University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Head to UMD for Road Finale
2/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 3 Minnesota (25-3-1) at Minnesota Duluth (12-17-1) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Feb. 12 | 7 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Feb. 13 | 4 p.m. |
| Location | AMSOIL Arena | Duluth, Minn. |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | UMD Video ($) | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | UMD Video ($) | My 9 (Duluth TV) | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Minnesota Duluth |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Feb. 8, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 3 Minnesota (25-3-1, 20-3-1-0 WCHA) heads out on its final regular-season road trip this weekend, traveling north for a meeting with Minnesota Duluth (12-17-1, 9-14-1-0). The Gophers and Bulldogs face off at 7 p.m. CT Friday and 4 p.m. CT Saturday at AMSOIL Arena. Fans can follow the action with video ($) and live stats from UMDBulldogs.com and free audio at GopherSports.com.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Minnesota Duluth
The Gophers are 47-24-7 all-time against Minnesota Duluth. Minnesota is unbeaten in the last 17 games with UMD, going 16-0-1. Most recently, the Gophers have won the last four games in the all-time series, including a home sweep earlier this season with the Gophers winning 5-2 and 6-1 in late October at Ridder Arena. Kelly Pannek (3g-3a), Dani Cameranesi (3g-1a), Hannah Brandt (3a) and Milica McMillen (3a) led the way against the Bulldogs.
Scouting the Opponent: Minnesota Duluth
Minnesota Duluth (12-17-1, 9-14-1-0) enters this weekend's series after earning a road sweep at Minnesota State last weekend. The Bulldogs won 3-2 (OT) and 5-2 over the Mavericks. UMD opened the second half of the regular season with seven-straight losses but brings a three-game winning streak into this weekend.
The Bulldogs are currently tied for fifth in the WCHA regular-season standings with 28 points, tied with St. Cloud State with four league games remaining. UMD was picked to finish fifth in the 2015 WCHA preseason poll under first-year head coach Maura Crowell.
Junior forwards Ashley Brykaliuk (14g-25a) and Lara Stalder (15g-19a) lead the Bulldogs with 39 and 34 points, respectively. Senior forward Michela Caba has a team-high 16 goals along with 15 assists as the third Bulldogs to surpass the 30-point mark. Junior Sidney Morin is UMD's top-scoring defenseman with 13 points (4g-9a). Freshman Maddie Rooney and senior Kayla Black Shelby have split time in net. Rooney is 5-10-0 in 17 appearances with a .902 save percentage and a 2.93 goals against average while Black is 7-4-1 in 14 games with a .915 save percentage and a 2.34 goals against average.
Last Time Out: Gophers Win, Tie with Fighting Hawks
Minnesota took four of six points from the Fighting Hawks last weekend with a 3-0 win in game one of the series before posting a scoreless tie and shootout loss in game two. Amanda Leveille recorded back-to-back shutouts, making 29 saves on Friday and 28 saves on Saturday.
Game one against North Dakota saw Amanda Kessel record two assists in her first college hockey game in almost three years, and Amanda Leveille made 29 saves in her sixth shutout of the season as the Gophers won, 3-0, in front of 2,635 fans. Hannah Brandt scored the game-winning goal on the power play midway through the first period, and defensemen Sydney Baldwin and Sophie Skarzynski added goals in the second and third.
The Gophers and Fighting Hawks skated to a scoreless tie in game two of last weekend's series. Amanda Leveille and UND's Shelby Amsley-Benzie held off their opponents for a full 65 minutes. UND then won the 11-round shootout, 2-1. Amy Menke scored on the first shootout attempt, and Amanda Kessel scored for the Gophers in the second round to tie it at 1-1. Charly Dahlquist then scored the shootout-winner for the Fighting Hawks in the 11th round.
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 283-44-22 heading into this weekend's series at Minnesota Duluth.
Gophers Secure Home Ice
With its sweep at St. Cloud State (Jan. 22-23), Minnesota secured home ice for the WCHA First Round. All four WCHA First Round hosts are set as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Bemidji State, and North Dakota cannot finish outside the top four teams in the league's regular season standings. The Gophers will host a best-of-three first-round series at Ridder Arena. Tickets are on sale now, and game times are set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 (if necessary).
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. Against North Dakota (Feb. 5-6), Kessel saw her first collegiate action since last playing 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. Among all-time Gophers, Kessel ranks third with 136 assists, fifth with 233 career points, and tied for fifth with 97 goals.
Leveille Makes Mark in Recordbooks
With two shutouts over the weekend, Amanda Leveille is 19-3-1 this season with seven shutouts, bringing her career totals to 29 shutouts and an 88-8-5 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 88 wins rank sixth in the NCAA career ranks while her 29 shutouts are tied for sixth 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), tied for fourth in career points (114) and sixth in career assists (71).
Brandt Continues Climbing in NCAA, WCHA, & Minnesota Ranks
Hannah Brandt is the NCAA's active career scoring leader with 270 career points (112 goals, 158 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 61 second-period goals, compared to 44 in the first period and 36 in the third period. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 61-12 in the middle frame.
Scoring Leaders
Hannah Brandt (22-27), Dani Cameranesi (25g-29) 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 4.90 goals per game. Potomak leads the nation's rookies in scoring with 1.67 points per game. She leads the nation with 34 total assists and 1.26 assists per game as well.
Offensive Defense
As a defensive unit, the Gophers are second in the nation in scoring among defensemen averaging 3.48 points per game. Milica McMillen ranks eighth in the nation among defensemen with 0.81 points per game in 27 games and Megan Wolfe is tied for ninth at 0.76 points per game in 29 games.
Power-Play Leaders
The Gophers continue to lead the nation at .481 (37/77) 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 1,483 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers also lead the NCAA with 2,045 fans per game.
Home, Sweet Home
Minnesota is currently on a 31-game home unbeaten streak (28-0-3). The Gophers are 76-2-5 in their last 83 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012.
Winning Ways
Minnesota is 155-9-6 in the team's last 170 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 (2g-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).
Up Next: Border Battle Regular-Season Finale
No. 3 Minnesota hosts No. 2 Wisconsin in a regular-season finale Border Battle series. The Gophers host the Badgers at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Feb. 19 and 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Feb. 20. Game two of the series will air live on the Big Ten Network.
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