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38 // NOV/DEC 2025 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM A FROZEN GRASP PHOTOS BY Credit here By JUSTIN FELISKO PHOTOS BY Getty Images Two-Time Walter Cup Champion Minnesota Frost Continue To Thrive In Front Of Passionate Fan Base EE STECKLEIN STILL REMEM- EE STECKLEIN STILL REMEM- BERS BERS the sense of pride she felt the sense of pride she felt when she glanced around Grand when she glanced around Grand Casino Arena on Jan. 6, 2024. There Casino Arena on Jan. 6, 2024. There w e r e m o r e t h a n 1 3 ,0 0 0 w e r e m o r e t h a n 1 3 ,0 0 0 fans — 13,316 to be exact — fans — 13,316 to be exact — screaming their lungs out screaming their lungs out for the PWHL Minnesota for the PWHL Minnesota franchise's inaugural home opener. franchise's inaugural home opener. "I was like, 'Oh, wow, this is going to be a "I was like, 'Oh, wow, this is going to be a really cool year, hopefully this continues,'" really cool year, hopefully this continues,'" Stecklein recalled during a training camp Stecklein recalled during a training camp with the U.S. Women's National Team in with the U.S. Women's National Team in September. "And it has. You saw through September. "And it has. You saw through the playoffs in May, it's not really hockey the playoffs in May, it's not really hockey season in Minnesota and people were show- season in Minnesota and people were show- ing up." ing up." The Minnesota faithful have had good The Minnesota faithful have had good reasons to keep cheering too. reasons to keep cheering too. The Frost have been stellar through the The Frost have been stellar through the PWHL's first two seasons, winning the first PWHL's first two seasons, winning the first two PWHL Walter Cup championships two PWHL Walter Cup championships behind a deep roster and a strong fan base. behind a deep roster and a strong fan base. "I'm proud to be a part of a group that "I'm proud to be a part of a group that helped build this league, and then to get helped build this league, and then to get to win it back-to-back is just the cherry to win it back-to-back is just the cherry on top," Stecklein said with a gleaming on top," Stecklein said with a gleaming Minnesota smile. Minnesota smile. Stecklein, a three-time Olympian, grew Stecklein, a three-time Olympian, grew up less than 10 miles away from Grand up less than 10 miles away from Grand Casino Arena in Roseville. She led her high Casino Arena in Roseville. She led her high school to a 2010 Minnesota state champi- school to a 2010 Minnesota state champi- onship and then helped the University of onship and then helped the University of Minnesota to three national championships Minnesota to three national championships (2013, 2015, 2016). She later scored the (2013, 2015, 2016). She later scored the game-winning goal when the Minnesota game-winning goal when the Minnesota Whitecaps won the 2019 Isobel Cup. Whitecaps won the 2019 Isobel Cup. Simply put, Stecklein knows how pas- Simply put, Stecklein knows how pas- sionate Minnesota is for girls and women's sionate Minnesota is for girls and women's hockey. Minnesota led all USA Hockey hockey. Minnesota led all USA Hockey districts with almost 16,000 registered districts with almost 16,000 registered female players last season. female players last season. " T h e r e 's b e e n s o m u c h s u c c e s s " T h e r e 's b e e n s o m u c h s u c c e s s in women's hockey in Minnesota," in women's hockey in Minnesota," Stecklein said. "It feels really spe- Stecklein said. "It feels really spe- cial. It's something I wouldn't cial. It's something I wouldn't have even dreamed of when I was have even dreamed of when I was young. It is no surprise to me young. It is no surprise to me that our fans are as incredible that our fans are as incredible as they are, though. as they are, though. "It's Minnesota sports. It's "It's Minnesota sports. It's Minnesota women's hockey." Minnesota women's hockey." The Frost, who clinched The Frost, who clinched a playoff spot on the last a playoff spot on the last day of the regular season, day of the regular season, defeated Ottawa 2-1 in over- defeated Ottawa 2-1 in over- time to clinch the 2025 Walter time to clinch the 2025 Walter Cup in four games behind 33 Cup in four games behind 33 saves from Maddie Rooney. Liz saves from Maddie Rooney. Liz Schepers scored the game-win- Schepers scored the game-win- ning goal for Minnesota a year after ning goal for Minnesota a year after scoring her first career goal to clinch scoring her first career goal to clinch the 2024 Walter Cup. the 2024 Walter Cup. Now, the Frost will look to win a third Now, the Frost will look to win a third consecutive championship, a feat that is consecutive championship, a feat that is extremely hard to do in any professional extremely hard to do in any professional sport. In the NHL, the New York Islanders sport. In the NHL, the New York Islanders were the last team to win three Stanley were the last team to win three Stanley Cups during their dynasty run of four Cups during their dynasty run of four straight championships in the 1980s. straight championships in the 1980s. "We'll see," Stecklein said. "Two was crazy. "We'll see," Stecklein said. "Two was crazy. It's such a competitive league. It's so hard to It's such a competitive league. It's so hard to win each time that to do two back-to-back win each time that to do two back-to-back and right away was pretty crazy." and right away was pretty crazy." Fellow Minnesota natives Taylor Heise Fellow Minnesota natives Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield agree. and Kendall Coyne Schofield agree. The two standout forwards are confident The two standout forwards are confident the Frost can maintain their frozen grasp the Frost can maintain their frozen grasp I'm proud to be a part of a group that helped build this league, and then to get to win it back-to-back is just the cherry on top." — L E E S T E C K L E I N