Frost’s Pannek becomes first PWHL player to score 30 points in a season
An incredible season for one of women’s hockey’s most underappreciated players has led to a notable milestone.
On Wednesday, Minnesota Frost forward Kelly Pannek registered the 30th point of her season, becoming the first player in PWHL history to reach the mark.
WELCOME TO THE PANNEK ROOM Scoring her 30th point of the season at 1:13 into second period, Kelly Pannek has now set the new PWHL regular season record for most points scored in a single season.
The historic point came early in the second period in a game against the Seattle Torrent, as Pannek earned a secondary assist on Grace Zumwinkle’s 13th goal of the season, giving the Frost a 2-1 lead at the time. Pannek didn’t stop there, as she picked up another assist on Taylor Heise’s second goal of the game late in the middle stanza, giving Pannek her eighth multi-point game of the year.
With the goal, Heise became the second player to reach 30 goals in a single season. The two players eclipsed the record that was set last year by current Torrent captain (then with the Boston Fleet) Hilary Knight and New York Sirens rookie Sarah Fillier, as the two tied for the league lead with 29 points at the end of the season.
The importance of 30 points in a season is substantial. It means Pannek and Heise will finish the season averaging a point per game. Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner, who was named the first-ever Billie Jean King MVP Award winner in 2024, is the only other player to hold that distinction, as she posted 27 points during the 24-game inaugural season.
The two Minnesota natives have been the driving forces behind the best offense in the league. With three more goals on their record, the Frost lead the PWHL with 87 goals, still the only team to have reached 80 goals thus far. Adding in Britta Curl-Salemme, Minnesota has the league’s top three scorers, with five players on the roster ranked in the top 10.
Along with the two fighting for the PWHL Points Leader Award, both Heise and Pannek are fighting for the Goal Scorer Award. Pannek is tied with the Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie with 14 goals on the year, while Heise’s two tallies on Wednesday give her 13.