A record-setting season for Clarkson University Women’s Hockey all-star Loren Gabel just keeps getting better. The Golden Knights’ junior left wing was announced today by USA Hockey as a Top-3 Finalist for the 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which is in its 21st year, is bestowed annually upon the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey, and this year will be unveiled at a brunch ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, March 17, as part of the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four weekend hosted by the University of Minnesota.
Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award release
Gabel, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, has played a key role in Clarkson’s success this season as the Green and Gold’s leading scorer. Defending NCAA Champions, the Golden Knights are ranked second in the national polls with a 31-4-1 overall record. Clarkson also claimed a share of the ECAC Hockey regular-season title with a 19-3 league mark and earned the No.1 seed for the conference championship tournament, which the Knights host this Saturday and Sunday at Cheel Arena.
“Loren has really taken her game to another level this year through a lot of hard work and dedication,” stated Head Coach Matt Desrosiers. “She has proven this year to be one of the most dynamic players in the country. Every time she steps on the ice, she impacts the game. Loren is at the top of almost every statistical category in a very competitive league in the ECAC that garners some of the top players in the country. Many of her achievements come from a tremendous inner drive to continuously improve and be at the top of her game so she can help her team succeed. Her love and passion for the game of hockey is very contagious and evident every time you watch her play.”
Fourth in the nation in scoring, and third in goals per game, Gabel has set new single-season marks for points and goals at Clarkson, both previously held by 2014 Patty Kazmaier winner Jamie Lee Rattray ’14. Gabel has tallied 69 points on 33 goals and 36 assists. She ranks sixth on the Knights’ all-time scoring list with 138 points (73-65) through 117 games.
Gabel leads the nation in plus/minus at 52, is third in goals per game (.92), tied for sixth in assists per game (1.00), tied for second in game-winning goals, and tied for seventh in power-play tallies (7).
After a stellar regular season, Gabel took her game to a higher level during the first weekend of postseason play. She recorded the fastest hat trick in the Clarkson program’s 15-year history in Game 1 of the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals against Yale and finished the series with eight points on four goals and four assists.
Named NCAA 1st Star and ECAC Hockey player of the Week, Gabel scored three times in a span of 2:21 in the opening 4:12 of the Game 1 win over the Bulldogs. The three-goal outing gave her four career hat tricks, a new Clarkson record. She also tallied three assists in the lopsided 10-1 victory to give her six points on the night, tying the Knights’ record for most points in a game.
ECAC Hockey’s leading scorer, Gabel has been named the league’s Player of the Month three times (October, December, January) and earned Player of the Week honors six times. She was also selected HCA National Player of the Month for January and gained NCAA First Star of the Week accolades twice and NCAA Third Star of the Week once.
She has recorded a point in 29 of 36 games, while recording 24 multi-point games.
Gabel, a Communications major, volunteers her time at Potsdam Elementary School, Community Outreach clean-up, Lil’ Knights Club, and Malone Minor Hockey ADM Clinic.
Cayley Mercer ’17, Captain of Clarkson’s 2017 National Championship team, was named a Top-3 Finalist last season.
Gabel, along with Clarkson’s other two Patty Kazmaier Top-10 Finalists senior defenseman Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, IL) and senior goaltender Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, ONT), will lead Clarkson against archrival St. Lawrence on Saturday in the opening semifinal game of the championship tournament, 1:00 p.m. face off.
