Gopher Women's Hockey 2022-23 Season

Donate To GopherHole
Bfan said:
Gophers win.

Now all eyes on Ohio State tomorrow.
Click to expand...
We are up 1 on OSU, so we win the title outright with a Wisconsin regulation win, and a share of it with a Wisconsin OT/SO win. Any form of an OSU win and we are not conference champs.
 


Abbey Murphy!




Abigail Boreen!




Taylor Heise! Except Gophers were offsides and didn't count.




Taylor Heise! This one counted.




Abigail Boreen!



Goals lost night against Saint Thomas.
 

No score after one period.

 

Ohio State wins 3-1 over Wisconsin. Ohio State clinches first ever WCHA Championship.



1676845426042.png
 


Pretty frustrating collapse down the stretch. Losing 3 in a row at home when you are in a position to effectively clinch the conference title is not what you hope to see out of a contender. That said, we've still got championships to play for in the conference tourney and the NCAA,so let's hope we can right the ship.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Pretty frustrating collapse down the stretch. Losing 3 in a row at home when you are in a position to effectively clinch the conference title is not what you hope to see out of a contender. That said, we've still got championships to play for in the conference tourney and the NCAA,so let's hope we can right the ship.
Click to expand...

Tournament action ahead! Minnesota is still in a commanding position.

In fairness to Ohio State, they were tops much of the season. They built a strong team.

Credit to Minnesota for besting Ohio State in head to head games.

The big story to me is Wisconsin coming on strong towards the end of the season. Wisconsin had lost those five games in a row, I believe, and looked in a lower tier. Well not now. The road to a championship for Minnesota will be a fight.

Minnesota could use another top crafty scorer. Sophomores Peyton Hemp and Ella Huber, plus freshmen Josefin Bouveng and Madison Kaiser, look next in line for scoring leader roles. Could use some crafty scores from them in the post-season.

This last weekend the goals were scored by the usuals: Taylor Heise, Abbey Murphy, and Abigail Boreen. Grace Zumwinkle is the other top Gopher scorer.

Gophers lately produce a high number of saves for the other team.

Will be interesting.


www.startribune.com

Gophers women's hockey finishes second in WCHA, will play St. Thomas to open playoffs

The Gophers needed Ohio State to lose in regulation in its season finale at Wisconsin to win the conference crown.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

Tickets at this link only $10 each:

WCHA Quarterfinals

<p><center>The WCHA Quarterfinals is a best of 3 game series.</p>
gophersports.evenue.net gophersports.evenue.net

Minnesota to host Saint Thomas in WCHA Tournament next weekend. Minnesota is #2 in the WCHA while Saint Thomas is #7. Tickets at this link:

WCHA Quarterfinals

<p><center>The WCHA Quarterfinals is a best of 3 game series.</p>
gophersports.evenue.net gophersports.evenue.net


1676850604462.png


 

Over in another conference, the ECAC, Yale wins their first ECAC regular season championship.



Next, the ECAC will have a tournament, just as the WCHA has a tournament.

Yale now gets to decimate Harvard in the first round of the ECAC tournament, just as the Gophers should decimate Saint Thomas in the WCHA tournament.

1676868110679.png
1676868047068.png


Then after those tournaments the top teams will converge in the Frozen Four national championship tournament to be held in Duluth, MN. One game winner take all.

www.ticketmaster.com

Buy NCAA Women's Hockey Frozen Four Tickets | 2024-2025 Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster.com

Buy Hockey NCAA Women's Hockey Frozen Four event tickets at Ticketmaster.com. Get sport event schedules and promotions.
www.ticketmaster.com www.ticketmaster.com


Last season Minnesota was upset by UMD when Minnesota's scoring stalled. <----- Hmmm.

1676868370830.png
 
Last edited:



Bfan said:
Over in another conference, the ECAC, Yale wins their first ECAC regular season championship.
Click to expand...


FYI - Division I Women's College Conferences:

NCAA Division I women's ice hockey conferences and teams - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


To me, ultimately the national rankings are what matter most. The WCHA is an exception because of the history behind the WCHA, with a headquarters in Minnesota, and the caliber of teams in that conference.

"Apart from the three titles won by Clarkson, every other National Collegiate women's title has been won by a WCHA team."
 

Heading into the postseason... the heat is on.... and awards are in for weekly honors, the last of the regular season:

Ohio State nabs awards for both Defender of the Week - Madison Bizal - and Forward of the Week - Emma Maltais:




Wisconsin nabs Freshman of the Week - Vivian Jungels:




Saint Thomas nabs Goaltender of the Week - Saskia Maurer:

1676939015414.png



wcha.com

WCHA Releases Final Weekly Honors of the Season

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season came to a close with just as much style and talent on display as all season, culminating with Ohio State winning its first WCHA Regular Season title in program history in Sunday’s regular season finale.
wcha.com wcha.com

WCHA Forward of the Week
Emma Maltais, Grad., Ohio State (Burlington, Ontario)
Scoring three goals and an assist for Ohio State this weekend was Emma Maltais. Off of 10 total shots on goal, the captain net two goals, including the game-tying goal, to help Ohio State overcome a four-goal deficit in game one of the top-ranked series at Wisconsin. Maltais’ weekend also included scoring the game-tying goal in the team’s 3-1 win on Sunday, helping Ohio State win its first WCHA regular season title in program history. Behind her four-point weekend, Maltais became the first Buckeye player in program history to reach 200 career points.

The WCHA Forward of the Week title is the second straight for Maltais, after earning the honor last week on Feb. 13.

Others Receiving Votes: Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Taylor Lind (St. Cloud State), Gabbie Hughes (Minnesota Duluth), Jesse Compher (Wisconsin).

WCHA Defender of the Week
Madison Bizal, Grad., Ohio State (Elk River, Minn.)
In a four-point weekend, Madison Bizal net two goals and two assists off of seven shots on goal for Ohio State. She first recorded the game-winning goal in the 3-1 win over Wisconsin on Sunday, and went on to score two goals in 30 seconds - both in the final minute of play - to help Ohio State to its first regular season title in program history. Bizal added eight blocked shots to the weekend, including seven in the team’s win, while her two goals counted as a game-winner, followed by her first power play tally of the season.

The WCHA Defender of the Week title is the second for Bizal this season, after earning the honor on Jan. 30.

Others Receiving Votes: Nelli Laitinen (Minnesota), Dayle Ross (St. Cloud State), Ashton Bell (Minnesota Duluth).

WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Saskia Maurer, So., St. Thomas (Rothenbach, Switzerland)
Through 62:17 of action, Saskia Maurer made 53 saves for St. Thomas on 55 shots faced against the No. 4 team in the nation. For the second time this season, Maurer led the Tommies in their effort to take points from nationally ranked opponents, this time against No. 4 Minnesota. Maurer’s performance included a .964 save percentage and 1.94 goals against average, while her 53 saves are the most in a game by any WCHA goaltender this season.

In eight games before her outstanding effort, the Gophers were 8-0 against the Tommies with a 48-6 scoring differential across St. Thomas’ early WCHA membership, making the 2-1 overtime result an impressive one for the St. Thomas program. The WCHA Goaltender of the Week title is the second for Maurer this season, after earning the honor on Nov. 14.

Others Receiving Votes: Skylar Vetter (Minnesota), Emma Soderberg (Minnesota Duluth), Amanda Thiele (Ohio State).

WCHA Rookie of the Week
Vivian Jungels, D, Wisconsin (Edina, Minn.)
Posting a trio of assists for Wisconsin this weekend was defender Vivian Jungels. The first-year collected two assists in the Badgers’ 6-5 overtime win on Saturday, before adding an assist on Wisconsin’s lone goal on Sunday against the top-ranked Buckeyes. Jungels three points ranked second among all WCHA defenders, while she added a pair of blocked shots.

The WCHA Rookie of the Week honor is the second for Jungels this season, after earning the title on Dec. 5.

Others Receiving Votes: Nelli Laitinen (Minnesota), Hailey MacLeod (Minnesota Duluth).



Up next, WCHA postseason tournament action.

1676939330314.png
 
Last edited:

This could be a memorable WCHA tournament Friday in Minneapolis. We will be digging out from the huge snow storm Wednesday and Thursday.

1676944160779.png
 




One person's opinion only in the article.

Patrick Donnelly ranks Minnesota #5. That is lower than polls. For context, he recently placed Minnesota #1. His ratings are more week-to-week volatile:

www.ncaa.com

Ohio State returns to the top of the women's college hockey Power 10 rankings

The women's college hockey regular season has come to a close with conference tournaments beginning as early as Wednesday this week. After an exciting stretch run, the top-five of the latest Power 10 rankings has had another shakeup.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com


1. Ohio State (2): The Buckeyes (28-4-2, 23-4-1 WCHA) reclaim the No. 1 spot after claiming their first WCHA regular season title this weekend. OSU skated to a dominant sweep of St. Thomas two weeks ago where they had an 11-1 scoring margin in the two games. They followed it up with a high-octane split with Wisconsin, where they marched back to force OT in Game 1 only to lose on a penalty shot. The Bucks came back with a 3-1 win in the rematch. Emma Maltais, who picked up her 200th career point, and Jennifer Gardiner have been rolling, while Sophie Jaques continues to be one of the best skaters in college hockey. They open the conference tournament with a best-of-three against Bemidji State.


2. Yale (3): The Bulldogs (26-2-1, 19-2-1 ECAC) took their first loss since Dec. 3, which were both 5-3 results at the hands of Colgate. They followed it up with three straight wins, taking a close one against Cornell before rolling Dartmouth and Harvard. The loss to the Raiders was just the fourth time all season that Yale had allowed three or more goals. They've got one of the best goaltenders in the nation in Pia Dukaric as well as balanced production, led by Elle Hartje. They'll face the Crimson, who they just beat 10-1, in the ECAC quarterfinals.


3. Northeastern (4): The Huskies (30-2-1, 24-2-1 HEA) have won 18 in a row, making light work of Boston University in a sweep this past weekend. They knocked off the Terriers in the Beanpot semis before claiming some midseason hardware when they beat stingy Boston College in the finals. NU also took down UConn in between Beanpot games. They've allowed two goals or more just five times this season and once since Nov. 19, thanks in large part to Gwyneth Philips, who leads the nation in wins, goals-against average and save percentage. The top line of Chloé Aurard, Alina Müller and Maureen Murphy remains one that no team in the nation can match. They'll host the lowest remaining seed from Hockey East's opening round.


4. Colgate (5): The Raiders (28-4-2, 18-3-1 ECAC) are in the middle of a six-game winning streak, which includes big-time wins over Yale and Clarkson. After downing the Bulldogs, they made it look easy against Brown, Union and RPI. Danielle Serdachny continues to lay waste to opposing teams, leading the nation with 61 points (21g, 40a), and both goaltenders remain strong. Colgate may have drawn the short stick with a best-of-three against an underachieving, yet dangerous Princeton team in the conference quarterfinals.


5. Minnesota (1): The Gophers (25-5-3, 22-3-3-3 WCHA) followed up my vote of confidence in making them the top team two weeks ago with a winless weekend against Wisconsin. They bounced back last time out with a sweep of St. Thomas, where they came back in Game 1 to win in overtime. Against the Badgers, Minnesota came back for the tie in the first game. In the rematch, they clawed back from a 4-2 hole in the third period, only to give up three straight en route to the 7-5 loss. Skylar Vetter had a solid bounce back in net against the Tommies. Taylor Heise, the nation's leader in goals (25), and Grace Zumwinkle continue to cook. They'll deal with a best-of-three against St. Thomas in the quarterfinals.


6. Wisconsin (8): The Badgers (23-9-2, 19-7-2 WCHA) are 2-1-1 in their previous four games between series with Minnesota and Ohio State, their two biggest hurdles in the conference. After taking five of six points against the Gophers, they knocked off OSU in a wild 6-5 overtime affair before falling 3-1 in Game 2. Secondary options like Vivian Jungels, Kirsten Sims and Laila Edwards have come on strong in recent weeks. They've got a date with a pesky Minnesota State team to kick off the WCHA tournament.


7. Minnesota Duluth (7): The Bulldogs (23-8-3, 17-8-3 WCHA) are winners of three in a row, going unbeaten in six (4-0-2). They took five of six points from St. Cloud State, who has given teams fits this season, before taking care of Bemidji State with a sweep and an 11-1 goal margin in the series. Gabbie Hughes seems to have found another gear up front, and Emma Soderberg can go head-to-head with any goaltender in Division I right now. They'll face the Huskies again in the WCHA quarters this weekend.


8. Quinnipiac (6): The Bobcats (27-7-0, 17-5-0 ECAC) have dropped two straight against Clarkson and St. Lawrence where they managed just one goal in each game, following up status quo wins over Union and RPI. It's a long season, and losses happen, but after that's now four in their last eight games after just three in the first 26. The top talent, between Olivia Mobley and Maya Labad, and depth are still producing, and Logan Angers remains a top option in net. Now, It's all about how they respond against SLU in the quarterfinals.


9. Clarkson (9): The Golden Knights (26-8-4, 15-6-1 ECAC) have four straight wins to their name, including the victory over QU last time out. Gabrielle David is one of the most dangerous options in Division I, Anne Cherkowski continues to take off, and Darcie Lapan is beginning to come out of a bit of a slump at the right time. Michelle Pasiechnyk has been one of the better netminders in Division I in the second half as well. They'll battle a solid Cornell team that limped to the finish in the ECAC quarterfinals.


10. Penn State (10): The Nittany Lions (24-8-2, 14-1-1 CHA) have won eight in a row and are unbeaten in 15 games since Nov. 25 (14-0-1). They made light work of Lindenwood with a sweep in the regular season finale, and they have a 22-3 scoring differential in the last four games, averaging 5.5 goals. Kiara Zanon has 17 goals and 12 assists during the unbeaten streak, and Tessa Janecke has eight goals and 14 helpers in that span. PSU will battle Lindenwood in the CHA semifinals.
 

Going into the post season, Gophers are loaded with talent -- including the reigning Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient, the best player in hockey. Heise is currently the top goal scorer in college women's hockey (tied with Alexis Petford) and 2nd in points (trailing only Danielle Serdachny).

1677028745938.png



1677028952907.png

1677029278574.png

1677029010866.png


1677029049280.png




Gophers are loaded with elite players, headed into the postseason games.


 


Bfan said:
Going into the post season, Gophers are loaded with talent -- including the reigning Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient, the best player in hockey. Heise is currently the top goal scorer in college women's hockey (tied with Alexis Petford) and 2nd in points (trailing only Danielle Serdachny).
Click to expand...


 

Elsewhere in the world of hockey - Hockey East hockey news.

The Minnesota Gophers women's hockey team plays in the WCHA conference, the strongest conference and with significant history. At the same time, there are other good teams in other conferences. The best teams that qualify will faceoff in the final NCAA tournament called the Frozen Four to be held this year in Duluth, MN.

From Hockey East, Northeastern is ranked #5 in the nation and the best team in Hockey East.

Three Hockey East teams have advanced to past NCAA championship games, losing all three, including losing to Minnesota twice -- in 2013 (Boston University) and 2016 (Boston College).


Hockey East tournament begins today:
1677110340679.png

hockeyeastonline.com

Playoff Seedings Set for 21st Hockey East Women's Tournament - Hockey East Association

Opening Round Begins Wednesday At Campus Sites
hockeyeastonline.com hockeyeastonline.com


No.7 in Hockey East Boston University (11-19-3/9-15-3 HE) hosts No. 10 in Hockey East Merrimack (8-24-2/5-20-2 HE) at Walter Brown Arena at 7:00pm EST today. Boston University has won the tournament a record five times. Merrimack earned its first-ever Hockey East Tournament win last year

No. 8 in Hockey East New Hampshire (11-20-3/9-15-3 HE) will welcome No. 9 Holy Cross (7-25-1/6-21-0 HE). New Hampshire is tied for the second-most tournament titles of any league program with four, its last coming in 2009. The Crusaders enter the Hockey East Tournament for the third time in program history and are searching for their first postseason win.

No. 1 in Hockey East Northeastern (ranked #5 in the nation) (30-2-1/24-2-1 HE) claims the top seed in the Hockey East Tournament for the fifth straight year and is searching for an unprecedented and record-breaking sixth consecutive Bertagna Trophy as league tournament champions. The Huskies will welcome the lowest remaining seed from the Opening Round.

The other Wednesday winner will travel north to Burlington to face No. 2 in Hockey East Vermont (ranked #11 in the nation) (21-10-3/16-8-3 HE), which finished second in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings for the second consecutive year.

No. 3 Providence (ranked #14 in the nation) (20-10-4/15-8-4 HE) earned the right to host a quarterfinal game and will welcome No. 6 Maine (15-17-2/12-13-2 HE) to Schneider Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3:00pm.

No. 4 Boston College (19-14-1/16-11-0 HE) will take on No. 5 UConn (18-12-4/12-11-4 HE) in a quarterfinal match up for the fourth time in five years. The Eagles look to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2019 after last winning the Bertagna Trophy in 2017. UConn has moved onto the semifinals each of the last three years and four times since 2018. The Huskies appeared in the title game in 2018, 2020, and 2022 but have yet to win the Bertagna Trophy.

The 2023 Hockey East Women’s Tournament Championship will be played Saturday, March 4 at 12:00pm. The game will be broadcast live nationally for the first time in league history on ESPNU.


------------------------------------------------------

Hockey East Award Winners


The Hockey East Association today announced the 2022-23 Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team and five other season-long awards as voted by the women’s league’s 10 head coaches as part of the celebration of the 21st annual Hockey East Tournament.

The 2022-23 Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team consists of seven players and includes defenders Casey Borgiel (Port Huron, Mich./Holy Cross) and Brooke Disher (Fort St. John, B.C./Boston University) and forwards Lara Beecher (Buffalo, N.Y./Vermont), Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ont./Providence), Lily Shannon (Andover, Mass./Northeastern), Lilli Welcke (Heidelberg, Germany/Maine) and Luisa Welcke (Heidelberg, Germany/Maine).

Also recognized for their efforts in the 2022-23 campaign and named Army ROTC Defender of the Year are Northeastern senior Megan Carter (Milton, Ont.) and Vermont’s Sini Karjalainen (Posio, Finland). It marks the second straight year that a Husky and Catamount share the award after Skylar Fontaine and Maude Poulin-Labelle did so in 2021-22.

Providence graduate student Sara Hjalmarsson (Bankeryd, Sweden) has been honored as the best defensive forward during the regular season. She is the first Friar to win the award since its inception in 2009-10.

New Hampshire senior forward Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) was awarded the conference’s sportsmanship award. Berry has played 123 games in a Wildcat sweater and taken just 36 penalty minutes in conference play.

Two statistical awards were also formally announced as Alina Mueller (Wintherthur, Switzerland) was crowned the league’s top scorer (15g, 25a, 40p) for the third time (2019-20, 2020-21). Mueller ends her Hockey East career as the league’s all-time leading point-getter, amassing 175 points on 68 goals and 108 assists in 111 league games.

Boston College netminder Abigail Levy (Congers, N.Y.) earned the title of PNC Bank Three Stars Award, accumulating the highest total of points from first, second, and third star accolades during Hockey East league games over the course of the regular season.

The 2023 Hockey East Women’s Tournament begins tonight with Opening Round at Boston University and New Hampshire at 7:00 p.m. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and the title game will air nationally on ESPNU.

Hockey East will announce the 2022-23 All-Star Teams on Friday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. ahead of the quarterfinals on Saturday. The league will then announce finalists for the Player, Rookie, and Coach of the Year awards on Monday, February 27 at 10:00 a.m. The winners of those awards will then be revealed prior to the semifinals on Wednesday, March 1.

Pro Ambitions All-Rookie Team

D: Casey Borgiel, Holy Cross
D: Brooke Disher, Boston University *
F: Lara Beecher, Vermont *
F: Reichen Kirchmair, Providence
F: Lily Shannon, Northeastern
F: Lilli Welcke, Maine *
F: Luisa Welcke, Maine
* denotes unanimous selection


Army ROTC Defender of the Year

Megan Carter, Northeastern
(Sr., Milton, Ont.)

Sini Karjalainen, Vermont
(Gr., Posio, Finland)

Runner-up:
Cayla Barnes, Boston College
(Sr., Eastvale, Calif.)

Best Defensive Forward Award

Sara Hjalmarsson, Providence
(Gr., F; Bankeryd, Sweden)

Runner-up:
Chloé Aurard, Northeastern
(Gr., Villard-de-Lans, France)

Sportsmanship Award

Annie Berry, New Hampshire
(Sr., F; Milton, Mass.)

Runner-up:
Raice Szott, Merrimack
(Jr., D; Daysland, Alta.)

player
Hockey East Scoring Champion

Alina Mueller, Northeastern
(Gr., F; Winterthur, Switzerland)
15g, 25a, 40p

Runner-up:
Chloé Aurard, Northeastern
(Gr., Villard-de-Lans, France)
16g, 22a, 38p

PNC Bank Three Stars Award

Abigail Levy, Boston College
(Gr., G; Congers, N.Y.)

Runner-up:
Alina Mueller, Northeastern
(Gr., F; Winterthur, Switzerland)
 

Elsewhere in the world of hockey - ECAC hockey news.

The Gophers play in the WCHA conference, the strongest conference and of a deep history. One of the other conferences is called the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference), the strongest other conference.

#1 in the ECAC Yale is ranked #2 in the nation. Also from the ECAC, Colgate is ranked #3 in the nation. Quinnipiac is ranked #8 in the nation. Clarkson is #9. Cornell is #13.

The ECAC is the only conference other than the WCHA to win a National Collegiate women's title; Clarkson of the ECAC won it three times including 2018 (over Colgate), 2017 (over Wisconsin), and 2014 (over Minnesota).

Harvard of the ECAC has lost to Minnesota in the title game three times (2015, 2005, 2004).

www.ncaa.com

NC Women's Ice Hockey Championship History | NCAA.com

The complete list of NCAA Women's Ice Hockey NC champions from the first season to today.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com


ECAC Tournament Begins This Weekend

1677113343581.png


1677113405404.png


For the first time in program history, the Yale Bulldogs have claimed the ECAC Hockey regular season title:

ecachockey.com

Yale Claims ECAC Regular Season Title

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — For the first time in program history, the Yale Bulldogs have claimed the ECAC Hockey regular season title with today's 10-1 victory over Harvard, finishing the regular season with a 26-2-1 overall record and a 19-2-1 league record. Around the rest of the ECAC, Dartmouth...
ecachockey.com ecachockey.com


Weekly and Monthly Award Winners in the ECAC:

Athlete Awards

The official athlete awards list for
ecachockey.com ecachockey.com
 

#10/9 in the nation Penn State Women's Hockey plays in the CHA (College Hockey America) with just five teams.

1677114080718.png
 

Bfan said:
Click to expand...

Taylor Heise scoring last weekend! She leads the nation in goals.



Minnesota Gophers WCHA tournament action begins this weekend at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

Tickets for only $10 are available at this link, Friday and Saturday games:


WCHA Quarterfinals

<p><center>The WCHA Quarterfinals is a best of 3 game series.</p>
gophersports.evenue.net gophersports.evenue.net


1677114798298.png

1677114820058.png


Hockey - Composite Schedule - Western Collegiate Hockey Association

The official composite schedule for Western Collegiate Hockey Association
wcha.com wcha.com


Tickets:

WCHA Quarterfinals

<p><center>The WCHA Quarterfinals is a best of 3 game series.</p>
gophersports.evenue.net gophersports.evenue.net
 
Last edited:

Gophers women's hockey attendance is on the rise, too​

By Randy Johnson Star Tribune
Coach Brad Frost said cheaper ticket prices have helped the Gophers fill more seats.

merlin_69835913.jpg


ALEX KORMANN, STAR TRIBUNE An announced sellout crowd of 3,539 watched the Gophers women’s hockey team played Wisconsin on Feb. 10 at Ridder Arena. Attendance is up at their home games.


"....In their 16 regular-season home games.... an increase of 658 — or 45.8% — from their 2021-22 totals...."


Read more at:

www.startribune.com

Gophers women's hockey attendance is on the rise, too

Coach Brad Frost said cheaper ticket prices have helped the Gophers fill more seats.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

Gophers and St. Thomas to square off in WCHA women's hockey quarterfinals​

The Tommies pushed the No. 4-ranked Gophers to overtime when the teams met last Friday.

By Randy Johnson Star Tribune
FEBRUARY 23, 2023 — 8:39AM


GOPHERS WOMEN'S HOCKEY SERIES PREVIEW

WCHA first-round playoffs: Gophers vs. St. Thomas

Friday: 6 p.m. Saturday: 2 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. (if necessary)

All games played at Ridder Arena and streamed on BTN+



Read article at:

www.startribune.com

Gophers and St. Thomas to square off in WCHA women's hockey quarterfinals

The Tommies pushed the No. 4-ranked Gophers to overtime when the teams met last Friday.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

1677194504397.png

Minnesota Gophers Earn All-WCHA Honors

Taylor Heise (F), Grace Zumwinkle (F), Abbey Murphy (F), Abigail Boreen (F), Skylar Vetter (G), and Nelli Latinen (D) earn honors.


FIRST TEAM​

Taylor Heise, F, 5th, Minnesota
Grace Zumwinkle, F, 5th, Minnesota
Jenn Gardiner, F, Sr, Ohio State
Sophie Jacques, D, 5th, Ohio State
Ashton Bell, D, 5th, Minnesota Duluth
Emma Soderberg, G, 5th, Minnesota Duluth


SECOND TEAM​

Gabbie Hughes, F, 5th, Minnesota Duluth
Emma Maltains, F, 5th, Ohio State
Casey O’Brien, F, Jr, Wisconsin
Caroline Harvey, D, Fr, Wisconsin
Nicole LaMantia, D, 5th, Wisconsin
Saskia Maurer, G, So, St. Thomas


THIRD TEAM​

Paetyn Levis, F, 5th, Ohio State
Abbey Murphy, F, So, Minnesota
Britta Curl, F, RSr, Wisconsin
Abigail Boreen, F, 5th, Minnesota
Maggie Flaherty, D, Minnesota Duluth
Madison Bizal, D, 5th, Ohio State
Skylar Vetter, G, So, Minnesota
(Four forwards due to ties in voting)


ALL-ROOKIE​

Kristen Simms, F, Wisconsin
Lalia Edwards, F, Wisconsin
Taylor Otremba, F, Minnesota State
Caroline Harvey, D, Wisconsin
Nelli Laitinen, D, Minnesota
Hailey MacLeod, G, Minnesota Duluth
 

Coming up is the WCHA tournament, including the WCHA Final Faceoff with the semi-finals and final games. That all will be held in Minneapolis.

And then comes the NCAA Tournament where the best teams in the nation vie for the national championship. Minnesota is in the top elite group of teams.


NCAA Tickets

www.ncaatickets.com www.ncaatickets.com


1677206296653.png


This article gives a preview:

www.ncaa.com

2023 women's Frozen Four predictions ahead of conference tournament play

The women's college hockey regular season is officially wrapped up, so it's a perfect time for a new batch of Frozen Four predictions.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com


PATRICK DONNELLY | NCAA.COM | FEBRUARY 21, 2023​

2023 women's Frozen Four predictions ahead of conference tournament play​


The women's college hockey regular season is officially wrapped up, and the only thing standing in front of a loaded national tournament is conference playoffs. So, it's a perfect time for a new batch of Frozen Four predictions.

These are the four teams that have the best shot at advancing to the Frozen Four, right now, as we're just over two weeks from the start of the tournament:

Ohio State​

The Buckeyes (28-4-2, 23-4-1 WCHA) have the luxury of battling other contenders consistently in the WCHA. Aside from a 1-2-1 record against Minnesota, the defending national champs are 7-2-1 against other powers like Wisconsin, Minnesota Duluth and Colgate. Jennifer Gardiner has taken off amid a career season, Emma Maltais has found another gear in the last month (4-6-10 in her last five games) and Sophie Jaques is still the best defender in the nation. They should be able to take care of Bemidji State in the WCHA opening round before their matchups ramp up.


Yale​

The Bulldogs (26-2-1, 19-2-1 ECAC) look like the team to beat in the east right now. They rank second in the NPI, and they have quality wins over Minnesota, Quinnipiac (twice), Clarkson, Cornell, Penn State and Princeton. The pair of 5-3 losses to Colgate is concerning, but Yale has been one of the best teams on both sides of the puck in terms of goals per game (4.14) and goals-against (1.34), and the penalty kill (89.87 percent) has been dominant. Five skaters are scoring at least a point per game, led by Elle Hartje, and Pia Dukaric ranks in the top three in both save percentage and goals-against average.

FROZEN FOUR: Here's everything you need to know for the 2023 women's Frozen Four

Minnesota​

The Golden Gophers (25-5-3, 22-3-3-3 WCHA) had a slip-up a few weeks ago in a winless weekend against Wisconsin, tying (and losing the shootout) before dropping a 7-5 barn-burner in Game 2. They got back on track against St. Thomas, who they should get past in the WCHA quarters with potential matchups with Minnesota Duluth, Wisconsin and/or Ohio State on the horizon. Minnesota is a combined 6-3-3 against those teams this season. Stars like Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle and Abbey Murphy are all rolling at the right time, and Skylar Vetter remains one of the better netminders in the nation.

Northeastern​

One of the few knocks against the Huskies (30-2-1, 24-2-1 HEA) is their strength of schedule, ranked 16th in Division I. Nevertheless, their 18-game win streak is still impressive. The Huskies have still made the most of their schedule both in and out of conference. NU is 13-1-1 against their stiffest competition in Vermont, UConn, Providence, Cornell, Boston College and Princeton — all in the top-18 of the NPI, so not exactly pushovers. Chloé Aurard, Alina Müller and Maureen Murphy might be the best line in women's college hockey; Gwyneth Philips has been dominant in net; and they have two top-tier defenders in Megan Carter and Maude Poulin-Labelle. They've already got some hardware after winning the Beanpot, and the Hockey East playoffs are theirs to lose in a championship-or-bust, "Last Dance" type of season.


Also in the mix​

Colgate, Wisconsin, Minnesota Duluth

Each of these three programs has a strong shot to make the Frozen Four as well.


The Raiders (28-4-2, 18-3-1 ECAC) have laid waste to opponents this season. Danielle Serdachny is scoring at an insane clip with 61 points (21g, 40a) to lead the nation, and Kristýna Kaltounková (21g, 27a) has been a terrific second option among five different skaters with at least 30 points. They have the firepower and goaltending, although neither Kayle Osborne nor Hannah Murphy has taken ownership of the crease. They've got a difficult matchup with Princeton, capable of an upset, to open the ECAC tournament, but have just as good a chance as any to go on a deep run.

The Badgers (23-9-2, 19-7-2 WCHA) have as strong of a team as there is, on paper. With Casey O'Brien, Lacey Eden and Jesse Compher, among others, there is no shortage of options. Cami Kronish took hold of the 1A job in net, but has allowed 13 goals in her last three appearances, which could be of concern to Wisconsin. They can skate with anyone, but there have been worrying losses. This all-star roster has depth in all areas but has faltered against some of their biggest tests with a combined 4-6-2 marker against Minnesota, OSU and UMD. There have been unexpected duds against Penn State and Quinnipiac as well as a sweep to Duluth at home.


Speaking of the Bulldogs (23-8-3, 17-8-3 WCHA), last year's runners-up, have strong wins against Wisconsin and Ohio State on their resume, but the overall record of 4-8-0 against the three teams ahead of them in the conference is concerning. Emma Söderberg is one of the best options in goal, and Gabbie Hughes (10-35--45) is still producing at a top level. It's just a question of whether or not UMD has the offensive firepower to keep up with its competitors in the stretch run.

Dropped out​

Quinnipiac

The Bobcats (27-7-0, 17-5-0 ECAC) have not been the same team in the second half as they were at the start of the season. They have four losses in their last eight games as opposed to just three in their first 26 games. Top options like Olivia Mobley and Maya Labad continue to fill the stat sheet, but some depth options have gone quiet in this recent stretch. They'll have their hands full in the ECAC tournament with potential matchups with Colgate and Yale awaiting them. All it takes is a run, though, and QU has the tools to do it.


National champion prediction​

Minnesota

I'm going down with the ship, sticking with my pick from previous predictions.

The Gophers still have the deepest roster from top-to-bottom, and they've proven they can beat other top programs like Ohio State, Wisconsin and UMD. They have game-breaking skaters, as well as the goaltender in Vetter. Heise and Zumwinkle have been on a tear in the second half, and they have plenty of depth in Murphy, Abigail Boreen and Peyton Hemp serving as more than viable secondary options.


Minnesota has the top offense in the nation, averaging 4.61 goals per game, in addition to strong special teams. They could be the total package.

🏒 LATEST WOMEN'S COLLEGE ICE HOCKEY NEWS 🏒




1677206136575.png
 
Last edited:



They look in good form after one period. The Gophers looked like on power play much of the game.

Grace Zumwinkle has two goals.

Abbey Murphy has one.

Good job breaking up Saint Thomas efforts.

 

Wow! What a phenomenal goal from Taylor Heise! Sweet puck handling at the goaltender.
 


Gophers with 39 shots on goal after 2 periods compared to 10 for Saint Thomas. Gophers look in championship form.

Elsewhere, Wisconsin's gsme is scoreless against Minnesota State. UMD beat St Cloud. Ohio State is easily beating Bemidji State.


msumavericks.com

Minnesota State Staring Down #6 Wisconsin in WCHA Quarterfinals - Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics

Mankato, Minn--- Minnesota State dropped its final two games against St. Cloud State as it received the sixth seed in the WCHA Playoffs. The Mavericks are in search
msumavericks.com msumavericks.com
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom