University of Minnesota Athletics
Top-10 Series Pits Gophers vs. North Dakota
2/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 3 Minnesota (24-3-0) vs. No. 8 North Dakota (14-8-4) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Feb. 5 | 6 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Feb. 6 | 4 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 | North Dakota |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Feb. 1, 2016
Minnesota Game Notes 
| UND Game Notes
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 3 Minnesota (24-3-0, 19-3-0 WCHA) returns home to Ridder Arena to host No. 8 North Dakota (14-8-4, 11-7-4-2 WCHA) this weekend. The Gophers and Fighting Hawks face off at 6 p.m. CT Friday and 4 p.m. CT Saturday. Fans can follow the action with BTN Plus video (subscription required), free audio, and live stats at GopherSports.com.
Fan Appreciation Weekend, Student Night & VIP Giveaways
This weekend's series marks Fan Appreciation Weekend. During Friday's game, the first fans in attendance will receive free Gopher ice scrapers. During Saturday's game, fans can enjoy 50¢ hot chocolate at the Ridder Arena concessions stand while supplies last.
Friday marks Student Night at Gopher women's hockey with Karaoke hits and quarter-zips! All students can come to Ridder Arena and enjoy free pizza and refreshments in the lobby while supplies last. Students may also visit the table inside Ridder Arena atop the student section and pick up a voucher for a free Minnesota Hockey quarter-zip jacket while supplies last. Be sure to visit the table if you're interested in participating in the student karaoke contest and listen up during the game for the best karaoke hits, too.
VIP members are invited back for the final two regular season home series and will receive free, exclusive giveaways during both games this weekend.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. North Dakota
The Gophers are 47-8-0 all-time against North Dakota, dating back to a 6-2 win at Ridder Arena in the first meeting on Nov. 29, 2003. The teams have split their last two series, but Minnesota is 9-1-0 in the last 10 matchups with UND at Ridder Arena.
Most recently, the Gophers split with the Fighting Hawks on the road in Grand Forks, N.D., earlier this season. Minnesota won 5-1 in game one and fell 4-3 in game two. Kate Schipper (1g-2a), Kelly Pannek (1g-2a), Cara Piazza (3a) and Hannah Brandt (3a) led the Gophers against UND.
Scouting the Opponent: North Dakota
No. 8 North Dakota (14-8-4, 11-7-4-2 WCHA) enters this weekend's series after taking five of six points from Minnesota State last weekend. The Fighting Hawks earned a 2-1 win and secured a 1-0 shootout win after tying the Mavericks 5-5 in game two of the series. UND is 3-2-1 in the second half of the season.
The Fighting Hawks climbed to third in the WCHA regular-season standings with 39 points, jumping fourth-place Bemidji State (37 points) after last weekend. UND was picked to finish third in the 2015 WCHA preseason poll under head coach Brian Idalski.
Junior forward Amy Menke leads UND with 29 points (14g-15a). Senior forwards Meghan Dufault (7g-18a) and Becca Kohler (11g-11a) have also surpassed the 20-point mark with 25 points and 22 points, respectively. Junior Halli Krzyzaniak is the Fighting Hawks' top-scoring defenseman with 13 points (5g-8a). Senior Shelby Amsley-Benzie has seen the majority of time in net this season with a 12-7-3 overall mark with a .923 save percentage and a 1.71 goals against average. Meanwhile, junior Lexie Shaw has seen action in four games.
Last Time Out: Gophers Earn Road Sweep Over Beavers
Last weekend, the Gophers swept the Beavers on the road, winning 2-1 in game one and 2-1 in overtime in game two. In game one, Cara Piazza broke a 1-1 tie in the first minute of the third period to seal the win after Sydney Baldwin and BSU's Ciscely Nelson exchanged goals in the first period. Amanda Leveille made 16 saves as the Gophers outshot the Beavers, 27-17.
Game two saw the Gophers rally from a 1-0 deficit to secure the overtime win. Lee Stecklein scored the game-winning goal just 47 seconds into overtime after Dani Cameranesi tied the game at 1-1 on a power-play goal with 6:39 remaining in regulation. Amanda Leveille made a season-high 28 saves in the win.
Kessel Returns to Gophers' Lineup
Two-time All-American and 2013 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Amanda Kessel has officially returned to the Gopher women's hockey team for the remainder of the 2015-16 season. Kessel last played for Minnesota during the 2012-13 season. She took a redshirt year in 2013-14 to represent the United States in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, and missed the 2014-15 season while recovering from a concussion. The 2015-16 season marks Kessel's final season of eligibility.
Frost Surpasses Coaching Milestone
With Minnesota's 7-0 win over St. Cloud State (Jan. 22), head coach Brad Frost became the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history, surpassing Laura Halldorson (278-67-22) for career coaching wins. Frost owns an all-time mark of 282-44-21 heading into this weekend's series against North Dakota.
Gophers Secure Home Ice
With its sweep at St. Cloud State (Jan. 22-23), the Gophers have secured home ice for the WCHA First Round. Minnesota cannot finish lower than fourth in the regular season league standings and will host a best-of-three first-round series at Ridder Arena Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-29.
Leveille Makes Mark in Recordbooks
With a pair of wins over the weekend, Amanda Leveille is 18-3-0 this season with five shutouts, bringing her career totals to 27 shutouts and an 87-8-4 mark. She ranks second in Minnesota history in both career shutouts and career wins, trailing only Noora Raty (114-17-8 with 43 shutouts). Leveille's 87 wins are fifth in the NCAA career ranks while her 27 shutouts are seventh in NCAA history.
McMillen Closing in on Scoring Record
Milica McMillen is closing in on the Gophers' program record for career goals by a defenseman. She currently ranks second all-time with 43 goals, trailing only Megan Bozek's total of 47 career goals. Earlier this season, 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 second in career goals (43), fifth in career points (113) and sixth in career assists (70).
Brandt Continues Climbing in NCAA, WCHA & Minnesota Ranks
Hannah Brandt is the NCAA's active career scoring leader with 268 career points (111 goals, 157 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 is second in career points chasing Jocelyne Lamoureux (285), sixth in career goals, and second in career assists also chasing Jocelyne Lamoureux (160). Among all-time NCAA players, she fourth in points, 11th in goals, and third in assists.
Second-Period Scoring
For the season, Minnesota has scored 60 second-period goals, compared to 43 in the first period and 35 in the third period. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 60-12 in the middle frame.
Scoring Leaders
Linemates Hannah Brandt (21g-26a), Dani Cameranesi (25g-28a) and Sarah Potomak (11g-34a) are among the nation's top six leading scorers, ranked third, fourth, and sixth in points per game, respectively. Minnesota's offense ranks second in the NCAA at 5.15 goals per game. Potomak leads the nation's rookies in scoring with 1.80 points per game. She leads the nation with 1.36 assists per game as well.
Offensive Defense
As a defensive unit, the Gophers are second in the nation in scoring among defensemen averaging 3.76 points per game. Megan Wolfe ranks eighth in the nation among defensemen with 0.81 points per game in 27 games and McMillen is ninth at 0.81 points per game in 26 games.
Power-Play Leaders
The Gophers were 2-for-2 on the power play against the Beavers, and Minnesota continues to lead the nation at .486 (36/74) on the power play. Dani Cameranesi leads the nation with 12 power-play goals, which is tied for fourth in Gopher all-time single-season records.
Gopher Fans are Nation's Best
Minnesota maintains its hold on the national attendance lead, averaging 1,397 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers rank second with 1,944 fans per game.
Home, Sweet Home
Minnesota is currently on a 29-game home unbeaten streak (27-0-2). The Gophers are 75-2-4 in their last 81 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012.
Winning Ways
The Gophers bring a nine-game winning streak into this weekend's series against North Dakota. In addition, Minnesota is 154-9-5 in the team's last 168 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 (11g-34a), Williamson (3g-8a), Reilly (4g-4a), Skarzynski (1g-5a), Barlow (1g-1a), and Gunderson (2a) have all made their way onto the score sheet.
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.
Duo Serving as Team Captains
Senior Hannah Brandt and junior Lee Stecklein have been named Minnesota's captains this season. Brandt is in her first season as a team captain, and Stecklein was an assistant captain last year.
Up Next: Gophers Wrap Regular-Season Road Trips at UMD
No. 3 Minnesota travels to Minnesota Duluth in its final road trip of the 2015-16 regular season next weekend. The Gophers and Bulldogs face off at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 and 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 at AMSOIL Arena.
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