Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 1 p.m. CT | Grand Casino Arena
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Sam Ekstrom (Play-by-Play), Alexis Huss (Analyst), Rob Pizzo (Reporter); Andi Petrillo (CBC Studio Host), Hailey Salvian (CBC Studio Analyst), Saroya Tinker (CBC Studio Analyst)
VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES
7-1-4-12 | 27 PTS | 7TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Claire Thompson – 22 GP, 3-9-12 PTS
Last Game: 3-0 L at MTL on Apr. 1
MINNESOTA FROST
11-3-4-6 | 43 PTS | 3RD PLACE
Top Scorer: Kelly Pannek – 24 GP, 12-12-24 PTS
Last Game: 4-3 OTL at NY on Apr. 1
2025-26 SEASON SERIES: MINNESOTA LEADS 8-1 IN POINTS
Dec. 27 at VAN (EDMONTON): 2-1 MIN (OT) | Jan. 28 at MIN: 4-1 MIN | Mar. 21 at VAN: 3-1 MIN | Apr. 4 at MIN | Apr. 25 at VAN
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Minnesota has won all three games between these teams this season, winning two in regulation and one in overtime. Vancouver’s one point against the Frost is its second fewest against any team this season (zero against Montréal in three games). The Frost can become the third team to clinch a playoff berth with a win in regulation today.
The Goldeneyes lost to the Victoire, 3-0, in Montréal on Wednesday, dropping to 1-0-0-3 in their last four games, including two shutout losses in three games of their current road trip. Vancouver is 6-1-0-0 this season when scoring at least three goals, but just 1-0-4-12 when scoring two or fewer. Only Toronto (19) has more games with two or fewer goals.
Sarah Nurse led Vancouver with five shots on goal on Wednesday. She has multiple shots on goal in 12 of her 13 games this season, and at least five shots in five of them. Her 3.77 shots per game this season are third most in the PWHL.
Michelle Karvinen scored Vancouver’s lone goal in the last meeting at Grand Casino Arena on Jan. 28. The Goldeneyes other two goals against the Frost have been scored by Minnesota natives Izzy Daniel (Minneapolis) and Mannon McMahon (Maple Grove). Daniel is tied for the team lead with six goals, and McMahon has three goals in her last five games.
Vancouver is the only team with defenders among its top two scorers. Both are former Frost with Claire Thompson’s 12 points and Sophie Jaques’ 10 points tied for second. Jaques leads the team with 85 shots on goal, second-most in the PWHL. Neither player has a point in the season series.
Emerance Maschmeyer has made consecutive starts for the Goldeneyes since returning from injury, allowing three goals with a .943 SV%. Her 33 saves against the Frost in the overtime loss on Dec. 27 are tied for her second-most this season.
Abby Boreen celebrated her 26th birthday at home on Friday. The Hill-Murray School and University of Minnesota graduate was surprised by her teammates with a cake at practice and spent the ice session with a balloon taped to her helmet.
The Frost fell to the Sirens, 4-3, in overtime on the road on Wednesday, and are now winless in their last three games (0-0-1-2). That’s their longest winless streak since an 0-0-0-3 run from March 11-26 last season. After that, including postseason, they won nine of their next 12 games en route to a second straight Walter Cup title.
Grace Zumwinkle had a pair of goals against the Sirens on Wednesday. In the 2026 calendar year, she has as many multi-goal games (three) as she does one-goal games. Minnesota had been 7-0-0-0 this season when Zumwinkle scored a goal before Wednesday’s OT loss. She’s on track to become the fourth 50-point scorer in Frost history, just four points away.
Britta Curl-Salemme recorded two assists on Wednesday to climb into a tie for the team and league lead in scoring with 24 points alongside Taylor Heise and Kelly Pannek. Curl-Salemme leads the season series with five points (3G, 2A) and has consecutive multi-point performances against Vancouver. Heise is riding a two-game goal streak and Pannek a two-game assist streak, also four faceoff wins away from becoming the third center to reach 250 this season.
Maddie Rooney has started all three games of the season series with a 0.98 GAA and .963 SV%. Nicole Hensley has one win in three starts this season at Grand Casino Arena (Dec. 19 vs. BOS) and has lost her last two starts at home.
Sam Cogan will make her Frost debut today after signing a 10-day contract. She last appeared on Grand Casino Arena ice on May 15, 2024, with Toronto in Game 4 of the inaugural PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs, one of 28 total games that season.
Minnesota leads the league with an average of 3.00 goals per game, while Vancouver ranks last at 1.83. The Frost have scored just two goals in their last two home games after averaging four in their first eight at Grand Casino Arena.
The Goldeneyes are a perfect 5-0-0-0 when scoring first this season, though their five such games are the fewest in the league. Minnesota has scored first 16 times, third-most.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We have had a good stretch here where we've been playing some good hockey, but obviously we need to be winning the battles in front of the net, getting in there, getting the rebounds. It doesn't always have to be pretty. We need to stick together as a team. We just need to keep the energy high and work for each other and be a team." – Goldeneyes forward Michelle Karvinen
“Vancouver is a really good team and we need to come out ready from the jump. We haven’t played a full 60 minutes in our last couple of games, and we will need to do that to be successful today.” - Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley
SATURDAY’S GAME: It’s the first of three Frost weekend home games at Grand Casino Arena this month and the second time the Goldeneyes come to town in the fourth of five head-to-head meetings. It’s also the second time in three days where teams from Minnesota and Vancouver will compete in St. Paul after the Wild beat the Canucks 5-2 in NHL action here on Thursday. Today, the Frost are teaming up with Sophie’s Squad for its annual Mental Health Awareness game. Established in 2021 and co-founded by Ottawa Charge forward and Lino Lakes, MN native Gabbie Hughes, Sophie’s Squad provides education and awareness to improve the mental health of athletes by encouraging open conversations that emphasize how seeking help is a sign of strength. Woody Creek Distillers is the presenting partner for today's game, and a limited number of Woody Creek branded bucket hats will be distributed to fans at the gate upon entry.