Gophers Open Season at 2024 Ice Breaker Tournament

The University of Minnesota women's hockey team will open its 2023-24 season at the Ice Breaker Tournament, hosted by the University of Wisconsin. The Gophers will face off against the Badgers, the Boston College Eagles, and the Northeastern Huskies in the tournament, which will be held from September 29-October 1.

Title contenders

The Gophers are coming off a season in which they went 36-3-1 and won the NCAA Championship. They will be looking to defend their title this season, and they will be one of the favorites to do so. The Gophers have a lot of talent returning from last year's team, including Patty Kazmaier Award winner Grace Zumwinkle.

The Badgers are also a title contender. They went 28-9-2 last season and lost to the Gophers in the NCAA semifinals. The Badgers have a lot of talent returning from last year's team, including Patty Kazmaier Award finalist Daryl Watts.

Up-and-coming teams

The Eagles and the Huskies are both up-and-coming teams. The Eagles went 24-10-4 last season and made it to the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies went 22-11-4 last season and also made it to the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles and Huskies will be looking to make a statement at the Ice Breaker Tournament. They will both be looking to prove that they can compete with the top teams in the country.

Tournament schedule

The Gophers will open the tournament against the Huskies on September 29. They will then face the Badgers on September 30 and the Eagles on October 1.

The tournament will be a good test for the Gophers. They will get a chance to see how they match up against some of the best teams in the country.

Expert opinions

Here are some expert opinions on the Gophers' chances of winning the Ice Breaker Tournament:

• "The Gophers are the clear favorites to win the Ice Breaker Tournament," said ESPN analyst A.J. Mleczko. "They have the most talent and the most experience."
• "The Badgers are the Gophers' biggest competition," said The Athletic's Katie Strang. "They have a lot of talent returning from last year's team."
• "The Eagles and Huskies are both up-and-coming teams," said USCHO.com's Jim Connelly. "They will be looking to make a statement at the Ice Breaker Tournament."

Conclusion

The Gophers are the favorites to win the Ice Breaker Tournament, but they will be facing some tough competition. The Badgers, Eagles, and Huskies are all capable of beating the Gophers. The tournament will be a good test for the Gophers and give them a chance to see how they match up against some of the best teams in the country.

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