# 2016–17 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The 2016–17 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season represented the University of Minnesota during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. They were coached by Brad Frost in his tenth season. The defending champions returned to the Frozen Four for the sixth consecutive year by upsetting Minnesota Duluth in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament, before losing to Clarkson in the Frozen Four.

## Offseason
### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Lindsay Agnew | Forward | Canada | Played for Canada's U18 National Team |
| Serena D’Angelo | Goaltender | Canada | Competed in the PWHL |
| Kippin Keller | Forward | United States | Played for Minnetonka High School |
| Patti Marshall | Defense | United States | Skated with Shattuck-Saint Mary's |
| Katie Robinson | Defense | United States | Hails from Kasson, Minnesota |
| Alex Woken | Forward | United States | Skated with Shattuck-Saint Mary's |

## Regular Season
### Standings

2016–17 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| #2 Wisconsin*† | 28 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 73 | 110 | 24 | 40 | 33 | 3 | 4 | 157 | 35 |
| #4 Minnesota | 28 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 65 | 88 | 46 | 39 | 26 | 8 | 5 | 124 | 69 |
| #5 Minnesota Duluth | 28 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 62 | 82 | 47 | 37 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 110 | 62 |
| North Dakota | 28 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 41 | 62 | 57 | 38 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 84 | 73 |
| Ohio State | 28 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 40 | 73 | 37 | 14 | 18 | 5 | 69 | 82 |
| St. Cloud State | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 43 | 82 | 36 | 9 | 23 | 4 | 61 | 113 |
| Bemidji State | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 49 | 80 | 35 | 12 | 20 | 3 | 67 | 90 |
| Minnesota State | 28 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 33 | 98 | 37 | 7 | 26 | 4 | 45 | 127 |
| Championship: Wisconsin † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Current rankings: USCHO.com Division I women's poll ||||||||||||||||

### Schedule

Source
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| September 30 | 7:07 | Lindenwood* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 3–0 | 1,282 | 1–0–0 |
| October 1 | 2:07 | Lindenwood* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 6–2 | 1,094 | 2–0–0 |
| October 7 | 3:07 | at Bemidji State | #2 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Peters | W 3–1 | 584 | 3–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 8 | 3:07 | at Bemidji State | #2 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Peters | L 0–2 | 612 | 3–1–0 (1–1–0) |
| October 14 | 6:07 | #4 Minnesota Duluth | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 4–3 | 1,861 | 4–1–0 (2–1–0) |
| October 15 | 4:07 | #4 Minnesota Duluth | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 3–2 $^{OT}$ | 1,606 | 5–1–0 (3–1–0) |
| October 21 | 5:00 | at Ohio State | #2 | The Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Peters | W 3–2 | 576 | 6–1–0 (4–1–0) |
| October 22 | 2:00 | at Ohio State | #2 | The Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Peters | W 2–1 | 399 | 7–1–0 (5–1–0) |
| October 27 | 7:07 | St. Cloud State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 5–2 | 1,286 | 8–1–0 (6–1–0) |
| October 28 | 7:07 | St. Cloud State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 3–0 | 1,396 | 9–1–0 (7–1–0) |
| November 4 | 6:07 | Minnesota State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 5–0 | 1,371 | 10–1–0 (8–1–0) |
| November 6 | 2:07 | Minnesota State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 8–1 | 1,670 | 11–1–0 (9–1–0) |
| November 18 | 7:00 | at #9 North Dakota | #2 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Peters | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 2,360 | 11–1–1 (9–1–1) |
| November 19 | 4:00 | at #9 North Dakota | #2 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Peters | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 1,127 | 11–1–2 (9–1–2) |
| November 26 | 2:07 | Bemidji State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 4–0 | 2,080 | 12–1–2 (10–1–2) |
| November 27 | 2:07 | Bemidji State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 4–1 | 1,984 | 13–1–2 (11–1–2) |
| December 3 | 3:30 | at #1 Wisconsin | #2 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Peters | W 2–0 | 2,273 | 14–1–2 (12–1–2) |
| December 4 | 2:00 | at #1 Wisconsin | #2 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Peters | L 2–8 | 2,273 | 14–2–2 (12–2–2) |
| December 9 | 6:00 | at Boston University* | #2 | Walter Brown Arena • Boston, MA | Peters | W 5–1 | 623 | 15–2–2 |
| December 10 | 2:00 | at Boston University* | #2 | Walter Brown Arena • Boston, MA | Peters | L 5–6 $^{OT}$ | 353 | 15–3–2 |
| January 8, 2017 | 3:00 | vs. Minnesota State* | #2 | Braemer Arena • Edina, MN (Women's Face-Off Classic) | Peters | W 5–3 | 1,308 | 16–3–2 |
| January 13 | 3:07 | at #4 Minnesota Duluth | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Peters | L 2–3 | 1,710 | 16–4–2 (12–3–2) |
| January 14 | 3:07 | at #4 Minnesota Duluth | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Peters | L 3–5 | 2,024 | 16–5–2 (12–4–2) |
| January 20 | 7:07 | Ohio State | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | May | W 2–1 | 2,374 | 17–5–2 (13–4–2) |
| January 21 | 2:07 | Ohio State | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | May | T 1–1 $^{OT}$ | 2,793 | 17–5–3 (13–4–3) |
| January 27 | 7:07 | at St. Cloud State | #4 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Peters | W 2–1 | 217 | 18–5–3 (14–4–3) |
| January 28 | 3:07 | at St. Cloud State | #4 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Peters | W 5–0 | 399 | 19–5–3 (15–4–3) |
| February 3 | 7:07 | at Minnesota State | #4 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Peters | W 5–0 | 236 | 20–5–3 (16–4–3) |
| February 4 | 3:07 | at Minnesota State | #4 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Peters | W 5–3 | 480 | 21–5–3 (17–4–3) |
| February 10 | 7:07 | North Dakota | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 4–3 | 2,458 | 22–5–3 (18–4–3) |
| February 11 | 4:07 | North Dakota | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | W 6–2 | 2,733 | 23–5–3 (19–4–3) |
| February 18 | 3:07 | #1 Wisconsin | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | T 1–1 $^{OT}$ | 3,498 | 23–5–4 (19–4–4) |
| February 18 | 3:03 | #1 Wisconsin | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Peters | T 0–0 $^{OT}$ | 3,129 | 23–5–5 (19–4–5) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| February 24 | 6:07 | Bemidji State* | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinals, Game 1) | Peters | W 3–1 | 1,234 | 24–5–5 |
| February 25 | 4:07 | Bemidji State* | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinals, Game 2) | Peters | L 1–2 | 1,483 | 24–6–5 |
| February 26 | 4:07 | Bemidji State* | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinals, Game 3) | Peters | W 3–2 | 1,194 | 25–6–5 |
| March 4 | 5:07 | #2 Minnesota Duluth* | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Semifinals, Final Face-Off) | Peters | L 1–2 $^{2OT}$ | 2,533 | 25–7–5 |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| March 11 | 2:30 | at #3 Minnesota Duluth* | #5 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN (Quarterfinals) | Peters | W 1–0 | 1,549 | 26–7–5 |
| March 17 | 8:00 | vs. #2 Clarkson* | #5 | Family Arena • St. Charles, MO (Semifinals Frozen Four) | Peters | L 3–4 | 2,762 | 26–8–5 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### Roster

Source:

## News and notes

* January 8, 2017: The Golden Gophers competed in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Game against the MSU-Mankato Mavericks. The Golden Gophers prevailed by a 5–3 score.

## Awards and honors
### WCHA Weekly Honors

* Lee Stecklein, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (Week of January 31, 2017)
* Kate Schipper, WCHA Offensive Player of the Week (Week of February 7, 2017)

### Year End Awards

* Kelly Pannek, Forward, Nations leading scorer (tied with Cayley Mercer, Clarkson), 19G, 43A, 62 Points
* Kelly Pannek, Patty Kazmaier Award Top Ten Finalist
* Sarah Potomak, Patty Kazmaier Award Top Ten Finalist
* Kelly Pannek, Forward, All-WCHA First Team
* Lee Stecklein, Defense, All-WCHA First Team
* Sarah Potomak, Forward, All-WCHA Second Team
* Dani Cameranesi, Forward, All-WCHA Third Team
* Megan Wolfe, Defense, All-WCHA Third Team

### All-America honors

* Kelly Pannek, 2016–17 AHCA-CCM Women's University Division I First-Team All-American
* Lee Stecklein, 2016–17 AHCA-CCM Women's University Division I First-Team All-American