Chalk Talk – Saturday, October 19 at 1:30 p.m.
All enrolled Power Play Club members are invited to join us at the first of our club-exclusive Chalk Talks on Saturday, October 19, at 1:30 p.m. We will hear from one of the GWH coaches as we discuss team strategy and the previous night's contest against Wisconsin. The event will be held in the Ridder Arena weight room on the suite (upper) level; use the stairs or elevator on the west end of the ticket lobby.
PPC membership remains open for 2024-2025 season
Do you still need to enroll in the Power Play Club for 2024-2025? You can still become a Locker Sponsor by committing to a minimum $600 donation (per locker) and contacting Bob Milligan at milligandanes@gmail.com as soon as possible (though do not submit a donation at this time).
Or you can sign-up for a Basic Membership with a minimum donation of $50, enrolling online at z.umn.edu/PPC24; click the "Make A Gift" button on that page and follow the instructions. Offline registration is also available by downloading the form here and sending it in to the listed address, with a check payable to the "University of Minnesota".
Goals for a Goal
Another way to support the Gopher Women's Hockey team financially is to enroll in the Goals for a Goal program – a pledge-per-goal campaign. Through the first four games of the season, the Gophers have lit the lamp 13 times, including twice on the power play. Submit your pledge for each goal scored this year, with the option to double your pledge for power play tallies, using the online form at z.umn.edu/GoalsForAGoal. Following the conclusion of the season, you will receive an email with your pledge total and giving instructions. Thanks and GO GOPHERS!!
2024-2025 WCHA Opener!
#2/2 Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) at #4/5 Ohio State University Buckeyes (4-2-0, 2-2-0)
Friday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, October 12 at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT
OSU Ice Rink, Columbus, Ohio
Following victories in four non-conference contests, the University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Women's Hockey team will go back on the road to open the conference portion of its schedule, heading to Columbus, Ohio, to square off against the Ohio State University Buckeyes at the OSU Ice Rink. The puck will drop this Friday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT, and continue on Saturday, October 12, at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT.
Milestone watch – In addition to this weekend being considered a rivalry series, the Gophers will also be looking for their 500th WCHA victory all-time. Minnesota has a 499-107-49 record in league play entering the season.
Game coverage – Saturday's game will be televised in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas on Fox 9+; see the channel finder for availability. Both contests will have video streaming through the B1G+ subscription service (Friday / Saturday), and free audio play-by-play streaming is available via GopherSports.com (Friday / Saturday). Live stats will also be available via GopherSports.com.
Last year against Ohio State – The Gophers came out on the short end of their four games against the Buckeyes last season, losing a pair of one-goal contests in Columbus last October, 4-3 (OT) & 6-5, then being routed at home in January, 7-0 & 6-1. Josefin Bouveng was Minnesota's high-scorer against OSU, tallying five points on a goal & 4 assists, while Ella Huber, Nelli Laitinen, and Abbey Murphy each added two goals and two assists. Jennifer Gardiner led Ohio State with 9 points (4g, 5a) in the four contests against Minnesota, Hannah Bilka recorded 8 points (4g, 4a), and Joy Dunne (3g, 2a) & Sloane Matthews each added (2g, 3a) each posted 5 points. In net for the Gophers, Skylar Vetter made 141 saves but yielded 18 goals, posting an .887 save percentage and 5.29 goals-against average; Lucy Morgan gave up 5 goals on only 16 shots in just over 35 minutes of action (.688 SV%, 8.45 GAA). OSU netminder Raygan Kirk stopped 62 of 66 shots over 3 games with a shutout, posting a 1.32 GAA and a .939 SV%; Amanda Thiele yielded 5 goals on 28 shots in the second meeting (.821 SV%) but still got the victory.
Analyzing the Buckeyes – Ohio State is looking to avoid what happened to them 3 weeks ago: being swept at home in a conference series. However, they've gone 4-0 on the road since then and remain a top-five team in both national rankings. Still, they're reloading after eight players from their roster last season were selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft.
Sophomore Joy Dunne (#16) returns as the Buckeyes' leader in goals last season, lighting the lamp 24 times while also dishing out 18 assists, and grad student Kiara Zanon (#11) also surpassed the 40-point mark with 14 goals and 27 assists. After a 38-point (15g, 23a) senior season, grad student Jenna Buglioni (#10) leads the team early this year with 7 points on 4 goals & 3 assists. Sophomore Jocelyne Amos (#17; 4g, 2a), Zanon (3g, 3a), and junior Emma Peschel (#7; 1g, 5a) have each added six points. OSU also added five new transfers, including Maddi Wheeler (#18; from Wisconsin) and former Gopher Emily Zumwinkle (#6).
Another of the five transfers to the Buckeyes is junior goaltender Hailey MacLeod (#35), who came over from Minnesota Duluth; after going 11-5-2 with 6 shutouts, a 1.42 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage last year with the Bulldogs, she's 2-1-0 with one shutout, a 2.36 GAA, and an .894 SV% so far for OSU. Meanwhile, Amanda Thiele (#30) is back for her graduate season; she posted a 13-2-0 record as a senior with 2 shutouts, a 1.63 GAA, and a .905 SV%, and has started 2024-2025 with a 2-1-0 record, a 2.00 GAA, and an .842 SV%.
Last weekend for Ohio State – Jenna Buglioni netted both game-winning goals, her 2nd and 3rd of the series, as the Buckeyes travelled to northern New York State and swept St. Lawrence, 3-2 (OT) and 5-3. Jocelyne Amos also posted three points, netting a goal in each game and adding an assist. Ali McLeod led the Saints with a goal and two helpers. Amanda Thiele made 12 saves Friday and Hailey MacLeod stopped 18 shots Saturday for OSU, while SLU netminder Emma-Sofie Nordström played both games and recorded a combined 71 saves.
Gophers sweep home-opening series against Boston University
Abbey Murphy led Minnesota with two goals & an assist and Natalie Mlynkova dished out 3 helpers on Sunday as the Gopher Women's Hockey team swept their home-opening series against Boston University, 1-0 and 5-2. The wins improve Minnesota's record to 4-0-0.
Terriers goaltender Callie Shanahan stopped the first 40 shots she faced on Friday night and held the Gopher power play unit scoreless on its first three opportunities. However, a major penalty by BU for direct head contact with 1:38 to play in regulation gave Minnesota another chance with the advantage, and Murphy corralled and buried the rebound of a shot from Josefin Bouveng for the only goal of the contest. Peyton Hemp earned the other assist. Skylar Vetter posted an 11-save shutout, including stopping a Terrier penalty shot opportunity earlier in the third period.
Gopher freshman Hannah Clark made her first collegiate start between the pipes on Sunday, stopping 12 of 14 shots. Hemp gave Minnesota the initial lead in the first period off a cross-ice pass from Mlynkova. Boston's Lilli Welcke knotted the score 13 minutes into the second period, but Murphy was slashed on a breakaway a minute later, earning a penalty shot which she converted with a chip past BU goalie Mari Pietersen; it was the Gophers' first penalty shot goal since Emily West scored in the 2012 NCAA Championship Game. Ella Huber doubled Minnesota's lead 3 minutes after that, netting the eventual game-winning goal, and Sydney Morrow tallied her first goal as a Gopher early in the third stanza. Riley Walsh pulled the Terriers back within two just 95 seconds later, but Nelli Laitinen pushed the lead back to three 64 seconds after that.
We again recognize junior defender Sydney Morrow (pictured) for scoring her first goal as a member of the Gopher Women's Hockey team, and we also send a shout-out to freshman blueliner Gracie Graham for earning her first collegiate point with an assist on the same play! Congratulations, ladies!!
Around the WCHA
Wisconsin routs Boston College – Casey O'Brien's hot hand continued with 7-point weekend, tallying three goals and dishing out four assists as the Badgers swept the Eagles, 7-1 and 7-0 in Boston. Laila Edwards added two goals & three assists, while Kirsten Simms tallied 2 goals & 2 helpers. Abby Newhook netted the lone goal for Boston College, who were outshot by a combined 104-29.
UMD, Colgate split – Mary Kate O'Brien recorded a goal & an assist, Clara Van Wieren also lit the lamp, and Ève Gascon stopped 25 of 27 shots as the Bulldogs defeated the Raiders, 3-2, on Friday. Gascon made another 33 saves and Van Wieren scored again on Saturday, but two goals by Colgate's Kaia Malachino, 42 saves by Hannah Murphy, and the game-winning tally by Sara Stewart after an earlier assist gave the Raiders the 3-2 victory and the weekend split.
SCSU edges Mercyhurst twice – Four different Huskies lit the lamp, Greta Henderson & Carmen Bray each dished out two assists, and Sanni Ahola & Emilia Kyrkkö each made 21 saves as St. Cloud State swept the Lakers, 2-1 and 2-0. Regina Metzler netted the lone Mercyhurst goal.
MSU sweeps LIU – Whitney Tuttle & Taylor Otremba each tallied two goals and an assist, Madison Mashuga added a goal & two assists, and Suzette Faucher & Jessie McPherson combined to stop 42 of 43 shots as Minnesota State defeated Long Island, 4-0 and 4-1. Abbie Thompson made a combined 78 saves and Anya Weilandt scored for the Sharks.
St. Thomas earns two wins vs. Post – Maddie Brown and Rylee Bartz each tallied two goals & two assists, and Chloe Boreen earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors with a goal and two helpers as the Tommies cruised to 7-0 and 4-1 victories over the visiting Eagles. Macy Peterson netted the lone goal for Post, but they were outshot by UST 99-15.
Bemidji State falls short at Robert Morris – RMU netminder Maggie Hatch stoped all 46 shots she faced Friday, and Mya Neugent & Janelle Evans lit the lamp to give the Colonials the 2-0 shutout victory over the Beavers. Morgan Giannone recorded a goal & an assist and Neugent dished out two helpers as RMU took a 3-0 lead on Saturday, only to see nine Beavers each record a point as they battled back; Alyssa Watkins netted the tying goal on a power play with 8:04 remaining in regulation. However, BSU came home empty as Thalia D'Elia scored for the Colonials, with another assist for Giannone, 2:32 into overtime to win 4-3.
Upcoming games – In-conference action begin throughout the league. In a pair of Friday-Saturday series, St. Thomas will face Minnesota State home-and-home starting in Mendota Heights, and Bemidji State will host St. Cloud State. The other series features #3/4 Minnesota Duluth traveling to Madison to face #1/1 Wisconsin on Saturday & Sunday.
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