University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Face North Dakota in WCHA Semifinal
2/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
| 2016 WCHA Final Face-off | |
| Semifinal 1 | Saturday, March 5 | 2:07 p.m. | Wisconsin vs. UMD |
| Semifinal 2 | Saturday, March 5 | 5:07 p.m. | Minnesota vs. North Dakota |
| Championship | Sunday, March 6 | 2:07 p.m. | Semifinal Winners |
| Location | Ridder Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Tickets | MyGopherSports.com |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| Semifinal 1 | Free Video | |
| Semifinal 2 | Game Day Live | Free Video | Free Audio | |
| Championship | Game Day Live | Live TV FSN | FOX Sports Go Video | Free Audio | |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | North Dakota | Wisconsin | Minnesota Duluth |
| Tournament Info | WCHA.com | WCHA Final Face-off Central | @WCHA_WHockey |
| Social Media | @GopherWHockey | Facebook | Instagram | #WCHA |
Feb. 29, 2016
Minnesota Game Notes 
| North Dakota Game Notes
MINNEAPOLIS - Defending national champion Minnesota (31-3-1) is set for the 2016 WCHA Final Face-off after knocking off Ohio State by scores of 5-2 and 5-0 in a WCHA First Round best-of-three series last weekend. The WCHA Final Face-off returns to Ridder Arena for the ninth time in league history this weekend.
The No. 2 Gophers face No. 8 North Dakota (18-11-5) in the second WCHA semifinal game at 5 p.m. Saturday at Ridder Arena. Top-seeded 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 at 2 p.m. CT. The semifinal winners face off in Sunday's WCHA playoff championship game to battle for the postseason league title and the WCHA's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Puck drop for Sunday's championship is at 2 p.m. CT.
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.
WCHA Final Face-off Coverage
Saturday's semifinal games will be streamed for free online at WCHA.com and GopherSports.com with play-by-play from Jack Swanson and color commentary from Natalie Darwitz. Sunday's championship game will air live on FOX Sports North as well as online via FOX Sports Go. Both Gopher games will feature free audio on GopherSports.com, and live stats will be available for all three games through GopherSports.com and WCHA.com.
About the 2016 WCHA Final Face-off Field
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 with 4-0 and 6-0 wins.
North Dakota is back for the sixth-straight year following a pair of 6-1 wins over fifth seeded 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 with 5-1 and 2-1 (overtime) wins.
Gophers in the WCHA Postseason
Minnesota has won a WCHA-best six tournament titles (2002, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, and 2014), joining Minnesota Duluth (2000, 2001, 2003, 2008, and 2010) and Wisconsin (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2015) in combining to win all of 16 postseason championships in WCHA history. The Gophers own a 41-11-0 all-time mark in WCHA postseason games, including last weekend's sweep over Ohio State. Minnesota finished tied for third in last year's tournament, dropping a 1-0 decision to Bemidji State in the semifinal round.
Last Time Out: Gophers Advance with Sweep over Buckeyes
Minnesota brings a 17-game unbeaten streak into this weekend's series after sweeping Ohio State with 5-2 and 5-0 wins in the WCHA First Round best-of-three at home last weekend. Amanda Kessel scored two goals in game one of the series, and Dani Cameranesi led the way with four points (3g-1a), along with a 25-save shutout from Amanda Leveille, in game two.
NCAA Postseason on the Horizon
The WCHA Final Face-off champion earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. The NCAA selection show will air live on NCAA.com at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 6. The NCAA quarterfinal round is set for March 11-13, and the 2015 NCAA Women's Frozen Four will be held in Durham, N.H., Friday-Sunday, March 18-20.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. North Dakota
Minnesota enters this weekend with a 48-8-1 all-time record against North Dakota, including a 7-0-0 mark in postseason games. The Gophers are 2-1-1 against the Fighting Hawks this season, splitting a road series with a 5-1 win and 4-3 loss before posting a 3-0 win and 0-0 overtime tie at home at Ridder Arena in early February. The series dates back to November 2003, when the Gophers won the first meeting between the two teams, 6-2.
Scouting the Opponent: North Dakota
No. 8 North Dakota (18-11-5) enters the WCHA Final Face-off after a WCHA First Round sweep over St. Cloud State with a pair of 6-1 wins at home in Grand Forks, N.D., last weekend. The Fighting Hawks are on a three-game winning streak. Against the Huskies, UND was led by six points each from junior Amy Menke (3g-3a), senior Megan Dufault (3g-3a), and senior Becca Kohler (3g-3a), along with a two-game total of 37 saves from senior Shelby Amsley-Benzie.
The Fighting Hawks finished fourth in the WCHA regular-season standings with 47 points, falling one place from the team's third-place finish a year ago. UND tied for third at last year's WCHA Final Face-off, dropping a 4-1 decision to eventual WCHA champion Wisconsin in the semifinal.
Under head coach Brian Idalski, UND is led by Menke's 40 points (19g-21a). Dufault (12g-23a) and Kohler (16g-15a) have also surpassed the 30-point mark to round out the Fighting Hawks' top-three scorers. Junior Halli Krzyzaniak is North Dakota's top-scoring defenseman with 17 points (5g-12a). Amsley-Benzie has seen the majority of time in net this season with a 16-10-4 overall mark with a .929 save percentage and a 1.59 goals against average. Meanwhile, junior Lexie Shaw has seen action in four games.
Gophers Senior Class Success
Minnesota's five seniors, Hannah Brandt, Brook Garzone, Amanda Kessel, Amanda Leveille, and Milica McMillen, make up the program's most successful class in program history with an overall record of 144-8-6 for a .930 winning percentage and has a 100-6-6 mark (.920) in WCHA games from 2012-13 to 2015-16. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 768-178 during the seniors' four years in Maroon and Gold.
Frost Surpasses Coaching Milestone
With Minnesota's 7-0 win over St. Cloud State (Jan. 22), head coach Brad Frost became the winningest coach in Gopher women's hockey history, surpassing Laura Halldorson (278-67-22) for career coaching wins. Frost owns an all-time mark of 289-44-22 heading into this weekend's WCHA Final Face-off.
Leveille Makes Mark in Recordbooks
With two wins over the weekend, Amanda Leveille is 25-3-1 this season with nine shutouts, bringing her career totals to 31 shutouts and a 94-8-5 mark. She ranks second in Minnesota history in both career shutouts and career wins, trailing only Noora Raty (114-17-8 with 43 shutouts). Her 1.18 career goals against average is the best in Minnesota history, and her .946 career save percentage ties the Gophers' program record held by Raty. Leveille's 94 wins and 31 shutouts both rank fourth in NCAA history.
McMillen Closing in on Scoring Record
Milica McMillen is closing in on the Gophers' program record for career goals by a defenseman. She currently ranks second all-time with 44 goals, trailing only Megan Bozek's total of 47 career goals. Earlier this season, McMillen became the sixth Gopher defensemen in program history to surpass 100-career points, joining Megan Bozek (146), Winny Brodt (134), Rachel Ramsey (130), Anne Schleper (114), and Courtney Kennedy (112). She recorded her 100th-career point in Minnesota's 5-2 win over Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 23). Among all-time Gopher defensemen, McMillen is second in career goals (44), fourth in career points (119) and sixth in career assists (75).
Brandt Continues Climbing in NCAA, WCHA, & Minnesota Ranks
Hannah Brandt is the NCAA's active career scoring leader with 279 career points (114 goals, 165 assists). She is Minnesota's career leader in both points and assists and is second in Gopher history in career goals, trailing only Nadine Muzerall (139). Among all-time WCHA players, Brandt is the all-time assists leader and ranks second in career points chasing Jocelyne Lamoureux (285) and fifth in career goals. Among all-time NCAA players, she fourth in points, 10th in goals, and second in assists.
Scoring Leaders
Dani Cameranesi (32g-35a), Hannah Brandt (24g-34a), Sarah Potomak (12g-37a), and Kelly Pannek (22g-25a) are among the nation's top 10 leading scorers, ranked third, fifth, ninth, and 10th in points per game, respectively. Minnesota's offense ranks second in the NCAA at 4.94 goals per game. Sarah Potomak leads the nation's rookies in scoring with 1.48 points per game. She and Brandt lead the nation with 1.12 and 1.10 assists per game, respectively, as well.
Scoring Streaks
Gophers Dani Cameranesi (7g-6a) and Kelly Pannek (4g-4a) each bring team-best six-game point streaks into the WCHA Final Face-off.
Offensive Defense
As a defensive unit, the Gophers are second in the nation in scoring among defensemen averaging 3.46 points per game. Milica McMillen ranks eighth in the nation among defensemen with 0.82 points per game in 33 games and Megan Wolfe is 10th at 0.74 points per game in 35 games.
Power-Play Leaders
The Gophers continue to lead the nation at .457 (43/94) on the power play. Dani Cameranesi leads the nation with 13 power-play goals, which ranks fourth in Gopher all-time single-season records.
Second-Period Scoring
For the season, Minnesota has scored 73 second-period goals, compared to 53 in the first period and 45 in the third period. The Gophers have outscored their opponents 73-15 in the middle frame.
Gopher Fans are Nation's Best
Minnesota maintains its hold on the national attendance lead, averaging 1,563 fans per game. At home at Ridder Arena, the Gophers also lead the NCAA with 2,100 fans per game.
Home, Sweet Home
Minnesota is currently on a 35-game home unbeaten streak (32-0-3). The Gophers are 80-2-5 in their last 87 home games, dating back to Feb. 18, 2012.
Winning Ways
Minnesota is 161-9-6 in the team's last 176 games, a stretch that includes an NCAA-record 62-game winning streak (Feb. 28, 2012 through Nov. 17, 2013).
Up Next: NCAA Quarterfinal
The WCHA Final Face-off champion earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. The entire NCAA field will be announced live on NCAA.com at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 6. The NCAA quarterfinal round is set for March 11-13.
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