The fourth-ranked and third-seeded Golden Gopher women’s hockey team (27-10-1, 19-8-1 WCHA) will make their 26th consecutive WCHA Final Faceoff appearance after taking down sixth-seeded Minnesota State (14-21-2, 7-19-2 WCHA) 6-2 in the deciding game of the WCHA Quarterfinals on Sunday. Minnesota will be the only program to appear in every WCHA Final Faceoff to date.
Looking to bounce back after Minnesota State’s upset in double overtime on Saturday, the Gophers got on the board first at the 15:13 mark of the opening period. Fifth-year forward Natalie Mlynkova scored her 15th goal of the season, assisted by Abbey Murphy and Chloe Primerano, on Minnesota’s first power play of the game. The score remained a tight 1-0 heading into first intermission, however once the Maroon & Gold took the lead, they never gave it back.
In the second period, stopping the Gopher attack proved to be a hefty task for the Maverick defense. Minnesota scored three unanswered goals in the first seven minutes of the period, courtesy of Ava Lindsay, Audrey Wethington, and Abbey Murphy. Wethington found the back of the net while the Maroon & Gold were on the penalty kill, marking her third-career shorthanded goal. Minnesota State responded to Murphy’s goal with a Jamie Nelson score, bringing the game to 4-1. However, Murphy herself then responded a minute and a half later with her second goal of the period, and the 99th goal of her career. With under two minutes remaining until second intermission, Peyton Hemp brought the game to 6-1.
While the Gophers went scoreless in the third period, the Mavericks would not net a goal again until 24 seconds remained in the game, the second score for both Minnesota State and Jamie Nelson on the day. The game finished with a final of 6-2, securing the Maroon & Gold’s trip to AMSOIL Arena next weekend.
Freshman goaltender Hannah Clark recorded 22 saves and a .955 save percentage in her 23rd victory of the season, and second victory of the postseason.
Sixth-year goaltender Olivia King made her first appearance in net this season with 5:01 remaining in the third period, recording five saves against six shots.
Quotable:
“A great job,” said head coach Brad Frost. “We came out and started quickly, got that big power play goal, which was awesome, and then was able to kind of blow it open there in the second [period]. I’m proud of our group, our backs were against the wall, and they found a way.”
Coach Frost on Abbey Murphy:
“Your best players have to be your best players at this time of year, and [Murphy is] going now with some goals, tracking, getting above pucks. She’s a threat every time she’s on the ice, and it was great to see her get those two [goals] today.”
Notable:
– The Gophers advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff for the 26th consecutive season.
– Minnesota’s five goals in the second period were the most scored by the Gophers in a period this season.
– Abbey Murphy’s 99 career goals rank seventh-most in program history. Only six Gophers have ever reached or passed the 100-goal mark.
– Abbey Murphy scored her 28th and 29th goals of the season.
– Abbey Murphy recorded her 19th multi-point game of the season.
– Audrey Wethington became the fourth-ever Gopher to appear in at least 170 career games.
– Audrey Wethington recorded her fourth goal of the season, 20th goal of her career, and 3rd shorthanded goal of her career.
– Wethington becomes the fifth Gopher to notch a shorthanded goal this season.
– Natalie Mlynkova and Peyton Hemp each scored their 15th goal of the season, tied for second-most on the team behind Murphy’s 29 goals.
– Ava Lindsay tallied her 25th point of the season and the 49th point of her career.
– Chloe Primerano set a new career-high in single-game points (3).
– Minnesota led 29-28 in shots on goal.
Up Next:
The Gophers are set to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 WCHA Final Faceoff. Puck drop for the semifinal is set for 4:32 p.m. CT at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
(photo credit: Brad Rempel)
