University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Ready to Start NCAA Action This Saturday
3/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
GOPHERS READY FOR NCAA COMPETITION
The No. 2 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team will host No. 6 Boston College, Saturday at 4 p.m. at Ridder Arena. Minnesota is one of four host sites for the NCAA quarterfinals. The winner of each site heads to Boston, March 20 & 22, to compete at the NCAA Frozen Four and a chance at the national title.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Saturday’s quarterfinal game can be found live on KLBB radio. A video webcast can be found on gophersports.com with USCHO’s Brian Schulz providing the play-by-play.
MINNESOTA IN NCAA ACTION
Saturday’s game marks the fourth time in five years the Gophers have competed in the NCAA quarterfinal and the eighth time overall in NCAA competition. In 13 games played in tournament action, the Gophers hold a 7-5-1 record. Minnesota’s first NCAA action came in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 at the Frozen Four. In 2005, the NCAA expanded the field from four to eight teams and began the single-game quarterfinal game. Minnesota has won two NCAA national titles (2004, 2005) and won an AWCHA championship, prior to the NCAA supporting women’s hockey as a sport. In 2005, Minnesota defeated Providence during the quarterfinal, won over Princeton in 2006 and lost to Wisconsin in the 2008 quarterfinal, all of which were played at Ridder Arena.
GOPHERS AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS
In the 2008-09 season, Minnesota held a 5-1 record against non-conference teams. The Gophers fell to Robert Morris in the first game of the season, but split against the Colonials with a 7-1 win the next day. The Maroon and Gold later swept Harvard in November and Niagara in January to close out the non-conference schedule.
ABOUT THE EAGLES
Boston College enters the NCAAs with a 22-8-5 overall record and finished the Hockey East season with a 13-5-3 mark. The Eagles are coached by U.S. Olympian Katie King, who is in her second year at the helm. The Eagles have experience on their roster, especially up front and in goal. U.S. National Team member Kelli Stack is the Eagles’ leading scorer. The junior leads the team with 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points. Named the Hockey East Player of the Year, Stack has played in 104 career games and has 149 career points. Following closely behind Stack is her linemate Allie Thunstrom. A native of Maplewood, Minn., and the 2006 Ms. Hockey recipient, Thunstrom has netted 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points. Along with Thunstrom, the Eagles also have Minnesota natives Danielle Welch (Hastings, Minn./Hasting HS), Tracy Johnson (Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) and Andrea Green (Chanhassen, Minn./Eden Prairie HS). In the net is one of the nation’s best goaltenders in Molly Schaus. Like Stack, Schaus has experience at the international level. A Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist, Schaus holds a 1.61 goals against average and a .940 save percentage. Her save percentage is the nation’s best, while her GAA ranks seventh overall.
THE LAST TIME
The NCAA game marks the second time in two years that the Eagles have visited Ridder Arena. Last year, BC and the Gophers tied, 2-2, in their first meeting (Jan. 12), followed by a 2-1 Gopher win on Jan. 13. In the 2-2 tie, Gigi Marvin and former Gopher Anya Miller each scored a goal to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead, but Allie Thunstrom scored back-to-back goals to knot the game at 2-2 and the eventual tie. In the second game, Laura May and Miller each scored a goal to lead Minnesota to a 2-1 win. Prior to the series last year, Minnesota and BC had not faced each other since 1998 when the Gophers won, 4-3.
GOPHER ALUM
Former Gopher and U.S. Olympian Courtney Kennedy returns to Minneapolis this weekend as an assistant coach for the Eagles. Kennedy is in her second season behind the BC bench. As a member of the Gophers from 1998-2001, Kennedy was top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier award (2001) an All-American (1999, 2001) and the 2001 WCHA Defensive and Player of the Year.
The No. 2 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team will host No. 6 Boston College, Saturday at 4 p.m. at Ridder Arena. Minnesota is one of four host sites for the NCAA quarterfinals. The winner of each site heads to Boston, March 20 & 22, to compete at the NCAA Frozen Four and a chance at the national title.
FOLLOW THE GOPHERS
Saturday’s quarterfinal game can be found live on KLBB radio. A video webcast can be found on gophersports.com with USCHO’s Brian Schulz providing the play-by-play.
MINNESOTA IN NCAA ACTION
Saturday’s game marks the fourth time in five years the Gophers have competed in the NCAA quarterfinal and the eighth time overall in NCAA competition. In 13 games played in tournament action, the Gophers hold a 7-5-1 record. Minnesota’s first NCAA action came in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 at the Frozen Four. In 2005, the NCAA expanded the field from four to eight teams and began the single-game quarterfinal game. Minnesota has won two NCAA national titles (2004, 2005) and won an AWCHA championship, prior to the NCAA supporting women’s hockey as a sport. In 2005, Minnesota defeated Providence during the quarterfinal, won over Princeton in 2006 and lost to Wisconsin in the 2008 quarterfinal, all of which were played at Ridder Arena.
GOPHERS AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS
In the 2008-09 season, Minnesota held a 5-1 record against non-conference teams. The Gophers fell to Robert Morris in the first game of the season, but split against the Colonials with a 7-1 win the next day. The Maroon and Gold later swept Harvard in November and Niagara in January to close out the non-conference schedule.
ABOUT THE EAGLES
Boston College enters the NCAAs with a 22-8-5 overall record and finished the Hockey East season with a 13-5-3 mark. The Eagles are coached by U.S. Olympian Katie King, who is in her second year at the helm. The Eagles have experience on their roster, especially up front and in goal. U.S. National Team member Kelli Stack is the Eagles’ leading scorer. The junior leads the team with 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points. Named the Hockey East Player of the Year, Stack has played in 104 career games and has 149 career points. Following closely behind Stack is her linemate Allie Thunstrom. A native of Maplewood, Minn., and the 2006 Ms. Hockey recipient, Thunstrom has netted 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points. Along with Thunstrom, the Eagles also have Minnesota natives Danielle Welch (Hastings, Minn./Hasting HS), Tracy Johnson (Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) and Andrea Green (Chanhassen, Minn./Eden Prairie HS). In the net is one of the nation’s best goaltenders in Molly Schaus. Like Stack, Schaus has experience at the international level. A Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist, Schaus holds a 1.61 goals against average and a .940 save percentage. Her save percentage is the nation’s best, while her GAA ranks seventh overall.
THE LAST TIME
The NCAA game marks the second time in two years that the Eagles have visited Ridder Arena. Last year, BC and the Gophers tied, 2-2, in their first meeting (Jan. 12), followed by a 2-1 Gopher win on Jan. 13. In the 2-2 tie, Gigi Marvin and former Gopher Anya Miller each scored a goal to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead, but Allie Thunstrom scored back-to-back goals to knot the game at 2-2 and the eventual tie. In the second game, Laura May and Miller each scored a goal to lead Minnesota to a 2-1 win. Prior to the series last year, Minnesota and BC had not faced each other since 1998 when the Gophers won, 4-3.
GOPHER ALUM
Former Gopher and U.S. Olympian Courtney Kennedy returns to Minneapolis this weekend as an assistant coach for the Eagles. Kennedy is in her second season behind the BC bench. As a member of the Gophers from 1998-2001, Kennedy was top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier award (2001) an All-American (1999, 2001) and the 2001 WCHA Defensive and Player of the Year.
Players Mentioned
NCAA Hockey Hype
Friday, March 13
Ridder Arena Transformation
Friday, March 13
WCHA Postseason Hype
Monday, March 02
Highlights: Gophers 6, St. Cloud State 1
Sunday, March 01