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No. 3 Gophers Take on No. 12 Minnesota State in Ranked In-State Series
1/8/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team returns to WCHA play this weekend with a two-game series against Minnesota State. The Gophers look to bounce back after being swept by the Mavericks earlier this season. Game one is set for Friday, Jan. 9, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, with puck drop scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and streaming live on B1G+. Minnesota then returns to Ridder Arena for the first time in 2026 to close the series on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. CT, airing live on Big Ten Network.
#3 Minnesota Gophers (16-4-0, 10-4-0 WCHA) at #12 Minnesota State Mavericks (11-8-1, 5-8-1 WCHA)
Date: Jan. 9, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Mankato, MN
#3 Minnesota Gophers (16-4-0, 10-4-0 WCHA) at #12 Minnesota State Mavericks (11-8-1, 5-8-1 WCHA)
Date: Jan. 10, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Stream: BTN
Location: Ridder Arena
Last Time Out
Minnesota returns to WCHA action after closing its non-conference schedule against Sacred Heart last weekend. The Gophers earned a 4-0 shutout victory on Friday before setting a program record with 14 goals in a 14-2 win on Saturday.
Scouting the Mavericks
Minnesota State enters the weekend ranked No. 12 nationally with an 11-8-1 overall record and a 5-8-1 mark in WCHA play. The Mavericks currently sit fifth in the conference standings with 17 points. MSU opens the 2026 portion of its schedule against the Gophers after splitting a series with St. Cloud State on Dec. 5-6. The Mavericks dropped Friday's contest 4-0 before responding with a 3-2 overtime victory on Saturday. Freshman forward Mercury Bischoff leads the Minnesota State offense with a team-high 12 goals and 17 points this season. Juniors Kamryn Van Batavia and Lauren Zawoyski each have recorded 15 points. In goal, Hailey Hansen has posted a .915 save percentage, allowing just 2.74 goals per game, and has recorded a team-high three shutouts. Shari Dickerman enters her second season as head coach of the Mavericks, owning a 25-29-3 career record.
Inside the Series
Minnesota leads the all-time series 116-8-3. Head coach Brad Frost holds a 74-5-0 record against Minnesota State, while Dickerman is 3-6-0 all-time versus the Gophers. The teams last met Nov. 21-22 earlier this season, when the Mavericks earned a two-game sweep.
Hats Off
Two Gopher skaters recorded hat tricks in Saturday's 14-2 win over Sacred Heart. Nelli Laitinen netted the first hat trick of her career, while Abbey Murphy tallied her third of the season. The duo became the first Minnesota teammates to post hat tricks in the same game since Rachael Bona and Kelly Pannek accomplished the feat against St. Lawrence in 2015.
Murph Milestones
Abbey Murphy's seven-point performance (3g, 4a) in Saturday's series finale tied the program's single-game scoring record, previously set by Sarah Potomak. With nine points on the weekend, Murphy moved into fourth place on Minnesota's all-time scoring list with 238 career points, passing Nadine Muzerall (235) and Krissy Wendell (237).
Olympic Bound and Hopeful
Three Gophers have been named to Olympic rosters for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy. Nelli Laitinen (FIN) and Abbey Murphy (USA) will represent their home countries at the Olympics for the second time, while Tereza Plosová (CZE) is set to make her Olympic debut. Two additional Maroon and Gold skaters are Olympic hopefuls, with Josefin Bouveng (SWE) aiming for her second Olympic appearance and Chloe Primerano (CAN) pursuing her first.
WCHA Weekly Award Winners
Abbey Murphy was named WCHA Forward of the Week and Nelli Laitinen earned WCHA Defender of the Week honors following Minnesota's sweep at Sacred Heart. Murphy totaled nine points (4g, 5a) on the weekend, while Laitinen posted six points (4g, 2a), highlighted by the game-winning goal Friday and a five point performance (3g, 2a) on Saturday.
Points, Points, Points
Senior forward Josefin Bouveng continues to light up the scoresheet, extending her point streak to 19 straight games with a one-goal and four-assist series effort against Sacred Heart. Amanda Kessel holds the all-time single season points streak at 32 consecutive games.
Offense on Overdrive
Minnesota's potent offense ranks second in the nation with 102 goals through 20 games this season, averaging 5.10 goals per game.
Apple Picking
Minnesota ranks second nationally with 175 assists on the season. Ava Lindsay and Abbey Murphy pace the Gophers and rank sixth nationally, averaging 0.95 assists per game. Josefin Bouveng sits ninth at 0.90 assists per game, while Jamie Nelson ranks 10th at 0.85. Sydney Morrow (0.70) and Nelli Laitinen (0.65) also rank among the NCAA's top 30 in assists per game.
Productive Blue Line
Minnesota's blue line continues to drive the offense, led by Nelli Laitinen and Sydney Morrow. Laitinen ranks second nationally among defenders with 22 points and is second in goals (9), while Morrow sits fourth in scoring with 20 points and ranks fourth in goals (6).
Gopher Stat Leaders
Six Gophers rank among the nation's top scorers: Abbey Murphy (1st, 43 points), Josefin Bouveng (T-8th, 29), Ava Lindsay (T-19th, 24), Nelli Laitinen (T-28th, 22), Jamie Nelson (T-28th, 22), and Sydney Morrow (T-37th, 20). Murphy leads the NCAA in goals per game (1.20) and points per game (2.15). In goal, Hannah Clark ranks among the nation's top 20 in all major categories, posting a .933 save percentage (16th), a 1.76 goals-against average (11th), and three shutouts (7th).
Big-Time Player, Big-Time Plays
Murphy has recorded four game-winning goals this season, passing Krissy Wendell and Nadine Muzerall (24) for most all-time in program history.
Pucks On, Pucks In
The Gophers have outshot opponents 823–498 while leading the WCHA with a 12.4% shooting percentage.
Frost Climbs the Ranks
Head coach Brad Frost has moved into fourth place all-time in NCAA women's hockey wins, passing Mike Carroll and now sitting at 544 career victories.
Special Teams Strength
Minnesota's special teams continue to shine, ranking seventh nationally on the power play (.283) and 12th in total power-play goals (15). The Gophers' penalty kill is also among the nation's top-25 at .831.
National Recognition
The Gophers remain the No. 3 team in the nation for the fourth consecutive weekly poll.
Leadership Group
Captains Abbey Murphy and Nelli Laitinen both return to wear the 'C' for the second straight season.
Behind the Bench
Head coach Brad Frost returns for his 19th season with the Gophers, entering the weekend with a career record of 544-125-42, four national titles, and seven conference championships. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coach Mitch Baker, and assistant coach/general manager Jessica Scott also return to the staff.
Quest for Eight
Minnesota continues its pursuit of an eighth national championship, having already claimed seven titles (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).