University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Host St. Cloud State Friday and Saturday
10/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Oct. 6, 2011
The Golden Gopher women's hockey team is at home for a second consecutive weekend, and will host St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game will start at 6 p.m., with Saturday's game time at 4 p.m.
Minnesota is listed at No. 3 in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/AHM national polls, moving up one spot after being listed at No. 4 in both polls last week. The Gophers are among four WCHA teams listed in the top 10 in the poll, with defending national champion Wisconsin still in the top spot. North Dakota is listed at No. 6, with Minnesota Duluth coming in at No. 7.
This weekend markd the WCHA opener for both St. Cloud and Minnesota. The Gophers are 18-4-2 (.792) in WCHA openers, including eight sweeps.
Look for the Minnesota's top line (Amanda Kessel, Jen Schoullis and Sarah Erickson) to produce as the Gophers take on the Huskies. The first line was impressive in the opening weekend, with Erickson tallying six points and Kessel and Schoullis each getting five points. Of Minnesota's 10 goals over the weekend, the first line accounted for six of the goals. The first line is the only one of Minnesota's four lines to have played together before this season.
In addition to strong forwards, Minnesota's defensive players are not afraid to take shots. Three of Minnesota's 10 goals last weekend were scored by defenseman. Freshman Rachel Ramsey was the first Gopher defenseman to score this season, netting the final goal in Minnesota's 6-1 over Union on Friday. Against Syracuse on Saturday, junior defensemen Megan Bozek and Mira Jalosuo each scored goals. In Saturday's game, defenseman Anne Schleper was the team leader in shots.
Freshman defenseman Rachel Ramsey scored a goal in her first collegiate game, netting Minnesota's sixth goal of the game against Union on Friday night. The last time a Gopher freshman scored a goal in her first career game was last season when Amanda Kessel scored twice in Minnesota's 5-0 win over Clarkson.
Junior goalie Noora Raty started both of last weekend's games, and will start again this weekend. She stopped 24 of 25 shots on goal in last weekend's tournament. On Saturday, Raty recorded her 17th career shutout. She is currently third on Minnesota's all-time career shutouts list and needs just four shutouts to tie the Minnesota career record. The record is currently held by Erica Killewald, who had 21 career shutouts from 1998-2001. Jody Horak had 20 shutouts in her career from 2002-05.
The Huskies opened their season at Ridder Arena last weekend with games against Syracuse and Union in the East/West Showcase. On Friday, St. Cloud State lost to Syracuse 1-2, but came back on Saturday to win against Union 4-1. Players to watch include senior Brittany Toor, who is leading the Huskies in scoring with a goal and two assists for three points. Lisa Martinson and Alex Nelson each have two points so far this season.
Minnesota is 43-2-1 against the Huskies and has won the last eight meetings between the teams. Last season, Minnesota defeated St. Cloud State 5-0 and 3-0 in St. Cloud, and won 8-0 and 4-1 at Ridder Arena.
