# 2011–12 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The 2011–12 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season represented the University of Minnesota during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. They were coached by Brad Frost in his fifth season. The Gophers won their third NCAA women's Frozen Four championship.

## Offseason
### News and notes

* August 8: Four Golden Gophers participated at the USA Hockey Festival. The festival occurred from August 10–20 at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota. Megan Bozek, Amanda Kessel, Jen Schoullis and former Gopher Gigi Marvin were invited.
* August 19: USA Hockey announced the members of the U.S. Women's National Team that will compete in the 2011 IIHF 12 Nations Tournament Series, Aug. 24–31, in Vierumäki, Finland. The 22-player roster includes two current University of Minnesota players in sophomore forward Amanda Kessel and Jen Schoullis.

### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Stephanie Anderson | United States | Forward | Played for the Minnesota Thoroughbreds |
| Rachel Bona | United States | Forward | Played at Coon Rapids High School |
| Meghan Lorence | United States | Forward | Played at Irondale High School |
| Rachel Ramsey | United States | Defense | Played at Minnetonka High School |
| Shyler Sletta | United States | Goaltender | Played at New Prague High School |

## Regular season
### Standings

2011–12 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 |
| #1 Wisconsin† | 28 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 72 | 113 | 44 | 37 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 170 | 53 |
| #2 Minnesota* | 28 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 66 | 113 | 43 | 37 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 167 | 50 |
| #6 North Dakota | 28 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 53 | 116 | 75 | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 154 | 89 |
| #9 Minnesota Duluth | 28 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 91 | 61 | 36 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 121 | 77 |
| Ohio State | 28 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 75 | 96 | 36 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 99 | 115 |
| Bemidji State | 28 | 11 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 70 | 73 | 37 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 101 | 85 |
| St. Cloud State | 28 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 32 | 150 | 36 | 5 | 29 | 2 | 37 | 130 |
| Minnesota State | 28 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 37 | 105 | 36 | 7 | 28 | 1 | 64 | 133 |
| Championship: Minnesota † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion National rankings: Conference rankings: Updated March 23, 2012 ||||||||||||||||

### Schedule

Source:
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| September 30 | 7:07 | Union* | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (East-West Showcase) | Räty | W 6–1 | 1,028 | 1–0–0 |
| October 1 | 7:07 | Syracuse* | #4 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (East-West Showcase) | Räty | W 4–0 | 1,343 | 2–0–0 |
| October 7 | 6:07 | St. Cloud State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 6–0 | 457 | 3–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 8 | 4:07 | St. Cloud State | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 8–0 | 537 | 4–0–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 14 | 7:07 | at #1 Wisconsin | #3 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Räty | L 2–3 | 2,379 | 4–1–0 (2–1–0) |
| October 16 | 2:07 | at #1 Wisconsin | #3 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Räty | W 3–2 | 2,603 | 5–1–0 (3–1–0) |
| October 20 | 7:07 | Minnesota State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Sletta | W 3–0 | 1,044 | 6–1–0 (4–1–0) |
| October 21 | 6:07 | Minnesota State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 7–0 | 727 | 7–1–0 (5–1–0) |
| October 28 | 7:07 | at Bemidji State | #2 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Räty | W 4–1 | 561 | 8–1–0 (6–1–0) |
| October 29 | 7:07 | at Bemidji State | #2 | Sanford Center • Bemidji, MN | Räty | L 1–2 | 587 | 8–2–0 (6–2–0) |
| November 4 | 6:07 | #4 Minnesota Duluth | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 4–1 | 928 | 9–2–0 (7–2–0) |
| November 5 | 4:07 | #4 Minnesota Duluth | #3 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 3–2 | 1,940 | 10–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| November 18 | 7:07 | New Hampshire* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 11–0 | 851 | 11–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| November 19 | 4:07 | New Hampshire* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 6–1 | 661 | 12–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| November 26 | 3:00 | at #9 Harvard* | #2 | Bright Hockey Center • Cambridge, MA | Räty | W 2–1 | 627 | 13–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| November 27 | 1:00 | at #9 Harvard* | #2 | Bright Hockey Center • Cambridge, MA | Räty | W 7–3 | 561 | 14–2–0 (8–2–0) |
| December 2 | 7:07 | at #5 North Dakota | #2 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Räty | W 7–2 | 3,789 | 15–2–0 (9–2–0) |
| December 3 | 7:07 | at #5 North Dakota | #2 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, ND | Räty | L 0–3 | 1,617 | 15–3–0 (9–3–0) |
| December 10 | 2:07 | Ohio State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 4–1 | 1,225 | 16–3–0 (10–3–0) |
| December 11 | 2:07 | Ohio State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 3–1 | 1,207 | 17–3–0 (11–3–0) |
| January 6 | 7:07 | #1 Wisconsin | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | T 3–3 $^{SO}$ | 2,554 | 17–3–1 (11–3–1) |
| January 7 | 4:07 | #1 Wisconsin | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 1–0 | 2,666 | 18–3–1 (12–3–1) |
| January 13 | 7:07 | at #8 Minnesota Duluth | #1 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Räty | L 2–4 | 2,100 | 18–4–1 (12–4–1) |
| January 14 | 7:07 | at #8 Minnesota Duluth | #1 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN | Räty | W 3–0 | 1,944 | 19–4–1 (13–4–1) |
| January 20 | 6:07 | Bemidji State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 3–2 | 1,619 | 20–4–1 (14–4–1) |
| January 21 | 4:07 | Bemidji State | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | T 3–3 $^{SO}$ | 1,598 | 20–4–2 (14–4–2–1) |
| January 27 | 7:07 | at Minnesota State | #3 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Räty | W 6–3 | 398 | 21–4–2 (15–4–2–1) |
| January 28 | 3:07 | at Minnesota State | #3 | Verizon Wireless Center • Mankato, MN | Räty | W 4–1 | 324 | 22–4–2 (16–4–2–1) |
| February 3 | 7:07 | at St. Cloud State | #2 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Räty | W 8–1 | 619 | 23–4–2 (17–4–2–1) |
| February 4 | 2:07 | at St. Cloud State | #2 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Räty | W 7–0 | 344 | 24–4–2 (18–4–2–1) |
| February 10 | 6:07 | at Ohio State | #2 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Räty | W 5–0 | 344 | 25–4–2 (19–4–2–1) |
| February 11 | 4:07 | at Ohio State | #2 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Räty | W 7–4 | 520 | 26–4–2 (20–4–2–1) |
| February 17 | 6:07 | #5 North Dakota | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 1,925 | 26–5–2 (20–5–2–1) |
| February 18 | 4:07 | #5 North Dakota | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Räty | W 5–2 | 2,157 | 27–5–2 (21–5–2–1) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| February 24 | 7:07 | St. Cloud State* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA First Round, Game 1) | Räty | W 6–1 | 768 | 28–5–2 |
| February 25 | 4:07 | St. Cloud State* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA First Round, Game 2) | Räty | W 6–0 | 793 | 29–5–2 |
| March 2 | 7:30 | vs. #5 North Dakota* | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff) | Räty | W 6–0 | 1,147 | 30–5–2 |
| March 3 | 7:07 | at #4 Minnesota Duluth* | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff) | Räty | W 2–0 | 1,269 | 31–5–2 |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| March 10 | 4:00 | #5 North Dakota* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (NCAA Tournament, First Round) | Räty | W 5–1 | 1,630 | 32–5–2 |
| March 16 | 8:07 | vs. #3 Cornell* | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN (NCAA Frozen Four) | Räty | W 3–1 | 2,052 | 33–5–2 |
| March 18 | 3:07 | vs. #1 Wisconsin* | #2 | AMSOIL Arena • Duluth, MN (NCAA Championship Game) | Räty | W 4–2 | 2,439 | 34–5–2 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### News and notes

* October 14: Jen Schoullis and Amanda Kessel, were named to the Team USA roster that will participate in the 2011 Four Nations Cup from Nov. 9–13 in Sweden. In addition, former Gophers player Gigi Marvin was named to the roster.
* October 16: The Gophers defeated the top ranked Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin by a 3–2 tally. It was the first loss for the Badgers since November 2010. In addition, the Gophers earned their first win at the Kohl Centre since 2007.
* November 18: Minnesota skater Amanda Kessel registered 5 points (including four goals)as the Golden Gophers defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats by an 11–0 tally. New Hampshire starting goalie Jenn Gilligan made 27 saves but allowed eight goals in two periods. She was replaced by Moe Bradley in the third period. Bradley stopped 11 of 14 shots as the Wildcats suffered their worst loss in the 35 year history of the program.
* November 19: Kessel earned her second hat trick of the series as the Gophers defeated New Hampshire by a 6–1 tally. Senior Jen Schoullis factored on every goal, as she tied the Gophers record for assists in a game with five. With three points in the first period, Schoullis also set a career record for points in a period.

### Roster

Source:

## Awards and honors

* Rachael Bona, WCHA Rookie of the Week (Week of January 23, 2012)
* Megan Bozek, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (Week of December 7, 2011)
* Alyssa Grogan, Nominee, 2012 Hockey Humanitarian Award
* Amanda Kessel, WCHA Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Week of October 12, 2011)
* Amanda Kessel, WCHA Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Week of November 21, 2011)
* Amanda Kessel, WCHA Player of the Week (Week of February 8, 2012)
* Noora Räty, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (Week of November 8, 2011)
* Emily West, WCHA Player of the Week (Week of February 1, 2012)

### Postseason awards

* Noora Räty, 2012 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player
* Megan Bozek, 2011–12 CCM Hockey Women’s Division I All-American: First Team
* Megan Bozek, 2011–12 Minnesota Golden Gophers Female Athlete of the Year
* Anne Schleper, 2012 Big Ten Medal of Honor