Freshman Amanda Kessel started this season with a hat trick in an 8-0 exhibition win over Manitoba.  She followed that up with two goals in her first official collegiate game, a 5-0 win over No. 7 Clarkson.

While Kessel has been scoring all season (she’s second on the Gophers in goals scored), she’s found her role as a passer too.  Kessel leads the Gophers in assists with 23. 

Kessel had both facets of her game working this past weekend, tallying seven points in the Gophers’ sweep of Saint Cloud State, earning WCHA offensive player of the week honors.

Kessel was one of seven players to score in Minnesota’s 8-0 win over the Huskies last Friday night.  She scored late in the first period and added the Gophers’ fourth goal in a five-goal second period. 

On Saturday, she broke a 1-0 tie with a power-play goal midway through the second period and later assisted freshman Ashley Stenerson’s first career collegiate goal. 

This is the fourth WCHA weekly award for Kessel, who has been named rookie of the week three times.

Kessel and the Gophers take on Bemidji State at Ridder Arena this weekend.