Whitecaps Begin Their Title Defense on Saturday
October 10, 2019 - Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)
Minnesota Whitecaps News Release
The Minnesota Whitecaps will begin their title defense against the Metropolitan Riveters this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CDT after watching their Isobel Cup Championship banner rise to the rafters of TRIA Rink in St. Paul. After Saturday's home opener, the Whitecaps will play the Riveters again at TRIA Rink on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CDT.
Several Whitecaps players are set to make their NWHL debuts this weekend. Headlining that group is University of Minnesota star Nicole Schammel.
Schammel, who was a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as a senior in 2018-19, is projected to center the Whitecaps' top line with Jonna Curtis and Meaghan Pezon on her wings. The highly anticipated rookie piled up 47 points in 36 games in her senior season with the Golden Gophers. She's expected to be a featured weapon in the Whitecaps' already imposing offense this year.
Curtis, who is entering her second season of NWHL hockey, led the Whitecaps' offense with eight goals and 11 assists last season. Curtis finished second in the league in even strength scoring and is one of the four players on the Whitecaps' roster who was an NWHL All-Star in 2018-19. Defender Amanda Boulier, who was also a 2019 All-Star, is back to lead Minnesota's defense after leading all defenders in goals last year (5). She also finished tied for the lead in points among defenders in 2018-19 with a career-best 13 points in 16 games. This will be Boulier's second season with the Whitecaps and third playing in the NWHL.
The Metropolitan Riveters are coming off a 4-2 loss against the Boston Pride in last weekend's NWHL opener. Riveters goaltender Sam Walther allowed 3 goals off Boston's 39 shots and helped her team kill off seven Pride power plays. Rookie center Kendall Cornine and three-time All-Star Madison Packer scored the Riveters goals. Last season, the Whitecaps swept the Riveters in their regular season series and defeated them in the Isobel Cup Semifinals.
You can purchase tickets to watch the defending Isobel Cup champs at http://NWHL.zone/tickets or stream games all season long at http://twitch.tv/nwhl.
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