University of Minnesota Athletics
2005-06 Gopher Women's Hockey Season Review
6/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
After losing three team members to the 2006 Winter Olympics and five seniors from the 2004-05 NCAA championship team, the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team defeated all odds and made its fifth-consecutive NCAA Frozen Four appearance on March 24 and 26 in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers finished the season with a 29-11-1 overall record and a 19-8-1 mark in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Minnesota defeated No. 1 New Hampshire in the NCAA semifinal, but fell to conference rival Wisconsin in the national championship game. It was Minnesota’s third-straight appearance in the NCAA championship game. The Maroon and Gold also finished second in the WCHA in the regular and tournament championship, also to the Badgers.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HOSTS 2006 NCAA FROZEN FOUR
The NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Committee selected the University of Minnesota and Mariucci Arena as the site of the 2006 NCAA Frozen Four. The 2006 tournament marked the second time the Golden Gophers hosted the Women's Frozen Four. In the two-day championship, Minnesota drew 7,577 fans to Mariucci Arena. Minnesota hosted the inaugural Women's Frozen Four in 2001 drawing 5,114 during the two-day tournament. Mariucci Arena was also the site of the 1999 American Women's College Hockey Alliance National Championship. The tournament drew an audience of 4,954, including 2,507 for the championship game.
MINNESOTA TOPS NCAA ATTENDANCE RECORD
For the ninth consecutive season, the Golden Gophers have led the nation in attendance. Minnesota drew an average of 1,306 fans and 26,131 in 20 home games played. The Gophers have led the nation in attendance since becoming a varsity sport in 1997-98. In addition, Minnesota holds the largest single-game attendance record when the Golden Gophers drew 6,854 fans for the first Minnesota women's hockey game, Nov. 2, 1997.
FIVE STRAIGHT YEARS
The Gophers made their fifth straight NCAA Frozen Four appearance in the 2005-06 campaign. The Gophers’ reign started in the 2002 when Minnesota tied for third overall in the nation. The Maroon and Gold made its second appearance at the 2003 Frozen Four in Duluth, Minn., finishing fourth. In 2004 the Maroon and Gold won their first championship with a 6-2 victory over Harvard, while following with another championship in 2004-05 with a 4-3 win again over the Crimson.Minnesota finished second overall after it defeated New Hampshire, 5-4, but fell to Wisconsin, 3-0 in the championship game.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Minnesota lost four Olympians and two goalies from the 2004-05 championship team. The 2005-06 squad had five seniors, three juniors, six sophomores and seven freshmen. After going 17-8-1 through January, Minnesota has held a 12-3-0 since February and 5-2 against ranked opponents.
SENIOR SALUTE
Minnesota said goodbye to one of its most highly decorated senior classes in recent history. In the past four years, Minnesota won two WCHA regular season championships, two WCHA tournament championships, two NCAA Championships and four NCAA Championship appearances. For seniors Ashley Albrecht, Chelsey Brodt, Krista Johnson, Natalie Lamme and Allie Sanchez, the NCAA Championship game was their last as a Golden Gopher. Albrecht played in 149 games with the Gophers and scored 10 goals and 44 assists for 54 points. She ranks seventh in school history in points by a defenseman and sixth in assists by a defenseman. Brodt competed in 151 career games and had seven goals and 36 assists for 43 points, ranking eighth in points by a defenseman and seventh in assists by a defenseman. Krista Johnson played both as a forward and a defenseman during her career and scored seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 140 games played. Lamme transferred to Minnesota in 2004-05, but had to sit out a year due to WCHA rules. She competed in one period with the Gophers in the Jan. 6 game against Bemidji State. Allie Sanchez holds the school record for games played with 152. Also playing as a forward and defenseman, Sanchez scored 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 career points.
