Gophers Headed to PWHL Walter Cup Championship Game at Xcel Energy Center

[GopherMarroon]

Next Friday and Sunday (26th) at Xcel Energy Center. It's the Walter Cup championship.It's a mostly-Minnesota players team. Minnesota is THE state of hockey.

Former Gopher Taylor Heise scored the game-winner to advance. She's the former #1 overall draft pick in the first ever draft. Go to a game, it's history happening.

Five former Gophers play for PWHL -- Heise, Zumwinkle, Pannek, Strecklein, and Boreen -- (although I think Boreen may only be eligible for one playoff series). The general manager Natalie Darwitz is a former Hockey Hall of Fame Gophers great.




All games stream free at YouTube.

PWHL Finals: Minnesota at Boston - Game 1 - May 19, 2024​

PWHL Finals: Minnesota at Boston - Game 1 - May 19, 2024The Professional Women’s Hockey League, or PWHL, is a first-of-its-kind women’s hockey league that br...

www.youtube.com


Sunday (19th) 4 PM CST: At Boston

Tuesday 6 PM: At Boston

Friday 6 PM: AT MINNESOTA XCEL ENERGY CENTER - GET YOUR TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER

Sunday 5 PM (26th): At Minnesota

And then back to Boston Wednesday if needed, best of 5.

PWHL Minnesota beats Toronto in Game 5 to reach inaugural finals

Maddie Rooney made 27 saves in the 4-1 victory as Minnesota won its third game in a row to earn its spot against Boston for the Walter Cup.

www.startribune.com

Buy PWHL Minnesota Tickets | 2024 Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster.com

Buy Hockey PWHL Minnesota event tickets at Ticketmaster.com. Get sport event schedules and promotions.

www.ticketmaster.com

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

In addition to the Gophers on the Minnesota team, Boston's roster includes Emily Brown, Hannah Brandt and Gigi Marvin.

 

[GopherMarroon]

Minnesota could have won that first game in Boston. Minnesota goaltending faltered. Former Gopher Taylor Heise made a fantastic backward (sneaky) pass for an assist. She scored two goals.


Minnesota has the best defender for USA in former Gopher Lee Stecklein. She won 1 gold medal and 2 silver medals for USA. She's so good. Minnesota has a solid defense crew.

Crossover fans from men's hockey to women's... mostly don't exist much. People accustomed to watching elite men see women's hockey as stalled at a lower level.

The top of the pecking order elite women's hockey is exciting. I think everyone likes that. But as you go down the pecking order from the elite talent it can look a bit sluggish.

The USA versus Canada games draw millions of viewers. Elite women players will draw viewers.

Kendall Coyne-Schofield of PWHL-Minnesota is the first women to compete in an official NHL All Star competition. In the speed skate competition she skated about average for the competition group and did not finish last. Top women players can skate!

The difference obviously is that women don't have the upper body muscle mass, fingertips-to-fingertips.

The game has become more physical, even rough. Players get hammered on the boards and knocked over on the ice all the time. Abbey Murphy of Minnesota Gophers is a trendsetter at that. Men's hockey fans may not think women's hockey is rough, but remember the goal with all sports is to keep aggression within certain boundaries. It's the experience of the players that matters.


I doubt many men's hockey fans will crossover, but take this challenge. Check out one of the Minnesota Gophers-Wisconsin Badgers games this next season. Tickets are around $10. If that collection of elite talent on both sides doesn't impress you, then fair enough.

'There is truly no one like her': Abbey Murphy is hockey's next great pest

Team USA's Murphy plays a hard-nosed game, loves to talk trash, and isn’t afraid to mix it up or defend her teammates on the ice.

www.nytimes.com

The American Hockey Player the Rest of the World Loves to Hate​

Abbey Murphy brings a physical edge to Team USA, especially in their heated matchups against the Canadians​

https://www.wsj.com/articles/abbey-murphy-team-usa-womens-hockey-11644573679

 

[GopherMarroon]

Former Gophers strike big in Minnesota's 4-1 win over Boston. With a win Sunday at Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota will win the Walter Cup championship.


Former Gophers sniper Taylor Heise opened the scoring after just one minute.




Heise was the #1 overall draft pick, led the NCAA in scoring for Gophers, and won the Patty Kazmaier Award (best player in college).


And then former Gopher Grace Zumwinkle iced it with this spectacular play. Late in the game, Boston pulled the goalie and attacked 6-4 because Minnesota had a player in the penalty box. Zumwinkle broke loose for a jailbreak goal against Hillary Knight trying to stop her, kind of a famous star player. In the PWHL, a shorthanded goal frees the player from the box. That iced the game.




Zumwinkly was nominated for the Patty Kazmaier Award twice while a Gopher. She's a do everything well player, including defense, not as sniper flashy as Taylor Heise. Zumwinkle is a finalist for PWHL Rookie of the Year.


The crowd was chanting, "We want the cup. We want the cup."

Minnesota advances to within one game of the championship. They play Sunday at Xcel Energy Center.

 

[GopherMarroon]

The championship game today streams free at YouTube:




The crowd is going to a factor. The lower bowl is sold out except for a pair in the top row of a corner. They opened club seating that's about sold out on the sidelines, as of the early morning of the game at 5 PM. More tickets will sell today.

The X will be rocking! "We want the cup. We want the cup!"






Former Gophers playing big roles for Minnesota PWHL include:

Lee Stecklein, a shutdown defensive player. She's probably USA's best shutdown defender. Minnesota as a team usually plays good defense.

Lee Stecklein - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Lee Stecklein (2) Defense - Photo Gallery 2016-17 • Redshirt Senior Season: Named team captain, AHCA/CCM Hockey First Team All-American, Big Ten ...

gophersports.com

Minnesota PWHL has a terrific penalty kill coach Mira Jalosuo, formerly of the Gophers and a star defender for the Finland national team: https://gophersports.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/mira-jalosuo/10210



Forward/center Kelly Pannek, another Gopher great from a golden era of winning, she does everything well. She was 3rd for points on the team this season. She has 3 assists in the playoffs.

Kelly Pannek - undefined - University of Minnesota Athletics

Kelly Pannek (19) Forward - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Center Taylor Heise was the #1 overall draft pick. She's a sniper. For the Gophers she led the NCAA in scoring and won the Patty Kazmeier, the best player. Heise leads the PWHL in points in the post-season.

Taylor Heise - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Taylor Heise (9) Forward - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Forward Grace Zumwinkle does everything well, including playing defense. She was nominated for the Patty Kazmeier twice. Zumwinkle is a finalist for PWHL Rookie of the Year.

Grace Zumwinkle - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Grace Zumwinkle (12) Forward - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Forward Abigail Boreen was a key contributor to Minnesota Gopher's high scoring attack offense that by far led the NCAA in scoring. She played in the PWHL playoff series against Toronto but not the championship series against Boston because she wasn't originally drafted, limits on her playing time.

Abigail Boreen - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Abigail Boreen (22) Forward - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Former Gophers playing for Boston PWHL


Forward/center Hannah Brandt was 7th on her Boston team in points during the regular season. One of the greats. Just look at her accomplishments. Was a Patty Kazmeier finalist all four years at Minnesota Gophers:

Hannah Brandt

teamusa.usahockey.com

Defense Emily Brown, first line shut down defender for Boston:

Emily Brown - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Emily Brown (2) Defense - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Forward Gigi Marvin:

Gigi Marvin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Twice nominated for the Patty Kazmeier in college. Is 2nd on the Boston team for points in the playoffs.

 

[GopherMarroon]

You be the judge. Hard to say. Minnesota's winning goal was called off for interference with the goalie. If the player is pushed into the goalie it's not interference. Watch the replay.

Look at the Boston defender's stick. Did Boston pull down the Minnesota player?

 

[GopherMarroon]

Former Minnesota Gophers Taylor Heise named playoffs MVP. Heise had a shoulder injury part of the regular season and then turned it on in the playoffs. Several players were worthy including Michela Cava, very much a team effort including a strong defense.

Taylor Heise - Women's Hockey - University of Minnesota Athletics

Taylor Heise (9) Forward - PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. ...

gophersports.com

Minnesota dominated Boston in the final game. Minnesota outshot Boston 44 to 17! You can watch the replay on YouTube. The Boston goaltender Frankel gave an amazing performance as Minnesota pelted her in the 2nd and 3rd periods.

I was strongly unhappy with the way the previous game ended on a called off winning Minnesota goal and Boston win, all those people at the game in Minnesota let down and smell of -- yet again -- another goal called off against an Eastern team like we've seen many times in the old WCHA men's hockey, new WCHA, and Big Ten. I was disgusted.

Today there's no dispute who the champion is. Minnesota opened a can of whoop-a**. Controversy gone.

Congrats to Boston for sweeping Montreal to get to the championship, a shocker. Boston played championship series about even until the last game.