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Lauren Bench

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Lauren Bench
Bench with PWHL Minnesota in 2024
Born (1997-11-21) November 21, 1997 (age 27)
Eagan, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
PWHL team
Former teams		 Minnesota Frost
MoDo Hockey
Playing career 2017–present

Lauren Bench (born November 21, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She previously played for MoDo Hockey of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL). She played college ice hockey at Bemidji State and Minnesota.

Early life

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Bench attended Burnsville High School in Burnsville, Minnesota, where she was a four-sport letterwinner for the Blaze, earning five varsity letters in hockey, three in softball, two in golf, and one in alpine skiing.[1][2]

College career

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DeGeorge began her collegiate career for Bemidji State during the 2017–18 season. During her redshirt freshman year, she appeared in 19 games for the Beavers and posted an 8–9–0 record, with a 2.71 goals against average (GAA) and .903 save percentage with two shutouts. During the 2018–19 season in her redshirt sophomore year, she appeared in 23 games and posted a 9–11–2 record, with a 2.51 GAA and .909 save percentage. She set Bemidji State's longest shutout streak of 165:55 after not allowing a goal in eight-consecutive periods. Following the season she was named to the All-WCHA Third Team.[3]

During the 2019–20 season in her redshirt junior year, she started 31 games and posted a 13–16–2 record, with a 2.25 GAA and .919 save percentage. Her 13 wins tied for the third most wins in a single season in program history, while she posted the sixth best GAA and seventh best save percentage in a single season.[3] On February 29, 2020, she set a program and WCHA single-game record with 70 saves in a game against Minnesota Duluth.[4]

On April 9, 2020, Bench announced she would transfer to Minnesota to pursue a master's degree in Sport and Exercise Science. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry/biotechnology and a minor in biology from Bemidji State University.[5][6] She finished her career at Bemidji State with a 30–36–4 record, with a 2.45 GAA, .912 save percentage and 10 shutouts. She ranked fifth in program history with 73 games played, fourth in career wins (30), fifth in career minutes played (4,266:00), third in career shutouts (10), fourth in career goals against average (2.45), tied for fourth in career save percentage (.912) and fifth in career saves (1,794).[3]

During the 2020–21 season in her redshirt senior year, she appeared in 15 games and posted a 9–6–0 record, with a 2.26 GAA and .920 save percentage in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She ranked third in the WCHA in save percentage and fourth in GAA.[1] She led the Gophers to a 3–1–0 record during the month of November. She made 126 saves on 131 shots faced and her three wins led all goaltenders nationally, while her 1.26 GAA was third in the nation, and her .962 save percentage ranked fourth. She was subsequently named the Hockey Commissioners Association national goaltender of the month and WCHA goaltender of the month for the month of November 2020.[7][8] On June 17, 2021, Bench announced she would use her extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic and return to Minnesota for the 2021–22 season.[9] During her fifth and final year, she appeared in 26 games and posted a 14–6–1 record, with a 1.98 GAA, .919 save percentage and three shutouts. She led the team in wins, saves (491), and shutouts and ranked fourth in the WCHA in wins and fifth in conference GAA (1.98). She finished her career tenth in Minnesota program history in saves (838) and second in program history in saves per game (22.05).[1]

Professional career

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After graduating, Bench joined MoDo Hockey of the SDHL. During the 2022–23 season, in her first professional season, she appeared in 26 games and posted a 14–12–0 record, with a 2.29 GAA and a .919 save percentage. On June 23, 2023, Bench signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Force of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).[10] The PHF ceased operations on June 29, 2023, as a result she never played a game for the Force.[11]

On December 12, 2023, Bench signed a reserve player contract with PWHL Minnesota for the 2023–24 season, where she was the team's fourth goaltender.[12][13] On February 14, 2024, she was signed to a standard player agreement contract with Minnesota.[14][15] She didn't appear in a game for Minnesota during the season and won the inaugural Walter Cup.[16][17]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2017–18 Bemidji State University WCHA 19 8 9 0 1,063 48 2 2.71 .903 — — — — — — — —
2018–19 Bemidji State University WCHA 23 9 11 2 1,336 56 4 2.51 .909 — — — — — — — —
2019–20 Bemidji State University WCHA 31 13 16 2 1,863 70 4 2.25 .919 — — — — — — — —
2020–21 University of Minnesota WCHA 15 9 5 0 797 30 2 2.26 .920 — — — — — — — —
2021–22 University of Minnesota WCHA 26 14 6 1 1,305 43 3 1.98 .919 — — — — — — — —
2022–23 MoDo Hockey SDHL 26 14 12 0 1,521 58 3 2.29 .919 5 2 3 297 15 1 3.03 .898
SDHL totals 26 14 12 0 1,521 58 3 2.29 .919 5 2 3 297 15 1 3.03 .898

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Lauren Bench". gophersports.com. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  2. ^ "Meet the Newcomers: Lauren Bench". gophersports.com. July 9, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Lauren Bench". bsubeavers.com. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Blount, Rachel (December 4, 2020). "Graduate transfer Lauren Bench fulfilling childhood dream as Gophers goalie". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  5. ^ Monteith, Austin (April 9, 2020). "WOMEN'S HOCKEY: BSU goalie Lauren Bench to join Gophers as grad transfer". The Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Bench Named to HCA Goalie Award Watch List". gophersports.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Blount, Rachel (December 3, 2020). "Gophers goalies Jack LaFontaine, Lauren Bench earn national monthly honors". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  8. ^ "Bench, LaFontaine Sweep National Goaltender of the Month Awards". gophersports.com. December 3, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  9. ^ "Trio to Return for 2021-22". gophersports.com. June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Kennedy, Ian (June 23, 2023). "Force Add Netminder Lauren Bench". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Salvian, Hailey (June 30, 2023). "What we know about the PHF shutdown, and more on the new pro women's hockey league". The Athletic. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  12. ^ "Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Announces Final Team Rosters". thepwhl.com. December 12, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Hayden, Zoë (December 13, 2023). "PWHL 23-Player Rosters Finalized, Reserves Expanded". victorypress.org. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  14. ^ "Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Announces Roster Updates". thepwhl.com. February 14, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  15. ^ Kennedy, Ian (February 18, 2024). "v". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  16. ^ Rubado, Jared (May 29, 2024). "Former Beavers Clair DeGeorge, Lauren Bench win Walter Cup with PWHL Minnesota". The Bemidji Pioneer. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  17. ^ Blount, Rachel (May 29, 2024). "PWHL Minnesota lifts Walter Cup as league's first champion with Game 5 win over Boston". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
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