R 2014-15 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE WEEK THIRTEEN (DECEMBER 15-21, 2014) / wcha.com @wcha_whockey /WCHAWomensHockey Matt Hodson ● o: 952-818-8872 ● c: 612-801-2808 ● [email protected] / Bill Brophy ● 303-330-5468 ● [email protected] WESTERN COLLEGIATE OPENING FACE-OFF HOCKEY ASSOCIATION • Topping the Charts: For the fourth week in a row, the WCHA has an NCAA-best four teams in • FOUNDED 1999 • Suite C both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine national rankings. Minnesota and Minnesota State Univ., Mankato at Edina Wisconsin are Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, in both polls, while Minnesota Duluth is No. 6/7 and 7700 France Avenue South, Suite 360 Bemidji State is No. 9. Edina, MN 55435 • Winning Hockey: WCHA teams also an NCAA-best four of the nation's top 10 winning 952-818-8869 percentages: Minnesota (2nd at .895, 16-1-2), Wisconsin (3rd at .875, 17-2-1), Minnesota MEMBER TEAMS Duluth (8th at .675, 12-5-3), Bemidji State (10th at .639, 11-6-1). Bemidji State University • Streaking Along: Several WCHA teams are riding hot stretches. Wisconsin's 12-game unbeaten University of Minnesota streak (11-0-1) is the second-longest active streak in the country, while Minnesota is third with University of Minnesota Duluth a nine-game winning streak. Minnesota Duluth is 11-1-1 in its last 13 contests, while Bemidji Minnesota State University State is on a 7-2-1 roll. University of North Dakota • Pairing Up: With just two games remaining before the holiday break, the WCHA has six teams Ohio State University in the PairWise rankings: No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 7 Minnesota Duluth are all St. Cloud State University in the top eight, followed by Bemidji State (ninth), Ohio State and North Dakota (both tied for University of Wisconsin 13th). HOME OF A RECORD • High Attendance Marks: WCHA schools rank 1-4 in national attendance leaders, led by the 14 WOMEN’S NATIONAL fans at Mariucci Arena (Minnesota) LaBahn Arena (Wisconsin), Ralph Engelstad Arena (North CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS Dakota) and AMSOIL Arena (Minnesota Duluth). SINCE 1999 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, Y HE UMBERS 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, B T N 2012, 2013 • 5 and 7: The number of points separating the top two teams and the third through sixth place teams in the WCHA standings, setting the stage for a thrilling second half race for postseason SIX PATTY KAZMAIER home-ice advantage. AWARD WINNERS • 19: The number of current and former WCHA student-athletes invited to participate in the USA 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 Hockey Women’s Winter Training Camp, set for December 27-31 at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. A full list of WCHA participants can be found on page two of this release. 70 ALL-AMERICANS • .779: The WCHA's non-conference winning percentage (26-7-1), the best mark in the country. TRADITION STARTS HERE THE WEEK AHEAD • Ohio State at Bemidji State: The lone WCHA series of the weekend pits two teams vying for 2015 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF home-ice advantage in the league playoffs. Ohio State is five points behind Bemidji State, but CHAMPIONSHIP swept the Beavers earlier this season at the OSU Ice Rink. Friday, March 7 & Saturday, March 8 Ralph Engelstad Arena Grand Forks, ND Tickets on Sale Dec. 6 2014-15 WCHA STANDINGS www.ticketmaster.com • 1 800 745-3000 Conference Only Overall Pts GP W L T SW Win% GF- GA GP W L T Win% GF- GA 1 Wisconsin 40 16 13- 2- 1 0 .844 60- 21 20 17- 2- 1 .875 81- 22 2 Minnesota 35 14 11- 1- 2 0 .857 61- 16 19 16- 1- 2 .895 86- 21 3 Minnesota Duluth 25 14 7- 5- 2 2 .571 33- 29 20 12- 5- 3 .675 58- 38 4 Bemidji State 23 14 7- 6- 1 1 .536 31- 27 18 11- 6- 1 .639 47- 30 5 North Dakota 21 16 6- 8- 2 1 .438 34- 36 20 9- 9- 2 .500 51- 42 6 Ohio State 18 14 5- 7- 2 1 .429 29- 36 18 8- 8- 2 .500 39- 43 7 St. Cloud State 11 14 3-10- 1 1 .250 17- 53 21 6-14- 1 .310 32- 73 8 Minnesota State 1 14 0-13- 1 0 .036 14- 61 16 0-15- 1 .031 16- 68 (shootout win = 1 additional point) THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA (ALL TIMES LOCAL) Game for Friday, Dec. 19: Ohio State at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m. CT. Game for Saturday, Dec. 20: Ohio State at Bemidji State, 2:07 p.m. CT. THE WEEK AHEAD AND THE WEEK THAT WAS IN THE WCHA #WCHA BEMIDJI STATE AND OHIO STATE TO WRAP UP LAST WEEK IN THE WCHA 2014 CALENDAR YEAR Results of Dec. 12 The first half of women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association season Bemidji State 4, at St. Cloud State 1; concludes in Bemidji, Minn. this weekend (Dec. 19-20), when Bemidji North Dakota 3, at RIT 1 (NC) State plays Ohio State in the lone series before the holiday break. Results of Dec. 13 at St. Cloud State 3, Bemidji State 0; The Buckeyes hold the edge in the all-time series, with a record of 35- North Dakota 6, at RIT 1 (NC) 18-11 against the Beavers. Earlier this season (Oct. 17-18), the Buckeyes swept two games from BSU at the OSU Ice Rink. In the first game of the series, Ohio State handed the Beavers their first loss of the season with In nonconference play, North Dakota went to Rochester, N.Y. and swept a dominating 5-1 performance. The Buckeyes recorded a 1-0 shutout College Hockey America foe RIT, 3-1 and 6-1. Josefine Jakobsen and over BSU in game two. Andrea Dalen each had a goal and an assist in the series opener, while Amy Menke’s power-play goal with 2:40 left in the third period was Every team has completed half of their 28-game league schedule. The the game-winner. UND jumped out quickly in the series finale with four standings with two games remaining before the break show a two-team first-period goals. Jakobsen had two goals and Dalen had a goal and two race for the league title, with a tight bunch for spots three through six. assists. League-leading Wisconsin (15-2-1-0, 40 points in the WCHA; 17-2-1 WCHA WELL-REPRESENTED AT USA HOCKEY CAMP overall) takes a 12-game winning streak into the break and has a five- point lead on second place Minnesota, the two-time defending league Continuing the WCHA's long-standing tradition of excelling on champion (which has played two fewer games than the Badgers). The international ice, 19 current or former WCHA stars – nearly half of Gophers have an 11-1-2-0 league record (35 points), while they have the 40-player roster – have been invited to participate in the USA also won nine in a row and now sport a 16-1-2 overall mark. Hockey Women’s Winter Training Camp, set for December 27-31 at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. There is a tight race for the final two home playoff spots, third and fourth place. Minnesota Duluth currently is in third place with 25 The group of 10 current WCHA student-athletes, representing five points and has gone 11-1-1 in its last 13 games. The Bulldogs (7-5-2-2 member institutions, selected to don the Team USA sweater are: in league play and 12-5-3 overall) are two points ahead of Bemidji State Stephanie Anderson (Jr., F, Bemidji State), Hannah Brandt (Jr., F, (7-6-1-1, 23 points, 11-6-1 overall). The Beavers, who have tied their Minnesota), Dani Cameranesi (So., F, Minnesota), Zoe Hickel (Sr., F, victory total from all of last season, is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Minnesota Duluth), Gracen Hirschy (So., D, North Dakota), Milica McMillen (Jr., D, Minnesota), Annie Pankowski (Fr., F, Wisconsin), Jenny North Dakota (6-8-2-1 in the WCHA and 9-9-2 overall) is in fifth place Ryan (So., D, Wisconsin), Lee Stecklein (So., D, Minnesota) and Karley with 21 points, but has played two more games than UMD and Bemidji Sylvester (Sr., F, Wisconsin). State. Ohio State (5-7-2-1, 18 points; 8-8-2 overall) is in sixth place, but sits just three points out of fourth place and - with it - home-ice That group will be joined by former WCHA standouts Megan Bozek advantage for the first round of the playoffs. (D, Minnesota), Brianna Decker (F, Wisconsin), Meghan Duggan (F, Wisconsin), Hilary Knight (F, Wisconsin), Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson The rest of the standings show that St. Cloud State (3-10-1-1, 11 points; (F, North Dakota), Monique Lamoureux (D, North Dakota), Alex Rigsby 6-14-1 overall) is in seventh place and Minnesota State (0-13-1-0, 1 (G, Wisconsin), Anne Schleper (D, Minnesota) and Jessie Vetter (G, point; 0-15-1) in eighth. Wisconsin). Following the holidays, WCHA teams resume play Jan. 2-3 when Bemidji All practices and scrimmages at the 2014 USA Hockey Women’s Winter State plays a non-conference series at Lindenwood. Ohio State visits Training Camp will be open to the public. Penn State from Jan. 3-4. Minnesota State hosts St. Lawrence on Jan. 3 and Minnesota entertains St.