All Gophers

Gophers women's hockey set to face Minnesota State in WCHA First Round

Minnesota will open its postseason run this weekend against the Mavericks.

Tony Liebert

A puck off the stick of Wisconsin Badgers forward Casey O'Brien (26) goes off the post and behind Minnesota Gophers goaltender Hannah Clark (56) for a goal during the second period in a game Saturday, February 8, 2025, at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin.
A puck off the stick of Wisconsin Badgers forward Casey O'Brien (26) goes off the post and behind Minnesota Gophers goaltender Hannah Clark (56) for a goal during the second period in a game Saturday, February 8, 2025, at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin. / Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gophers women's hockey will begin their 2025 postseason this weekend against Minnesota State in the WCHA First Round. The best-of-three series will be played at Ridder Arena.

Minnesota finished the regular season 19-8-1 in conference play, earning the three-seed in this year's conference tournament. The Gophers won all four of their matchups against Minnesota State earlier this season by a combined score of 24-9. Minnesota holds a 12-5 overall record at home.

This first game of this weekend's series will be on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Game 2 will be on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT and then Game 3 will be on Sunday at 3 p.m. if necessary. The games will be broadcast on BTN+ and FOX9+.

The Gophers are ranked third in the latest PairWise Rankings behind Wisconsin and Ohio State heading into postseason play. There's a substantial margin of more than six points between the top-ranked Badgers and the Buckeyes and then just under two points separates Ohio State and Minnesota.

The WCHA Final Faceoff will take place in Duluth this season at Ams Oil Arena. If the Gophers don't earn the automatic bid from winning the conference tournament, there chances of being one of the five teams to receive an at-large big for the NCAA Tournament still seem strong.

Stay up to date on all things Gophers by bookmarking Minnesota Gophers On SI, subscribing to our YouTube channel, and signing up to receive our free Gophers newsletter.

Published
Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

Tony Liebert is particularly known for his coverage of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, though he also contributes to coverage of the Minnesota Vikings, Timberwolves and Twins. His writing style is noted for providing in-depth analysis and insights, making him a go-to source for fans looking for comprehensive coverage of Minnesota sports.

Home/Gophers Hockey