No. 10 St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey Returns to Action with Home-and-Home Series Against No. 3 Minnesota to Open WCHA Play

Friday, October 10

Ridder Arena • Minneapolis

5:30 p.m.

St. Cloud State

#3 Minnesota

Photo by: Bill Prout

No. 10 St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey Returns to Action with Home-and-Home Series Against No. 3 Minnesota to Open WCHA Play

10/9/2025 2:27:00 PM | Women's Hockey

Series Notes

Huskies travel to Minneapolis Friday, return to St. Cloud for series finale Saturday

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 10 St. Cloud State Women's Hockey (3-1-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) returns from its bye week with a home-and-home against No. 3 Minnesota (4-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) to open its conference schedule. The series will begin at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and close at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

SERIES NOTES

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Both games will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus (note – a paid subscription is required) and Saturday's series finale will also be on FOX9+. Audio coverage for the series will be provided on the KVSC Sports Stream. Jim Erickson (play-by-play) and Nick Maxson (color) will have the call on Saturday for FOX9+/B1G+. KVSC talent Noah Grant (play-by-play) and Luke Paider (color) will be on the audio broadcast on Friday, while Paider will be solo on Saturday. Live stats will be provided by each home team. Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased HERE.

Game 5 – @ #3 Minnesota (Ridder Arena // Minneapolis) – Friday, Oct. 10 / 5:30 p.m. / Watch ($ - B1G+) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Game 6 – vs. #3 Minnesota (Herb Brooks National Hockey Center // St. Cloud) – Saturday, Oct. 11 / 1 p.m. / Watch ($ - B1G+) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)

Links to each coverage option are available on the SCSU Women's Hockey schedule page.

GAME DAY PROMOTIONS
Saturday, Oct. 11 vs. Minnesota
Promotions: Youth Day (Kids in free) / Schedule Poster Giveaway / Post-Game Autographs

SERIES HISTORY
SCSU trails the all-time series against Minnesota, 6-108-4, but are 2-3-0 in the team's last five matchups. The Huskies are 1-60-2 all-time when playing Minnesota in Minneapolis and 4-45-2 when playing the "U" in St. Cloud. St. Cloud State picked up its first ever road win at Minnesota last February in an instant classic, winning 4-3 with the game-winner coming in the final seconds of regulation. Last season, the Huskies went 2-2 against Minnesota in the pair of home-and-home series, going 1-1 at home and on the road.

LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies are ranked No. 10 in the week three edition of both the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll and the USA Hockey Poll. St. Cloud State is one of five WCHA programs featured in the rankings (all in the top 10), with two additional clubs receiving votes. Minnesota enters the series ranked No. 3 in both polls.

LAST TIME OUT
Then-No. 13/12 SCSU went 1-1 in its first road trip of the season at then-No. 12/13 UConn. SCSU scored two unanswered goals to win the series opener, 2-1 before UConn took advantage on two of its power play opportunities, taking the series finale 2-1.

Notes from the games
GAME 3 - 2-1 win vs. #12/13 UConn (9-26-25)

With the win, SCSU moved to 3-4-0 all-time against UConn and snapped a two-game skid. SCSU is now 1-2-0 against UConn in Storrs.
SCSU improved to 1-0-0 against teams ranked/receiving votes this season and 1-0-0 on the road.
SCSU blocked 10+ shots for the first time this season.
SCSU opened its season 3-0-0 for the second consecutive season/second time in program history.
SCSU had its longest shutout streak to open a season (130 minutes) snapped.
Both teams went 0-for-3 on the powerplay.
SCSU remained perfect on the penalty kill this season (8-for-8) and moved to 2-for-7 (28.6%) on the power play.
Sophomore goaltender Emilia Kyrkkö (Nokia, Finland) earned the win in net, made 35 saves, was named the game's second star and one of the WCHA Brew Pub 3 Stars of the Night. She lowered her career goals against average to 1.84 and bettered her career save percentage to .931.
Freshman forward Julianne Labbé (Wendake, Quebec) scored the game-winning goal and was named the game's third star. She scored her second career goal and has four points this season which ranks second on the team.
Freshman forward Raili Mustonen (Kalajoki, Finland) scored her first collegiate goal/point with SCSU's first goal.
Junior forward Payton Holloway (Tomah, Wis.) recorded her second point of the season, tying her previous high from a season (2023-24 at UMD). She now has five career points.
Graduate defender Grace Wolfe (Owatonna, Minn) tied her career high in shots on goal in a game, with five and blocked a season-high five shots.

GAME 4 - 2-1 loss vs. #12/13 UConn (9-27-25)

SCSU moved to 3-5-0 all-time against UConn and is now 1-3-0 against UConn in Storrs.
SCSU moved to 1-1-0 against teams ranked/receiving votes this season and 1-1-0 on the road.
SCSU blocked 12+ shots for the second straight game.
SCSU went 0-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill, conceding its first power play goals of the year. For the season, SCSU is 2-for-9 on the power play (22.2%) and 12-for-14 (85.7%) on the penalty kill.
Graduate goaltender Jojo Chobak (Chicago, Ill.) was solid in net all game, making a season-high 29 saves. She did not allow an even-strength goal and was named the game's third star.
Junior defender Sydney Bryant (Traverse City, Mich.) recorded the lone Husky point on her penalty shot goal. It was her first career goal and she recorded a career-high five shots on goal.
Junior forward Sofianna Sundelin (Ulvila, Finland) went 12-and-7 (63.2%) on the faceoff dot. For the season, she is 56-and-32 (63.6%).
Redshirt junior Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) went 11-and-5 (68.8%) on the dot, improving to 29-and-23 (55.8%) on the season.

THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA
Friday, Oct. 10
(RV) St. Thomas at (RV) Minnesota State* - 12 PM
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State* - 5 PM
No. 10 St. Cloud State at No. 3 Minnesota* - 5:30 PM

Saturday, Oct. 11
No. 4/5 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin* - 11 AM
No. 3 Minnesota at No. 10 St. Cloud State* - 1 PM (FOX9+)
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State* - 2 PM
(RV) St. Thomas at (RV) Minnesota State* - 2 PM

Sunday, Oct. 12
No. 4/5 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin* - 1 PM

*WCHA Game
** Rankings are USCHO/USA Hockey
***All times in CT

JOJO IS CHO-BA(C)K
Graduate student goaltender Jojo Chobak (Chicago, Ill.) is back for her final year of collegiate eligibility after a redshirt season in 2024-25. In her first start between the pipes in since March 2, 2024 (567 days) on Sept. 20, she picked up right where she left of in 2023-24, earning her 10^th career shutout as a Huskies to tie former teammate Sanni Ahola (2020-25) for the most career shutouts in program history.

This summer, Chobak was invited to the USA Hockey National Goaltender Camp and National Festival and was a U.S. Collegiate Select Team selection. In 2023-24, she went 7-11-1 over 17 starts and established new program records for single season save percentage (.939) and goals against average (1.64) while recording four shutouts. Chobak currently owns seven season top 10 marks and four career top 10 spots in the record book. She is a two-time WCHA All-Academic Team member and a two-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete. In her four-year career, she owns a 27-23-3 record with a 1.96 GAA, a .930 SV% and 13 shutouts over 52 starts/61 appearances.

NEW LEADER OF THE PACK
Former assistant coach, Mira Jalosuo (MEER-ah YAH-loh-SUE-oh) was named the seventh head coach of the St. Cloud State Women's Hockey team on June 27, 2025. She is just the second woman to lead the Huskies during the program's 27-year history, following in the footsteps of Kerry Brodt Wethington, who was the programs first head coach from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Jalosuo picked up her first win as the Huskies bench boss in her first game, a 5-0 win over Lindenwood (Mo.) on September 19. She earned her first series sweep the next day after SCSU took down the Lions 5-0 for the second straight game. It was the first time in program history that a team posted back-to-back shutouts to open a season and the fourth season in a row that the Huskies opened their season with a series sweep.

A highly decorated member of Finland's National Team, the two-time Olympian and five-time World Championships Bronze medalist spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Frost (formerly PWHL Minnesota), helping the franchise win back-to-back PWHL Walter Cups in each of the first two seasons of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

WCHA WEEKLY HONORS
Sophomore defender Siiri Yrjölä (Vantaa, Finland) was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Defender of the Week by the league office on September 22. Yrjölä contributed five points and skated to a +4 mark in the Huskies opening series sweep of Lindenwood (Mo.). It was her first WCHA weekly award of the season and of her career.

The sophomore assisted on two goals in SCSU's season-opening 5-0 win over Lindenwood on Sept. 19. It was her first career multi-assist/multi-point game, and she skated to a career-best +2 mark. She followed up her first career multi-point game with her first career three-point game after adding a goal and two more assists while skating to a +2 mark in the Huskies 5-0 series finale win on Sept. 20. She was named the game's first star.

The Vantaa, Finland native tied for the WCHA lead in assists (four) and points (five) and held the outright lead for both among defenders. She was one of three WCHA skaters to post both two multi-point games and a 3+ point game (the only defender to do so). Yrjölä was +4 on the weekend which ranked tied for the third best mark among WCHA skaters.

Yrjölä has already recorded five points this season, after tallying five points all of last season during her freshman campaign (32 games).

ALL-FEMALE COACHING STAFF
For the first time in program history, the Huskies have an all-female coaching staff. SCSU is one of two programs in the WCHA and one of six programs in all of NCAA DI Women's Hockey with an all-female staff.

WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed 13 newcomers to the team this fall (10 freshmen and three transfers. Of the 10 freshmen, six are forwards – Lily Erickson (Roseau, Minn. / Roseau HS), Payton Remick (Roseau, Minn. / Roseau HS), Raili Mustonen (Kalajoki, Finland / Team Kuortane (Auroraliiga)), Reese Strauts (Brandon, Wis. / Windy City Storm (19U AAA)), Julianne Labbé (Wendake, Quebec / Cégep Limoilou Titans (QCHL)) and Maria Mikaelyan (Moscow, Russia / North York Storm (OWHL U22 AA)) and four are defenders - Hannah Arnold (Winnipeg, Manitoba / St. Mary's Academy (CSSHL U18)), Sydney Lamb (Lombard, Ill. / Windy City Storm (19U AAA)), Aruba Skiston (Bensenville, Ill. / Chicago Mission (19U AAA)) and Maélie Pion (Sherbrooke, Quebec / Stanstead College (CAHS)).

The transfers are junior forward Payton Holloway (Tomah, Wis. / Shattuck St. Mary's) from Minnesota Duluth, junior forward Sidney Jackel (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer HS), from Lindenwood and senior goaltender Hali Lawrence (Calgary, Alberta / Calgary Fire U18AAA) from Post.

SEASON PREVIEW
The Huskies bring back three of its four top scorers from last season's squad that went 15-15-6 and finished inside the top-five of the WCHA standings for the third consecutive season after most recently doing so in 2015-16. The three top returning point scorers, forward Sofianna Sundelin (Ulvila, Finland), forward Alice Sauriol (Sherbrooke, Quebec) and forward Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland), are all rising juniors and contributed 15+ points a season ago. The Huskies also return an elite netminder duo in All-WCHA Rookie Team selection Emilia Kyrkkö (Nokia, Finland) and graduate student Jojo Chobak (Chicago, Ill.), who redshirted last season.

O CAPTAINS! OUR CAPTAINS!
St. Cloud State named four captains ahead of the 2025-26 season on Friday. Graduate student defender Grace Wolfe (Owatonna, Minn.) with be the fifth Husky to wear the "C" as captain for two seasons, while redshirt junior defender Regan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories), graduate student goaltender Jojo Chobak (Chicago, Ill.) and redshirt junior forward Laura Zimmermann (Ringgenberg, Switzerland) will be alternate captains and wear a letter for the first time in their career.

Wolfe, who served as a co-captain in 2024-25 and an alternate captain in 2023-24, becomes just the second Husky to wear a letter in three seasons after Katy Battis (C – 1999-2000, A – 2001-02, 2002-03).

WCHA PRESEASON COACHES POLL
St. Cloud State Women's Hockey was selected to finish fifth in the 2025-26 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Sept. 8. The Huskies are coming off their third fifth place conference finish in a row and tied for the second most conference points in program history a season ago.

SCSU received 24 points overall in the coaches' poll and were selected to finish behind Wisconsin (49 points, seven first-place votes), Minnesota (40 points, one first-place vote) Ohio State (40 points), and Minnesota Duluth (31 points). Rounding out the poll was St. Thomas (17 points), Minnesota State (16 points) and Bemidji State (seven points).

2025-26 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll
Pl.         Team (1st Place Votes)          Points
1.          Wisconsin (7)                            49
t2.        Minnesota (1)                            40
t2.        Ohio State                                40
4.          Minnesota Duluth                   31
5.        St. Cloud State                     24
6.          St. Thomas                               17
7.          Minnesota State                      16
8.          Bemidji State                           7

*First-place votes are in parentheses (Coaches could not vote for their own team)

JOJO REPRESENTS THE STARS AND STRIPES AT THE 2025 COLLEGIATE SELECT SERIES
Graduate student goaltender Jojo Chobak (Chicago, Ill.) helped lead the U.S. Collegiate Select Team to a 1-1-1-0 record in the three-game series against Canada in the 2025 Collegiate Select Series in August at the Lake Placid Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The graduate student goaltender is the third active SCSU player and first netminder to be named to the Collegiate Select Team (*formerly known as the U22 Team) twice in her career. Chobak and former co-captain Emma Gentry became the fourth and fifth Huskies to make the team back in 2023 before Gentry was a back-to-back pick in 2024. Prior to that, goaltender Emma Polusny was the last Husky to make the team in 2019 and before that, defender Brittni Kuyper made back-to-back U22 squads in 2006 and 2007 while forward Holly Roberts joined Kuyper at the 2007 U22 Series.

St. Cloud State Huskies at the U.S. Collegiate Select Series
Year     Name                    Pos.
2025   JOJO CHOBAK      G
2024    Emma Gentry         F
2023    Emma Gentry         F
2023   JOJO CHOBAK       G
2019    Emma Polusny        G
2007    Holly Roberts           F
2007    Brittni Kuyper        D
2006    Brittni Kuyper       D

THANK YOU, BRIAN
Former head coach Brian Idalski was named the first-ever head coach of Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) expansion team, PWHL Vancouver on June 23.

The 2022-23 U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) National Coach of the Year departed St. Cloud after three seasons in which he helped turn the program around, bringing the Huskies back into national prominence. Under Idalski, SCSU went 50-50-9 and recorded three of its eight highest single season win totals in program history and set numerous other individual and team records.

In 2024-25, Idalski became just the second coach in program history to amass 50 wins and was the first to do so in three seasons or less. He also became the first coach in program history to beat Minnesota on the road (0-60-2 prior) and was just the second coach to post three consecutive 15+ win seasons.

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Women's Hockey, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.