2021 PWHPA Dream Gap Tour recap: St. Louis

Minnesota takes home the U.S. Secret Cup

The U.S. Secret Dream Gap Tour wrapped up with Team adidas (Minnesota) sweeping the St. Louis stop and lifting the U.S. Secret Cup. The final standings in the PWHPA scoring system were 13-2 after last night’s 4-2 victory at the Enterprise Center.


Sunday – Minnesota wins, 3-1

Goals
Minnesota: Dani Cameranesi (SHG), Sydney Brodt (EVG), Kelly Pannek (EVG, ENG)
New Hampshire: Amanda Kessel (EVG)

  • Both goaltenders were on top of their games on Sunday afternoon. Nicole Hensley made 25 stops, allowing just one goal to wide-open Amanda Kessel. Alex Cavallini made 33 saves for Team WSF and it is hard to find fault in her for either of the goals she allowed. The first was a double deflection on Cameranesi’s shortie and the second was a rebound cashed in on the doorstep by Sydney Brodt. /
  • Minnesota out-shot New Hampshire 36-26, which is the second-largest shot margin we’ve seen thus far in the 2021 Dream Gap Tour but New Hampshire definitely had its chances. The problem for New Hampshire was, Hensley was on her game and their special teams failed them. Ultimately, the game was decided by New Hampshire not only going 0-for-3 on the power play but also allowing the first shorthanded goal of the tournament to Dani Cameranesi. That goal gave Minnesota yet another point in the tournament, giving them an 11-2 lead in the PWHPA’s scoring system ahead of Monday’s game./
  • Player of the Game | Kelly Pannek/

Pannek has quietly great for Team adidas but was undeniably Brilliant on Saturday. She had three primary points – two primary assists and an empty-net goal – to earn first-star honors, which elevated her to seven points in five games in the 2021 PWHPA Secret Dream Gap Tour. She also took a trip to the penalty box, but we aren’t going to hold that against her. Pannek was buzzing


Saturday – Minnesota wins, 4-2

Goals
Minnesota: Anne Pankowski (EVG), Abby Roque (EVG), Kendall Coyne Schofield (EVG), Sydney Brodt (EVG)
New Hampshire: Alexa Gruschow (EVG), Haley Skarupa (EVG)

  • Coming into this game, it was all but impossible for Team WSF to close the gap in points on Team adidas. With that said, they still showed up to play and were in the game through most of the first two periods before Team adidas began to wear them down and tilt the ice. All six goals scored by both teams were scored at even strength but the big numbers to take away from this one came in the shot differential. Team adidas doubled Team WSF in shots; 48 to 24. /
  • Katie Burt turned in a 44-save performance in the losing effort to finish her Dream Gap Tour with 111 saves and a .881 Sv%. Burt made several big stops in the loss, including a handful of breakaway saves, but it simply wasn’t enough. She and Team WSF shut the door on all three of Team adidas’ power play opportunities but the skaters in front of her were unable to keep up with the barrage of shots produced by Team adidas. At the other end of the ice, Maddie Rooney stopped 22 of the 24 shots she faced to finish her tour with a 0.899 Sv%./
  • Player of the Game | Anne Pankowski/

Pankowski had herself a game. She scored the first goal of the game in the first period and set up the game-tying goal with a gorgeous feed to Abby Roque. The chemistry between the two Badgers alumna was evident every time they had the puck in the offensive zone. As a result of her two-point game, Pankowksi finished her tour with four points in six games — good for seventh on her squad in scoring. All four of her points were primary.