ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — After a highly successful season a year ago, the College of Saint Benedict hockey team will open up the 2023-24 campaign this weekend as the Bennies travel to face Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 27-28) in Eau Claire, Wis. The two teams will play at 7 p.m., on Friday and 2 p.m., on Saturday at Hobbs Ice Arena. The games this weekend serve as the season openers for both CSB and UW-EC.
 
Coming Up
After Saint Ben's travels to Eau Claire, Wis., the Bennies will open up the home schedule at 7 p.m., on Thursday, November 2 when they host University of Wisconsin-River Falls at the Ritsche Arena in St. Cloud.

Series Records/Notes
Against UW-Eau Claire, CSB is 1-9 all-time. In the first match-up on Feb. 6, 1998, the Bennies took a 5-2 decision. UW-EC has won nine straight since that game. CSB is 1-5 at UW-EC. A year ago UW-EC, directed by eighth-year head coach Erik Strand, finished 22-4-2 with an 11-1-1 record.
 
Preview – CSB returns veteran squad after 14-win 2022-23 season
Directed by Lindsay Macy, the Bennies have a veteran unit that includes All-MIAC performers Aurora Opsahl and Jenna Timm. The Bennies also return 14 other skaters from the 2022-23 squad.
 
A year ago, CSB tied for the most wins in school history (1999-00, 14-12-1) with 14, including a 9-4 home mark. With 11 MIAC wins, CSB set a record for conference wins and the third-place finish was also a program-best. CSB played in its first-ever MIAC Tournament semifinal game.
 
CSB's team-leader in goals scored with 14 in 2022-23, Opsahl has 17 career goals. The junior standout scored goals in a school record seven straight games from Jan. 31 (Wisconsin-Superior) to the Feb. 17 game with St. Catherine at St. Paul, Minn. Among the goals by Opsahl was a game-winner and three that tied the respective game. 
 
A nursing major from Duluth, Minn., Opsahl was one of the league's top offensive performers. She finished in the top-eight statistically in eight categories. She was fourth in points with 28 in 26 games for third in the MIAC in points per game at 1.08. She also finished sixth in shots with 117 and shots per game at 4.5. Opsahl, who had a pair of game-winning goals, was sixth in goals scored in the MIAC with 14 and eighth in goals per game at .54. In addition, she had 14 assists for seventh in the league and her .54 assists per game was eighth in the league. Opsahl was announced as a MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on February 6 after scoring goals in three straight wins.  
 
Junior forward Jenna Timm (Maple Grove, Minn./ Maple Grove) also played an integral role in last year's success.  A year ago, Timm earned her second straight All-MIAC honor, joining Elli Marvin (2015-16, 2016-17), Susan Engel (2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05), Katy Rollwagen (1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02) and Paula Vogt (1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01) as two-time or better honorees. She was also named to the inaugural All-MIAC Playoff Team in 2022-23. Timm finished with 15 points with six goals and nine assists. An All-MIAC and All-MIAC Rookie Team honoree in 2021-22, Timm has totaled 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 career points. She also had 64 shots and 25 blocked shots this season. In league play, she had seven assists while adding two game-winning goals, including one in overtime. Timm finished seventh in the conference for total blocked shots with 25.
 
Also, back for the Bennies will be senior captain Corrine Brown, a nursing major from St. Paul, Minn. Brown played in 22 games with the Bennies, finishing third on the team in points with 16, including six goals and 10 assists. She had 91 shots on net. Brown was 14th in the MIAC for shots, 12th in the MIAC for assists per game, and eighth in the MIAC for shots per game. In her career, she has 11 goals, 18 assists and 29 total points in 53 games.
 
Junior forward Ava Stinnett of North Oaks, Minn., ranked third in the MIAC for faceoffs (261) and sixth in the MIAC with four game-winning goals.  
 
Also, back for CSB will be Emma Rooks, a junior forward from Rogers, Minn., who was second on the team with nine goals (10 career goals) while also adding four assists and recording 13 points. Forward Presley Kraemer, a sophomore from Brooklyn Park, Minn., returns after scoring five goals and nine points. Junior forward Shauna Miller of Cottage Grove, Minn., is back as well after totaling two goals and four assists. 

Other returners include Chloe Lewis, a sophomore forward from Brooklyn Park, Minn.; sophomore forward Mia Lopez of Plymouth, Minn.; junior defender Morgan Cromwell of Sartell, Minn.; senior forward Jamie Benzie of Moose Lake, Minn.; senior defender Abby Nelson of Chaska, Minn.; sophomore defender Jamie Bimberg of Chanhassen, Minn.; junior forward/defender Sami Boerboom of Forest Lake, Minn.; and junior forward Sydney Hunst of Owatonna, Minn.
 
In net, the Bennies return a trio of goaltenders that include junior Kate Moffat, from St. Louis, Mo., who had 81 saves in 15 appearances a year ago. Sophomores Ellynor Haack of St. Paul, Minn., and Donelle Decker of Forest Lake, Minn., also played a year ago. Newcomers in goal will include first-year Delaney Norman of St. Paul, Minn., and Breya Sawyer of Brainerd, Minn.
 
CSB will also feature a group of talented first-year skaters including forward Shae Stinnett of North Oaks, Minn.; defender Shae Jakaboski, Roseville, Minn.; defender Emma Halweg of Wyoming, Minn.; defender Brooklyn Johnson of Champlin, Minn.; defender Emily Wendorf of Mound Westonka, Minn.; and sophomore Avery LeMieur of Baxter, Minn.
 
By the Numbers 
Overall, in the MIAC in 2022-23, CSB ranked fourth in goals scored at 2.69 per game (70), fourth in points per game at 6.19 (161, 26 games), fourth in assists per game at 3.50 (91/26 games), fifth in shots on goal per game at 29.69 (772/26 games), fifth in shots percentage at 0.09 per game (772 shots/26 games), sixth in goals allowed per game at 2.73 (71/26 games).