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/ Women's Hockey
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/ Women's Hockey
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Nine Players with Program Ties Earn Medals in Beijing
2/17/2022 10:13:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Two current Gophers and six alumnae helped guide Team USA to Silver, while Nelli Laitinen became the third Finnish Gopher to win Bronze.
MINNEAPOLIS – Nine players with Golden Gopher Women's Hockey ties took home medals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Two current Gophers and six alumnae helped the U.S. Women's National Team take home silver, while one incoming freshman helped guide Team Finland to Bronze. Wednesday's gold medal game saw Canada defeat the United States, 3-2. Team USA finished with a record of 5-2, with the only two losses coming at the hands of Canada.
All ten Gophers recorded at least one point over the tournament: Amanda Kessel – USA (3g-5a), Nelli Laitinen – Finland (2g-5a), Hannah Brandt – USA (6a), Kelly Pannek – USA (2g-4a), Megan Bozek – USA (3a), Dani Cameranesi – USA (2g), Lee Stecklein – USA (1g), Grace Zumwinkle – USA (1g), Abbey Murphy – USA (1a), Josefin Bouveng – Sweden (1g). Kessel tallied a goal and Brandt recorded an assist in the gold medal game.
In their first Olympics, Murphy, Zumwinkle, Laitinen, and Bouveng all tallied their first career points. Olympic veterans Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein each recorded their first career goals in the tournament. In her third Olympics, Kessel led the United States with eight points in seven games – a career high for her at a single Olympics.
With this silver medal, Kessel and Stecklein join Natalie Darwitz and Gigi Marvin as the only Gophers to win at least three Olympic medals. Laitinen, Murphy, and Zumwinkle each earned their first Olympic medals, moving the total count of alumnae with Olympic Medals to 18. With nine medals in Beijing, Gopher Women's Hockey representatives have now won 34 medals since the addition of women's hockey to the Games in 1998. Minnesota equipment manager Brent Proulx and strength coach Cal Dietz were also on staff for Team USA.
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All ten Gophers recorded at least one point over the tournament: Amanda Kessel – USA (3g-5a), Nelli Laitinen – Finland (2g-5a), Hannah Brandt – USA (6a), Kelly Pannek – USA (2g-4a), Megan Bozek – USA (3a), Dani Cameranesi – USA (2g), Lee Stecklein – USA (1g), Grace Zumwinkle – USA (1g), Abbey Murphy – USA (1a), Josefin Bouveng – Sweden (1g). Kessel tallied a goal and Brandt recorded an assist in the gold medal game.
In their first Olympics, Murphy, Zumwinkle, Laitinen, and Bouveng all tallied their first career points. Olympic veterans Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein each recorded their first career goals in the tournament. In her third Olympics, Kessel led the United States with eight points in seven games – a career high for her at a single Olympics.
With this silver medal, Kessel and Stecklein join Natalie Darwitz and Gigi Marvin as the only Gophers to win at least three Olympic medals. Laitinen, Murphy, and Zumwinkle each earned their first Olympic medals, moving the total count of alumnae with Olympic Medals to 18. With nine medals in Beijing, Gopher Women's Hockey representatives have now won 34 medals since the addition of women's hockey to the Games in 1998. Minnesota equipment manager Brent Proulx and strength coach Cal Dietz were also on staff for Team USA.
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