University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Begin Playoffs with Mavericks
2/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (29-2-4) vs. Minnesota State (3-30-1) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Feb. 27 | 7 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 4 p.m. |
| Game 3 (if necessary) | Sunday, March 1 | 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 | Minnesota State |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Feb. 25, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - WCHA regular season-champion and national No. 2 Minnesota (29-2-4, 22-2-4-2 WCHA) hosts eighth-place Minnesota State (3-30-1, 1-26-1-0 WCHA) in the WCHA First Round at Ridder Arena this weekend. The best-of-three series is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. Game three, if necessary, is at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Subscription video will be available via BTN Plus, and free audio and live stats will be available at GopherSports.com for both games. Saturday's game, and Sunday's game if necessary, will also air live on Sports Radio 105 FM The Ticket in Minneapolis.
Minnesota begins the postseason as three-time defending WCHA FINAL FACEOFF champions and looks for an unprecedented fourth-straight league title this year. The Gophers have won a WCHA-best six tournament titles (2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014), joining Minnesota Duluth (2000, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2010) and Wisconsin (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) in combining to win all of 15 postseason championships in WCHA history.
ABOUT THE SERIES: MINNESOTA VS. MINNESOTA STATE
Minnesota is 69-3-3 all-time against Minnesota State. The Gophers swept the Mavericks in two home-and-home series this season. Minnesota won 5-1 and 4-0 in November before recording back-to-back seven-goal games in 7-3 and 7-1 wins in January.
WCHA FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
Second-place Wisconsin hosts seventh-place St. Cloud State, third-place North Dakota hosts sixth-place Ohio State and fourth-place Minnesota Duluth hosts fifth-place Bemidji State in the other WCHA First Round series this weekend.
The WCHA First Round winners advance to the 2015 WCHA FINAL FACEOFF hosted by North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., next weekend, March 7-8. The NCAA quarterfinal round is set for March 13-15, and the 2015 NCAA Women's Frozen Four returns to Ridder Arena March 20 and 22.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: MINNESOTA STATE
Minnesota State (3-30-1, 1-26-1-0 WCHA) enters this weekend's series on a seven-game losing streak. The Mavericks were shut out in a series at North Dakota last weekend, falling 7-0 and 2-0 in their WCHA regular-season finale. Minnesota State has three wins on the season, defeating Lindenwood twice and most recently topping St. Cloud State, 5-1, on Feb. 2.
The Mavericks have 11 freshmen in their lineup and are led by rookie forward Nicole Schammel's 21 points (11g-10a). Fellow freshman forward Hannah Davidson has 15 points (6g-9a), and senior forward Kathleen Rogan rounds out the team's top three scorers with 12 points (3g-9a).
Junior goaltender Erin Krichiver has played in 25 games (2-22-1) with a .909 save percentage and a 3.86 goals against average. Sophomore Brianna Quade has 12 appearances this season, going 1-8-0 with a .890 save percentage and a 4.81 goals against average.
The Mavericks are the most penalized team in the nation, averaging 11.4 penalty minutes per game, and they are 117-for-153 (.765) with three shorthanded goals on the penalty kill. Minnesota State is ninth in the nation in combined special teams at 52.5 percent (124-for-236).
GOPHER QUICK HITS
- Hannah Brandt leads the WCHA and is second in the nation with 62 points.
- Kelly Pannek leads the nation's rookies with 39 points (12g-27a).
- Dani Cameranesi is closing in on her 100th career point with 91 points (40g-51a).
- Rachel Ramsey needs four assists to tie Megan Bozek (99a) for the most assists by a defenseman in program history.
LAST TIME OUT: REGULAR SEASON ENDS WITH SWEEP AT BSU
The Gophers ended the regular season with a sweep at Bemidji State. Minnesota won 3-2 on a late Rachael Bona goal on Friday before skating to a 4-2 win on Saturday. Dani Cameranesi (2g-2a) led all players with four points in the series. Megan Lorence recorded her 100th career point with a power-play goal in game two of the series, and Amanda Leveille and Sidney Peters each earned a win in net.
HOME, SWEET HOME
The Gophers return to Ridder Arena this weekend on a five-game winning streak and a 12-game home unbeaten streak (10-0-2). Minnesota is 125-5-5 in the team's last 135 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013). The Gophers are 58-2-4 in their last 64 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012. This season, Minnesota is 14-1-3 at home and leads the nation in home attendance at 1,984 fans per game in 18 home games.
FROZEN FOUR RETURNS TO RIDDER ARENA
The 2015 NCAA Women's Frozen Four will be held at Ridder Arena March 20 and 22, and tickets are entirely sold out. Fans interested in being put on a waitlist should additional tickets be made available should contact the Gopher Sales & Service Department at 612-624-8080 (option 2).
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE
The Gophers' defensemen lead the nation's blue-liners in scoring, averaging 3.43 points per game. Rachel Ramsey (8g-23a) leads the WCHA and ranks third in the nation with 0.89 points per game, and Milica McMillen (10g-15a) is third in the WCHA and seventh in the nation with 0.78 points per game.
SCORING LEADERS
Seven Gophers have hit the 30-point mark this season, led by Hannah Brandt (27g-35a), Dani Cameranesi (21g-34a) and Kelly Pannek (12g-27a). Maryanne Menefee (18g-17a) and Rachael Bona (13g-22a) round out the Gophers' top-five scorers. Thirteen Gophers are in double-figures for scoring, and all 18 skaters have at least one point.
Hannah Brandt leads the WCHA and is second in the nation with 62 points. Her 1.82 points per game is third in the NCAA. Brandt leads the WCHA with 27 goals and 35 assists as well. Dani Cameranesi is second to Brandt in the WCHA with 21 goals, 34 assists and 55 points.
With 156 goals in 35 games, the Gophers' offense leads the WCHA and ranks second in the nation, averaging 4.46 goals per game behind Boston College (5.18). Meanwhile, Minnesota's 1.20 goals against average is second in the WCHA and ranks fourth in the NCAA behind Quinnipiac (1.12), Wisconsin (1.12) and Boston College (1.12).
LEVEILLE AMONG NATION'S TOP GOALTENDERS
Amanda Leveille ranks third in the WCHA and fifth in the nation with a 1.23 goals against average. She is also third in the WCHA and fourth in the NCAA with a .943 save percentage. Leveille leads the WCHA and ranks second in the nation with a .875 winning percentage (23-2-3) as well.
POWER PLAY LEADERS
The Gophers have the nation's top power-play unit, converting on 37 of 119 opportunities for a .311 percentage. Milica McMillen and Dani Cameranesi are tied for fifth in the nation with seven power-play goals each.
BRANDT, GOPHERS REACH SCORING MILESTONES
Hannah Brandt became the seventh Gopher to surpass the 200-career point mark, registering her 200th point on an assist in the Gophers' 4-0 win over St. Cloud State (Jan. 23). She enters this weekend's series against Minnesota State ranked sixth among all-time Gophers with 209 points on 83 goals and 126 assists.
Meanwhile, Meghan Lorence registered her 100th career point with a power-play goal against Bemidji State (Feb. 21). Dani Cameranesi (40g-51a) and Milica McMillen (34g-56a) are also approaching the century mark for career scoring.
ROOKIES FINDING THEIR WAY
Kelly Pannek leads the nation's rookies with 39 points (12g-27a), and all four Gopher freshman have made their way onto the score sheet this season. Cara Piazza (10g-3a), Sydney Baldwin (3g-5a) and Nina Rodgers (4g-2a) join Pannek to make up the nation's fourth-highest scoring rookie class.
NATIONAL TEAM ACTION
USA Hockey recently announced that Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Lee Stecklein and Anne Schleper have been named to the U.S. Women's National Team roster for the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship in Malmo, Sweden, March 28 to April 4.
UP NEXT: WCHA FIRST ROUND WINNERS MOVE ON
The four WCHA First Round winners advance to the 2015 WCHA FINAL FACEOFF hosted by North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., next weekend, March 7-8. Semifinal games are set for 2 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. CT Saturday, March 7, and puck drop for the championship game is 1 p.m. CT Sunday, March 8.
###
