Wisconsin beats Gophers 2-0 in NCAA women’s hockey championship game →

March 24, 2019 by Nicole Hensch in News, Sports, Women's Hockey

HAMDEN, Conn. – Wisconsin defeated Minnesota 2-0 in the Women’s Frozen Four title game Sunday, capturing its fifth NCAA women’s hockey championship.

The Badgers ended the Gophers’ season for the second consecutive year after winning 4-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals last season. Minnesota has played in nine NCAA championship games; this was its third loss.

The Gophers struggled to get anything generated in front of the Badgers net. Wisconsin recorded 20 blocks, and goalie Kristen Campbell had 27 saves for her third straight shutout of the postseason.

‘Hockey isn’t that important,’ Gophers’ Brad Frost says on eve of NCAA title game →

March 23, 2019 by Nicole Hensch in Sports, Features/Profiles, Women's Hockey

Minnesota’s Brad Frost is one of the most successful coaches in college women’s hockey. This is his 12th season, and his team has made the NCAA tournament every year he has been at the helm. This is the program’s ninth Frozen Four under his direction, and on Sunday the Gophers will be in their sixth title game in eight years.

Minnesota has won four of the past seven national championships and will face rival Wisconsin for an opportunity to win Frost’s fifth and the program’s eighth title.

There’s no arguing that Minnesota is one of the premier programs in the nation.

That’s why it’s so jarring, on the day before the title game, to hear Frost tell a room of reporters one of his coaching principles.

Gophers women advance to Frozen Four final with 2-0 win over Cornell →

March 22, 2019 by Nicole Hensch in Sports, News, Women's Hockey

HAMDEN, Conn. — The University of Minnesota women’s hockey team advanced to the program’s ninth NCAA championship game with a 2-0 Frozen Four semifinal victory over on Cornell on Friday at Quinnipiac University.

The winning goal came from senior Nicole Schammel on a power play midway through the second period; it was her 16th goal of the season. Sophomore Olivia Knowles took a shot from the point that went through traffic and was redirected by freshman Emily Oden. The deflection went to the right of the goal, where Schammel was waiting to put it home.

“We just did a great job of getting bodies to the net and the rebound came right to me,” Schammel said. “I was lucky to be there.”

Junior Sarah Potomak iced the win for the Gophers (32-5-1) with an empty-net goal with 32.4 seconds left in the final period.

For Gophers, women’s Frozen Four remains special →

March 21, 2019 by Nicole Hensch in Sports, Features/Profiles

HAMDEN, Conn. — There is no Division I women’s hockey team as successful as Minnesota. The Gophers have eight national titles and have made 12 straight NCAA tournaments.

So, in a lot of ways, Minnesota is exactly where it expects to be as they prepare to face Cornell in an NCAA semifinal Friday at 3 p.m. Still, the Gophers know none of this is assured. For nearly half the women on the roster, this will be their first Frozen Four.

Minnesota lost their NCAA quarterfinal game to Wisconsin last year, ending a string of six straight Frozen Four appearances, and senior Kelly Pannek is the only member of this team that has won a national title.

Women’s hockey: Gophers blitzed by Wisconsin 4-0 in NCAA quarterfinals →

March 22, 2018 by Nicole Hensch in Sports, Women's Hockey

MADISON, Wis. – For the first time since the 2010-11 season, the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team has been knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the quarterfinal round.