University of Minnesota Athletics
Top-Two Border Battle Up Next for Gophers
10/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (3-0-1) at No. 1 Wisconsin (6-0-0) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Oct. 17 | 7 p.m. | LaBahn Arena | Madison, Wis. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Oct. 18 | 3 p.m. | LaBahn Arena | Madison, Wis. |
| Tickets | UWBadgers.com |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | | Free Audio | Live Video (subscription) |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | | Free Audio | Live Video (subscription) |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Wisconsin |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Oct. 15, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 2 Minnesota (3-0-1, 1-0-1-0) continues WCHA action on the road this weekend, traveling to No. 1 Wisconsin (6-0-0, 4-0-0) for a Friday-Saturday series. Game time is 7:07 p.m. Friday and 3:07 p.m. Saturday at LaBahn Arena.
The Gophers opened league play with a win and a tie on the road at Minnesota Duluth last weekend. Minnesota earned a 3-0 shutout win on Friday before ending the weekend with a 3-3 overtime tie on Saturday. The Bulldogs won the shootout, 2-1, to secure an extra point in the WCHA standings.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with a 40-26-8 all-time mark against Wisconsin. The Gophers have won the last 11-straight meetings between the two teams, including most recently a 5-3 comeback win in the 2014 NCAA Women's Frozen Four semifinal. The Gophers' senior class is 12-1-1 against Wisconsin, and the rest of the team has never lost to the Badgers.
Scouting the Opponent: No. 1 Wisconsin
No. 1 Wisconsin (6-0-0, 4-0-0 WCHA) swept Ohio State at home last weekend, winning 6-0 and 3-0 over the Buckeyes (2-2-0, 0-2-0-0 WCHA). The Badgers opened the season with road sweeps at Lindenwood and Minnesota Duluth. After improving to 6-0-0 over the weekend, the Badgers took over the No. 1 national ranking for the first time since 2012.
Through six games this season, 14 different Badgers have scored goals. Eight of those 14 players have scored multiple goals this season. Behind balanced scoring, Wisconsin leads the nation in scoring offense with 5.00 goals per game. Wisconsin also ranks third in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 0.67 goals per contest.
Brittany Ammerman leads Wisconsin with five goals on the season, including four against Ohio State last weekend. The fifth-year senior brings an eight-game point streak into this weekend's series, dating back to UW's 2-1 win over Harvard in the NCAA quarterfinals last year. Fellow senior Karley Sylvester leads the nation in points with 12 on three goals and nine assists, and freshman Annie Pankowski leads the nation with 10 assists.
Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week after posting back-to-back shutouts against Ohio State. She ranks seventh in the nation with a .965 save percentage and a 0.75 goals against average in four games this year.
Weekend Rewind: Gophers at Bulldogs
The Gophers opened league play with a win and a tie on the road at Minnesota Duluth last weekend. Minnesota earned a 3-0 shutout win on Friday before ending the weekend with a 3-3 overtime tie on Saturday.
In Friday's 3-0 win, Dani Cameranesi (1g-2a) and Hannah Brandt (2g) led the offense while Amanda Leveille earned her 17th career shutout with 26 saves.
Saturday, the Gophers tied the game late in the third period to send the game to overtime after the Bulldogs led 2-0 and 3-1. Brandt led Minnesota with two goals, and Leveille made 25 saves. Meghan Lorence also scored for the Gophers, but the game ended in a 3-3 overtime tie. Leveille made two shootout saves, and Brandt scored the Gophers' lone goal as UMD won the four-round shootout, 2-1.
Top-Two Battle Marks Familiar Territory
Minnesota is 12-1-1 against Wisconsin over the last three seasons, and five of those 14 games have pitted No. 1 vs. No. 2. Either Minnesota or Wisconsin has held the No. 1 national ranking in each of the last 14 games between the two teams. The Badgers owned the top ranking during five meetings in the 2011-12 season and Minnesota ranked No. 1 during four meetings in 2012-13 and five meetings last season.
In the five top-two battles, Minnesota is 4-0-1. The top-ranked Gophers beat No. 2 Wisconsin twice last season, winning 3-2 and 4-0 (Feb. 14-15). Back in the 2011-12 season, No. 1 Wisconsin tied 3-3 and lost 1-0 to No. 2 Minnesota (Jan. 6-7) before also dropping a 4-2 decision to the No. 2 Gophers in the 2012 national championship game.
Offensive Defense
The Gophers' defensemen lead the nation's blue-liners in scoring, averaging 5.25 points per game. Minnesota is led by Milica McMillen (3g-2a), Lee Stecklein (5a) and Rachel Ramsey (4a), and all three rank among the NCAA's top five defensive scorers.
Spreading the Wealth
Fifteen of Minnesota's 18 skaters already have registered at least one point this season, including three of the Gophers' four rookies. Freshmen Cara Piazza (2g), Nina Rodgers (1a) and Kelly Pannek (1a) have all recorded their first collegiate points. Through four games, Hannah Brandt (6g-2a) leads the Gophers and is tied for third in the nation with eight points. Dani Cameranesi (3g-3a), Rachael Bona (5a), Meghan Lorence (4g-1a), Milica McMillen (3g-2a) and Lee Stecklein (5a) join Brandt to make up Minnesota's top scorers so far this year.
Special Teams Off to a Strong Start
The Gophers own the top power play unit in the NCAA, converting on eight of 15 opportunities for a .533 percentage. Milica McMillen is tied for the national lead with three power-play goals, averaging 0.75 power play goals per game. On the penalty kill, Minnesota is 17-for-18 and tied for sixth in the nation with a .944 penalty kill percentage.
Skate with the Gophers Set for Nov. 1
Registration is now open for Minnesota's annual Skate with the Gophers event on Saturday, Nov. 1. The event will follow the Gophers' game against Bemidji State at Ridder Arena. Faceoff for the game is at 4:07 p.m., and the event will be capped at 250 individuals.
Minnesota Adds Four Freshmen for 2014-15
All four Gopher freshmen have already made their debuts in Maroon & Gold as defenseman Sydney Baldwin and forwards Kelly Pannek, Cara Piazza and Nina Rodgers joined Minnesota for their rookie seasons in 2014-15.
The 2014 Minnesota Ms. Hockey, Baldwin led Minnetonka High School to an unprecedented three-straight Minnesota Class AA State titles in 2011, 2012 and 2013. She finished her varsity career with 112 points on 39 goals and 73 assists.
Pannek, also a standout soccer player, led Benilde-St. Margaret's High School to a runner-up finish at the 2014 Minnesota Class AA State Tournament. She was named to 2014 Minnesota Class AA All-Tournament Team after leading all players with 11 points on seven goals and four assists in the tournament and recorded 88 points during her senior season.
Piazza joins the Gophers from Darien, Ill., where she played for the Chicago Mission. Piazza served as assistant captain of U-19 Chicago Mission team last season. She and the Mission finished 2-2-0-0-0 in pool play at 2014 USA Hockey Girls' Tier I National Championship after earning national runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2011 and finishing third in 2010.
Rodgers scored 50 points, including 26 goals, as a senior for Hopkins High School last season. A 2014 Minnesota Ms. Hockey finalist, Rodgers helped Hopkins to a third-place finish at the 2010 Minnesota Class AA state tournament as well.
Quartet Set to Captain Minnesota
Seniors Rachael Bona and Rachel Ramsey will serve as captains, and they will be assisted by senior Meghan Lorence and sophomore Lee Stecklein. Bona ranked third in the nation and second on the team with a career-high 61 points (23g-38a), and she was a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as a junior. A 2014 All-American and the 2014 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, Ramsey ranked second in the nation in scoring among defensemen with 43 points on 12 goals and 31 assists last season.
Lorence and Stecklein will serve as assistant captains of the 2014-15 squad. Lorence recorded a career-high 35 points on 18 goals and 17 assists in 35 games last season. Meanwhile, Stecklein missed the 2013-14 season while competing with the U.S. Women's National Team at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. She recorded one assist and played in five games at the Olympics.
Up Next: Gophers host North Dakota
Minnesota returns to Ridder Arena to host North Dakota in a Friday-Saturday series, Oct. 24-25. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CT Friday and 4 p.m. CT Saturday. The Gophers are 43-6-0 all-time against UND, including a 4-1-0 mark against North Dakota last season.
Gopher women's hockey and Gopher volleyball are pleased to offer a Rivalry Day ticket package for the Saturday, Oct. 25 game when volleyball hosts Iowa at 7 p.m. following the women's hockey game against North Dakota. Fans can purchase a women's hockey general admission ticket, a volleyball reserved ticket and a $5 concession voucher, all for just $15.
In addition to offering the Rivalry Day ticket package, Minnesota is set to celebrate the 40th anniversary of U of M club women's hockey on Saturday as well.
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