University of Minnesota Athletics
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Gophers Battle Buckeyes to Open WCHA Final Faceoff
3/4/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The third-seeded Minnesota Gophers women's hockey team crosses the Mississippi River to face second-seeded Ohio State in a single-elimination semifinal at the WCHA Final Faceoff. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on March 5 at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. The game will stream live on B1G+ and air on FOX9+.
#4 Minnesota Gophers (26-10-1, 18-9-1 WCHA) vs. #2 Ohio State Buckeyes (32-4-0, 24-4-0 WCHA)
Date: March 5, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Stream: FOX9+
Location: Lee & Penny Anderson Arena
Round One Win
Minnesota dropped a 1-0 overtime decision in Game One of the WCHA Quarterfinals against St. Cloud State before bouncing back with 4-1 and 6-1 wins to take the series. The Gophers fired 40+ shots in each of the three contests, with Abbey Murphy, Bella Fanale and Josefin Bouveng each recording multi-goal games. Goaltender Hannah Clark posted a 0.97 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in the opening series.
Scouting the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes enter the Final Faceoff at 32-4-0 overall after sweeping St. Thomas (4-1, 5-1) in the opening round. Junior Joy Dunne (26 goals) and freshman Hilda Svensson (team-high 49 points) lead a balanced offensive attack, while Jocelyn Amos and Sloane Matthew have 38 points apiece. In net, senior Hailey MacLeod owns a 1.58 GAA and .925 save percentage. Head coach Nadine Muzerall, a former Gopher, is in her 10th season leading Ohio State and holds a 256-85-22 career record.
Inside the Series
Minnesota leads the all-time series 85-33-7. The Buckeyes won three of four regular-season meetings this year, including a sweep in Columbus on Feb. 13-14.
WCHA Playoff History
Minnesota owns a 67-25 all-time record in WCHA playoff games, including a 2-1 record to start their 2026 playoff run. The Gophers last faced the Buckeyes in postseason play during last season's WCHA Final Faceoff where Minnesota bested the Buckeyes 6-2 to advance to the conference championship game. Abbey Murphy scored two goals and added an assist while Chloe Primerano had one goal and an assist. Ava Lindsay rounded out the current Gophers that scored in that competition.
Gophers Named WCHA Award Finalists
Three members of the Minnesota Golden Gophers have been named finalists for 2025-26 WCHA postseason awards, as Abbey Murphy (Forward of the Year), Nelli Laitinen (Defender of the Year) and Bella Fanale (Rookie of the Year) earned top-three recognition. Murphy leads the nation in goals and points per game while becoming Minnesota's all-time leading goal scorer, Laitinen ranks among the top WCHA defenders in goals and points despite missing time for Olympic competition, and Fanale leads conference freshmen in goals and faceoff wins as the Gophers prepare for the WCHA Final Faceoff.
All-WCHA Gophers
Minnesota placed four student-athletes on the 2025-26 All-WCHA Teams, led by graduate forward Abbey Murphy's First Team selection. Senior defenders Nelli Laitinen and Sydney Morrow earned Second Team honors, while freshman Bella Fanale was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Gopher Season Leaders
Graduate forward Abbey Murphy leads Minnesota with 38 goals and 64 points, adding a team-best five game-winning goals and 212 shots. Three other gophers have recorded 40+ points this season as well: Ava Lindsay (43), Josefin Bouveng (42), and Jamie Nelson (42). On the back end, Sydney Morrow (36 points) and Nelli Laitinen (30 points) pace the defense. In net, Hannah Clark is 19-7-1 with a 1.91 GAA and .925 save percentage.
Murphy Milestones
Graduate forward Abbey Murphy continues her climb up the Minnesota record books. Murphy broke the all-time in program record for career goals scoring her 140th and 141st goals last Saturday. She also ranks second in career points (259). She now also holds the program record for game-winning goals (26) and tied the single-game program record with seven points earlier this season.
Maroon and Gold Versus the Rest
Minnesota ranks second nationally in goals (171), assists (290) and total points (461). The Gophers sit eighth in power play percentage (.268), fourth in scoring margin (+2.51) and 14th in scoring defense (2.11 goals allowed per game).
Behind the Bench
Frost, in his 19th season leading the Gophers, holds a career record of 554-131-43, four national championships, and seven conference titles. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coach Mitch Baker, and assistant coach/general manager Jessica Scott also return to the staff.
Quest for Eight
Minnesota continues its pursuit of an eighth national championship, having already claimed seven titles (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).