The undefeated No. 3 Gopher women’s hockey team (6-0) faces their toughest test of the season this weekend. They host another unbeaten WCHA powerhouse, the Ohio State University Buckeyes (4-0).
After three weeks of Gopher dominance, the matchup will show how they measure up against one of the conference’s top schools.
“We can’t wait to play,” junior forward Emma Kreisz said, “It’s going to be a big challenge.”
Minnesota is ranked third on the USCHO polls, following sweeps of Boston College, No. 13 Boston University, and No. 10 St. Cloud State University. They lead the NCAA for goals, outscoring opponents 37-7.
At the heart of their offensive production is graduate student Abbey Murphy, who leads the nation in total points with 18 and goals with 12. Her linemates, freshman Bella Fanale and junior Ava Lindsay, make big contributions as well, with Lindsay leading the nation in an assist average of 1.83 a game.
They have not had to rely solely on that line, though. Freshman Sarah Paul and senior Josefin Bouveng provide a strong secondary threat, with defenders senior Sydney Morrow and junior Molly Jordan creating a spark from the blue line.
“We’re getting contributions from everybody,” said head coach Brad Frost. “All four lines are scoring, and we’re defending really well. We know it’s going to get harder this weekend, and we’re excited about that.”
It is clear this weekend’s matchup will not be easy. The Buckeyes are consistently a top team, playing in the NCAA championship game for four consecutive years, winning two of those matchups.
Ohio State opened this season with sweeps against No. 8 University of Colgate and Bemidji State.
Their deep lineup has been highlighted by junior Jocelyn Amos and newcomer Hilda Svensson, each with three goals through four games. The Buckeyes also brought back their top scorer from last season, junior Joy Dunne, who led her team with 62 points.
Perhaps one of the most impressive things about the Buckeyes is that they regularly skate only three lines but rarely seem fatigued.
“They’re a team that pressures the puck a lot,” Frost said. “They’re fast.”
Kreisz, in the midst of a five-game point streak, echoed that sentiment.
“They’re going to skate fast and hard,” Kreisz said. “We can’t let them outskate us.”
The most recent matchup between these two teams was in the WCHA Final Faceoff last season. Minnesota handed Ohio a 6-2 loss, advancing to the conference finals.
It was a huge win for the Gophers, but one of only three in their last ten head-to-head matchups — a reflection that the rivalry has recently turned in Ohio’s favor.
Though it’s only October, it is likely this weekend will reveal where the Gophers measure up against a key opponent, and there’s an opportunity to grab conference points.
Frost said this could have big implications for March.
“There’s six points on the line this weekend,” Frost said. “We want to win the WCHA just like Ohio State does.”
