Minnesota Gophers Face Duluth Without Two Key Defenders After Postgame Altercation
Temperatures flared at the conclusion of Sunday’s Gophers women’s hockey game against Ohio State, which ended in a 6-3 Minnesota win.
Shortly after the final puck drop, an Ohio State player pushed and cross-checked Minnesota junior Emma Kreisz, escalating tensions near the bench. Sophomore Gracie Graham and freshman Kassidy Carmichael engaged in a fight immediately after the whistle, which quickly drew in three Buckeyes targeting Graham. Minnesota sophomore Chloe Primerano was the first teammate to intervene in defense of Graham.
While the Ridder Arena crowd cheered the postgame scuffle, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) took a stricter view. Graham and Carmichael were disqualified and automatically suspended. The following day, Commissioner Michelle McAteer announced additional penalties.
“The WCHA does not support acts of aggression that compromise player safety or reflect poorly on our league,” McAteer said. “In addition to previous penalties, one-game supplemental suspensions have been issued for players from both Minnesota and Ohio State.”
The league identified Primerano and Jordan Petrie as key escalators, suspending both. Minnesota will now be without Graham and Primerano on Friday. The defensive duo has been instrumental early in the season, combining for seven points in eight games and logging significant minutes in all situations — power play, penalty kill, and 5-on-5.
Head coach Brad Frost acknowledged the challenge of playing without them but expressed support for his players.
“They [the WCHA] went through their process, and I fought for our players. They made their decision, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Frost said. He emphasized that he does not condone such incidents but understands the emotions behind them and is proud of his team for standing up for one another.
The players echoed this sentiment. Graduate transfer Jamie Nelson said the team recognizes the consequences but stands by their actions.
“Would we take it back? Probably not,” Nelson said. “We’re going to miss Chloe and Gracie on the ice, but Chloe doesn’t regret defending Gracie.”
Minnesota now faces a difficult test this weekend at No. 4-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth, a team noted for strong defense and elite goaltending. The Gophers will face junior Ève Gascon in net, a silver medalist with the Canadian National Team and former WCHA Goaltender of the Year, who has already recorded three shutouts this season and 95 saves across two games versus top-ranked Wisconsin.
“They’ve got arguably one of the best goalies in the world,” Frost said. “It’s a disciplined, structured group that’s very hard to score against.”
Nelson noted that Duluth is physical, fast, and well-coached, but believes the Gophers’ combination of skill, grit, and work ethic will be key. Minnesota leads the league in goals alongside Wisconsin, with standout performances from graduate students Abbey Murphy and Ava Lindsay.
“We have the talent, grit, and work ethic to play our game,” Nelson said.
Despite the early-season timing, missing two key defenders presents an opportunity for the Gophers to demonstrate resilience and send a message to conference rivals.
“We always play for each other, but especially this weekend,” Nelson said. “We’re going to play for them and position ourselves for a sweep when they return.”