University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Host Huskies in 2014 Finale
12/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (14-1-2) vs. St. Cloud State (5-11-1) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Dec. 5 | 7 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 4 p.m. |
| Location | Ridder Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | BTN Plus Video | Free Audio | |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | St. Cloud State |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Dec. 3, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS - No. 2 Minnesota (14-1-2, 9-1-2-0 WCHA) returns home to host St. Cloud State (5-11-1, 2-7-1-1 WCHA) at Ridder Arena in its final series of 2014 this weekend. The Gophers and Huskies face off at 7 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. Free audio and live stats will be available at GopherSports.com, and both games will be streamed online via BTN Plus (subscription required).
During this weekend's series, the Gophers are pleased to host High School Weekend. Teams should send rosters to gsm@umn.edu with the subject "Gopher Women's Hockey High School Day" to register. Minnesota will also hold its annual Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday; fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears to donate to the Gophers' annual toy drive by throwing them on the ice after the first Gopher goal.
ABOUT THE SERIES: MINNESOTA VS. ST. CLOUD STATE
Minnesota and St. Cloud State met less than two weeks ago in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women's Faceoff Classic on Monday, Nov. 24. Led by Kelly Pannek's hat trick, the Gophers secured a 5-0 win over the Huskies to improve to 63-3-2 all-time against St. Cloud State. The all-time series dates back to Nov. 15, 1997.
The Gophers have won the last 21-straight meetings between the two teams.
Minnesota went 6-0-0 against St. Cloud State last season, including a postseason sweep in the WCHA first round. The Gophers also swept the Huskies twice during the 2013-14 regular season, winning 4-1 and 4-3 in early November and picking up 3-0 and 3-1 victories at Ridder Arena in late January before winning 4-1 and 7-1 in the best two-of-three WCHA series.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: ST. CLOUD STATE HUSKIES
St. Cloud State (5-11-1, 2-7-1-1 WCHA) enters this weekend's series Monday night's game looking to end a seven-game losing streak. The Huskies were shut out in four-straight games Nov. 15-24, falling to UMD 1-0, being swept by the Badgers 4-0 and 3-0 and dropping a 5-0 decision to the Gophers. Last weekend, the Huskies were swept at North Dakota, 6-1 and 3-1.
The Huskies are led by junior forward Molly Illikainen's 12 points on eight goals and four assists in 17 games played. Illikainen's eight goals include two shorthanded tallies. Seniors Audrey Hanmer (3g-6a) and Abby Ness (2g-5a) round out SCSU's top three scoring leaders so far this season.
Senior Julie Friend and junior Katie Fitzgerald have split time in net for SCSU. Friend has appeared in 10 games with a 4-6-0 record, a .900 save percentage and a 3.63 goals against average. Meanwhile, Fitzgerald is 1-5-1 and ranks 10th in the NCAA with a .934 save percentage and 11th in the nation with a 1.79 goals against average.
GOPHER QUICK HITS
- Dani Cameranesi leads the nation with five game-winning goals.
- Maryanne Menefee is on a team-best five-game point streak with seven points on two goals and five assists.
- Megan Wolfe recorded her first multi-point game of the season last weekend with two assists in Sunday's 5-2 win.
- Hannah Brandt leads the WCHA and ranks third in the nation with 28 points (14g-14a).
LAST TIME OUT: GOPHERS SWEEP TIGERS
Last weekend, the Gophers earned a non-conference road sweep over Princeton, winning 2-1 and 5-2. Hannah Brandt (2g-2a) and Dani Cameranesi (1g-2a) led the Gophers and Amanda Leveille combined for 34 saves to earn both wins in net for Minnesota.
The Gophers scored two third-period goals to secure a 2-1 win in the first game of the series. Hannah Brandt and Maryanne Menefee scored early in the third period to break a scoreless tie before Princeton's Jaimie McDonell scored on the Tigers' fourth power play of the game, but the Gophers held on for the 2-1 win.
Five different Gophers scored goals as Minnesota completed the sweep with a 5-2 win in game two. Brandt and Menefee each scored their second goals of the weekend, and Milica McMillen scored her NCAA-leading sixth power-play goal of the year. Cameranesi recorded three points (1g-2a), and Megan Wolfe and Kelly Pannek each had two assists.
HOME, SWEET HOME
The Gophers are 49-2-2 in their last 53 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012. This season, Minnesota leads the nation in home attendance, averaging 2,008 fans per game in seven home games.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE
The Gophers' defensemen lead the WCHA blue-liners in scoring, averaging 3.35 points per game. McMillen (8g-8a) ranks fourth in the nation and leads the WCHA defensemen with 16 points in 17 games for a 0.94 points per game average this year. Fellow Gopher blue-liners Rachel Ramsey (2g-11a) and Lee Stecklein (11a) are among the nation's top 20 defensive scorers as well.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Seventeen of Minnesota's 18 skaters have registered at least one point this season, including all four Gopher rookies led by Kelly Pannek's 14 points (4g-10a).
Ten Gophers are in double-figures for scoring, led by Hannah Brandt (14g-14a), Dani Cameranesi (15g-9a) and Rachael Bona (4g-13a). Brandt and Cameranesi lead the WCHA and rank among the nation's top six scorers with 1.75 points per game and 1.50 points per game, respectively. Cameranesi's 15 goals lead the WCHA and rank second in the nation.
With 67 goals in 17 games, the Gophers' offense ranks second in the WCHA and third in the nation, averaging 3.94 goals per game behind Boston College (5.81) and Wisconsin (4.28). Meanwhile, Minnesota's 1.24 goals against average is second in the WCHA and fifth in the NCAA.
LEVEILLE LEADS WCHA GOALTENDERS
Goaltender Amanda Leveille ranks second in the WCHA and seventh in the nation with a 1.38 goals against average. Her .939 save percentage is also second in the league and ranks ninth in the NCAA. She also leads the WCHA with a .893 winning percentage (12-1-1).
SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS
Milica McMillen leads the NCAA with six power-play goals each this season, and the Gophers have the nation's top power-play unit, converting on 22 of 66 opportunities for a .333 percentage.
SENIOR CLASS BOASTS IMPRESSIVE WINNING PERCENTAGE
Minnesota's senior class of Rachael Bona, Meghan Lorence, Rachel Ramsey, Shyler Sletta owns a 127-8-5 overall record for a .925 winning percentage during their time in Maroon & Gold, including a 14-1-2 mark this season.
WINNING WAYS
Minnesota is 109-4-4 in the team's last 117 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013).
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Minnesota has scored 14 goals in the final two minutes of a period this season, including eight goals in the final 60 seconds. Dani Cameranesi has scored six of the 14 late goals, including two goals with 19:59 on the clock. Four of the eight goals in the final 60 seconds have been scored with less than 10 seconds remaining.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Gophers are 52-0-1 in their last 53 true road games (not including neutral-site games); Minnesota's last true road loss was a 4-2 loss at Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 13, 2012. Including all games away from Ridder Arena, Minnesota is 59-1-1 since Jan. 14, 2012.
SCORING MILESTONES
Rachael Bona's next goal will mark her 50th goal as a Gopher. She currently has 125 career points on 49 goals and 76 assists. Likewise, Milica McMillen's next assist will be her 50th in Maroon & Gold. Maryanne Menefee also is closing in on a scoring milestone with 86 career points on 39 goals and 47 assists.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE SECOND HALF
When the Gophers return to action in January, they will enjoy the comforts of Ridder Arena. Seven of Minnesota first 10 games to open 2015 will be at home with the Gophers hosting St. Lawrence (Jan. 4/6), Wisconsin (Jan. 10-11), Minnesota State (Jan. 16) and Ohio State (Jan. 30-31). The team's second half road trips include Minnesota State (Jan. 17), St. Cloud State (Jan. 23-24), North Dakota (Feb. 6-7) and Bemidji State (Feb. 20-21); the Gophers also host Minnesota Duluth Feb. 13-14. The postseason kicks off with the WCHA First Round Feb. 27 through March 1.
ROOKIES FINDING THEIR WAY
All four Gopher freshmen have made their debuts in Maroon & Gold and recorded their first collegiate points. Kelly Pannek (4g-10a) ranks third in scoring among WCHA rookies, averaging 0.82 points per game, and Cara Piazza (3g-3a), Sydney Baldwin (2a) and Nina Rodgers (1a) have made their way onto the score sheet as well.
QUARTET SERVING AS GOPHER CAPTAINS
Minnesota's captains this season are seniors Rachael Bona and Rachel Ramsey, and senior Meghan Lorence and sophomore Lee Stecklein are serving as assistant captains.
UP NEXT: GOPHERS HOST ST. LAWRENCE FOLLOWING HOLIDAY BREAK
Minnesota has a four-week break from competition, returning to action to host St. Lawrence at Ridder Arena. The Gophers and Saints face off at 4:07 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 and 7:07 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6. Free audio and live stats will be available at GopherSports.com, and both games will be streamed online via BTN Plus (subscription required).
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