NCAA Women's Hockey: What to Watch, Week 10
Nicole Haase
- 4 min read

NCAA Women's Hockey: What to Watch, Week 10

NCAA Women's Hockey: What to Watch, Week 10 by Nicole Haase

Come back each week for a breakdown of the most interesting upcoming games, how to watch or listen to them, and some thoughts on the movers and shakers from the previous week.

(5) Clarkson at (8) Princeton

Friday at 6:00 PM Eastern

Watch: Stream available on ESPN+.

The Golden Knights have had Princeton's number in recent years, including winning both the games these two played last season. Up front, Clarkson relies on Elizabeth Giguere, Gabrielle David, and Michaela Pejzlová. Their line produces most of the team's offense and are what a team has to defend against to have a chance in the game.

Princeton also gets the majority of its points from the top line. Maggie Connors, Sarah Fillier, and Carly Bullock are a formidable force up front for the Tigers. Fillier was NCAA's Second Star of the Week and ECAC Player of the Week last week while defender Solveig Neunzert was ECAC Rookie of the Week.

Princeton likely has the edge in net, but both teams have large, imposing blueliners. This should be a fast-paced game with a lot of puck movement that's worth tuning in for.

(1) Minnesota at (10) Minnesota Duluth

Friday and Saturday at 3:00 PM Central

Watch: Stream available on FloHockey.

UMD's Gabbie Hughes seems to particularly excel against the Gophers. In six career games against Minnesota, she has six goals and three assists. She rises to the occasion and leads the Bulldogs when they need her most, so she's the player you should be keeping an eye on in this series.

The Gophers are scoring a bit more by committee than we've seen in recent years, but that just means they're particularly difficult to defend across all of their lines. Both Potomak sisters have played especially well in recent weeks and Grace Zumwinkle continues to be low key and a bit under the radar, but really dangerous on offense.

The Bulldogs have one of the most interesting players in the league in Ashton Bell. She's been transitioning from F to D, having spent much of the offseason playing as a defender in camps with Hockey Canada. She's still an offensive threat, but she adds experience and stability to a young Bulldog defense corps. She's still piling up the assists, but she's also giving Maddie Rooney room to breathe and be the goalie she's most comfortable being. It's an interesting situation where Maura Crowell, who coaches the U-18s for USA Hockey, works with Hockey Canada to be on the same page about Bell's development.

This rivalry goes back quite a ways. The teams have needed overtime in four of their last eight games, so look for a close game where goaltending and special teams play a big role. The margin in these games can be quite thin and Duluth will need to be able to find holes in the Gophers' armor and take advantage.

(7) Ohio State at Colgate

Friday and Saturday at 3:00 PM Eastern

Watch: Stream available on ESPN+.

These two teams have only played twice before – the other half of this home and home agreement where the two played twice in Columbus last year and each won one game.

Colgate has an aggressive non-conference schedule this year – they're already played Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Mercyhurst, and Syracuse. They have games against Northeastern and either Wisconsin or Robert Morris on the docket, as well. The ECAC has a tough top-four to try and crack and the Raiders look to be beefing up their resume with games against other teams.

Ohio State is in a somewhat similar situation where they're fighting for recognition and a spot in the postseason. The Buckeyes are looking to define themselves outside of just WCHA standings and make sure they've got some marquee wins on their resume when it comes to the end of the year.

Also worth a look:

  • Maine at (4) Northeastern – Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM Eastern; Sunday's game is televised on NESN
  • Robert Morris at RPI – Friday and Saturday at 3:00 PM Eastern
  • New Hampshire at (9) Harvard – Saturday at 3:00 PM Eastern

Stick Taps and Snark

↑ Minnesota senior Grace Zumwinkle –  She scored her 100th career point last weekend against St. Cloud State. She's the 35th Gopher to reach that mark.

↓Boston College –  The Eagles took their second loss of the season, a 3-0 defeat by Northeastern. The normally prolific Eagles offense hasn't been showing up much lately.

↑ College players called to USA Hockey winter camp – There are 21 current NCAA players on the 46 player roster USAH released today. Congratulations to Bemidji State's Claire DeGeorge; Boston College's Cayla Barnes, Hannah Bilka, and Hadley Hartmetz; Boston University's Jesse Compher and Sammy Davis; Connecticut's Natalie Snodgrass; Harvard's Dominique Petrie; Minnesota Duluth's Maddie Rooney and Sidney Brodt; Minnesota's Emily Brown, Taylor Heise, Madeline Wethington, and Grace Zumwinkle; Minnesota State's Abbey Levy; Northeastern's Skylar Fontaine and Aerin Frankel; Ohio State's Jincy Dunne; Wisconsin's Natalie Buchbinder, Britta Curl, and Abby Roque.

↓Harvard – The Crimson took their first loss of the season at the hand of cross-town rival Boston University, who took a 6-2 win on Tuesday.

↑ Three Stars of the Week – Wisconsin's Abby Roque had three goals and three assists, including a game-winner, to lead the Badgers to a weekend sweep of Minnesota State. Sarah Fillier had three goals and four assists in the Tigers' wins over Union and RPI. Holy Cross' Jada Brenon stopped 77 shots and earned her first two wins of the season as the Crusaders took two games from Merrimack.

Photo credit: Colgate Women's Hockey Twitter.

Post In:
NCAA colgate clarkson minnesota minnesota duluth ohio state harvard abby roque sarah fillier Jada Brenon Britta Curl Natalie Buchbinder jincy dunne Skylar Fontaine Aerin Frankel Madeline Wethington Abbey Levy grace zumwinkle Taylor Heise emily brown sidney brodt maddie rooney Dominique Petrie natalie snodgrass Jesse Compher Sammy Davis Hadley Hartmetz Cayla Barnes hannah bilka Claire Degeorge Boston college