With just one month now remaining in the race for the 2009-10 Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season championship and a top five finish, two teams - Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State - share first place, just one point lies between the top three clubs and just four points separate the current top five. There is also a logjam between three teams who currently sit sixth and tied for seventh and are separated by just a single point.
St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth now share the top spot in the men's WCHA heading into the final four weeks of the 2009-10 regular season, after the Huskies took three points from visiting UAA and the Bulldogs rallied for a split at Michigan Tech. In non-conference action over the weekend, Colorado College, Denver and Wisconsin combined for a 5-0-0 mark to boost the league's non-conference mark to 45-22-5 (.660). The Badgers knocked off Michigan outdoors on Saturday in front of 55,031 in the Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic.
Bemidji State, behind a goal and assist from defenseman Montana Vichorek, a pair of assists from right winger Annie Bauerfeld and the 36-save shutout goaltending of Alana McElhinney, blanked host Wisconsin 2-0 on Feb. 7 in WCHA action to take over sole possession of fourth place with two weeks to go in the regular season. The Beavers were joined as victors on Sunday afternoon by Minnesota State, as the Mavericks also recorded a conference shutout in a 4-0 decision over visiting St. Cloud State.
The hottest team in women's college hockey - the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs - completed a crucial two-game sweep of league-leading Minnesota in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play on Saturday (Feb. 6) evening in Duluth with a 3-0 victory, keeping the race for the conference championship a two-team affair and joining the Gophers as a first round home WCHA playoff host.
CC, DU Gain Victories Feb. 5 to Up WCHA's Non-Conference Mark to 42-22-5; Saturday WCHA Games Feature UMD at MTU, UAA at SCSU; Wisconsin Hosts Michigan in Camp Randall Hockey Classic; CC Hosts Mercyhurst, DU Plays at Air Force
Three Men' WCHA Players Among 10 National Finalists
Goaltender Playing Key Role in First Collegiate Season
Recent Series Split Results in One Dominating Performance Per Team
Pioneers Move into First Place with Sweep at UND; Golden Gophers' Rookie Post Five Points
Just One Point Separates Four Teams From Third Place to Sixth Thru Games of Feb. 5
It's First Place Minnesota at Second Place Minnesota Duluth Feb. 5-6
League Endorses Action Taken by University
Gophers Win Twice vs MSU; Bulldogs Sweep at UND; Badger Freshman Nets Hat Trick
No. 1-ranked Minnesota Heads to No. 5 Minnesota Duluth for Highlight Series; No. 10 Wisconsin Hosts BSU Outdoors Saturday in Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic; Three Points Separate Four Teams; Latest National Poll has UM No. 1, UMD No. 5, UW No. 10; Tickets On Sale for 2010 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF