University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Cross the Border for Wisconsin Battle
1/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNESOTA CROSSES THE BORDER FOR BATTLE AGAINST WISCONSIN
The No. 4 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team travels to No. 1 Wisconsin, Friday and Saturday night. Both games will be played at the Kohl Center at 7 p.m.
FOLLOWING THE GOPHERS
Both games will have audio broadcast on gophersports.com via the Gold Zone as well as a live blog. Saturday’s game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Friday’s game can also be found via video webcast on BigTenNetwork.com.
ON THE DOCKET
Minnesota’s next home series will be Feb. 4-5 when St. Cloud State comes to Ridder Arena. The Feb. 4 game is set for 7 p.m., while the Saturday game is at 4 p.m.
GOING ON SOMETHING GOOD
After a rough month to start the season, the Golden Gophers have gone 13-2-1 since the start of November. During that span, Minnesota split with Wisconsin (11/5-6) and Bemidji State (12/3-4), swept Minnesota State (twice), Harvard and Ohio State (twice). Minnesota’s last loss came against Bemidji State, Dec. 3 and have since gone on a 8-0-1 streak.
A TIGHT RACE
Only eight points separates the No. 2 and the No. 5 spot in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings. Minnesota is currently second with 41 points, followed by No. 3 North Dakota (38), No. 4 Bemidji State (35) and No. 5 Minnesota Duluth. The Gophers will play two of the three teams in the next month. The Gophers and Beavers will face each other on Feb. 11-12, while Minnesota ends the regular season at North Dakota, Feb. 18-19.
SPREADING THE LOVE
In the 8-1 win over Ohio State last weekend, Minnesota had seven different goal scorers. The last time Minnesota had that many net a goal was just last year against Minnesota State. In an 8-5 win over the Mavericks on Feb. 26, 2010, the Gophers actually had eight different goal scorers. It was the most goals scored this year by the Gophers, with the previous time being seven against Wisconsin on Nov. 5.
ABOUT THE BADGERS
Ranked No. 1 in the country, Wisconsin enters the Minnesota series with a 23-2-1 mark and a 17-2-1 record against conference opponents. Like Minnesota, Wisconsin has been unbeaten since early December, posting an 11-0-1 record since Dec. 4. The Badgers have two of the nation’s top scorers in Hilary Knight and Megan Duggan, both of which are United States Olympians. The each have 54 points in 26 games played. They both rank second in the nation in points per game (2.08). Brianna Decker is third with 47 points and leads the nation in game-winning goals (8). Freshman Alex Rigsby has seen a majority of action in net and holds a 16-1-1 record with four shutouts.
THE SERIES
The Golden Gophers hold a 28-23-6 all time mark against the Wisconsin Badgers, dating back to January 1999. The two teams split the series early in November as the Gophers won, 7-5 before falling, 5-0 the next day. Last year at the Kohl Center, Minnesota was swept by scores of 4-2 and 5-2.
THE LAST TIME
Minnesota and Wisconsin split the series, November 5-6. In a barnburner of a game, Minnesota earned a 7-5 win against the Badgers. By the end of the first period alone, Minnesota held a 3-1 lead. Rigsby was pulled after the first period and was replaced by Becca Ruegsegger. Wisconsin battled back and scored four goals in the second, but Minnesota added another three to keep the lead. The Gophers added an insurance goal at 10:24 in the third and the 7-5 final. Along with the Clarkson series, it was the only games senior co-captain Emily West played in this season. She had two goals, as did Sarah Erickson.
In the second game of the series, it was all Wisconsin. The Badgers scored twice in the first and three times in the second for a 5-0 final. The loss marked the first time this year the Gophers allowed a short-handed goal and went scoreless.
PENALTY KILL VS. POWER PLAY
Wisconsin holds the nation’s fourth-best power-play unit, capitalizing on 26 of 108 chances (24.3 percent). Minnesota’s penalty kill, however, ranks third in the country at 91.6 percent. The Gophers have successfully killed off 120 of 131 penalties this year. Minnesota’s power-play unit ranks fourth nationally, scoring 24 power-play goals in 106 attempts. Minnesota, however, won’t get too many opportunities against Wisconsin’s penalty kill, however. The Badgers have the nation’s second-least penalty minutes as they average, 7.1 The Gophers, rank first in the category with 13.6 penalty minutes per game.
RETURNING HOME
Freshman forward Amanda Kessel will return home for the first time in her young college career. Hailing from Madison, Wis., Kessel played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s during her high school career, which is located in Faribault, Minn. Kessel played only played in one game against the Badgers last November as she separated her shoulder scoring a goal. She sat out in the 5-0 loss to Wisconsin, Nov. 6.
ON A ROLL
Sarah Erickson has been putting points on the board, especially since the Bemidji State series (12/3-4). After the Gophers were shut out by the Beavers (12/3), Erickson has tallied a point in nine-straight games. Of those nine games, six have been a goal, while three of those have been game-winners.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMEN
Minnesota has had scoring from every position this year, including the defensemen. Against WCHA opponents, Minnesota has four blue liners listed in the top-10 defensive scoring. Anne Schleper leads the league with 18 of her 20 points against WCHA foes. Kelly Seeler is tied for fifth (10), followed by Megan Bozek (nine) and Mira Jalosuo (seven). All four have been integral parts on the Gopher power-play units as well. Even in goal, Noora Räty has three assists on the season, including two assists against Wisconsin (11/5). Her other assist on the season came last weekend against Ohio State (1/22).
LEADING THE CHARGE
Although the Minnesota freshmen led the scoring charge early, the Gophers are getting points from everyone on the team. Amanda Kessel leads the Maroon and Gold scoring charge with 29 points in 22 games played. Kelly Terry has 27 points, while Sarah Erickson and Sarah Davis each have 22. The Gophers’ leading defenseman, Anne Schleper, has 20 points. In all, 17 Gophers have tallied a point this year.
MAKING HER MARK
With her eight shutouts this season, Noora Räty (pronounced RAH-too) has already tied the Gopher record for shutouts in a season. She has already tied Jody Horak’s school record of shutouts in a season, set in 2004-05. Räty now has 15 shutouts in her career. Former Gopher and Minnesota hall of fame honoree Erica Killewald holds the school record of 22 from 1997-2001, while All-American Horak had 20 from 2001-05.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Minnesota holds arguably one of the nation’s best goalies in sophomore Noora Räty. A returning All-American and Finland’s starting goaltender in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Räty holds a .951 save percentage and a 1.41 goals against average this year. She has also collected eight shutouts this year and 15 in her career. She currently ranks third in the country in goals against (1.41) and second in save percentage (.951).
WCHA STRENGTH
Minnesota is one of five WCHA teams currently ranked or receiving votes in this week’s polls. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota are all currently ranked, while Bemidji State is receiving votes. All WCHA teams have lost twice in conference competition. Wisconsin has lost twice, Minnesota six conference losses, while North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth have seven.
PAIRWISE RANKINGS
The Golden Gophers currently sit fourth in the PairWise Rankings, a tool generally used for the NCAA committee to determine the NCAA field in March. Like the polls, Wisconsin sits first, followed by Cornell and Boston University. Minnesota is ranked fourth, followed by Mercyhurst in fifth and Minnesota Duluth in sixth. Rounding out the top eight (only eight qualify for NCAA Regional competition) is North Dakota and Boston College.
IN THE WCHA RANKS
Although the Gophers don’t lead the WCHA in the overall points and goals categories, Minnesota holds the top three spots in the rookie points category. Kelly Terry has scored 25 of her 27 points against conference opponents, while Amanda Kessel has scored 21 of 29 and Sarah Davis 19 of her 22 points. Anne Schleper leads the WCHA in defensive scoring (18 of 20 points). Noora Räty leads the WCHA in save percentage (.946) and second in goals against (1.58).
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Minnesota is currently 8-5-1 against ranked opponents this season. The Gophers started the regular season with a two-game series against then-No. 7 Clarkson, sweeping the Golden Knights. The Gophers then hosted then-No. 10 North Dakota and were swept by the Sioux and No. 3 Minnesota Duluth. Minnesota split against No. 1 Wisconsin on November before sweeping No. 9 Harvard Thanksgiving weekend. Minnesota’s last ranked opponent win came against then No. 4 Minnesota Duluth (1/15).
