University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Set to Start Season at No. 7 Clarkson
9/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNESOTA BEGINS 2010-11 SEASON THIS WEEKEND
The University of Minnesota women’s hockey team will open the 2010-11 campaign this weekend as it travels to Potsdam, N.Y. to face Clarkson, Oct. 1-2. Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m., while Saturday’s tilt is at 3 p.m.
THE SERIES
The series marks the fourth and fifth time the Golden Gophers and the Golden Knights have tangled in the past two years. Clarkson visited Ridder Arena three times last year. Minnesota earned a two-game series sweep over the Golden Knights last November and followed with an NCAA Regional win in March to advance to the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four. Last year’s three games were the first meeting between the two Golden teams.
FOLLOWING THE GOPHERS
Clarkson provides both live statistics and video streaming for a majority of its games on its website, clarksonathletics.com. The live stats are free, while the video stream is $7. Gophersports.com will also provide a live blog for both games this weekend.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Clarkson returns 14 letterwinners from last year’s team after posting a 23-12-5 record. Tabbed to finish second in the ECAC this year, the Golden Knights return starting goaltender Lauren Dahm, who was on the U.S. Under-22 Team. Clarkson lost two of its three leading scorers from last year in Dominique Thibault and Britney Selina, but return Juana Baribeau and Melissa Waldie and add six new forwards to the roster this year.
SIBLING RIVALRY
Already in the first week of competition, two sisters will be on opposite benches. Freshman Baylee Gillanders will go head-to-head against her older sister, Kali Gillanders, who is a junior for Clarkson. In her first two years with the Golden Knights, Kali has posted 21 points, including three game-winning goals. Never playing against each other, it will also be Baylee’s first collegiate game.
A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING
The 2010-11 season marks another first in the recordbooks. The Clarkson series marks the first time in school history that the Gophers have opened the season against a ranked opponent. The closest Minnesota came to opening the season against a ranked opponent came in both 2005 and 2006. During the East/West Shootout, the Gophers played St. Lawrence (2005) and UNH (2006) in the second game of the season, but this year marks the first time the Gophers open against a ranked opponent.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
During the first month of the season, Minnesota will have three opponents ranked in the top 10, with the fourth receiving votes in the recent poll. Of their 11 games to kick off the season, eight will come against opponents who are ranked or receiving votes. Minnesota starts the regular season with a two-game series against No. 7 Clarkson. The Gophers will then host North Dakota, who received votes in the recent poll and also play defending national champions Minnesota Duluth, Oct. 29-30 on the road. Following the UMD series, No. 5 Wisconsin visits Ridder Arena, Nov. 5-6.
The University of Minnesota women’s hockey team will open the 2010-11 campaign this weekend as it travels to Potsdam, N.Y. to face Clarkson, Oct. 1-2. Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m., while Saturday’s tilt is at 3 p.m.
THE SERIES
The series marks the fourth and fifth time the Golden Gophers and the Golden Knights have tangled in the past two years. Clarkson visited Ridder Arena three times last year. Minnesota earned a two-game series sweep over the Golden Knights last November and followed with an NCAA Regional win in March to advance to the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four. Last year’s three games were the first meeting between the two Golden teams.
FOLLOWING THE GOPHERS
Clarkson provides both live statistics and video streaming for a majority of its games on its website, clarksonathletics.com. The live stats are free, while the video stream is $7. Gophersports.com will also provide a live blog for both games this weekend.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Clarkson returns 14 letterwinners from last year’s team after posting a 23-12-5 record. Tabbed to finish second in the ECAC this year, the Golden Knights return starting goaltender Lauren Dahm, who was on the U.S. Under-22 Team. Clarkson lost two of its three leading scorers from last year in Dominique Thibault and Britney Selina, but return Juana Baribeau and Melissa Waldie and add six new forwards to the roster this year.
SIBLING RIVALRY
Already in the first week of competition, two sisters will be on opposite benches. Freshman Baylee Gillanders will go head-to-head against her older sister, Kali Gillanders, who is a junior for Clarkson. In her first two years with the Golden Knights, Kali has posted 21 points, including three game-winning goals. Never playing against each other, it will also be Baylee’s first collegiate game.
A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING
The 2010-11 season marks another first in the recordbooks. The Clarkson series marks the first time in school history that the Gophers have opened the season against a ranked opponent. The closest Minnesota came to opening the season against a ranked opponent came in both 2005 and 2006. During the East/West Shootout, the Gophers played St. Lawrence (2005) and UNH (2006) in the second game of the season, but this year marks the first time the Gophers open against a ranked opponent.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
During the first month of the season, Minnesota will have three opponents ranked in the top 10, with the fourth receiving votes in the recent poll. Of their 11 games to kick off the season, eight will come against opponents who are ranked or receiving votes. Minnesota starts the regular season with a two-game series against No. 7 Clarkson. The Gophers will then host North Dakota, who received votes in the recent poll and also play defending national champions Minnesota Duluth, Oct. 29-30 on the road. Following the UMD series, No. 5 Wisconsin visits Ridder Arena, Nov. 5-6.
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