Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Women’s Notes: Taking the Game Outdoors in 2025
Six WCHA Teams Take Part in Outdoor Games
Since 2010, there have been 14 NCAA Division I women’s hockey games played outdoors. From the shores of Lake Bemidji to the outfield of Fenway Park and outdoor rinks in between, playing the game outside has become a rite of passage.
The only thing better than playing the game as it was intended is the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country facing off at Wrigley Field, the second-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. On Saturday, No. 1 Wisconsin hosted No. 2 Ohio State in a “Frozen Confines” showdown — one of four college games played over the weekend at the iconic ballpark.
The top two teams skated toe to toe through three periods, ending the game in a 3-3 tie. Overtime brought chances for both sides, but Ohio State ultimately secured the extra point in a seven-round shootout. Graduate forward Jenna Buglioni (Port Moody, British Columbia) netted the five-hole goal to cap an epic night of outdoor hockey.
That same day in Minnesota, St. Thomas and No. 10 St. Cloud State played an exhibition game at the St. Louis ROC. The ROC is a covered outdoor rink designed to salute hockey’s roots. While St. Cloud State’s 4-3 win won’t count in the standings, playing a college game outdoors remains the ultimate experience.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, the Bemidji State Beavers and Minnesota Gophers will face off in the 19th annual Hockey Day Minnesota. Each year, the weekend features a full slate of high school and college games on an outdoor rink. The event changes locations annually, from Minneapolis, the state’s largest city, to small towns like Baudette, population 900. This year, the Beavers and Gophers will drop the puck in Shakopee at Valleyfair, Minnesota’s largest amusement park.
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Must Watch & Hear:
Our Kids Play Hockey: Resetting Your Hockey Goals for the New Year
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Closing the door on 2024:
In the first half of the 2024-25 season, there were just over 400 regular-season games played. Of those, 172 — nearly half — were decided by a single goal. More than 70 games went to overtime, and 21 were decided in a shootout.
Penn State Performers:
Junior goaltender Katie DeSa (Pawcatuck, Connecticut) and freshman forward Grace Outwater (Picton, Ontario) earned AHA honors for their performances in the East West Showcase hosted by Minnesota.
DeSa recorded two wins against Bemidji State and Minnesota, making 55 saves over the weekend. She stopped 32 of 34 shots to backstop the Nittany Lions’ upset of the No. 3-ranked Gophers.
Outwater earned rookie honors after scoring three goals during the showcase. She has found the back of the net in five of the last eight games and ranks second in the nation among rookies with 20 points.
The victory marked Penn State’s first-ever win against Minnesota in program history.
New Year, New Rankings:
Wisconsin has held the No. 1 spot in the national polls all season. Here’s a look at the most recent The Rink Live/USA Hockey polls top 10 as we kick off 2025:
- Wisconsin (20-1-1)
- Ohio State (13-5-3)
- Minnesota (15-5-1)
- Minnesota Duluth (13-5-2)
- Colgate (17-5-0)
- Cornell (10-3-3)
- Clarkson (16-5-1)
- Quinnipiac (15-5-3)
- St. Cloud State (10-6-4)
- St. Lawrence (12-5-5)
On Friday, No. 9 St. Cloud State will face No. 4 Minnesota Duluth, No. 6 Cornell will play No. 5 Colgate, and No. 14 Princeton will take on No. 8 Quinnipiac.
Fit To Print:
“Five, 10, 15 years later, as we talked about many times, they’re going to reflect back on this, it’s going to be like, ‘Mom, you played at Wrigley Field?’ I told the team this morning, this may not happen again. We may never see a women’s game at Wrigley again. So if you happen to be in it, it’s a good day.”
— Wisconsin Head Coach Mark Johnson reflects on the opportunity to play outdoors at Wrigley Field. (Source: The Daily Faceoff)
PWHL Note of the Week:
Sarah Fillier (Princeton ’24), Britta Curl-Salemme (Wisconsin ’24), and Hannah Bilka (Ohio State ’24) are leading all rookies in points this season.
While all three players rank in the top 10 in scoring, Princeton alum and No. 1 overall pick Sarah Fillier is second with nine points.
Rookie goaltender Raygan Kirk (Ohio State ’24) became the first netminder from the 2024 draft class to record a victory, stopping 26 of 28 shots in a 4-2 win over Boston on Friday.
Fries at the Bottom of the Bag:
New coach Maura Crowell secured her first win with Dartmouth in their 2-1 win over New Hampshire on December 30 … Bemidji State completed the biggest comeback in program history to defeat Brown 5-4, scoring three goals in the third period … Northeastern goaltender Lisa Jönsson (Fr., Stockholm, Sweden) secured her fifth shutout of the season over Holy Cross on Saturday … Colgate junior forward Elyssa Biederman (Franklin, Mich.) stretched her point streak to a team-high 10 games … Minnesota State junior forward Whitney Tuttle (Rosemount, Minn.) scored four goals in the Mavericks’ win over Lindenwood on Saturday … Mercyhurst forward Vanessa Upson (Sr., Stoney Creek, Ontario) netted two goals with 11 shots on goal in their win over St. Michaels on Saturday … Boston College forward Julia Pellerin (Windham, N.H.) notched five points with two goals and three assists to help defeat Maine … Freshmen Éloïse Caron (Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec) netted a goal and two assists to lead Northeastern over Yale on Tuesday.
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Did you know? 97% of NCAA Division I women’s hockey players earn their degree!