University of Minnesota Athletics
WCHA Final Face-off Field Set
2/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Feb. 28, 2016
2016 WCHA Final Face-off Tournament Central | Tickets
MINNEAPOLIS - The 2016 WCHA Final Face-off field is set as Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Minnesota Duluth will join the Golden Gophers in competing for the league's postseason crown at Ridder Arena this weekend.
All four WCHA First Round best-of-three series were decided in two games. The field includes a trio of nationally-ranked teams in No. 2 Minnesota, No. 3 Wisconsin, and No. 10 North Dakota, and a fourth that scored a big quarterfinal-round upset on the road, in Minnesota Duluth.
Two semifinal games are scheduled for 2:07 p.m. CT and 5:07 p.m. CT Saturday. National No. 2 and No. 2 seed Minnesota (31-3-1) will face No. 3 seed and No. 10 nationally North Dakota (18-11-5) in the second semifinal after top-seeded and national No. 3 Wisconsin (32-3-1) faces No. 4 seed Minnesota Duluth (15-20-1), which upset Bemidji State in the first round, in the first semifinal.
The two semifinal winners will play Sunday, March 6 at 2:07 p.m. CT for the WCHA playoff championship and an automatic berth into the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
All-tournament packages or single-session tickets are available for purchase directly through the Gopher Sales & Service Department; in-person at Mariucci Arena (during regular office hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday), via phone at 612-624-8080 (Option 2) or online at MyGopherSports.com.
Minnesota is making its 17th-consecutive appearance in the WCHA semifinal round after knocking off Ohio State in two games, winning 5-2 and 5-0, while WCHA regular-season champion Wisconsin is playing in its sixth-straight WCHA Final Face-Off after sweeping Minnesota State.
North Dakota is back for the sixth-straight year following a pair of wins over St. Cloud State. After missing out last season, Minnesota Duluth is back in the league's championship event following an upset sweep over host Bemidji State.
2016 WCHA Final Face-Off Schedule
Semifinal games: Saturday, March 5
(1) Wisconsin vs. (4) Minnesota Duluth, 2:07 p.m. CT
(2) Minnesota vs. (3) North Dakota, 5:07 p.m. CT
Championship Game: Sunday, March 6
Semifinal #1 winner vs. Semifinal #2 winner - 2:07 p.m. CT
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