University of Minnesota Athletics
WHK: Gophers Host WCHA Rival Minnesota-Duluth at Ridder Arena
11/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
- Click Here For Complete Minnesota-Minnesota-Duluth Notes
GOPHERS HOST UMD BULLDOGS
The No. 1 University of Minnesota women's hockey team hopes to continue its winning ways as the Gophers host WCHA rival, No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth, Nov. 19-20. Both games are scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. start at Ridder Arena. The series marks the top two teams in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Minnesota enters the series with 20 WCHA points and the top spot, while UMD is a close second with 15 league points.
TOUGH MONTH AHEAD
The Golden Gophers are entering the heart of their season, starting the weekend and continuing until the end of the semester. Minnesota will face four teams ranked in the top five, nationally. Following No. 3 Minnesota- Duluth, the Maroon and Gold hits the road against No. 4/5 Harvard (11/27), No. 5/4 Wisconsin (12/4-5) and No. 2 Dartmouth (12/11-12) to finish the first half of the schedule.
SHORT-HANDED SUCCESS
The Golden Gophers have scored 14 short-handed goals in just 10 games played this season, setting a school and WCHA record. The previous record was 13 short-handed goals, set in the 1999-2000 AWCHA championship season. In that season, the Gophers scored their 13 short-handed tallies in 24 games. In the 1999-2000 season, the Gophers scored just one short-handed goal in their first 10 games, while this year's edition has 14. Minnesota scored five short-handed marks against St. Cloud State (10/15-16), two against Bemidji State (10/22-23), five in the Minnesota State series (10/29-30) and two against Ohio State (11/6-7). The 14 tallies leads the nation, while the next closest team is Mercyhurst with five. Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell lead the team each posting four, while Andrea Nichols and Bobbi Ross have two, followed by Kelly Stephens, and Becky Wacker each netting one. The Gophers surpassed last year's total of 11, in eight games, which was the third- highest in school history.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Of the Gophers' 10 wins, eight players have notched game-winning goals. Krissy Wendell and Natalie Darwitz lead the team with two, while six players have one. Kelly Stephens, Andrea Nichols, Bobbi Ross, Becky Wacker, Erica McKenzie and Jenelle Philipczyk each have one.
