# 2021–22 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The 2021–22 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season was the team's 25th season of play for the program. They represented the University of Minnesota in WCHA women's ice hockey during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. They were coached by Brad Frost in his 15th season. They Golden Gophers won the WCHA regular-season title, but lost to Ohio State 3–2 in the conference tournament finals on home ice.
After the conference tournament, the Gophers were selected as an at-large bid for the 2022 NCAA tournament, gaining the second seed overall, behind Ohio State. They lost to the University of Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs 2–1 at Ridder Arena in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals.

## Offseason
### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Sadie Lindsay | Forward | United States | Attended Breck School |
| Emily Zumwinkle | Defense | United States | Attended Breck School – Sister of Grace Zumwinkle |
| Peyton Hemp | Forward | United States | Attended Andover High School – 2021 Winner of Minnesota Ms. Hockey Award |
| Emma Conner | Forward | United States | Attended Edina High School |
| Tristana Tatur | Forward | United States | Attended Maple Grove Senior High School |
| Ella Huber | Forward | United States | Played for Chicago Mission |
| Skylar Vetter | Goaltender | United States | Attended Lakeville North High School |

## Regular season
### Standings

2021–22 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 |
| #4 Minnesota † | 28 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 68 | 122 | 57 | 39 | 29 | 9 | 1 | 169 | 72 |
| #1 Ohio State* | 27 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 125 | 43 | 38 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 175 | 58 |
| #6 Wisconsin | 27 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 57 | 98 | 44 | 38 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 144 | 56 |
| #2 Minnesota Duluth | 28 | 19 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 102 | 54 | 40 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 137 | 84 |
| Minnesota State | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 61 | 100 | 35 | 15 | 19 | 1 | 95 | 120 |
| Bemidji State | 28 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 43 | 104 | 34 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 55 | 117 |
| St. Cloud State | 27 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 43 | 100 | 35 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 65 | 124 |
| St. Thomas | 27 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 31 | 123 | 33 | 5 | 27 | 1 | 41 | 142 |
| Championship: March 6, 2022 † indicates conference regular season champion; * indicates conference tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com; updated March 20, 2022 ||||||||||||||||

### Schedule

Source.
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| Oct 1 | 7:00 | #3 Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Lauren Bench | L 2–4 | 1574 | 0–1–0 (0–1–0) |
| Oct 2 | 3:00 | #3 Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Skylar Vetter | L 1–4 | 1489 | 0–2–0 (0–2–0) |
| Oct 8 | 6:00 | at #6/7 Minnesota Duluth | | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Bench | W 3–1 | 1039 | 1–2–0 (1–2–0) |
| Oct 9 | 3:00 | at #6/7 Minnesota Duluth | | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Bench | L 4–5 $^{OT}$ | 1004 | 1–3–0 (1–3–0) |
| Oct 15 | 6:00 | Minnesota State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Makayla Pahl | W 3–0 | – | 2–3–0 (2–3–0) |
| Oct 16 | 4:00 | at Minnesota State | | Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center • Mankato, MN | Pahl | W 6–2 | 505 | 3–3–0 (3–3–0) |
| Oct 22 | 1:00 | at #3 Colgate* | | Class of 1965 Arena • Hamilton, NY | Pahl | W 5–3 | 400 | 4–3–0 (3–3–0) |
| Oct 23 | 1:00 | at #3 Colgate* | | Class of 1965 Arena • Hamilton, NY | Bench | W 3–2 | 957 | 5–3–0 (3–3–0) |
| Oct 29 | 3:00 | at Bemidji State | #3 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Vetter | W 5–2 | 284 | 6–3–0 (4–3–0) |
| Oct 30 | 2:00 | at Bemidji State | #3 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Bench | W 3–2 | 471 | 7–3–0 (5–3–0) |
| Nov 12 | 6:00 | RIT* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Olivia King | W 10–0 | 1486 | 8–3–0 (5–3–0) |
| Nov 13 | 4:00 | RIT* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | W 7–1 | 1623 | 9–3–0 (5–3–0) |
| Nov 19 | 6:00 | at St. Cloud State | | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Pahl | W 6–2 | 500 | 10–3–0 (6–3–0) |
| Nov 20 | 3:00 | St. Cloud State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (2021 US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Face-Off Classic) | Vetter | W 5–1 | 1659 | 11–3–0 (7–3–0) |
| Nov 26 | 4:30 | vs. Mercyhurst* | #3 | Ford Ice Center • Nashville, TN (Smashville Showcase) | Bench | W 4–0 | 800 | 12–3–0 (7–3–0) |
| Nov 27 | 4:30 | vs. #8 Colgate* | #3 | Ford Ice Center • Nashville, TN (Smashville Showcase) | Vetter | L 1–2 | 1000 | 12–4–0 (7–3–0) |
| Dec 3 | 7:00 | at #1 Wisconsin | #5 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Bench | W 3–2 | 2273 | 13–4–0 (8–3–0) |
| Dec 4 | 3:00 | at #1 Wisconsin | #5 | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI | Bench | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 2273 | 13–4–1 (8–3–1) |
| Dec 10 | 7:00 | #7/9 Minnesota Duluth | #3/4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | L 2–3 | – | 13–5–1 (8–4–1) |
| Dec 11 | 3:30 | #7/9 Minnesota Duluth | #3/4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Pahl | W 2–1 | 1834 | 14–5–1 (9–4–1) |
| Jan 8 | 4:00 | St. Thomas | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Vetter | W 8–0 | 1413 | 15–5–1 (10–4–1) |
| Jan 9 | 2:00 | at St. Thomas | #5 | St. Thomas Ice Arena • Mendota Heights, MN | Bench | W 8–2 | – | 16–5–1 (11–4–1) |
| Jan 14 | 6:00 | at Minnesota State | #4 | Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center • Mankato, MN | Vetter | W 7–2 | 203 | 17–5–1 (12–4–1) |
| Jan 15 | 4:00 | Minnesota State | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Pahl | L 4–5 $^{OT}$ | 1557 | 17–6–1 (12–5–1) |
| Jan 21 | 6:00 | #1 Wisconsin | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Pahl | W 2–1 | 2278 | 18–6–1 (13–5–1) |
| Jan 22 | 4:00 | #1 Wisconsin | #5 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | W 4–3 | 2712 | 19–6–1 (14–5–1) |
| Jan 28 | 5:00 | at #3/4 Ohio State | #2 | The Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Bench | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 598 | 19–7–1 (14–6–1) |
| Jan 29 | 2:00 | at #3/4 Ohio State | #2 | The Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Pahl | W 5–3 | 581 | 20–7–1 (15–6–1) |
| Feb 4 | 6:00 | Bemidji State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | W 7–0 | 1392 | 21–7–1 (16–6–1) |
| Feb 5 | 4:00 | Bemidji State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | W 5–2 | 1753 | 22–7–1 (17–6–1) |
| Feb 11 | 3:00 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Bench | W 5–3 | 342 | 23–7–1 (18–6–1) |
| Feb 12 | 3:00 | St. Cloud State | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Pahl | W 5–1 | 1741 | 24–7–1 (19–6–1) |
| Feb 17 | 7:00 | at St. Thomas | #1 | St. Thomas Ice Arena • Mendota Heights, MN | Vetter | W 7–1 | 279 | 25–7–1 (20–6–1) |
| Feb 18 | 7:00 | St. Thomas | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Bench | W 7–1 | 1730 | 26–7–1 (21–6–1) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| Feb 25 | 6:00 | St. Thomas* | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (First Round, Game 1) | Bench | W 4–0 | 937 | 27–7–1 |
| Feb 26 | 4:00 | St. Thomas* | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (First Round, Game 2) | Bench | W 5–1 | 1146 | 28–7–1 |
| Mar 5 | 1:00 | #8 Minnesota Duluth* | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Semifinal Game) | Bench | W 5–1 | – | 29–7–1 |
| Mar 6 | 1:00 | #2 Ohio State* | #1 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Championship Game) | Bench | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 2075 | 29–8–1 |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| Mar 12 | 2:00 | #8 Minnesota Duluth* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (Quarterfinal Game) | Bench | L 1–2 | 1447 | 29–9–1 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### Roster

Source:

## Awards and honors

* On October 18, 2021, Makayla Pahl was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Week.
* On October 25, 2021, Abigail Boreen was named the WCHA Forward of the Week.
* Forward Peyton Hemp was named WCHA Rookie of the Month for the month of October on November 2, 2021.
* Taylor Heise was named WCHA Forward of the Month and Peyton Hemp was the WCHA Rookie of the Month for November, 2021.
* On December 2, 2021, Taylor Heise was named the National Player of the Month for the month of November.
* Lauren Bench was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week, and Emily Zumwinkle was the WCHA Rookie of the Week, awarded on December 6, 2021.
* Abigail Boreen, Skylar Vetter, and Peyton Hemp were awarded weekly WCHA honors for being the top conference Forward, Goaltender, and Rookie on January 10, 2022.
* Skylar Vetter was awarded as the WCHA Rookie of the Week on January 17, 2022.
* On January 24, 2022, Taylor Heise was named WCHA Forward of the Week, and Ella Huber picked up her first career WCHA weekly honor as the conference's Rookie of the Week.
* On February 1, 2022, Taylor Heise was named as the WCHA Forward of the Month for January.
* Emily Brown was given the WCHA Defender of the Week award, while Peyton Hemp picked up another WCHA Rookie of the Week on February 7, 2022.
* Ella Huber earned her second WCHA Rookie of the Week award on February 21, 2022.
* On February 24, 2022, four Gophers were named to the three all-WCHA teams for the season. Taylor Heise was a first-team selection, Abigail Boreen was named to the second team, and Madeline Wethington and Emily Brown were named to the third team. At the same time, Peyton Hemp, Ella Huber, and Emily Zumwinkle were named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.
* Taylor Heise was named the February WCHA Offensive Player of the Month on February 28, 2022.
* Peyton Hemp was named the February WCHA Rookie of the Month on February 28, 2022.
* Taylor Heise was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Year on March 1, 2022.
* Peyton Hemp was named the Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year on March 1, 2022.
* Taylor Heise was named the WCHA Player of the Year on March 3, 2022.
* Peyton Hemp was named the Division I National Rookie of the Year.
* Taylor Heise won the Patty Kazmaier Award on March 26, 2022.
* On April 1, 2022, Ella Huber was named National Rookie of the Month by the Hockey Commissioner's Association for the month of March.