Gillanders in Frozen Four

Another former Swfit Current Diamond Energy Wildcat is making waves in college hockey.

Kyle's Baylee Gillanders and the University of Minnesota beat fellow Kyle product Brienna Gillanders and the University of Minnesota Duluth to win the WCHA Final Faceoff.

The Gophers then beat North Dakota to earn a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four.

For Gillanders it's been quite a ride.

"So many emotions running through my head," Gillanders said. "You've got people back home that want you to do well and you've got your team that you want to play for. It's just an awesome experience. I'm just going to try to take it day by day and hopefully do the best we can when we get there." 

This is the first WCHA win and Frozen Four qualification for the Gophers in several years.

"There is lots of depth on our team," Gillanders said. "We get along so well. We had the same goals. It helps when your whole team has their head on straight and are going for the same goals."

Gillanders and the Gophers start the Frozen Four against Cornell on Friday with a trip to the NCAA championship game on the line.

Two other former Wildcats participated in the CIS hockey championship last week and Jenna Smith's University of Calgary Dinos won it.

"Congrats to them," Gillanders said. "All the girls from Saskatchewan that were on that (Wildcats) team that year... were all pretty good hockey players and all just loved the game."

Now the focus of women's hockey fans in the southwest turns to the Frozen Four. Gillanders has never had the chance to face Cornell before. 

"We just gotta play Gopher hockey," Gillanders said. "When we focus on our game we usually can come out on top. Cornell is going to be a good match for us... it's going to be tough."

Interview with Baylee Gillanders:


Highlights of the University of Minnesota's win over North Dakota