Metropolitan Riveters Re-Sign MVP Alexa Gruschow

The Metropolitan Riveters announced on Wednesday that 2018 National Women’s Hockey League Most Valuable Player, Alexa Gruschow, has re-signed to help the team defend the Isobel Cup.

Gruschow led the NWHL in scoring during the 2017-2018 season, as she scored nine goals and 13 assists. Four of her goals were game winners, as she led the league in that same category. Her league leading 22 points this past season, helped to her being voted by the NWHL Players Association as the MVP.

The 24-year-old, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduate scored the lone goal during the 2018 Isobel Cup Final. The goal was a highlight reel goal, as she went flying through the air to find the back of the net in that tight defensive matchup.

Gruschow said, “I am hoping to contribute to my team in any way that I can. I seemed to have a different role between my first and second season, and I am ready to take on whatever my role may be for my third season, whether it changes or stays the same.”

She continued, “We could not have asked for a better ending to our season last year, and I am confident that the Rivs will carry that success into this upcoming season. My biggest goal is to do what I can to help our team reach its highest potential.”

This past season she also represented the Riveters at the 2018 All-Star Game in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as representing Team NWHL, during their series with the 2018 United States Women’s hockey team, in Wesley Chapel, Florida before they went on to capture the gold in PyeongChang, South Korea. In 34 NWHL games, she has scored 11 goals and 21 assists.

The Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania native put up 46 goals and 47 assists in 133 games at RPI as she led the Engineers in scoring all four seasons. She is currently ranked ninth in points and tenth in goals in school history.

Gruschow added, “It is an exciting challenge to defend our title, and we are ready to compete just like we were at the beginning of last season. This year will be competitive amongst the five teams, and we hope to stand up to our name of Isobel Cup Champions.”

The Riveters will open the season and raise the Isobel Cup Champions banner at the Prudential Center on October 20 at 2:00 PM as they take on the expansion Minnesota Whitecaps. The game will mark the second time the Riveters will skate on the same ice as the New Jersey Devils, they opened the 2017-2018 season at Prudential Center as well.

Single game tickets for the home opener, as well as the rest of the home schedule, at the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House, right next door to the Prudential Center, are now available at www.nwhl.zone/tickets.