University of Minnesota Athletics
Trip to BU Up Next for Gophers
12/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (14-2-2) at Boston University (11-6-1) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Dec. 9 | 6 p.m. CT |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 2 p.m. CT |
| Location | Walter Brown Arena | Boston, Mass. |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | BU Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | BU Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Boston University |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Dec. 5, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS - The back-to-back defending national champion University of Minnesota women's hockey team travels to Boston University for its final series of the 2016 calendar year. The non-conference matchup between the Gophers and Terriers is set for 6 p.m. CT Friday and 2 p.m. CT Saturday at Walter Brown Arena in Boston.
Both games will be streamed live at GoTerriers.com/TerrierTV with live stats at GoTerriers.com as well. Free audio and live updates for both games will be available at GopherSports.com.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Boston University
The Gophers are 4-0-0 all-time against Boston University. The all-time series includes two postseason games, one in 2013 and one in 2014. The two teams last met for a non-conference game at Ridder Arena on Oct. 4, 2014; the Gophers 5-2 during their season-opening weekend.
Scouting the Opponent: Boston University
Boston University (11-6-1, 7-6-0 Hockey East) heads into this week's series after splitting a series with Connecticut. BU had a six-game winning streak before falling 2-1 to UConn on Saturday. The Terriers won the first game against the Huskies, 4-1. Prior to that, BU earned five-straight wins over Merrimak (7-3, 2-0), Harvard (4-3, OT), and Princeton (4-1, 4-3, OT). Head coach Brian Durocher is in his 12th season leading the Terriers.
Through 18 games this season, senior Mary Parker (16g-9) and junior Victoria Bach (11g-14a) lead the Terriers with 25 points each. Senior Maddie Elia (7g-10a), sophomore Sammy Davis (6g-11a), senior Samantha Sutherland (9g-7a), junior Rebecca Leslie (11g-16a), and junior Nina Rodgers (4g-12a) are all in double digits for scoring. Rodgers transferred to BU this season after spending two years with the Gophers.
Senior Victoria Hanson and junior Erin O'Neil have split time in net for BU. Hanson has appeared in 11 games with a .929 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against average while O'Neil has seven appearances with a .899 save percentage and a 3.28 goals against average.
Boston University finished the 2015-16 season with a record of 23-14-2 (17-5-2 Hockey East), which earned them third place in the Hockey East regular-season standings. The Terriers' season ended with a 5-0 loss to Boston College in the Hockey East championship game.
Boston University returned 15 of 23 players from last season, including six seniors. The Terriers also have six newcomers on their roster in forward Deziray De Sousa (Montreal, Que.), defenseman Abby Cook (Kelowna, B.C.), defenseman Katie Shannahan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), defenseman Alexandria Calderone (Kirkland, Que.), forward Natasza Tarnowski (Embrun, Ont.), and defenseman Breanna Scarpaci (Washington, Mich.).
Last Time Out: Gophers Split at Wisconsin
Minnesota (14-2-2, 12-2-2-2 WCHA) split a series on the road at top-ranked Wisconsin last weekend. The Gophers won 2-0 in game one behind two goals by Kate Schipper and a 37-save shutout by Sidney Peters before dropping an 8-2 decision in game two.
Home, Sweet Home
Including 10 wins in 2016-17, the Gophers have compiled a record of 105-4-7 in home games at Ridder Arena dating back to the 2011-12 season. Since 2011-12, Minnesota has a .935 winning percentage at home.
Road Tripping
The Gophers do not return to Ridder Arena for a regular-season game until Friday, Jan. 20 - a stretch of 54 days from the team's last home game on Sunday, Nov. 27. Minnesota hosts the Minnesota Whitecaps in an exhibition game on its home ice on Friday, Jan. 6 and resumes WCHA action by hosting Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 20.
Team-Best Point Streak
Junior forward Kelly Pannek extended her team-best point streak to 14 games with one assist in each game against Wisconsin last weekend. She has 29 points (8g-21a) in the last 14 games, including at least one assist in all 14 games.
Gophers Rank Among NCAA's Best
Junior Kelly Pannek leads the country with 34 points (8g-26a), 1.89 points per game, 26 assists, and 1.44 assists per game. Senior Dani Cameranesi ranks second in the NCAA with 31 points (18g-13a) and 1.82 points per game and leads the country with 18 goals and 1.06 goals per game. Sophomore Sarah Potomak ranks eighth in the NCAA and third in the WCHA with 1.50 points per game. Her five game-winning goals are tied for the NCAA lead.
Redshirt junior Sidney Peters made a career-high 37 saves in game one against Wisconsin. She finished the series with a career series-high 50 saves on 56 shots faced. She ranks second in the WCHA and fourth in the NCAA with a 1.39 goals against average and leads the NCAA with 14 wins this season. Her five shutouts are tied for third in the NCAA and second in the WCHA.
Special Teams Play
After going 1-for-10 on the power play to open the season, Minnesota's power play leads the NCAA at 15-for-53 (28.3 percent) and the Gophers' penalty kill leads the WCHA and ranks fourth in the NCAA at 48-for-52 (92.3 percent). Minnesota also leads the nation in fewest penalty minutes per game at 6.1 minutes per game in 18 games.
Cameranesi Leaving Scoring Mark
Senior forward Dani Cameranesi is Gophers' active career scoring leader with 200 career points (93g-107a) to rank eighth in Minnesota history. She trails seventh-ranked Ambria Thomas (89g-112a) by one points. Cameranesi's 93 goals are seventh in Gopher women's hockey history, her 107 assists are tied for eighth, and her 32 power-play goals are tied for third all-time.
Scoring Milestones
Senior assistant captains Dani Cameranesi and Kate Schipper each reached career scoring milestones against Wisconsin (Dec. 3). Cameranesi (93g-107a) became the eighth Gopher all-time to reach 200 career points while Schipper (32g-70a) led Minnesota with a three-point weekend (2g-1a) to become the 33rd Gopher to surpass 100 career points. The pair reached their respective milestones on the same play in Minnesota's game one 2-0 win over Wisconsin as Schipper scored off a feed from Cameranesi.
Earlier this season, junior forward Kelly Pannek became the 32nd player in Gophers history to surpass 100 career points with two points (1g-1a) against Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 15). Pannek currently has 127 career points (45g-82a).
Frost Secures 300th Win
Head coach Brad Frost secured his 300th career coaching victory with the Gophers' road sweep at Ohio State (Oct. 21-22). He enters this week's series with an all-time mark of 306-46-24. This year marks Frost's 10th season at the helm of the Gophers. Last season Frost became the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history, surpassing Laura Halldorson (278-67-22) for career coaching wins.
Gopher Rookies See First Action
All six of Minnesota's freshmen have suited up for the Maroon & Gold this season. Freshman goaltender Serena D'Angelo made her fourth career appearance in the third period against Wisconsin (Dec. 4). Katie Robinson has played in 10 games after seeing her first action on the road at Ohio State (Oct. 21). Lindsay Agnew (2g-2a) and Patti Marshall (1g-6a) have played in all 18 games this season, and Alex Woken (1g-3a) appeared in 15 games before being sidelined due to injury. Kippin Keller (1a) has been in the lineup for 16 games and recorded her first career point with an assist against Wisconsin.
Gophers Add Six for 2017-18
The Gophers and head coach Brad Frost have announced the addition of six incoming players to join the University of Minnesota women's hockey team for the 2017-18 season. Emily Brown (Blaine, Minn.), Alex Gulstene (Vancouver, British Columbia), Olivia Knowles (Campbell River, British Columbia), Amy Potomak (Aldergrove British Columbia), Taylor Wente (Maple Grove, Minn.), and Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior, Minn.) make up the newest class of Gophers.
Six Gophers Medal at Four Nations Cup
All six Golden Gopher representatives took home medals at the 2016 Four Nations Cup. Lee Stecklein, Hannah Brandt, Megan Bozek, and Anne Schleper won gold with the U.S. Women's National Team while Sarah Davis took home silver with Canada's National Women's Team as the rivals met in the gold-medal game. Meanwhile, Noora Raty and Finland won 2-1 over Sweden for bronze in Vierumäki, Finland.
Nine Alumni Continue Careers
Nine Gopher alumni are continuing their hockey careers by playing professional hockey in the NWHL and CWHL this season: Gigi Marvin (Boston Pride, NWHL), Megan Bozek (Buffalo Beauts, NWHL), Anne Schleper (Buffalo Beauts, NWHL), Jordyn Burns (Buffalo Beauts, NWHL), Amanda Leveille (Buffalo Beauts, NWHL), Amanda Kessel (New York Riveters, NWHL), Milica McMillen (New York Riveters, NWHL), Sarah Davis (Calgary Inferno, CWHL), and Kelly Terry (Toronto Furies, CWHL).
Gopher Women's Hockey Youth VIP Season Pass Returns
The Gopher Women's Hockey Youth VIP Season Pass is back for its fifth season. The pass 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 is available at GopherSports.com now.
WCHA Tabs Minnesota to Finish Second
The Gophers were chosen to finish second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's preseason poll of the league's eight head coaches. The Gophers collected two first-place votes and 44 points in the annual preseason poll. Wisconsin led the way with four first-place votes and 48 points, and North Dakota (36 points) and Minnesota Duluth (30 points) rounded out the top four teams in third and fourth place, respectively.
Trio Set to Captain Minnesota
Senior Lee Stecklein continues her duties from last season as captain, while seniors Kate Schipper and Dani Cameranesi are serving as assistant captains.
Minnesota Earns Seventh National Title
Minnesota won back-to-back titles for the third time in program history by defeating Boston College, 3-1, in the 2016 NCAA championship game. The game marked the Gophers' fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA title game. Minnesota has won four of the last five national titles and seven national titles overall (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016).
Gopher Fans are Nation's Best
Minnesota led the nation in attendance for the fourth straight year last season, averaging 1,671 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers also led the NCAA with 2,125 fans per game.
Season tickets, pick-your-packs, and single-game tickets for the 2016-17 chapter of Gopher women's hockey are on sale now through MyGopherSports.com. Minnesota looks to lead the nation in attendance for the fifth-straight year on its quest for the program's eighth national championship.
Up Next: Exhibition Game vs. Minnesota Whitecaps
Minnesota has three weekends off from competition before returning to action by hosting the Minnesota Whitecaps in an exhibition game on Friday, Jan. 6. Game time is set for 7 p.m. CT at Ridder Arena.
The Gophers then face Minnesota State in this year's U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Faceoff Classic at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8 at Braemar Arena in Edina, Minn.
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