# 2004–05 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The 2004–05 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season represented the University of Minnesota during the 2004–05 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Gophers had an overall record of 36–2–2, and a 25–1–2 record in WCHA conference play. Both totals established the most wins in a season and in conference action since the start of the Gophers program in 1997–98. From the beginning of the season to the end, the Gophers were ranked No. 1. In addition, the Gophers were ranked in the top five in every statistical category, including winning percentage, power-play and offensive scoring.

## Regular season
### Standings

2004–05 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Minnesota†* | 28 | 25 | 1 | 2 | – | 52 | 129 | 26 | 40 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 197 | 54 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 28 | 22 | 4 | 2 | – | 46 | 110 | 41 | 34 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 131 | 54 |
| Wisconsin | 28 | 20 | 7 | 1 | – | 41 | 119 | 44 | 38 | 28 | 9 | 1 | 170 | 59 |
| Ohio State | 28 | 12 | 15 | 1 | – | 25 | 73 | 97 | 37 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 99 | 124 |
| Minnesota State | 28 | 8 | 17 | 3 | – | 19 | 47 | 85 | 35 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 54 | 101 |
| St. Cloud State | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 | – | 17 | 47 | 105 | 35 | 9 | 22 | 4 | 63 | 124 |
| North Dakota | 28 | 6 | 21 | 1 | – | 13 | 52 | 125 | 35 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 74 | 143 |
| Bemidji State | 28 | 5 | 22 | 1 | – | 11 | 48 | 102 | 35 | 9 | 24 | 2 | 69 | 121 |
| Championship: † indicates conference regular season champion; * indicates conference tournament champion Updated July 21, 2024 ||||||||||||||||||
* During the 2004–05 season, Krissy Wendell set an NCAA record (since tied) for most shorthanded goals in one season with 7. After graduating from Minnesota, she had the career record for most shorthanded goals in a career with 16. Ironically, both marks were tied by Meghan Agosta.
* Krissy Wendell scored the game-winning goal in the 2005 WCHA championship game against Wisconsin. She followed that with a hat trick against ECAC champion Harvard. She was the NCAA runner-up in the scoring race to Gophers teammate Natalie Darwitz with 98 points.

### Schedule

Source
    As of September 14, 2024.
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| October 8 | 7:07 | at North Dakota | | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Horak | W 8–0 | 2,823 | 1–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 9 | 7:05 | at North Dakota | | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Reinen | W 7–1 | 1,325 | 2–0–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 15 | 7:05 | St. Cloud State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 7–0 | 1,193 | 3–0–0 (3–0–0) |
| October 16 | 7:05 | St. Cloud State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 7–1 | 1,002 | 4–0–0 (4–0–0) |
| October 22 | 2:05 | at Bemidji State | #1 | John S. Glas Field House • Bemidji, MN | Horak | W 5–0 | 163 | 5–0–0 (5–0–0) |
| October 23 | 2:05 | at Bemidji State | #1 | John S. Glas Fieldhouse • Bemidji State, MN | Reinen | W 5–2 | 158 | 6–0–0 (6–0–0) |
| October 29 | 7:05 | at Minnesota State | | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, MN | Horak | W 6–1 | 411 | 7–0–0 (7–0–0) |
| October 30 | 7:05 | at Minnesota State | | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, MN | Reinen | W 6–0 | 610 | 8–0–0 (8–0–0) |
| November 6 | 1:05 | Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 10–0 | 1,556 | 9–0–0 (9–0–0) |
| November 7 | 1:05 | Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 5–1 | 1,853 | 10–0–0 (10–0–0) |
| November 19 | 7:05 | Minnesota Duluth | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 4–2 | 2,457 | 11–0–0 (11–0–0) |
| November 20 | 7:05 | Minnesota Duluth | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 2,480 | 11–0–1 (11–0–1) |
| November 26 | 1:00 | vs. Northeastern* | #1 | Bright Hockey Center • Cambridge, MA | Reinen | W 8–1 | 200 | 12–0–1 (11–0–1) |
| November 27 | 4:10 | at #4 Harvard* | #1 | Bright Hockey Center • Cambridge, MA | Horak | W 5–3 | 527 | 13–0–1 (11–0–1) |
| December 4 | 2:05 | at #4 Wisconsin | #1 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Horak | W 2–0 | 1,338 | 14–0–1 (12–0–1) |
| December 5 | 2:05 | at #4 Wisconsin | #1 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Horak | T 3–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,186 | 14–0–2 (12–0–2) |
| December 11 | 2:00 | at #2 Dartmouth* | #1 | Thompson Arena • Hanover, NH | Horak | L 5–7 | 1,786 | 14–1–2 (12–0–2) |
| December 12 | 11:00 | at #2 Dartmouth* | #1 | Thompson Arena • Hanover, NH | Horak | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,316 | 15–1–2 (12–0–2) |
| January 7 | 7:05 | Bemidji State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 2–0 | 1,449 | 16–1–2 (13–0–2) |
| January 8 | 2:05 | Bemidji State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 5–0 | 1,009 | 17–1–2 (14–0–2) |
| January 14 | 7:05 | Brown* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 8–2 | 1,264 | 18–1–2 (14–0–2) |
| January 15 | 7:05 | Brown* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 5–0 | 1,319 | 19–1–2 (14–0–2) |
| January 21 | 7:07 | at #10 Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Horak | W 4–1 | 271 | 20–1–2 (15–0–2) |
| January 22 | 7:07 | at #10 Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Reinen | W 4–2 | 275 | 21–1–2 (16–0–2) |
| January 29 | 2:05 | Wisconsin | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 4–1 | 2,461 | 22–1–2 (17–0–2) |
| January 30 | 2:05 | Wisconsin | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 2–1 | 2,013 | 23–1–2 (18–0–2) |
| February 4 | 7:07 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Horak | W 4–1 | 311 | 24–1–2 (19–0–2) |
| February 5 | 7:07 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Reinen | W 5–1 | 489 | 25–1–2 (20–0–2) |
| February 12 | 2:05 | North Dakota | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 7–0 | 1,781 | 26–1–2 (21–0–2) |
| February 13 | 2:05 | North Dakota | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 4–2 | 1,445 | 27–1–2 (22–0–2) |
| February 19 | 3:05 | Minnesota State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 5–0 | 2,194 | 28–1–2 (23–0–2) |
| February 20 | 3:00 | Minnesota State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 3–0 | 2,148 | 29–1–2 (24–0–2) |
| February 26 | 7:07 | at #2 Minnesota Duluth | #1 | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, MN | Horak | L 4–2 | 3,001 | 29–2–2 (24–1–2) |
| February 27 | 3:07 | at #2 Minnesota Duluth | #1 | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, MN | Horak | W 1–0 | 1,854 | 30–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| March 3 | 7:34 | Bemidji State* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA First Round) | Reinen | W 6–3 | 1,011 | 31–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| March 5 | 7:30 | Ohio State* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff, Semifinals) | Horak | W 7–1 | 1,308 | 32–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| March 6 | 4:10 | Wisconsin* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff, Finals) | Horak | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 1,513 | 33–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| March 18 | 7:05 | Providence* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (NCAA Tournament, First Round) | Horak | W 6–1 | 1,194 | 34–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| March 25 | 8:30 | vs. Dartmouth* | | Whittemore Center • Durham, NH (NCAA Frozen Four) | Horak | W 7–2 | 2,204 | 35–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| March 27 | 4:08 | vs. #2 Harvard* | #1 | Whittemore Center • Durham, NH (NCAA Championship) | Horak | W 4–3 | 2,056 | 36–2–2 (25–1–2) |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### Roster

Source:

## Player stats

* = Indicates team leader

### Skaters

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | P/G | PIM | GWG | PPG | SHG |
| Natalie Darwitz | 40 | 42 | 72 | 114 | 2.8500 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| Krissy Wendell | 40 | 43 | 61 | 104 | 2.6000 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 7 |
| Kelly Stephens | 40 | 33 | 43 | 76 | 1.9000 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 2 |
| Lyndsay Wall | 39 | 14 | 34 | 48 | 1.2308 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Bobbi Ross | 40 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 0.8250 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
| Erica McKenzie | 36 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 0.5833 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Andrea Nichols | 40 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 0.4500 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Chelsey Brodt | 40 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 0.4250 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ashley Albrecht | 40 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 0.4000 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Becky Wacker | 36 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 0.3333 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Allie Sanchez | 39 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0.2564 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Liz Palkie | 40 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0.2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noelle Sutton | 34 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0.2059 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anya Miller | 39 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0.1795 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jenelle Philipczyk | 40 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0.1500 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Maggie Souba | 35 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.1143 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Krista Johnson | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.0968 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stacy Troumbly | 36 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.0556 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Whitney Graft | 31 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0323 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jody Horak | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brenda Reinen | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Goaltenders

| Player | GP | W | L | T | GA | TOI | GAA | SO | SV | SV% |
| Jody Horak | 28 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 1691:41 | 1.45 | 8 | 498 | .924 |
| Brenda Reinen | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 719:37 | 1.00 | 5 | 212 | .946 |

## Postseason

The Gophers then went on to win their second straight WCHA Championship with a 3–2 overtime win over Wisconsin. In the NCAA playoffs, the Gophers defeated the Providence Friars by a 6–1 score. With the win, the Gophers advanced to its fourth-straight NCAA Frozen Four appearance. The Gophers defeated the Dartmouth Big Green by a 7–2 score in the semifinal game. In the first period, the Gophers scored five goals in the first period. On March 27, the Gophers defeated the Harvard Crimson by a 4–3 mark to win their consecutive national championship.

### Awards and honors

* Natalie Darwitz, Patty Kazmaier Award top three finalist
* Laura Halldorson, WCHA Coach of the Year (her third award)
* Krissy Wendell, Patty Kazmaier Award (Wendell became the first player from Minnesota, and the first from the WCHA to win the Patty Kazmaier Award)
* The Gophers had four players garner All-America honors, the most in a single season.