University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Face Road Test at North Dakota
2/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| No. 2 Minnesota (24-1-4) at No. 8 North Dakota (15-10-3) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, Feb. 6 | 7 p.m. |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Feb. 7 | 4 p.m. |
| Location | Ralph Engelstad Arena | Grand Forks, N.D. |
| Game 1 | Game Day Live | UND Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Game 2 | Game Day Live | UND Video | Free Audio | Live Stats |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | North Dakota |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
Feb. 4, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 2 Minnesota women's hockey team (24-1-4, 17-1-4-2 WCHA) travels to Grand Forks, N.D., to take on No. 8 North Dakota (15-10-3, 11-8-3-2 WCHA) this weekend. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Friday and 4 p.m. CT Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Fans can follow the action with subscription video via UNDSports.com, along with free audio and live stats at GopherSports.com. Saturday's game will also air live on Sports Radio 105 FM The Ticket in Minneapolis and on television on Midco SN, FCS Central in Grand Forks, N.D. North Dakota is hosting "Pack the Ralph" on Friday night and is offering $1 admission to all fans.
ABOUT THE SERIES: MINNESOTA VS. NORTH DAKOTA
The Gophers are 45-6-0 all-time against UND, including most recently a sweep with 5-2 and 5-0 wins at Ridder Arena in Oct. 2014. In Minnesota's series-opening 5-2 win, Dani Cameranesi and Milica McMillen each scored two goals. Hannah Brandt then led the way in the team's 5-0 win, contributing to each tally with five points on two goals and three assists.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: NORTH DAKOTA
No. 8 North Dakota (15-10-3, 11-8-3-2 WCHA) enters this weekend's series after taking five of six points on the road at No. 7/6 Minnesota Duluth last weekend. UND picked up a 1-0 win before skating to a 2-2 overtime tie and a 2-1 shootout win over UMD. North Dakota is on a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) with wins over Ohio State and Bemidji State in addition to the Bulldogs.
North Dakota has seven players in double-figures for scoring led by junior forwards Becca Kohler (9g-15a) and Meghan Dufault (8g-16a) with 24 points each. Sophomore forward Amy Menke (9g-10a) and senior forward Josephine Jakobsen (9g-8a) also have nine goals on the year, tied with Kohler for the team lead.
North Dakota is the third-most penalized team in the country, averaging 10.4 penalty minutes per game, but the team also owns the nation's third-ranked penalty kill at 90.7 percent (98-of-108). Four players have scored short-handed goals (Kohler, Dufault, Menke and Andrea Dalen). UND is second in the nation in combined special teams at 60.4 percent (113-for-187) with 15 power-play goals in 79 attempts (19.0 percent.
Goaltenders Shelby Amsley-Benzie (11-5-3) and Lexi Shaw (4-5-0) have both seen time in net. Amsley-Benzie has started 19 games and leads the NCAA with a .949 save percentage. Her 1.35 goals against average ranks fifth in the nation and third in the WCHA. Meanwhile, Shaw has a .912 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average.
GOPHER QUICK HITS
- Hannah Brandt leads the WCHA and ranks second in the nation with 57 points (24g-33a).
- Kelly Pannek has 12 points (3g-9a) during a team-best six-game point streak.
- Meghan Lorence is closing in on her 100th point, entering this weekend's series with 96 career points (47g-49a).
- Amanda Leveille leads the WCHA with a 1.22 goals against average.
LAST TIME OUT: GOPHERS TAKE FIVE OF SIX POINTS FROM OSU
Minnesota enters this weekend's series after taking five of six WCHA points from Ohio State last weekend. The teams tied 3-3 in overtime on Friday, but Minnesota won the shootout, 3-1, to secure an extra point in the league standings. The Gophers then earned a 3-1 win on Saturday. Kelly Pannek led Minnesota with four points (1g-3a) in the series.
FROZEN FOUR RETURNS TO RIDDER ARENA
The 2015 NCAA Women's Frozen Four will take place March 20 and 22 at Ridder Arena, and reserved chairback, bench and group tickets are sold out. All-session standing room only tickets are on sale now for $20. Visit MyGopherSports.com or contact the box office by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER for more information.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE
The Gophers' defensemen lead the nation's blue-liners in scoring, averaging 3.55 points per game. Rachel Ramsey (6g-20a) ranks sixth in the nation with 0.90 points per game, and Milica McMillen (10g-11a) is close behind in eighth with 0.81 points per game. The duo also ranks second and third in the WCHA among defensive scorers.
BALANCED SCORING
Five Gophers have cracked the 30-point mark this season, led by Hannah Brandt (24g-33a), Dani Cameranesi (17g-30a) and Kelly Pannek (11g-27a). Rachael Bona (12g-20a) and Maryanne Menefee (16g-15a) round out the Gophers' top-five scorers. Thirteen Gophers are in double-figures for scoring, and all 18 skaters have at least one point. Furthermore, 16 players have scored at least one goal.
With 137 goals in 29 games, the Gophers' offense leads the WCHA and ranks second in the nation, averaging 4.72 goals per game behind Boston College (5.41). Meanwhile, Minnesota's 1.14 goals against average leads the WCHA and ranks second in the NCAA behind Quinnipiac (1.00).
LEVEILLE LEADS WCHA GOALTENDERS
Amanda Leveille leads the WCHA and ranks third in the nation with a 1.22 goals against average. She is second 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 .891 winning percentage (19-1-3) as well.
SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS
Milica McMillen is tied for third in the nation with seven power-play goals this season, and the Gophers have the nation's top power-play unit, converting on 33 of 103 opportunities for a .320 percentage.
GOPHERS CLINCH HOME ICE FOR WCHA FIRST ROUND
In taking five of six league points from fifth-place Ohio State last weekend, the Gophers clinched home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs. Minnesota leads the league with 57 points, followed by Wisconsin (50 points), Minnesota Duluth (41) and North Dakota (38). All four teams have six regular-season games, and 18 league points, remaining; the Gophers cannot finish lower than third in the regular-season standings.
SENIOR CLASS BOASTS IMPRESSIVE WINNING PERCENTAGE
Minnesota's senior class of Rachael Bona, Meghan Lorence, Rachel Ramsey, Shyler Sletta owns a 137-8-7 overall record for a .924 winning percentage during their time in Maroon & Gold, including a 24-1-4 mark this season.
WINNING WAYS
Minnesota is 120-4-5 in the team's last 129 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013). The Gophers are 56-2-4 in their last 62 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012.
FROST MILESTONE ON THE HORIZON
Brad Frost is closing in on his 250th career win as the Gophers' head coach. Entering this weekend's series against North Dakota, Frost owns a career mark of 248-39-21 for a .839 winning percentage.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Minnesota has scored 23 goals in the final two minutes of a period this season, including 13 goals in the final 60 seconds. Dani Cameranesi has scored six of the 23 late goals, including two goals with 19:59 on the clock. Four of the 13 goals in the final 60 seconds have been scored with less than 10 seconds remaining.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Gophers are 55-0-1 in their last 56 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 62-1-1 since Jan. 14, 2012.
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 Ohio State ranked sixth among all-time Gophers with 204 points on 80 goals and 124 assists. Meanwhile, three Gophers are closing in on the 100-career point mark. Meghan Lorence (47g-49a), Milica McMillen (34g-52a) and Dani Cameranesi (36g-47a) are approaching the century mark for scoring.
LISTEN TO GOPHER WOMEN'S HOCKEY ON 105 FM THE TICKET
The Gophers are pleased to announce that Sports Radio 105 FM The Ticket in Minneapolis will broadcast the team's remaining Saturday regular-season games locally on 105.1, 105.3 and 105.7 FM. The postseason radio broadcast schedule is still being finalized.
GOPHERS SIGN THREE FOR 2015-16
The Gophers have signed Sarah Potomak (Aldergrove, British Columbia), Sophie Skarzynski (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Taylor Williamson (Edina, Minn.) to attend the University of Minnesota and join the team for the 2015-16 academic year.
POSTSEASON ON THE HORIZON
The Gophers have just three regular-season series remaining, playing at North Dakota (Feb. 6-7), at home against Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 13-14) and at Bemidji State (Feb. 20-21). The postseason kicks off with the WCHA First Round Feb. 27 through March 1 before the 2015 WCHA FINAL FACEOFF hosted by North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., 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.
ROOKIES FINDING THEIR WAY
All four Gopher freshmen have recorded their first collegiate points. Kelly Pannek leads the nation's rookies with 38 points (11g-27a) and a 1.31 points per game average. Cara Piazza (9g-3a), Sydney Baldwin (3g-5a) and Nina Rodgers (4g-2a) have made their way onto the score sheet as well.
UP NEXT: GOPHERS RETURN HOME TO HOST BULLDOGS
Minnesota returns to Ridder Arena to host Minnesota Duluth next weekend. Puck drop between UMD and the Gophers is set for 7 p.m. CT Friday, Feb. 13 and 4 p.m. CT Saturday, Feb. 14. Subscription video via BTN Plus, free audio and live stats are available at GopherSports.com for both games, and Saturday's game will air live on Sports Radio 105 FM The Ticket in Minneapolis.
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