The last week of the regular season is usually the best time for a team to build momentum. That’s what the Gophers looked to do against the No. 10 University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in their regular season finale.
The Gophers even got two of their Olympians back, freshman forward Tereza Plosová who represented Czechia and senior defender Nelli Laitinen who represented Finland.
However, the Gophers came up short taking both games to overtime but unable to win either. Since they were home games, it is especially consequential to their NPI rankings which helps determine the seeding for the national tournament. Their losses saw them drop from No. 3 to 4.
It was the first time since 2017 the Gophers were swept by the Bulldogs.
Standout Performers
Both goaltenders were some of the standout performers of the weekend for Minnesota. Sophomore goaltender Hannah Clark made 29 saves and allowed three goals in game one. Meanwhile, freshman Layla Hemp made 24 saves, only allowing two goals in the second game.
The Gophers only scored three goals over the weekend, from senior center Madison Kaiser, junior forward Ava Lindsay and freshman center Bella Fanale.
The most notable player of the weekend had to go to UMD’s Tova Henderson who had both overtime game-winning goals.
Game Changers
Both games were close, but the best play from the Gophers came from the first five minutes in game one. Kaiser’s shot beat UMD’s Ève Gascon early, giving them a 1-0 lead, their only lead of the weekend.
UMD then had the momentum for the rest of the weekend, though the Gophers did have momentary comebacks throughout both games. When it mattered most though, the offense didn’t spark for the Gophers and the defense let up.
Going Forward
The offense will need to find their chemistry again ahead of the tournament. Since losing their Olympians, the chemistry and sharpness of their game has faltered. Passes haven’t been tape to tape and defenders got beaten on breakaways.
They will need to clean up those little details of their game in order to refind their spark. They’ll also need graduate forward Abbey Murphy, fresh off her Olympic gold medal to be at her best in her return to collegiate hockey. Expect both her and Sweden’s senior forward Josefin Bouveng back next weekend.
What’s Next
The regular season is officially over for Gopher women’s hockey. The conference tournament starts next weekend with a best of three against either Minnesota State Mankato or St. Cloud State University, determined by the outcome of St. Cloud State’s Sunday matchup with the University of Wisconsin.
If St. Cloud beats Wisconsin in any fashion, the Gophers will play Mankato. If the Huskies do not get a win, they will be the ones to face the Gophers.
