R 2016-17 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE WEEK FIVE (OCTOBER 17-23, 2016) / wcha.com @wcha_whockey @wcha_whockey /WCHAWomensHockey Matt Hodson ● o: 952-818-8872 ● c: 612-801-2808 ● [email protected] WESTERN COLLEGIATE OPENING FACE-OFF HOCKEY ASSOCIATION • Leading at the Polls: For the second-straight week, the women's Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) has an NCAA-best five teams ranked in the top-10 of the national opinion polls, comprising exactly half of both the USCHO.com and USA Today / USA Hockey • FOUNDED 1999 • Minnesota State Univ., Mankato at Edina Magazine rankings. • Defending WCHA champion Wisconsin remains on top of both polls, while two-time defending national champion Minnesota 7700 France Avenue South, Suite 360C is second. Minnesota Duluth is holding strong at No. 4, giving the WCHA three of the top-five. Edina, MN 55435 • North Dakota (No. 9 USCHO.com and No. 10 USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine) and Bemidji State (No. 10/9) round out the 952-818-8869 top-10. • Strong Start for the Buckeyes: Following a whirlwind period prior to the season, first-year head coach Nadine Muzerall (hired on Sept. MEMBER TEAMS 10) and her staff have Ohio State receiving votes in the national polls for the first time since Feb. 23, 2015. The Buckeyes have enjoyed Bemidji State University a strong, 3-2-1 start that includes a tie at LaBahn Arena against top-ranked Wisconsin and a win at then-No. 8 Bemidji State. University of Minnesota • 400 for Mark Johnson: With the Badgers' 4-1, sweep-clinching win Saturday at then-No. 7 Clarkson, Wisconsin head coach Mark University of Minnesota Duluth Johnson became the first bench boss in WCHA history - and just the third in D-1 women's hockey annals - to reach the 400-victory Minnesota State University plateau (Harvard's Katey Stone has 469 and Mercyhurst's Michael Sisti has 430). Now in his 14th season with the Badgers, the seven- University of North Dakota time WCHA Coach of the Year is 400-75-36 (.818) in his illustrious career. Ohio State University • Passing the Baton: When North Dakota took the ice on opening night, it did so with a new look in net, as the Fighting Hawks were St. Cloud State University without the graduated Shelby Amsley-Benzie - a two-time top-10 Patty Kaz finalist and owner of nearly every major school goaltending University of Wisconsin record. However, senior Lexie Shaw (4-0-1) in five starts has been every bit as good as her predecessor, leading all NCAA goalies with a 0.97 goals-against average, ranking fourth with a .955 save percentage and tying for second with two shutouts. • Growing the Game: Sunday's top-10 matchup between No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 9/10 North Dakota from the fabled Ralph Engelstad 16 National Championships Arena will be televised live on Midco Sports Network, and will also be simulcast nationally on Fox College Sports Atlantic. 86 All-Americans • Additionally, last week the WCHA and FOX Sports North announced an unprecedented nine-game women's hockey package, 100+ Olympians and featuring eight regular season league games and the 2017 Final Face-Off championship game. National Team Members • Nonconference Success: Wisconsin's road sweep at then-No. 7 Clarkson continued the WCHA's stellar start to nonconference play. The league is 13-1-2 (.875) thus far against College Hockey America (7-0-1), ECAC Hockey (4-0-0) and Hockey East (2-1-1). • The WCHA finished 35-8-2 (.800) in nonconference play in 2015-16, and is 213-59-21 (.763) this decade (beginning in 2010-11 2016-17 IMPORTANT DATES and including NCAA tournament games). Date Event BY THE NUMBERS Dec. 19-Jan. 5 Holiday Break • 2.00: Points-per-game by Minnesota Duluth senior Lara Stalder, ranking second nationally. She has 12 points (6g-6a) in six games. Jan. 6-8 Play resumes; U.S. Hockey • 3: Game-winning goals (second in the NCAA), in six games, for Minnesota sophomore Sarah Potomak. Hall of Fame Game • 5: WCHA teams in the top-10 nationally for fewest goals allowed per game: Wisconsin (first at 1.00); Bemidji State and North Dakota Feb. 17-19 Final weekend of the (tied for third at 1.33); and, Minnesota and Ohio State (tied for sixth at 1.67). regular season • 40: Career shutouts for Badgers senior goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens, an all-time Wisconsin record and just three shy of the NCAA Feb. 24-26 2017 WCHA Quarterfinals mark held by Minnesota's Noora Räty. Host sites; top four seeds • 101: Career points for Minnesota junior Kelly Pannek (38g-63a), becoming the 32nd player in Gophers history reach the milestone. March 4-5 2017 WCHA Final Face-Off • 298: Career wins for Minnesota head coach Brad Frost, two shy of becoming the 11th head coach in women's D-I hockey history to Ridder Arena reach the 300-victory plateau (third to do so all at a WCHA school). Currently in his 10th year with the Gophers, the program's all-time Minneapolis, MN winningest coach has a 298-46-22 (.844) career record. March 10-12 2017 NCAA Quarterfinals Host sites; top four seeds THE WEEK AHEAD March 17-19 2017 NCAA Frozen Four • No. 1 Wisconsin at No. 9/10 North Dakota: A match-up of superb goaltending, as Lexie Shaw (tops in the NCAA with a 0.97 GAA) and Family Arena the No. 9/10 Fighting Hawks host Ann-Renée Desbiens (No. 2 in the NCAA at 0.98) and the top-ranked Badgers. Wisconsin leads the St. Charles, MO all-time series against North Dakota 45-7-3 and went 2-1-1-1 last season. • No. 10/9 Bemidji State at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth: The Beavers and Bulldogs begin the latest installment of a burgeoning rivalry, which has seen one school upset the other in each of the last two WCHA quarterfinals (BSU over UMD in 2015, UMD over BSU in 2016). THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA Bemidji State is 6-4-0 in the last 10 meetings - including its first-ever regular season series sweep last year. • No. 2 Minnesota at Ohio State: First-year Buckeyes' coach Nadine Muzerall faces her alma mater - and the team she helped to four Friday, October 21 national championships as an assistant coach - for the first time as Ohio State hosts its home opener against the No. 2 Gophers. (2) Minnesota at (RV) Ohio State, 6:07 p.m. ET* Minnesota is riding a 40-game unbeaten streak (38-0-2) in the series and has won the last seven-straight contests. (10/9) Bemidji State at (4) Minnesota Duluth, • St. Cloud State at Minnesota State: The intra-state rivalry between the Huskies and Mavericks resumes this weekend at the Verizon 7:07 p.m. CT* Wireless Center. SCSU won the 2015-16 season series, 3-0-1. St. Cloud State at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m. CT* 2016-17 WCHA STANDINGS Conference Overall Saturday, October 22 Rk (Natl Rank) Team Pts GP W L T SW % GF GA GP W L T % GF GA (2) Minnesota at (RV) Ohio State, 3:07 p.m. ET* 1 (1) Wisconsin 11 4 3 0 1 1 .875 14 3 6 5 0 1 .917 21 6 (1) Wisconsin at (9/10) North Dakota, 2:07 p.m. CT* 2 (2) Minnesota 9 4 3 1 0 0 .750 10 8 6 5 1 0 .833 12 10 St. Cloud State at Minnesota State, 3:07 p.m. CT* (9/10) North Dakota 9 4 3 1 0 0 .750 13 6 6 4 1 1 .750 17 8 (10/9) Bemidji State at (4) Minnesota Duluth, 4 (10/9) Bemidji State 6 4 2 2 0 0 .500 8 7 6 4 2 0 .667 13 8 4:07 p.m. CT* (4) Minnesota Duluth 6 4 2 2 0 0 .500 14 8 6 3 2 1 .583 22 13 6 (RV) Ohio State 4 4 1 2 1 0 .375 5 9 6 3 2 1 .583 11 10 Sunday, October 23 7 St. Cloud State 3 4 1 3 0 0 .250 5 13 6 2 4 0 .333 10 19 (1) Wisconsin at (9/10) North Dakota, 2:07 p.m. CT* 8 Minnesota State 0 4 0 4 0 0 .000 4 19 6 2 4 0 .333 8 21 * - WCHA game (shootout win = 1 additional point; rankings listed by USCHO.com first, followed by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine) HOME TO A RECORD 16 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 •2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2015 • 2016 TRADITION STARTS HERE THE WEEK IN REVIEW - GAMES OF OCT. 14-15, 2016 #WCHA • No. 3/2 Minnesota and No. 4 Minnesota Duluth played a thrilling, back-and-forth at No. 10 North Dakota 6, Minnesota State 0 series that featured five in-game ties as neither team could gain more than a at No. 10 North Dakota 4, Minnesota State 3 - OT one-goal edge. In the end, two game-winners from Sarah Potomak lifted the (Oct. 14 and 15 at Ralph Engelstad Arena; Grand Forks, N.D.) Gophers to the sweep. It took a little extra in the finale, but No. 10 North Dakota held off visiting • Ohio State continued its impressive start by winning the opener at No. 8 Bemidji Minnesota State to complete the weekend sweep. State, but the Beavers bounced back with a win Saturday to salvage the split.