University of Minnesota Athletics
Top-Three Border Battle Up Next
11/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 3 Minnesota (15-1-0) at No. 1 Wisconsin (16-0-0) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Dec. 4 | 7 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Dec. 5 | 3 p.m. |
| Location | LaBahn Arena | Madison, Wis. |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Wisconsin |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Nov. 30, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 3 Minnesota (15-1-0, 11-1-0 WCHA) travels to No. 1 Wisconsin (16-0-0, 10-0-0 WCHA) for a top-three border battle series this weekend. Game time is set for 7:07 p.m. CT Friday and 3:07 p.m. CT Saturday.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
Minnesota is 45-26-9 all-time against Wisconsin. The series dates back to the first meeting on Feb. 7, 1998. The Gophers are unbeaten in the last 18 meetings with the Badgers, going 16-0-2. The Gophers' senior class is 13-0-1 against Wisconsin during their careers in Maroon & Gold. Most recently, Minnesota defeated Wisconsin, 3-1, in the 2015 Frozen Four semifinal at Ridder Arena. The Gophers were 4-0-1 against UW last year, led by Hannah Brandt (5g-5a) and Dani Cameranesi (4g-3a).
Scouting the Opponent: Wisconsin
No. 1 Wisconsin (16-0-0, 10-0-0 WCHA) is one of two perfect teams in the nation, joining No. 2 Boston College (17-0-0, 11-0-0 Hockey East) with an unblemished record. The Badgers enter this weekend's series after a non-conference sweep over Dartmouth at home last week. UW won 4-1 and 4-0, led by Emily Clark (2g-1a) and Sarah Nurse (2g-1a).
The Badgers return 19 letterwinners from last season's WCHA Final Face-off champion team. Wisconsin was 29-7-4 overall a year ago and added three newcomers in defenseman Mikaela Gardner and forwards Sam Cogan and Sophia Shaver. Wisconsin is under the direction of 13th-year head coach Mark Johnson.
In 16 games this season, sophomore forward Annie Pankowski leads the Badgers and ranks seventh in the nation with 1.81 points per game. Junior forward Sarah Nurse (11g-7a), sophomore forward Emily Clark (12g-7a), junior defenseman Jenny Ryan (3g-17a) and junior forward Sydney McKibbon (3g-17a) all rank among the NCAA's top 20 scoring leaders. Pankowski also leads the NCAA with three shorthanded goals, and Nurse is tied for second in the nation with four game-winners.
Wisconsin has only allowed six goals against this season. Junior goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens leads the NCAA with a 0.44 goals against average, a .972 save percentage, and nine shutouts. The Badgers average 4.94 goals per game, outscoring their opposition, 97-6, on the year.
Last Time Out: Minnesota Sweeps Minnesota State
Minnesota swept Minnesota State on the road last weekend, winning 11-1 and 2-1. Sarah Potomak (2g-5a), Dani Cameranesi (3g-3a), and Hannah Brandt (3g-2a) led the Gophers in scoring, while Amanda Leveille and Sidney Peters each earned one win in net. Emma May also saw her first ice time, making three saves during the third period of Friday's 11-1 win.
Sarah Potomak (2g-5a) led Minnesota in Friday's 11-1 win. Potomak's career-high seven-point effort tied the Minnesota program record for points in a single game, matching a record held by Hannah Brandt and Nadine Muzerall. The Gophers also received five points each from Hannah Brandt (3g-2a) and Dani Cameranesi (2g-3a). Amanda Leveille made 13 saves on 14 shots faced over the first two periods for Minnesota before Emma May made three saves on three shots in the third period, seeing her first action as a Gopher.
Minnesota sealed the road sweep with a 2-1 win. Cara Piazza gave the Gophers a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when she buried her eighth goal of the season off a feed from Kelly Pannek, but the Mavericks tied the game at 1-1 in the second period. Dani Cameranesi responded, netting her third game-winning goal of the year. Sidney Peters made 15 saves in her sixth appearance of the season, improving to 4-0-0.
Brandt Becomes Gophers' Career Leader in Points & Assists
Hannah Brandt became the Gopher women's hockey program career points leader following a five-goal effort in an 8-3 win over Bemidji State (Nov. 14). Brandt's five-goal effort began with her 100th career goal as she became the fourth Gopher women's hockey player all-time to reach 100 career goals. She scored a natural hat trick before adding two third-period tallies. Brandt's fifth goal of the game marked her 247th career point, pushing her past Natalie Darwitz (246 career points on 102 goals, 144 assists) as Minnesota's all-time career-points leader. Brandt's five goals also tied a Minnesota program record for most goals scored in a single game, matching the record held by Nadine Muzerall, who scored five goals against Bemidji State on Jan. 22, 2000.
Brandt has also secured Minnesota's program record for career assists. In the Gophers' 6-3 win over Yale (Nov. 20), Brandt's second assist of the game moved her into first all-time in career assists. She surpassed Natalie Darwitz's total of 144 career assists.
Hannah Brandt is the NCAA's active career scoring leader with 258 career points (109 goals, 149 assists). She is Minnesota's career leader in both points and assists and is second in Gopher history in career goals, trailing only Nadine Muzerall (139). Among all-time WCHA players, Brandt ranks fourth in career points, sixth in career goals, and third in career assists. Among NCAA players, she is seventh in points, 11th in goals, and fourth in assists.
Upcoming Coaching Milestone for Frost
Ninth-year head coach Brad Frost is close to becoming the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history. He enters this weekend's series at Wisconsin with an overall record of 273-42-21, closing in on Laura Halldorson's career coaching record of 278-67-22.
Second-Period Scoring
For the season, Minnesota has scored 45 second-period goals, compared to 28 in the first period and 24 in the third period. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 45-8 in the middle frame.
Scoring Leaders
Dani Cameranesi (18g-20a), Sarah Potomak (7g-26a) and Hannah Brandt (19g-18a) are the nation's top three scorers, averaging 2.38, 2.36 and 2.31 points per game, respectively. Potomak also leads the nation's rookies in scoring and is the NCAA leader with 1.86 assists per game. Minnesota's offense leads the NCAA at 6.06 goals per game, and the Gophers' top six scorers rank among the nation's top 20.
McMillen Sets Scoring Milestone
Milica McMillen became the sixth Gopher defensemen in program history to surpass 100-career points, joining Megan Bozek (146), Winny Brodt (134), Rachel Ramsey (130), Anne Schleper (114), and Courtney Kennedy (112). She recorded her 100th-career point in Minnesota's 5-2 win over Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 23). Among all-time Gopher defensemen, McMillen ranks third in career goals (40) and sixth in both career points (108) and career assists (68).
Offensive Defense
Megan Wolfe (1.06 points per game) is fourth and Milica McMillen (1.00 points per game) is tied for fifth in the nation in scoring among defensemen. As a defensive unit, the Gophers are tied for second in the nation in scoring among defensemen averaging 4.19 points per game.
Point Streaks
Kelly Pannek owns a team-leading 18-game point streak, dating back to the 2015 NCAA Women's Frozen Four semifinal game against Wisconsin on March 20, 2015. Meanwhile Sarah Potomak started her collegiate career with a 13-game point streak, and Cara Piazza has at least one point in 15 of 16 games this season.
Power-Play Leaders
Minnesota's power-play leads the nation at .490 (24/49) on the power play, and Dani Cameranesi leads the nation with eight power-play goals.
Gopher Fans are Nation's Best
Minnesota leads the nation in attendance averaging 1,404 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers average an NCAA-best 1,944 fans per game as well.
Home, Sweet Home
Minnesota is currently on a 25-game home unbeaten streak (23-0-2). The Gophers are 71-2-4 in their last 77 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012.
Winning Ways
Minnesota is 145-7-5 in the team's last 158 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013).
Youth VIP Season Pass Returns for 2015-16
The Gopher Women's Hockey Youth VIP Season Pass is again available this season. This program provides girls and boys in eighth grade or under with free admission to all regular season Gopher women's hockey games at Ridder Arena. Registration for the Youth VIP Season Pass is available now.
New perks of being a Gopher Women's Hockey Youth VIP Season Pass holder this season include exclusive in-game giveaways and the opportunity for parents, family members, and others to purchase VIP guest passes for a reduced rate from the standard single-game ticket price. VIP pass holder guests can purchase their ticket at the game or by calling the Gopher Fan Relations Office at 612-624-8080.
WCHA Final Face-off Returns to Ridder Arena
The 2016 WCHA Final Face-Off will be held March 5-6 at Ridder Arena, and all-tournament ticket packages are on sale now. All-tournament packages are priced at $20 (general admission bench for seniors/students and youth), $25 (general admission bench for adults) and $35 (reserved chairback). Packages include two tickets - one ticket for Saturday, March 5 which includes access to both semifinal games (at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. CT, respectively) and one ticket for the WCHA championship game Sunday, March 6 (2 p.m. CT).
Seven Gophers Medal at Four Nations Cup
Seven Gophers represented their respective countries at the 2015 Four Nations Cup. Megan Bozek (1g), Gigi Marvin, and Anne Schleper won gold with the U.S. Women's National Team, which defeated Canada, 3-2 in overtime for the championship. Sarah Potomak (1a) joined former Gopher Sarah Davis (1a) in taking home silver with Canada, and alumni Mira Jalosuo and Noora Raty earned bronze with Finland in a 3-2 overtime win over Sweden.
Gophers Add Nine Newcomers
Minnesota has added nine newcomers for 2015-16, made up of seven true freshmen and two transfers. The newest Gophers are Anna Barlow (South St. Paul, Minn.), Tianna Gunderson (Roseau, Minn.), Emma May (Eagan, Minn.), Sarah Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C.), Caitlin Reilly (Chanhassen, Minn.), Sophie Skarzynski (Lake Forest, Ill.), Nicole Schammel (Red Wing, Minn.), Sierra Smith (Stillwater, Minn.), and Taylor Williamson (Edina, Minn.). Reilly, a transfer from Penn State, and Schammel, a transfer from Minnesota State, join the Maroon & Gold as sophomores. Schammel will sit out the 2015-16 season due to WCHA in-league transfer rules.
A Look at the 2015-16 Schedule
Minnesota's 2015-16 schedule features two exhibition games against the Minnesota Whitecaps, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game, an always-challenging WCHA slate, and the return of the WCHA Final Face-off to Ridder Arena.
Up Next: U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-off Classic
No. 3 Minnesota faces St. Cloud State (8-7-1, 4-7-1-1 WCHA) in the 2015 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-Off Classic at the Roseville Skating Center in Roseville, Minn., next Friday, Dec. 11. The game marks a non-conference matchup for the WCHA foes, and puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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