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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Five Minutes with Kelly Pannek
1/24/2019 8:07:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann caught up with fifth-year senior Kelly Pannek last weekend.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Senior forward Kelly Pannek chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann during Minnesota's Border Battle series with Wisconsin last weekend.
Dan Hamann: And we're back with more here from Ridder Arena. I'm joined today by senior captain, Kelly Pannek. As Kelly winds down her Golden Gopher career, she's in the top-ten in goals and in the top-ten for assists. Kelly, you don't want to look ahead to the point where your career is over, but have you already started the reflection process at all?
Kelly Pannek: Yeah, for sure. This whole year has been a lot of reflecting for me, as I'm just trying to make the most of it and take it all in. I've been told over and over again that it goes by really fast, so I think it was kind of a blessing to take a year off and come back and knowing that everything will go by really fast. I think starting the second half, it goes even faster.
DH: It's winding down here pretty quickly, like you said. With games like Wisconsin, it doesn't get any better than that in terms of atmosphere and competitive level. What is it between you and Wisconsin that always makes it the games to watch, the consummate 'one vs. two' almost all the time?
KP: Like you said, it's always two of the best teams. Whether that shows in the rankings or not, we know the game that they're going to bring and they know what we are going to bring. We match up very similarly, so I think that's part of it, and then there's just so much history. It goes back way farther than I've been here, within the WCHA, the NCAA, and all of the championships that have been battled out. I know in the Frozen Four history we've played them twice in the semifinals. Ultimately, there's a lot of respect between both programs that makes it really fun. We know a lot of their players really well, from high school or camps or whatever it is, so it's always fun to get out there and see what happens with two of the best teams.
DH: Annie Pankowski was on the Team USA roster for quite some time, right up until the Olympic games, and then squared off with Emily Clark on Team Canada, do you guys talk at all on the ice when there's some downtime?
KP: Yeah, sometimes. Actually when we played there my junior year, so two years ago, we had an eight minute delay--actually it was probably twenty minutes, not even eight--and they were trying to get the net screwed in right or something, we were sitting on the ice and laughing with some of their players. With faceoffs, we're usually pretty friendly. Clark and I usually go back and forth with some fun comments, and one time our helmets got stuck together, which was pretty weird, but it was a really smooth exit out of it though, which was pretty funny. But yeah, it's fun to see them and is usually pretty light-hearted out there with each other in the downtime. When the game is going though, we're intense.
DH: I was talking with my radio colleague last night, and he said in conversations that it seems different for Emily Clark this year after coming off of the Olympics last year, because when you take the year off, it's like you're a professional for that one year because you're playing hockey all the time. She said that coming back this year has been mentally and physically different. Not saying that it was bad in any way, but just different. Have you felt any different mentally or physically, and how has it affected you?
KP: I would completely agree that it's different. There's always little differences, and I think it goes back to last year when I was focusing just on hockey. Now, you obviously throw school and other things into the mix, whereas last year I was mainly trying to make and gel with the team. Coming back to this team, I was trying to figure out how it works again. But, coming back now, I think I'm more knowledgeable on how to prepare the best, and understanding the ways that I view hockey and how it may differ from other people on the team. This is different from last year, as everyone I played with view hockey with an ultra-intense focus, which was amazing, but coming back here, everyone views it just as amazingly, but with different perspectives. It's a great balance, but like you said, it's just different.
DH: Has it been a harder adjustment than what you thought it would be like?
KP: Yeah, I think so. It is what it is, to be honest. It has been something I've had to figure out as the days go. The one thing that's been great is that our team has been doing great, which is the greatest thing to fall back on. I've loved seeing the success that everyone on our team has had, and being a part of the evolution of this team this season and continue to elevate as the season goes on has been really fun. Yeah, it's been challenging at times, but that's what makes it fun, right?
DH: A large amount of the success too has been due to the incoming freshman class. We talked about it earlier in our first interview this year, and I've talked about it with a lot of upperclassmen. What was it that allowed the freshmen to mesh as well as they have?
KP: I think it's a few things. One is that they are all super talented, naturally. Another thing is that they have all been so willing to learn and absorb so much information, and they came in with super open minds. Whatever our coaches have asked them to do, they've tried to learn and adjust and adapt and be in different positions as we've shifted our lines this season. They've gone with it and have been so invested in that mentality, so that's been great. I also think that they've really put their egos aside. I think that's something that is easier to do as you get older, but for them to be able to come in and do that as freshmen and for them to all come from very successful backgrounds at their high schools and at the USA level, they've been able to set that aside and come to this team and buy into what we are doing. That's a huge testament to them as people and as players and everything they are willing to do to be a part of this program.
DH: Last month, you were a first-round draft choice of the Minnesota Whitecaps in the National Women's Hockey League. Is that something you ultimately think that you would like to do or once your hockey career is over here at the university, try some other things since hockey has taken up so much of your time here, in the last four, five, six, well, probably your whole life, right?
KP: I think I'll go on to play with the Whitecaps. That's something I've always wanted, and I'm looking forward to being a part of that. They've had so much success this year and great fan support, and it's been amazing to watch. I think it will be a really fun experience and it'll be great to play with old teammates and meet some new ones.
DH: You were watching the alumnae game earlier and got to see Hannah Brant and Lee Stecklein out there, and who knew Kelsey Cline had such a great scoring touch, as she scored three goals in the first period. What kind of memories does watching former teammates play bring back?
KP: Those girls are some of my best friends, so it's fun to see them on the ice and know that I'll be able to join them next year if it works out. They're such great people and I think that's something great about this program, where alumnae come back and whether you played with them or not, you get to know them and have this camaraderie with them. It's great to see them continue to want to be here. I think that says a lot. You have the range from just graduated to people who have been out of college for 10 to 15 years and they are still here and keep coming back to have fun. It's been really fun to see them throughout this weekend and to know that they support this team as much as past alumnae supported them.
DH: Well, there's a month left of the regular season here, plus the playoffs, and hopefully down the road a date with the national championship game. Keep it going, Kelly, and always nice to talk to you.
KP: Thanks, Dan.
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| Listen to Pannek's interview. |
Dan Hamann: And we're back with more here from Ridder Arena. I'm joined today by senior captain, Kelly Pannek. As Kelly winds down her Golden Gopher career, she's in the top-ten in goals and in the top-ten for assists. Kelly, you don't want to look ahead to the point where your career is over, but have you already started the reflection process at all?
Kelly Pannek: Yeah, for sure. This whole year has been a lot of reflecting for me, as I'm just trying to make the most of it and take it all in. I've been told over and over again that it goes by really fast, so I think it was kind of a blessing to take a year off and come back and knowing that everything will go by really fast. I think starting the second half, it goes even faster.
DH: It's winding down here pretty quickly, like you said. With games like Wisconsin, it doesn't get any better than that in terms of atmosphere and competitive level. What is it between you and Wisconsin that always makes it the games to watch, the consummate 'one vs. two' almost all the time?
KP: Like you said, it's always two of the best teams. Whether that shows in the rankings or not, we know the game that they're going to bring and they know what we are going to bring. We match up very similarly, so I think that's part of it, and then there's just so much history. It goes back way farther than I've been here, within the WCHA, the NCAA, and all of the championships that have been battled out. I know in the Frozen Four history we've played them twice in the semifinals. Ultimately, there's a lot of respect between both programs that makes it really fun. We know a lot of their players really well, from high school or camps or whatever it is, so it's always fun to get out there and see what happens with two of the best teams.
DH: Annie Pankowski was on the Team USA roster for quite some time, right up until the Olympic games, and then squared off with Emily Clark on Team Canada, do you guys talk at all on the ice when there's some downtime?
KP: Yeah, sometimes. Actually when we played there my junior year, so two years ago, we had an eight minute delay--actually it was probably twenty minutes, not even eight--and they were trying to get the net screwed in right or something, we were sitting on the ice and laughing with some of their players. With faceoffs, we're usually pretty friendly. Clark and I usually go back and forth with some fun comments, and one time our helmets got stuck together, which was pretty weird, but it was a really smooth exit out of it though, which was pretty funny. But yeah, it's fun to see them and is usually pretty light-hearted out there with each other in the downtime. When the game is going though, we're intense.
DH: I was talking with my radio colleague last night, and he said in conversations that it seems different for Emily Clark this year after coming off of the Olympics last year, because when you take the year off, it's like you're a professional for that one year because you're playing hockey all the time. She said that coming back this year has been mentally and physically different. Not saying that it was bad in any way, but just different. Have you felt any different mentally or physically, and how has it affected you?
KP: I would completely agree that it's different. There's always little differences, and I think it goes back to last year when I was focusing just on hockey. Now, you obviously throw school and other things into the mix, whereas last year I was mainly trying to make and gel with the team. Coming back to this team, I was trying to figure out how it works again. But, coming back now, I think I'm more knowledgeable on how to prepare the best, and understanding the ways that I view hockey and how it may differ from other people on the team. This is different from last year, as everyone I played with view hockey with an ultra-intense focus, which was amazing, but coming back here, everyone views it just as amazingly, but with different perspectives. It's a great balance, but like you said, it's just different.
DH: Has it been a harder adjustment than what you thought it would be like?
KP: Yeah, I think so. It is what it is, to be honest. It has been something I've had to figure out as the days go. The one thing that's been great is that our team has been doing great, which is the greatest thing to fall back on. I've loved seeing the success that everyone on our team has had, and being a part of the evolution of this team this season and continue to elevate as the season goes on has been really fun. Yeah, it's been challenging at times, but that's what makes it fun, right?
DH: A large amount of the success too has been due to the incoming freshman class. We talked about it earlier in our first interview this year, and I've talked about it with a lot of upperclassmen. What was it that allowed the freshmen to mesh as well as they have?
KP: I think it's a few things. One is that they are all super talented, naturally. Another thing is that they have all been so willing to learn and absorb so much information, and they came in with super open minds. Whatever our coaches have asked them to do, they've tried to learn and adjust and adapt and be in different positions as we've shifted our lines this season. They've gone with it and have been so invested in that mentality, so that's been great. I also think that they've really put their egos aside. I think that's something that is easier to do as you get older, but for them to be able to come in and do that as freshmen and for them to all come from very successful backgrounds at their high schools and at the USA level, they've been able to set that aside and come to this team and buy into what we are doing. That's a huge testament to them as people and as players and everything they are willing to do to be a part of this program.
DH: Last month, you were a first-round draft choice of the Minnesota Whitecaps in the National Women's Hockey League. Is that something you ultimately think that you would like to do or once your hockey career is over here at the university, try some other things since hockey has taken up so much of your time here, in the last four, five, six, well, probably your whole life, right?
KP: I think I'll go on to play with the Whitecaps. That's something I've always wanted, and I'm looking forward to being a part of that. They've had so much success this year and great fan support, and it's been amazing to watch. I think it will be a really fun experience and it'll be great to play with old teammates and meet some new ones.
DH: You were watching the alumnae game earlier and got to see Hannah Brant and Lee Stecklein out there, and who knew Kelsey Cline had such a great scoring touch, as she scored three goals in the first period. What kind of memories does watching former teammates play bring back?
KP: Those girls are some of my best friends, so it's fun to see them on the ice and know that I'll be able to join them next year if it works out. They're such great people and I think that's something great about this program, where alumnae come back and whether you played with them or not, you get to know them and have this camaraderie with them. It's great to see them continue to want to be here. I think that says a lot. You have the range from just graduated to people who have been out of college for 10 to 15 years and they are still here and keep coming back to have fun. It's been really fun to see them throughout this weekend and to know that they support this team as much as past alumnae supported them.
DH: Well, there's a month left of the regular season here, plus the playoffs, and hopefully down the road a date with the national championship game. Keep it going, Kelly, and always nice to talk to you.
KP: Thanks, Dan.
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