Gopher Women's Hockey

[SkunkedAgain]

**Note - If you don't appreciate women or womens' sports then save your comments and don't post here. There are enough places for ignorant young men to post on these forums**

The lady Gophers just swept the 10th-ranked Badgers to extend their NCAA record-setting win streak of 26 games. Wisconsin fought Minnesota in the national championship game last season, and while they had a slow start this year, were on a hot streak themselves. The Gopher women stopped them cold in their tracks.

Noora Raty is playing incredible hockey in front of the net. She's got some good defenders in front of her and the offense, behind Amanda Kessel and others, is keeping the puck in the opponents' zones. This is a great hockey team and it was good to see them sell out over the weekend. For $8-$10 a ticket, I'm definitely going to catch a few games this season.

It's impressive to see how good both the mens' and womens' hockey teams are at the UofM the past few years. Couple the success of the lady Gophers with that of the Minnesota Lynx (and possibly womens' volleyball), and you've got a lot of great examples of women dominating in their sports in Minnesota.

[BartmanMN]

Good to hear. If I lived closer to Minneapolis I would have definitely taken advantage of the $1 tickets against the Badgers. Those ladies play good hockey.

[Bear55]

I heard they were kicking some butt, go lady gophers!

[wormdunker]

I happen to have a family member on the lady Gopher hockey team (Ladies off ice yes, cold blooded on). I have to admit, prior to her being a Gopher I did not go to any games. Of course they always had good teams, sometimes great, but I just found it hard to find the time or interest.

The team on the ice today is gradually being considered the greatest collegiate womens team ever assembled. This on the tails of a National Championship season! It is great hockey. They have by far the best goalie in all of womens hockey, the biggest and most talented defensive group and on top of that the top two scorers in the NATION!

If you ever watched Phil Kessel play hockey you may have to rub your eyes when you watch his sister Amanda skate and shoot. She looks just like Phil. Awesome talent.

Rachel Ramsey is Mike Ramsey's daughter, she is tall and lanky and has a bomb of a shot. The rest of the roster is a who's who of Team USA U18's, U22's and Minnesota Miss Hockey candidates.

I have an obvious bias but if you ever find yourself looking for something to do look up their schedule and check them out, no way you will be disappointed. Never gets old to see a Minnesota team DOMINATE their sport (er ah wait aminute NO Minnesota team has EVER dominated their sport like this).

Tickets are always available. they often have great ticket deals (bring a food shelf donation get in for $2) stuff like that. Kids 8th grade and younger are free to all games all year, register at gophersports for the pass and you can pick it up at the door.

[hockeybc69]

My daughters hockey team got to go down 3 years ago and get the locker room tour, high five the players as they went out on the ice to start the game, etc.

I will be very honest, I wasnt terribly excited about the actual viewing of the game from the stands..... Boy was I wrong. Way WAY faster paced game than I expected. They cant check, but they sure can bump hard at times. Great looks and passes. It was flat out great hockey.

That game was WI vs MN, and at the time I think they were #1 and #2 in the nation. Super intense game.

We have been back to a handful of games since. And every one has been enjoyable to watch.

[wormdunker]

Keep in mind this is basically the highest level of women's hockey. Of course there is Olympics but this is the highest league there is. This is what mens college hockey used to be, passion to play for the love of the game and an urgency to play at your highest level. Basically 4 years of hockey and it is over. A lot to be said for that, considering men are just using college as a stepping stone to the next level.

[pushbutton]

I have a few VHS recordings of my pretty decent high school team WAY back in the day......and doubt we would have even scored a goal on these girls as they would go on to pile up the points. Also had the opportunity to get to know some of the girls at a local div. 1 school and they are some of the coolest "chicks" you would ever meet, especially the Canadians, who literally grew up playing with the boys. If you have never had the chance to go see them play, give it a try......you will be impressed!!!

[PierBridge]

Quote:

Rachel Ramsey is Mike Ramsey's daughter, she is tall and lanky and has a bomb of a shot. The rest of the roster is a who's who of Team USA U18's, U22's and Minnesota Miss Hockey candidates.

I live on the same block as the Ramsey's in MPLS where Mike grew up. Grandma and Grampa "Bud" still live there. Mike was a bit older, we went to the same H.S. "Go Teddies" I was just telling Bud a few weeks ago that the Lady Gophers will not go undefeated the entire year. He disagreed ..

Saying Rachel has a bomb of shot is the understatement of the year!!! Quite the athletic genes in that family. Jack, a Junior who plays for Minnetonka H.S. just signed with the Gophers mens team.

I wouldn't give the girls the NCAA title just yet but they are LOADED and a big favorite to Repeat.

Girls Hockey has come a long way and is pretty fun to watch actually!

Go Gophers!

[HunterLover]

Men's hockey is passionate, just not as much as Women's I agree. But don't comment on another topic, men do try.

[skater16]

Good job girls!

[HunterLover]

Loving your profile pic

[wormdunker]

Men's hockey is passionate, just not as much as Women's I agree. But don't comment on another topic, men do try.

If you are directing this at me, by all means please elaborate. I coach kids and men at the highest levels. The point was not that the passion is not comparable but that men have many options both above and parallel to College hockey. They have options and chances women of this level do not have, that is a great thing.

Women on the other hand have one more step, Team USA. Then that is the end of the line. That means in the USA, 22 young ladies have an option to play at a higher level or beyond College hockey. The rest move on to other avenues of life.

My point was this existing path creates a sense of urgency to play your best at all times. Thus the high quality of play at the college level and the reason no one will be disappointed when they go watch this team play.

[Bear55]

We should probably give this a bump. Gopher women are still unbeaten and taking down NCAA records left and right. Keep it up girls, I would love to see them go undefeated!

[RK]

My daughter plays HS hockey, and we started going to Gopher Women's games when she was 10 or so, so we've seen quite a few games over the years. If you like hockey and haven't been to a Gopher Women's game...you're missing out.

Really missing out.

It's fast, physical (can't check, but boy they 'collide' hard and the puck battles in the corners are viscous...) and the skill level is remarkable. Several top flight players on the team (Kessel, Bozek, Brandt, Ramsey to name a few) and Noora Raty is probably the best women's goalie in the world right now. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to step in front of a slapper from Bozek or Ramsey.

Their level of dominance right now is almost obscene. They've outscored their opponents 147-20 this season. The real crazy stat is they have almost 500 more shot attempts than their opponents. (Think about that...). Still, there are teams almost as good. UND gave them all they wanted two weekends ago, and Duluth is coming to town this weekend winners of their last 10 straight.

Great thing too is Ridder is a great place to see a game. Small, great view of the ice - game feels very up close, and the crowd is usually into it.

Really, if you've never been, do yourself a favor and catch a game. I think Saturday afternoon's game is on the Big 10 Network. But live is better.

Nice to see them finally getting a little bit of attention in the local media, but it's a shame it's taken this long. It's like the local sports reporters were just discovered that the most dominant team in college sports is right here in town...

[PierBridge]

The Saturday game is on the Big Ten Network at 2:30 and Fridays game you can catch on the web 6:00 start.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/sched/minn-w-hockey-sched.html

[wormdunker]

Gonna be watching my boy in a Bantam AA Tourney In Cloquet otherwise I would be there. Got my Frozen 4 Tickets already. If you are a hockey fan put the mens vs womes stuff aside and go support these girls.

They have earned it and you will not be disappointed.

[harvey lee]

Girl's hockey has come a loooong ways since it first started.

The games can be as good as any mens game.

[hookncook]

Tell you what, as an area sports photographer I cover men and women hockey. Ladies play just as hard, but a bit more meaner than the boys.

[Rick]

Gopher Women on a National record win streak.

Congrats Ladies.

Oh did I mention they are unanimously Ranked #1 in the Nation

[RK]

Huge series sweep over Duluth this weekend. Got to watch bits and pieces of the Saturday game on the Big Ten Network while at a booster club fundraiser for my daughter's high school team. Amazing how they just poured on the coals in the 3rd period and turned a close game into a laugher in about 3 minutes. It's like they tell the other team "OK, you've had your fun. We're going to beat you now. This'll only hurt for a minute or two."

Be interesting to see how they do against some of the East coast programs when they get into the playoffs, because most of the stronger teams are in the East this year (UND and UMD aside).

Crazy thing is they're going to keep getting better. 5 of the 10 Ms Hockey finalists are committed to the Gophers. My daughter has played against two of them this year (Dani Cameranisi from Blake and Katie Schipper from Breck) and they're really something.

[Fowlmouth]

Such a talented team, go gophers! Repeat!

[wormdunker]

Bought my Frozen Four and Final Four tickets yesterday. $80 for a family of 4 for all games plus a $10 food voucher for every game. With low capacity Tickets are sure to be gone soon. You cannot find a better deal.

We also went to all WCHA and NCAA games last year. First hand account the NCAA Championship, it was equal to the greatest game I have ever watched.

They joy those girls exuded following the championship was unreal. Afterward we all went to Grandmas on Canal Park and celebrated with the players and parents. The Rouser was song loud and often that night, Trophy in air.

It will happen again this year and I would not miss it for anything in the world that includes my own sons Bantam AA VFW Playoffs that occur the same weekend this year. Watched the Gophers men win in St Paul too. Nothing like watching the home town team win the title on home i

[RK]

Bought my Frozen Four and Final Four tickets yesterday. $80 for a family of 4 for all games plus a $10 food voucher for every game. With low capacity Tickets are sure to be gone soon. You cannot find a better deal.

Just ordered mine too. Can't wait.

[RK]

4 of 5 Ms Hockey Finalists (Cameranisi, Flug, Schipper and Haley) will be Gophers next year.

The other finalist (Morin) is going to UM-D.

More great hockey in the future... I'll be at the game Friday night. Should be fun.

[hockeybc69]

Where did you find the 4 person ticket packages for the NCAA tournament?