#3 Gophers move to 4-0 with two wins in East/West Showcase
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The #3 Gopher Women’s Hockey team picked up two wins over the weekend to improve to 4-0. The Gophers defeated the Maine Black Bears on Friday night. On Sunday, the Gophers beat Bemidji State for the third time this season.
Here are four things that stood out to me this weekend.
Defenders step up in Primerano’s absence
This weekend, Minnesota was without star defender Chloe Primerano. I was impressed with how the defense group stepped up in Primerano’s absence.
On Friday night, Minnesota State transfer Lauren Goldsworthy played her first game for the Gophers.
“She [Goldsworthy] just absorbs rushes, sees the player, and moves the puck to that player,” Head Coach Greg “Boom” May told reporters after Friday night’s game. “I was actually pretty impressed with her today for how she played. She’s only practiced 3 or 4 full practices the entire season.”
Carly Humphrey and Sydney Bailey were also impressive on Friday night. Humphrey and Bailey led the Gophers with a plus 3 rating in the win over Maine.
“They’re just playing really, really well together,” May said postgame Friday night. “Those are two players that did not play a lot last year, minutes-wise…We’re trusting them to play, and they’re showing that they have a ton of value. What I like about them is they are a little bit of a different pairing. A little more simple, I guess, if you will, just move pucks, see the play and move it, and keep the other team in front of us.”
Freshman defender Sloane Hartmetz looked right at home in her third and fourth games in college hockey. Hartmetz’s composure with the puck is quite impressive for a freshman. She’s adept at using her skating to get herself out of trouble and find open players. Hartmetz finished the weekend plus 3.
I asked May about Hartmetz’s confidence after Friday night’s game. “When she [Hartmetz] plays on the ice, it’s like she has zero fear,” May said.
Hartmetz played alongside junior defender Gracie Graham again this weekend. Graham picked up her second goal of the season on Sunday. The junior defender finished the weekend plus 2.
Transfer forwards make an impact
The Gophers added two talented forwards in the transfer portal this offseason: Ashley Allard from Connecticut and Julia Schalin from Mercyhurst. This weekend, both players showed that they will be difference makers for the Gophers this season.
Allard provided a necessary screen on Molly Jordan’s opening goal on Friday night. On Sunday, Allard assisted on Sarah Paul’s goal. Allard is a force on the forcheck: hunting loose pucks and creating turnovers.
Schalin was impressive in both games as well. Schalin has great speed and poise with the puck. She never looks rushed when the puck is on her stick.
Schalin scored her first goal as a Gopher on Friday night, and she made a great play to set up Gracie Graham’s goal on Sunday.
“She’s getting better and better and more comfortable with us here,” May said of Schalin after Sunday’s win. “She’s a transfer student, but she’s a kid that’s got tons of experience. She’s played in the Olympics already, a Finnish national team player, and [she] had success at Mercyhurst before she came here.”
Sarah Paul scores her 50th goal
Having a healthy Sarah Paul in the lineup has been a massive boost to this Gopher team. Paul’s first season in maroon and gold was cut short after only eight games last season due to injury.
This weekend, Paul had two assists on Friday night. On Sunday, she scored her 50th career NCAA goal. Because of the injuries Paul has dealt with throughout her college career, reaching 50 career goals was extra meaningful.
“Obviously a really cool moment,” May said postgame on Sunday. “Paul is a kid who has battled through a lot in her career as a college hockey player with setbacks and injuries. It was emotional for her, and it was emotional for me on the bench. It felt like a long time coming for her to get that one, and to do it the way that she did was pretty special.”
Paul has scored four points in three games to start this season. She’s been a constant offensive threat, always looking to unleash her wicked wrist shot.
Adrianna Milani’s impact
Bemidji State must be tired of seeing Gopher freshman Adrianna Milani. Milani has scored four goals in three games against the Beavers this season.
Milani was held off the scoresheet on Friday night, but she picked up two more goals in Sunday’s win. In the first period, Milani found some open ice in front of the Bemidji State net and banged home a rebound to tie the game. In the third, the 17-year-old freshman was on the ice in the final minute as Minnesota tried to hold on to a one-goal lead. Milani won a race to a loose puck and fired home an empty-net goal to seal the win for Minnesota.
May liked the way his team handled the six-on-five situation. “I like that [we] didn’t cheat the offense…We played it the right way and then Milani’s speed, you could see it there, that kind of separated and sealed the deal for us.”
Milani has been as good as advertised through her first four games in maroon and gold. She leads the Gophers with four goals in four games.
The Gophers face a stiff test when the #1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes come to town this weekend. The Buckeyes are 6-0 and swept Wisconsin last weekend.