University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Host Whitecaps, Buckeyes
1/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 3 Minnesota (15-3-0) vs. Ohio State (7-13-0) | |
| Game 1 | Saturday, Jan. 9 | 2 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Sunday, Jan. 10 | 2 p.m. |
| Location | Ridder Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Ohio State |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Jan. 4, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 3 Minnesota (15-3-0, 11-3-0 WCHA) hosts the Minnesota Whitecaps in a free exhibition game this Wednesday before returning to WCHA action and welcoming Ohio State (7-13-0, 3-11-0 WCHA) to Ridder Arena this Saturday and Sunday.
Game time between the Gophers and Whitecaps is set for 7 p.m. CT, and the Gophers and Buckeyes meet at 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Free audio and live stats will be available at GopherSports.com for all three games, and the OSU series will feature an online video stream through BTN Plus.
'Rink' in the New Year with the Gophers
Join the Gophers at Ridder Arena to 'Rink' in the New Year at the first official game of 2016, which will feature New Year's promotions such as social media contests and a digital time capsule. Saturday's game also features a giveaway for Gopher Women's Hockey Youth VIP Season Pass-holders. Game two of the series against Ohio State is Dollar Day. All general admission tickets are $1 online or at the door.
Gopher Alumni Return to Ridder for Exhibition Game
The Gophers face off against familiar foes for the second time this season in Wednesday's exhibition game against the Minnesota Whitecaps, an elite, post-collegiate women's hockey team. Minnesota alumni Rachael Bona, Bethany Brausen, Winny Brown, Sarah Erickson, Katie Frischmann, Becky Kortum, Meghan Lorence, Anne Schleper, and Kelly Seeler are expected to be in the Whitecaps lineup on Wednesday. The Gophers defeated the Whitecaps, 5-4, in a season-opening exhibition game earlier this year.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Ohio State
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with a 63-8-3 all-time record against Ohio State. The Gophers are unbeaten in their last 36 games against the Buckeyes at 34-0-2, dating back to February 2008. Most recently, Minnesota swept OSU on the road in Columbus, Ohio, in October 2015, winning 7-2 and 11-2. Dani Cameranesi (4g-4a), Hannah Brandt (3g-5a) and Sarah Potomak (4a) led the Gophers with eight points each against the Buckeyes. The series dates back to February 2000, when the Gophers won the first meeting between the two teams, 4-1.
Scouting the Opponent: Ohio State
Under first-year head coach Jenny Potter, Ohio State (7-13-0, 3-11-0 WCHA) enters this weekend's series after splitting a series with Penn State last weekend. The Buckeyes have series sweeps over Lindenwood and Minnesota State along with picking wins over North Dakota and Vermont so far this season. Senior forward Kendall Curtis leads OSU with 17 points on nine goals and eight assists, and freshman defenseman Lauren Boyle is second on the team with 13 points on one goal and a team-high 12 assists. In total, six Buckeyes are in double figures for scoring this season.
Three goaltenders have split ice time for OSU. Sophomore Alex LaMere is 5-8-0 with a .892 save percentage and a 3.08 GAA. Meanwhile, senior Stacy Danczak is also 2-5-0 with a .836 save percentage and a 4.59 GAA. Sophomore Selena Hunter has seen limited ice time in two games as well.
The Buckeyes posted a 17-16-3 overall record and went 12-13-3 in WCHA play last season. Junior forward Claudia Kepler is OSU's top returning scorer from a year ago after posting 23 points (12g-11a) as a sophomore; she is currently tied for third on the team with 12 points (7g-5a).
Last Time Out: Gophers Top Huskies in HOF Game
Minnesota defeated St. Cloud State, 7-0, in the 2015 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum game at the Roseville Skating Center to conclude the first half of the season on Dec. 11. The game was an exhibition game due to the number of skaters used by each team. Kate Schipper scored two goals, including the game-winner, and Hannah Brandt led all players with three points as the Gophers blanked the Huskies. Seven Gophers had multi-point nights as Cara Piazza (2a), Kelsey Cline (1g-1a), Megan Wolfe (2a), Nina Rodgers (1g-1a), and Dani Cameranesi (1g-1a) joined Brandt (1g-2a) and Schipper (2g) in putting up multiple points. Minnesota received 12 saves from Amanda Leveille as well.
Upcoming Coaching Milestone for Frost
Head coach Brad Frost is close to becoming the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history. He enters this weekend's game series against Ohio State with an overall record of 273-44-21, closing in on Laura Halldorson's career coaching record of 278-67-22.
Leveille Climbing in Minnesota, NCAA Ranks
Over the first half of the season, Amanda Leveille recorded three shutouts with an 11-3-0 record, bringing her career totals to 25 shutouts and an 80-8-4 overall mark. Her 25 shutouts rank second in Minnesota history, and she is third among all-time Gopher goaltenders with 80 career wins. Leveille's 25 shutouts are tied for sixth and her 80 wins are tied for ninth in the NCAA career ranks.
Second-Period Scoring
For the season, Minnesota has scored 47 second-period goals, compared to 28 in the first period and 25 in the third period. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 47-11 in the middle frame.
Scoring Leaders
Dani Cameranesi (18g-21a), Sarah Potomak (8g-26a) and Hannah Brandt (19g-19a) are among the nation's top five leading scorers, ranked third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. Minnesota's offense leads the NCAA at 5.56 goals per game, and the Gophers' top four scorers rank among the nation's top 10. Potomak leads the nation's rookies in scoring with 2.12 points per game along with leading the nation with 1.62 assists per game.
Offensive Defense
Megan Wolfe and Milica McMillen are tied for sixth in the nation in scoring among defensemen, averaging 0.94 points per game. As a defensive unit, the Gophers are third in the nation in scoring among defensemen averaging 3.78 points per game.
Power-Play Leaders
Minnesota's power-play leads the nation at .453 (24/53) 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 1,501 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 145-9-5 in the team's last 159 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013).
Nine Newcomers Contributing
Minnesota added nine newcomers for the 2015-16 season, 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. Of the nine players, Potomak (8g-26a), Williamson (1g-6a), Reilly (3g-3a), Skarzynski (1g-3a), Barlow (1g-1a), and Gunderson (1g) have all made their way onto the score sheet.
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 259 career points (109 goals, 150 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.
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 is tied for second in career goals (41) and ranks sixth in both career points (109) and career assists (68). She needs just six goals to tie Bozek's program record (47).
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.
Up Next: Gophers Host Minnesota State
Minnesota remains at home to host Minnesota State next weekend, welcoming the Mavericks to Ridder Arena for a pair of 2 p.m. games on Saturday, Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17.
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