GOPHERS WOMEN'S HOCKEY PREVIEW
Home series vs. Wisconsin: 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday at Ridder Arena
Stream: B1G+ both days
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Randy Johnson's preview:
Opening faceoff: The second-ranked Gophers (13-2-1, 9-2-1, 30 points WCHA) and No. 3 Badgers (13-3-0, 9-3-0, 28 points) play the first of two regular-season series. It's a rematch of last season's NCAA Frozen Four semifinals in which the Badgers topped the Gophers 3-2 in overtime on their way to winning the program's seventh NCAA title, one more than Minnesota for most all-time. The Gophers went 0-2-2 against the Badgers in the 2022-23 regular season. They beat Wisconsin 4-2 in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals, but the Badgers had the last say. "Especially after last year with them ending our season, I don't want to say we can't stand them,'' Gophers forward Ella Huber said, "but there are memories, there are thoughts that don't go [away], they don't leave your head.''
Watch them: Both teams have plenty of star power, but one player stands out for each. Badgers sophomore defenseman Caroline Harvey, last year's WCHA defender of the year, scored the overtime winner against Minnesota in the NCAA semifinals last year and finished with 13 goals and 26 assists. This season, she is 2-14-16 in seven games. The Gophers counter with junior forward Abbey Murphy, who leads the nation with 19 goals and ranks third with 31 points. Murphy has nine multipoint games this season.
Forecast: Led by leading scorer Britta Curl (12-20-32), the Badgers boast six players with 19 points or more. The Gophers don't have that scoring depth this season, and Wisconsin will take advantage to win at least one game. The Gophers grab one game, so call this one a split.
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