2014-15 WCHA WEEKLY RELEASE WEEK EIGHT (NOVEMBER 17-23, 2014) / wcha.com @wcha_mhockey /WCHAHockey WCHA.tv Matt Hodson ● o: 952-818-8872 ● c: 612-801-2808 ● [email protected] WESTERN COLLEGIATE OPENING FACE-OFF HOCKEY ASSOCIATION • Huskies Top the Charts: Michigan Tech, the only unbeaten squad in NCAA D-I men's hockey at 10-0-0, is • FOUNDED 1951 • the nation's new No. 1 team in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls. The Suite C Minnesota State Univ., Mankato at Edina Huskies are off to the best start in the program's 94 years of existence. 7700 France Avenue South, Suite 360 • Michigan Tech's Perfect 10: The Huskies' 10-0-0 start is the best in college hockey since Air Force opened Edina, MN 55435 the 2008-09 campaign by winning its first 13 games. The 10-game run is also two shy of matching the 952-818-8869 ninth-longest winning streak by a WCHA school at any point during a season. A 12-game winning streak has occurred eight times in WCHA history, most recently by St. Cloud State in 2006-07. MEMBER TEAMS • Polling Place: Four WCHA teams overall are ranked and a fifth is receiving votes in this week's polls. University of Alabama in Huntsville University of Alaska Anchorage Minnesota State remains at No. 9 in both rankings, followed by No. 17 Northern Michigan and No. 18 University of Alaska Fairbanks Bowling Green (USCHO.com). Ferris State is receiving votes in both polls. Bemidji State University • Pairing Up: While still early, the WCHA has four teams in the latest PairWise Rankings Top 16: No. 1 Bowling Green State University Michigan Tech, No. 2 Minnesota State, No. 11 Bowling Green and No. 16 Northern Michigan. Ferris State University Lake Superior State University • Winning Records: WCHA teams own three of the nation's top 10 and four of the country's top 15 winning Michigan Technological University percentages, matching Hockey East in both counts for the most among any conference: Michigan Tech Minnesota State University (1st, 1.000, 10-0-0); Northern Michigan (t-2nd, .812, 6-1-1); Bowling Green (t-10th, .708, 8-3-1) and Northern Michigan University Minnesota State (t-12th, .700, 7-3-0). • Non-Conference Success: The WCHA owns the second-highest non-conference winning percentage HOME OF A RECORD among the six NCAA D-I leagues, posting a .558 mark (22-17-4) against the rest of the country. 37 MEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS • Between the Pipes: A strong argument can be made that the WCHA's goaltending corps is the nation's SINCE 1951 deepest and best. NMU sophomore Mathias Dahlström leads the country in goals against average (0.74), 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, save percentage (.970) and shutouts (3 - tied), while ranking sixth with an .812 winning percentage. MTU 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, junior Jamie Phillips, the NCAA's only unbeaten netminder, is third for save pct. (.957) and fourth for GAA 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, (1.20). FSU senior CJ Motte, a returning Hobey Baker Award finalist, also has an NCAA-best three shutouts 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, and is seventh for both GAA (1.58) and save pct. (.948). Additionally, UAH sophomore Carmine Guerriero 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, ranks 10th with a .938 save pct. and MSU junior Stephon Williams is fourth with a .875 winning pct. 2011 • The Puck Stops Here: Led by their stellar backstops, Northern Michigan (0.75 goals allowed per game), Michigan Tech (1.20) and Ferris State (1.64) rank first through third nationally for scoring defense. TRADITION STARTS HERE • Top-10 Showdown in Houghton: The top two teams in the latest PairWise rankings skate in the country's premier series this weekend, as Michigan Tech hosts Minnesota State in Houghton, Mich. 2015 WCHA FINAL FIVE • Full Slate of WCHA Series: For the first time this season, the upcoming weekend features a full slate of CHAMPIONSHIP five WCHA series. In addition to the Huskies-Mavericks tilt, No. 18 Bowling Green hosts Bemidji State, Friday, March 20 & Saturday, March 21 Ferris State welcomes Alabama Huntsville, Alaska travels to Lake Superior State and Alaska Anchorage Xcel Energy Center • Saint Paul, MN returns home to face No. 19 Northern Michigan. Tickets on Sale NOW www.ticketmaster.com • 1 800 745-3000 2014-15 WCHA STANDINGS Conference Only Overall Pts GP W L T Win% GF- GA GP W L T Win% GF- GA WCHA.TV 1 Michigan Tech 16 8 8- 0- 0 1.00 24- 9 10 10- 0- 0 1.00 34- 12 Fans can watch up to 185 WCHA games 2 Bowling Green 10 6 5- 1- 0 .833 20- 11 12 8- 3- 1 .708 37- 27 live via WCHA.tv, powered by America Minnesota State 10 6 5- 1- 0 .833 24- 13 10 7- 3- 0 .700 38- 30 ONE Sports and EverSport.TV. Featuring all 10 WCHA member institutions, every 4 Northern Michigan 6 4 3- 1- 0 .750 9- 3 8 6- 1- 1 .812 20- 6 league game – home and away – will be Ferris State 6 6 3- 3- 0 .500 16- 7 11 6- 5- 0 .545 25- 18 streamed live, along with each team’s 6 Bemidji State 4 6 2- 4- 0 .333 19- 21 10 3- 7- 0 .300 30- 34 non-conference home contests, the Lake Superior State 4 8 2- 6- 0 .250 14- 27 12 2-10- 0 .167 19- 43 league postseason tournament and the 8 Alabama Huntsville 2 6 1- 5- 0 .167 8- 19 12 2- 8- 2 .250 22- 36 WCHA Final Five. Alaska Anchorage 2 6 1- 5- 0 .167 8- 24 12 4- 6- 2 .417 26- 37 10 Alaska 0 4 0- 4- 0 .000 8- 16 10 5- 5- 0 .500 25- 28 THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA (ALL TIMES LOCAL) Games for Friday, Nov. 21: Bemidji State at Bowling Green#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Alabama Huntsville at Ferris State#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Alaska at Lake Superior State#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Minnesota State at Michigan Tech#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Northern Michigan at Alaska Anchorage#, 7:07 p.m. AT. Games for Saturday, Nov. 22: Bemidji State at Bowling Green#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Alabama Huntsville at Ferris State#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Alaska at Lake Superior State#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Minnesota State at Michigan Tech#, 7:07 p.m. ET; Northern Michigan at Alaska Anchorage#, 7:07 p.m. AT. # - WCHA.tv THE WEEK IN REVIEW - GAMES OF NOV. 13-15, 2014 • Ferris State's offensive outburst pushes the Bulldogs to a sweep Lake Superior State 1, at Alabama Huntsville 0 over Alaska Anchorage, FSU's first of the season. At Alabama Huntsville 5, Lake Superior State 2 • Newly appointed No. 1 Michigan Tech continues its historical start (Nov. 14 and 15 – Von Braun Center; Huntsville, Alabama) with a pair of victories at Bemidji State. Strong goaltending and late scoring were weekend keys for both • Earning their first conference win of the season, Alabama Huntsville teams, as Alabama Huntsville earned its first conference win of the splits with visiting Lake Superior State. season Saturday in a split with Lake Superior State. • No. 18 Bowling Green battled Ohio State in two nail-biting tilts, with The Lakers struck first in the series, winning 1-0 Friday night as each team earning a victory in front of sellout crowds. freshman G Gordon Defiel recorded his first collegiate shutout. Defiel stopped all 26 shots he faced, while junior F Bryce Schmitt scored his at Ferris State 10, Alaska Anchorage 2 second consecutive game-winning goal. at Ferris State 4, Alaska Anchorage 0 UAH sophomore G Carmine Guerriero, who stopped 33 of 34 shots (Nov. 13 and 14 – Ewigleben Ice Arena; Big Rapids, Mich.) Friday night, posted 23 saves in a winning effort Saturday. Freshman Ferris State completed its first weekend sweep of the 2014-15 F Max McHugh tallied the game-winning goal, while senior F Jeff season with a pair of wins over visiting against Alaska Anchorage, Vanderlugt added a goal and two assists. outscoring the Seawolves 14-2. The 10 goals scored on Thursday night For Friday’s full recap, box score and video highlights, visit: http:// marked the Bulldogs' highest in over a decade, dating back to a 2002 wcha.com/men/recaps15.php?malhlss1.n14 win over Bowling Green. For Saturday’s full recap, box score and video highlights, visit: http:// Sophomore F Chad McDonald stole the show for the Bulldogs on wcha.com/men/recaps15.php?malhlss1.n15 Thursday night, scoring two goals and adding two assists in a four- point effort. Fellow sophomore F Gerald Mayhew logged a five-point Ohio State 3, at No. 19 Bowling Green 2 weekend, assisting on the game-winning goals both nights and adding No. 19 Bowling Green 3, at Ohio State 2 three strikes of his own. (Nov. 14 – BGSU Ice Arena; Bowling Green, Ohio) FSU senior G CJ Motte posted his NCAA active career-leading 13th (Nov. 15 – Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio) shutout on Friday night, stopping all 17 shots he faced. Despite late game heroics from both teams, guest Ohio State edged For Thursday’s full recap, box score and video highlights, visit: http:// Bowling Green at home in front of a record crowd on Friday. Trading wcha.com/men/recaps15.php?makafsu1.n13 places for the second game of the home-and-home, the Falcons played For Friday’s full recap, box score and video highlights, visit: http:// spoiler to Ohio State and split the weekend series.