in conference play.  Over her 104 career games at Vermont, she posted 48 goals and 49 assists for 97 points.  At the 2024 World Championship, her fifth with Team Czechia, she recorded 4 goals & 2 assists; since 2019, she has 15 goals & 6 assists in World Championship play.  She also tallied a goal at the 2022 Olympic Games after recording a goal & 3 assists in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Parkkonen, a blueliner from Finland, recorded 20 points on 4 goals and 16 assists in 60 games over two seasons at Vermont and was named to the Hockey East All-Stars Second Team in 2023-2024.  Though she didn't score at the 2024 Women's Worlds, she tallied a combined 5 points (1g-4a) with Team Finland in the 2022 & 2023 tournaments.

The duo joins incoming freshmen Hannah Clark, Kendra Distad, Gracie Graham, Carly Humphrey, Kate Kosobud, Chloe Primerano and Ayla Puppe as the newest class of Gophers.  Welcome, Natálie and Krista!!

Grace Zumwinkle voted finalist for PWHL Rookie of the Year

Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Grace Zumwinkle was one of three players named as finalists for the PWHL Rookie of the Year award, as voted on by an 18-member selection committee and announced yesterday.  She is joined by Emma Maltais and Alina Müller.  (Photo courtesy of the PWHL)

Zumwinkle leads PWHL Minnesota with 19 points.  Her 11 goals are second-most in the league and include the PWHL's first-ever hat trick (January 6 vs. Montreal).  She also finished second in the PWHL's regular-season with four game-winning goals and tied for first in both shorthanded tallies (2) and shootout goals (3).  Her two power-play conversions tied for first among rookies.

Winners of all PWHL Awards, presented by Woody Creek Distillers, will be announced in June.  Congratulations and good luck, Grace!!

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

The Two-Minute Minor - An edition of the Penalty Box Post - Sunday, May 12, 2024

PPC Board sees director changes at May meeting;
Next meeting – online Tuesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. CT

Several changes were made to the Power Play Club Board of Directors at its meeting this past Tuesday, May 7.  The board accepted the resignations of Susan “Rennie” McPherson and Mike Zumwinkle; we thank both of them for their contributions to the board, club, and Gopher Women's Hockey program.  The board also approved the appointments of new directors-at-large Ander Kierig & Guy Sederski and parent representative John Conner.

The board also received the final fundraising numbers from the 2023-2024 season.  Working with the Golden Gopher Fund inside the U. of M. Athletics Department, more than $62,500 was raised for the Gopher Women's Hockey program.  GWH head coach Brad Frost provided his thanks to the PPC board, and we share that with all of you.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. CT and will be held online on Zoom.  PPC board meetings are open to all enrolled club members; we reiterate that 2023-2024 registration will apply for all off-season meetings this summer.  If you are interested in attending, please contact club president Bill Johnson at billjohnson013@gmail.com or vice president Dave Malerich at dmalerich@yahoo.com.

Vetter invited to USA Hockey National Goaltending Camp

 Gopher Women's Hockey senior Skylar Vetter has been named as one of 24 netminders invited to the 2024 USA Hockey National Goaltending Camp, occurring later this week (May 15-18) at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.

Congratulations on earning this opportunity, Skylar!!

Madeline Wethington earns pair of academic honors

We also congratulate 2023-2024 GWH alternate captain Madeline Wethington as she was announced as recipient of two academic awards presented by Gopher Athletics and the Lindahl Academic Center.

Wethington and Gopher Men's Hockey's Justin Close were named Lindahl Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award winners, presented in honor of classroom and athletics success.  Wethington and Gopher Baseball's Brady Jurgella were honored as 2024 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship recipients.

A four-time WCHA All-Academic Team member and four-time WCHA Scholar Athlete, Wethington graduated with a major in cellular and organismal physiology in spring 2023 and is pursuing a master's in biological sciences.  On the ice, she was named WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2019-2020 and was a three-time All-WCHA selection, playing in a program-high 173 career games and becoming the 7th GWH defender to score 100 career points.

WCHA commissioner Dill receives two-year contract extension

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced Friday that Tracy Dill has signed a two-year contract extension as league commissioner, removing the interim tag from his title.  Dill joined the WCHA office in July 2022 and is now in line to remain commissioner through the 2025-2026 season.

As noted in the press release, Dill was the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Bemidji State University for nine years before taking the role as WCHA commissioner.  Preceding that, Dill spent over 28 years at St. Cloud State University in various capacities, including coaching and administration.

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Thursday, May 2, 2024

PPC Board of Directors meeting with Coach Frost
Online – Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. CT

The May meeting of the Power Play Club Board of Directors is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. CT, and will be held online on Zoom.  We will be joined by Gopher Women's Hockey head coach Brad Frost and we will hear his recap of the 2023-2024 season plus initial plans & vision for 2024-2025 (and potentially beyond).

PPC board meetings are open to all enrolled club members; 2023-2024 registration will apply to all off-season meetings this summer.  If you are interested in attending, please contact club president Bill Johnson at billjohnson013@gmail.com or vice president Dave Malerich at dmalerich@yahoo.com.

Open directorships-at-large – We also provide a reminder that we have a pair of open positions on the board for directors-at-large.  If you are interested, please contact Bill or Dave at the addresses above.

Norway, Hungary earn promotion to IIHF's top division
Gopher freshman Kreisz records three points for Hungary National Team

The Norway and Hungary Women's National Hockey Teams finished in the top two at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship Division I Group A tournament last week, earning promotion to the top division 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.  The Norwegians went undefeated at the I-A event, though three of their five wins were by shootout.  The Hungarians did not suffer a regulation loss but dropped two games in shootouts.

Norway & Hungary will replace Denmark & China, who were demoted from the top division.  Hungary participated in the 2023 Women's World Championship, but Norway hasn't been in the top level since 1997.  The 2025 Women's World Championship will be played in České Budějovice, Czechia.

We send a shout out to Gopher Women's Hockey forward Emma Kreisz, who tallied three points on a goal and two assists for Team Hungary in last week's tournament.  She also posted a +1 plus-minus rating.

Atlantic Hockey, College Hockey America announce merger

The Atlantic Hockey men's conference & College Hockey America women's conference have announced a combined rebrand and are finalizing a merger, becoming Atlantic Hockey America.

As noted in Tuesday's press release, the two leagues have existed as separate entities until now, though they've shared administrative operations since 2010.

The Atlantic Hockey America Women's League will retain all six teams which competed in College Hockey America in 2023-2024.  The University of Delaware Fighting Blue Hens will join the conference in the 2025-2026 season.

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

Penalty Box Post Quick Hit - Sunday, April 28, 2024

In memoriam – PPC member & past co-president David Lord
February 1, 1944 - April 21, 2024

It is with great sadness we share news of the passing of longtime Power Play Club member & former two-term club co-president David Lord last Sunday, April 21, from complications related to cancer.

With his wife Cindi, Dave's contributions to the club and his support for Minnesota Women's Hockey since becoming a season ticket holder in 2002 are immeasurable.  After taking time off from club leadership, Dave rejoined the PPC board in 2019 and served as a director-at-large the past five seasons.

We send our thoughts and prayers to Cindi, their daughter and son-in-law Bethany & Ross Pena, and their extended family.

A celebration of life will be held at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church in Minneapolis (4901 Chowen Avenue S) next Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.  Please consider wearing red or your favorite U. of M. gear in David's honor.  A reception and refreshments will follow.  The service can be viewed via livestream at lakeharrietumc.org/stream.

Memorials in Dave's honor can be made to the Power Play Club Fund at the U. or another charity of your choice.  A full obituary can be found here.

GWH alumna Emily Brown nets first PWHL goal

We send a tardy but well-deserved shout-out to Gopher Women's Hockey alumna Emily Brown, who netted her first goal as a member of PWHL Boston on Wednesday, April 18, and was named the team's Player of the Game in their 2-1 victory at home over Toronto!  (Photo courtesy of PWHL Boston)

With one game to go in the PWHL regular season for Boston, Brown has the one goal and 3 assists.

Congratulations, Emily!!

Copyright © 2024 Power Play Club, All rights reserved.

You can receive the Penalty Box Post newsletter via email by signing up here.

Follow the Power Play Club online at www.powerplayclub.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerPlayClubMN, or on Twitter at twitter.com/powerplayclub.

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/X at twitter.com/GopherWHockey.

The Penalty Box Post - Thursday, April 18, 2024

Power Play Club Board of Directors notes

At the April meeting of the Power Play Club's Board of Directors, secretary Paula Biever, treasurer Todd King, and directors-at-large Susan "Rennie" McPherson & Linda Kenny were re-elected to new two-year terms on the board by a unanimous vote.  Club president Bill Johnson, vice-president Dave Malerich, directors-at-large J Lindsay & Bob Milligan, and parent representative Mike Zumwinkle each have one year remaining on their terms (expiring in 2025).

We graciously thank Matt Floding and Dave Lord for their time on the board as directors-at-large.  Dave has decided to not seek re-election, and Matt tendered his resignation from the board with a year remaining on his term.

At this time, the board has two openings for directors-at-large.  If you are interested in joining and/or have questions about the positions, please reach out to Bill Johnson at billjohnson013@gmail.com or Dave Malerich at dmalerich@yahoo.com.  Thank you!!

Maggie Nicholson, Audrey Wethington to return for 2024-2025 season

Coach Brad Frost and the Gopher Women's Hockey program announced last week that Maggie Nicholson and Audrey Wethington will be returning for their respective fifth years on the team.

Nicholson has 20 career points over 95 games, ten of which – two goals & 8 assists – came last season. 

Wethington has 55 points in 133 games over her previous four seasons, including 15 points on four goals & 11 assists in her senior year.  She was also named a WCHA Scholar Athlete, WCHA All-Academic and a top-three finalist for WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete in 2023-2024.

We send a warm welcome back to both Maggie and Audrey!!

2024 IIHF Women's World Championship – Utica, NY
Canada defeats U.S. for gold in OT, Finland takes bronze

Returning the favor from 2023, the Canada Women's National Hockey Team won the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship gold medal on their opponent's and biggest rival's home ice, defeating Team USA 6-5 in overtime in Utica, New York.  Neither team held more than a one-goal lead at any point in regulation, with Caroline Harvey & Laila Edwards each tallying a goal and an assist for the Americans and Marie-Philip Poulin lighting the lamp twice for the Canadians.  But a penalty for too many players was called on the U.S. in overtime, and Danielle Serdachny scored on a rebound on the resulting power play 5:16 into the extra period.  Aerin Frankel made 24 saves for Team USA, while Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped 19 shots for Canada.  Gopher representatives Abbey Murphy and Taylor Heise each dished out an assist for the Americans.

Finland claimed the bronze medal with a 3-2 shootout victory over Czechia.  The Finns and Czechs exchanged goals in regulation, with Michelle Karvinen & Viivi Vainikka lighting the lamp for Finland and Michaela Pejzlova & Denisa Krizova scoring for Czechia.  Goaltender Klara Peslarova kept Czechia in the contest with 46 saves while Finland's Sanni Ahola stopped 29 shots.  A shootout was required after the teams played a scoreless 10-minute overtime, tied 2-2.  Karvinen put the Finns ahead with a first-round goal, but Klara Hymnlarova evened things for the Czechs in the second round.  However, Petra Nieminen gave Finland a 2-1 shootout lead, scoring in the fourth round, and Ahola stopped the next two Czech shooters – including Krizova in the fifth round – to clinch their medals.

Prior to the final day, Team USA was undefeated – including getting a 1-0 preliminary round overtime victory over Canada on a goal by Kirsten Simms and a 26-save shutout by Frankel.  Frankel recorded 3 other shutouts, including a 4-0 preliminary round victory over Switzerland (4-0), a 10-0 win over Japan in the quarterfinals, and a 5-0 semifinal win over Finland.  Canada's only loss was the preliminary round contest against the U.S.; they defeated Sweden 5-1 in the quarterfinals and Czechia 4-0 in the semis.  The Czechs were 3rd in Group A and defeated Germany 1-0 in the quarterfinals before their semifinal and bronze-medal game losses.  Finland finished fourth in Group A and defeated the Swiss 3-1 in their quarterfinal.  Switzerland was winless in Group A, but will remain in that group following a 3-2 victory in the placement game over Group B winner Germany.  The Germans were undefeated in Group B play before their two playoff round losses.  Sweden finished 7th with a 3-1 record in Group B preliminary round play.  Japan needed a 3-0 victory over Denmark in the final game of preliminary round play to remain in the top division for the 2025 tournament.  As a result of that Japanese win, Denmark & China, newly-promoted for 2024, will be sent back down to Division I-A for 2025.

Gophers at the World Championship:

 We send congratulations to current Gopher Women's Hockey forward Abbey Murphy and alumnae Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek, and Grace Zumwinkle on earning silver medals with Team USA, and to current Gopher Nelli Laitinen on earning a bronze medal with Finland.

Here are the player stats: 

  • Abbey Murphy (USA) – 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points

  • Taylor Heise (USA) – 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points

  • Josefin Bouveng (SWE) – 4 goals, 1 assist, 5 points

  • Nelli Laitinen (FIN) – 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points

  • Kelly Pannek (USA) – No scoring, +1 rating

  • Grace Zumwinkle (USA) – served as an alternate and did not play

We also send a wish of good luck to current Gopher forward Emma Kreisz, who is again in international competition with the Hungary Women's National Team.  Team Hungary is playing in the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship Division I-A tournament next week (April 21-27) in Austria, with hopes of promotion back to the top division for 2025.  In pre-tournament exhibition action this past weekend, the Hungarians split two games against Austria, winning 1‑0 Friday but losing 2‑1 in OT on Saturday. 

Additional IIHF Notes 

  • As officially announced this past Sunday, the city of České Budějovice in Czechia – roughly 2½ hours south of Prague – will host 2025 Women's World Championship, running April 9-20.  It is the first time the Czechs will host a Women's World Championship and the first IIHF tournament in their country since 2017 (Women's U18 World Championship).

  • Per reporting by The Hockey News Women's, the 2025 Women's Worlds Division I-A and I-B tournaments will be synced with the Top Division, to also align with breaks in professional league schedules.  As noted above, the 2024 Division I-A tournament will be played next week in Austria, conflicting with the restarting PWHL schedule.

BSU alumna Amber Fryklund named new head coach of Beavers

Amber Fryklund was named the sixth head coach of the Bemidji State University Beavers women's hockey program on Tuesday, April 9, moving up from her previous role as associate head coach this past year plus three prior seasons, and 10 years in total on the coaching staff.  The announcement came one day after Jim Scanlon announced his departure from the team.

Fryklund is a Bemidji State women's hockey alumna, having played for the Beavers from 2000 to 2003.  She continues to hold the program records for points (122) and goals (59), and is second for assists (63), all accomplished in only three seasons.  Prior to joining the Beavers' staff, she co-coached the Duluth Northern Stars for six years and was an assistant for the Proctor-Hermantown-Marshall Mirage high school girls team for two seasons.  She took time away from the hockey bench to serve as an Assistant Professor of Human Performance, Sport and Health at BSU for three years before her return to the team in 2023-2024.  She's also been named as an assistant coach of the 2025 U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team which will compete at the 2025 IIHF U-18 Women's World Championship in Vantaa, Finland next January.

Fryklund becomes the second WCHA alumna to be hired as the head coach at their alma mater this offseason, joining Minnesota State's Shari (Vogt) Dickerman.

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