Some of the ECAC's top prospects for the 2025 PWHL Draft were in action this past weekend. They continue their climb toward the top of the draft rankings, but know there's work to be done.

NEW HAVEN, CT – From the opening faceoff to start overtime in last Saturday's ECAC women's hockey game between visiting Clarkson University and Yale University at Ingalls Rink, the Golden Knights' Haley Winn and Nicole Gosling took control of the 3-on-3 play.

The offensive-minded defenders raced across the blue line into the offensive zone and, with pinpoint passing and lots of open ice, they, along with Anne Cherkowski, nearly ended the contest in the first minute with a strong rush on Yale netminder Pia Dukaric.

Listed as numbers 2, 7, and 15 respectively in The Hockey News Women's (THN-W) most recent PWHL rankings ahead of the 2025 draft, these standouts had their diligent work ethic on full display in all three zones throughout regulation.

In fact, with the Bulldogs’ Vita Poniatovskaia positioned at No. 25 in those rankings, this ECAC showdown spotlighted four of THN-W’s top women’s PWHL prospects on the planet.

Clarkson, which improved to 12-3-1 overall, won the thriller 4-3 on a goal by Caroline Goffredo. However, it was a sequence of events leading up to the winning tally that set the stage for the outcome.

Momentum shift is key

The Bulldogs (5-5-1) were ready to bolt through the neutral zone via a 2-on-1, but Winn's defensive stand disrupted that attack and created a counterattack as the puck found its way to Cherkowski, who unleashed the initial shot that hit Goffredo's skate and went into the net.

Even prior to that winning effort in the offensive zone, it was Gosling who had set the overtime tone with a super move to position herself perfectly for a high-percentage chance against Dukaric.

It wasn't just the three-plus minutes of overtime that shows why Winn, Gosling and Cherkowski carry such a lofty stature in the THN-W rankings. It is their 60 minutes of one solid shift after another that has them facing the strong possibility of hearing their names called next summer.

Whenever they leaped over the boards to join the action, Winn, Gosling and Cherkowski made their presence felt with laser focus.

Climbing toward the top

To currently be ranked No. 2 in the world when it comes to the 2025 PWHL draft is a motivational driver for Winn, although admittedly she knows there are still many mile markers along her collegiate highway.

"(The ranking) is super exciting," said the Rochester, N.Y. native whose goal and assist (on the game winner) against the Bulldogs upped her season point total to 21. "It gives me confidence but at the same time there are a lot of games left so I just want to continue to work hard and be grateful for my opportunities."

A self-proclaimed "offensive-minded defender”, Winn exhibited that style with an exclamation point midway through the second period at the Yale rink affectionately known as The Whale because of its similar configuration.

Taking advantage of a Yale turnover on an attempted Bulldogs' breakout near the blue line, the member of Team USA showed her talent in transition as she blasted a one-timer past Dukaric from the right circle to put Clarkson ahead 3-2.

Going from a defensive to an offensive mindset comes naturally to Winn, whose 30th goal and 76th assist on Saturday brings her already impressive point total to 106.

"I think it’s just a matter of being aggressive and having confidence in my skating," she said. "It's also me knowing that if I do go up on the rush, I have the awareness that my teammates have my back. I know they have confidence in me and I have confidence in them."

A winning dynamic duo

Gosling is also a potent two-way threat, and being on the top ‘D’ line with Winn makes the duo a force up and down the ice. Although she was held off the scoresheet, the Team Canada sharpshooter has amassed 122 points (36 goals/86 assists) over her career with the Golden Knights.

"We have so much trust in each other. We can both go the full 200 (feet). We take care of the defensive side of things first, but we also want to take advantage of opportunities on the rush," Gosling said. "We work so well together and can transition to wherever the puck takes us."

Winn certainly shares Gosling's sentiment.

"It's just really awesome to be able to play with her," Winn said. "Being partners with her on the ice and knowing what she brings to our team is great. Her (THNW) ranking is also well deserved."

Gosling, like Winn, is thrilled to be in the company of highly ranked draft prospects.

"It's an honor to be even mentioned in the top 10 of (THNW) rankings with her," said Gosling, who hails from London, Ontario. "There's a bunch of girls in those rankings with such great skill so just to be a part of that consideration is obviously a huge honor.”

She is also using the ranking as a more powerful means to an end.

"It’s something I can use as motivation the rest of the season," Gosling said. "Of course, you don’t know what’s going to happen come draft day ... but honestly I don't really care where I go as long as the (PWHL) team wants me and that’s what's going to make me happy."

Golden Knights' tradition

Around the Potsdam, N.Y. campus, there is plenty of pride in the Clarkson women's hockey program and with good reason.

Every team in the PWHL has at least one player who played collegiately with the Golden Knights, and that fact is not lost on the current players aspiring to turn pro.

That includes Cherkowski, a forward with firepower in the offensive zone. Like Winn and Gosling, the pride of Coldstream, British Columbia has put up some impressive career statistics as the graduate student has scored 52 goals to go along with 70 helpers.

Saturday’s two-assist showing moved Cherkowski into a tie with Gosling at 122 points.

All three take immense pride in the rich tradition of Clarkson women's hockey and its strong impact already on the PWHL.

"That's part of the reason I chose this school," Winn said. "(Head coach) Matt (Desrosiers) and the rest of our coaches do a great job with development. They know that we have dreams beyond college, and the PWHL have made those dreams a reality for so many."

Playing for Team USA, and with the realization that her career with the Golden Knights is likely to result in a high draft selection, Winn laces up her skates with a deeper understanding of what it will take to succeed at the professional level.

"Seeing a lot of (Clarkson) girls now in the PWHL, and playing with a few of them on Team USA, it's so humbling and an honor to play in a program that produces players like that," she said.

For Gosling, the feeling is mutual, and she too relishes the opportunity to make an impact at Clarkson and ultimately the pros. She has also taken note of the fact that there are a lot of defenders from Clarkson in the PWHL.

"So that tells you how important it is to play that position the right way," Gosling said. "We certainly have some numbers (from a defender standpoint) in the PWHL."

A Bulldog is also ranked

Meanwhile on the other side of the rink, a Yale University senior is also relishing her standing at No. 25 in the PWHL draft rankings.

Vita Poniatovskaia, a two-time All-ECAC selection, is another two-way threat who can quickly transition from one end of the ice to the other depending on the flow of the action.

The defender from Chelyabinsk, Russia takes a great deal of pride in being among the top women's hockey players in the world.

"It's definitely motivating and inspiring," said Poniatovskaia, who has totaled 56 points (25 goals/31 assists) throughout her career with the Bulldogs. "Being recognized internationally is very humbling. It pushes me to work harder to prove myself and to be a good teammate."

Although Clarkson alum far outnumber Yale on PWHL rosters, she counterpoints that the pro league is better with both Claire Dalton and Elle Hartje among the participants.

"I'm super happy for both of them," Poniatovskaia said. "It's so exciting to see players that you actually played with for several years make it at the pro level. It's so inspiring to see them and know that with hard work I can also get there."

Poniatovskaia noted that there's a reason the ECAC is a major feeder league into the PWHL.

"It's an incredibly tough league ... you see all the players who have been drafted and that tells you so much about the ECAC and quality of the players. The games are always close and competitive."