WCHA Front-Runners Wisconsin, North Dakota Win Friday; Michigan Tech Ends Denver Streak
Jan. 8, 2005
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MADISON, Wisc. The two front-runners in the race for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season championship and the MacNaughton Cup Wisconsin and North Dakota both won their conference matchups on Friday (Jan. 7) night to maintain their holds on first and second place, respectively.
The No. 6/7-ranked Badgers (14-6-1 overall) posted a 6-0 shutout on the road over St. Cloud State at the National Hockey Center to improve to 11-4-0 in conference play for 22 points, one ahead of the No. 8-ranked Fighting Sioux (14-7-2), who skated past visiting Minnesota State, 3-2, at Ralph Engelstad Arena to move to 10-6-1 in the WCHA for 21 points.
One of the biggest surprises of the 2004-05 season to date, one which saw two extended streaks come to an end, also occured on Friday evening, when Michigan Tech blanked defending NCAA champion Denver, 3-0, at Magness Arena. The Huskies (2-16-1, 2-13-0 WCHA) thus gained their first regular season victory since Oct. 29 (5-1 vs UAA at Houghton) to end a 13-game winless streak while the No. 5-ranked Pioneers (13-6-1, 8-4-1) suffered their first defeat since Nov. 19 (4-5 vs UM in Denver) to end a nine-game (8-0-1) unbeaten streak.
In the one other game played Friday, host Minnesota Duluth (8-9-4, 6-7-2) and Alaska Anchorage (6-9-2, 4-8-1) played to a 1-1 overtime tie at the DECC.
Today¹s (Saturday, Jan. 8) schedule includes the second games of the Wisconsin at St. Cloud State, Alaska Anchorage at Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State at North Dakota and Michigan Tech at Denver series, as well as the first game of a monumental Saturday-Sunday series at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn., featuring the No. 1-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers vs the No. 2-ranked Colorado College Tigers. This is only the second of three weekend during the 2004-05 season that have all 10 WCHA teams playing conference games (one was Dec. 3-4 and the other will be on Feb. 4-5).
Colorado College and Minnesota currently own the best two overall records in Division 1 college hockey CC at 16-3-1 and .825 and UM at 16-5-0 and .762. The Tigers have lost just once in their last 12 games (10-1-1), a 7-2 setback to the Gophers in Colorado Springs on Dec. 4 one day after CC downed UM, 3-1 while Minnesota is in the midst of a school-record 20-game unbeaten streak. UM has not lost at home since a 4-2 setback to then No. 1-ranked North Dakota on Jan. 23, 2004.
After Sunday¹s game, just eight weekends will remain in the race for the MacNaughton Cup, a year-long battle that consists of 28 conference games for each team. North Dakota is the defending WCHA champion. The Fighting Sioux have also captured a record total of 13 league titles overall, including five of the past eight (1997 co-champs, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004). Heading into games for Jan. 8, just five points separate the top five teams.
In 2004-05 non-conference competition through games of Jan. 7, WCHA-member teams own a combined 35-14-11 (.675) record. Eight of the 10 member teams own winning records outside the league, with Colorado College at 7-0-1 (.937), Minnesota at 7-2-0 (.778), North Dakota at 4-1-1 (.750), Denver at 5-2-0 (.714), Minnesota State at 3-1-2 (.667), Alaska Anchorage at 2-1-1 (.625), St. Cloud State at 4-2-2 (.625), and Wisconsin at 3-2-1 (.583).
In the most recent (Jan. 3-9) national rankings the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Division 1 Men¹s College Hockey Poll and the USCHO.com Div. 1 Men¹s Poll, WCHA teams ran No. 1, 2, 5, 6/7, and 8. Minnesota is No. 1 in both polls for the sixth consecutive week, Colorado College is No. 2, Denver is up to No. 5, Wisconsin is at No. 6/No. 7, and North Dakota is No. 8. Also receiving votes in the polls were St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State.
Through games of Jan. 7, five WCHA-member teams own winning percentages of at least .652 and five have won at least 13 games in Colorado College (16), Minnesota (16), North Dakota (14), Wisconsin (14) and Denver (13). On home ice, six of the 10 WCHA teams have winning records. Minnesota is a perfect 9-0-0 at home, Colorado College is 11-1-0, Denver is 8-2-0, Wisconsin is 10-3-1, North Dakota is 8-3-0, and Minnesota State is 6-3-2. On the road, the best records overall are currently held by Colorado College at 5-2-1, North Dakota at 6-4-2, Denver at 5-4-1, Wisconsin is 4-3-0, and Minnesota at 6-5-0.
This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, January 7: Alaska Anchorage 1 @ Minnesota Duluth 1 ot; Wisconsin 6 @ St. Cloud State 0; Minnesota State 2 @ North Dakota 3; Michigan Tech 3 @ Denver 0.
Games for Saturday, January 8: Colorado College @ Minnesota, 4:07 pm CT; Alaska Anchorage @ Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 pm CT; Wisconsin @ St. Cloud State, 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota State @ North Dakota, 7:07 pm CT; Michigan Tech @ Denver, 7:37 pm MT.
Games for Sunday, January 9: Colorado College @ Minnesota, 7:07 pm CT.
Friday, January 7 Highlights:
Alaska Anchorage 1 @ Minnesota Duluth 1 ot: the Seawolves¹ Justin Bourne (at 0:50) and the Bulldogs¹ Tyler Brosz (at 2:51) traded goals in the opening three minutes of the second period but that was it for scoring as two opposing goaltenders dueled in an overtime tie before 3,967 at the DECC... UAA freshman Nathan Lawson, a two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week, stopped 44 of 45 shots while UMD senior Isaac Reichmuth yielded just one goal on 28 shots... coaching behind the UAA bench were assistants Jack Kowal and Keith Morris, while head coach John Hill continues his recovery from back surgery.
Wisconsin 6 @ St. Cloud State 0: the league-leading Badgers returned to league play and came up with a noteworthy shutout over the host Huskies before a sellout crowd of 5,861 at the National Hockey Center... the Badgers had 30 saves from Bernd Brückler between the pipes, two goals each from defenseman Tom Gilbert (inc. game-winner) and left winger John Funk, a goal and two assists from center Andrew Joudrey, and they hit on three-of-three power-play attempts.
Minnesota State 2 @ North Dakota 3: Defenseman Nick Fuher scored two goals, including a game-winning power-play tally at 14:30 of the third period, to lead the host Fighting Sioux over the Mavericks before 9,392 at Ralph Engelstad Arena... trailing 2-1 in the second, MSU defenseman Steven Johns knotted the score at 2-2 on a power-play goal at 13:47... UND outshot the Mavericks, 35-21, and all five goals in the contest came in man-advantage opportunities.
Michigan Tech 3 @ Denver 0: Goaltender Cam Ellsworth stopped all 35 shots on goal and the visiting Huskies rallied behind second period goals from right winger Jimmy Kerr and center Brandon Schwartz and a third period tally from left winger Chris Conner to blank the host Pioneers before 5,983 at Magness Arena.. the win was the first in regular season play for MTU since Oct. 29 while the loss ended Denver¹s nine-game (8-0-1) unbeaten streak.
Looking Ahead
Games for Friday, January 14: Alaska Anchorage @ Wisconsin, 7:07 pm CT; St. Cloud State @ Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota vs Minnesota State (@ Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN), 7:37 pm CT; North Dakota @ Colorado College, 7:37 pm MT.
Games for Saturday, January 15: Alaska Anchorage @ Wisconsin, 7:07 pm CT; St. Cloud State @ Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota @ Minnesota State, 7:07 pm CT; North Dakota @ Colorado College, 7:07 pm MT.
WCHA Individual Statistical Leaders
(thru games of Jan. 7)
Most Points (All Games): 36, Marty Sertich, Jr, C, CC
Most Points (WCHA): 21, Robbie Earl, So, W, UW
Most Goals (All Games): 19, Ryan Potulny, So, F, UM
Most Goals (WCHA): 11, Marco Peluso, Sr, W, UMD;
Most Assists (All Games): 22, Colin Murphy, Sr, F, MTU; Tyler Hirsch, Jr, F, UM
Most Assists (WCHA): 15, Colby Genoway, Sr, F, UND
Most PP Points (All Games): 17, Lars Helminen, So, D, MTU; Tyler Hirsch, Jr, F, UM
Most SH Points (All Games): 3, Jussi Halme, Sr, D, Denver
Most GWG (All Games): 5, Brett Sterling, Jr, W, CC
Most Points, Defenseman (All Games): 21, Brett Skinner, Jr, D, Denver
Most Points, Defenseman (WCHA): 15, Lars Helminen, So, MTU
Most Points, Freshman (All Games): 24, Joe Pavelski, F, UW
Most Points, Freshman (WCHA): 17, Joe Pavelski, F, UW
Best GAA (All Games): 1.85, Kellen Briggs, So, UM
Best GAA (WCHA): 2.01, Philippe Lamoureux, Fr, UND
Best Saves Percentage (All Games): .931, Kellen Briggs, So, UM
Best Saves Percentage (WCHA): .925, Philippe Lamoureux, Fr, UND
Best Winning Pct. (All Games): .917 (11-1-0), Curtis McElhinney, Sr, CC
Best Winning Pct. (WCHA): .857 (6-1-0), Curtis McElhinney, Sr, CC
WCHA Team Statistical Leaders
(thru games of Jan. 7)
Scoring Offense, G/GM (All Games): 4.42, Denver
Scoring Offense, G/GM (WCHA): 4.25, Colorado College
Scoring Defense, G/GM (All Games): 1.95, Minnesota
Scoring Defense, G/GM (WCHA): 2.13, Wisconsin
Penalty Minutes, Game (All Games): 21.3, Minnesota State
Penalty Minutes, Game (WCHA): 21.7, Minnesota State
Power-Play (All Games): 23.0%, Minnesota
Power-Play (WCHA): 25.9%, Colorado College
Penalty-Kill (All Games): 89.3%, Wisconsin
Penalty-Kill (WCHA): 91.2%, Wisconsin
WCHA Game Summaries
Friday, January 7
Alaska Anchorage 1 @ Minnesota Duluth 1 ot
1st: No scoring. 2nd: G1 UAA - Justin Bourne 7 (Charlie Kronschnabel, Martin Stuchlik), 0:50; G2 UMD - Tyler Brosz 3 (Nick Anderson), 2:51. 3rd: No scoring. OT: No scoring. Score by Periods: UAA 0-1-0-0 = 1; UMD 0-1-0-0 = 1. Pen: UAA 8-16; UMD 8-16. PP: UAA 0-5; UMD 0-5. Saves: Nathan Lawson (UAA), 10-12-20-2 = 44 (65:00); Isaac Reichmuth (UMD), 9-6-11-1 = 27 (65:00). Att: 3,967. Time: 2:25.
Wisconsin 6 @ St. Cloud State 0
1st: G1 UW - Tim Gilbert 3 (Andrew Joudrey, Jake Dowell), PPG, 4:05; G2 UW - Joudrey 5 (Matt Ford, Ryan MacMurchy), 14:09. 2nd: G3 UW - Gilbert 4 (Dowell, Ford), PPG, 0:20; G4 UW - A.J. Degenhardt 3 (Dowell, Kyle Klubertanz), SHG, 12:38. 3rd: G5 UW - John Funk 2 (Adam Burish, Joudrey), 6:57; G6 UW - Funk 3 (Matt Auffrey, Joe Pavelski), PPG, 13:14. Score by Periods: UW 2-2-2 = 6; SCSU 0-0-0 = 0. Pen: UW 5-10; SCSU 4-8. PP: UW 3-3; SCSU 0-4. Saves: Bernd Brückler (UW), 8-13-9 = 30 (59:04); Tim Boron (SCSU), 10-7-8 = 25 (60:00). Att: 5,861 (sellout). Time: 2:08.
Minnesota State 2 @ North Dakota 3
1st: G1 UND - Rastislav Spirko 5 (Rory McMahon, Matt Jones), PPG, 14:40. 2nd: G2 MSU - Jeff Marler 3 (Ryan Carter, Kurtis Kisio), PPG, 3:43; G3 UND - Nick Fuher 2 (Colby Genoway, Drew Stafford), PPG, 6:55; G4 MSU - Steven Johns 1 (Travis Morin, David Backes), PPG, 13:47. 3rd: G5 UND - Fuher 3 Stafford, Travis Zajac), PPG, 14:30. Score by Periods: MSU 0-2-0 = 2; UND 1-1-1 = 3. Pen: MSU 12-24; UND 8-16. PP: MSU 2-5; UND 3-10. Saves: Chris Clark (MSU), 13-10-9 = 32 (58:57); Philippe Lamoureux (UND), 5-6-8 = 19 (59:59). Att: 9,392. Time: 2:51.
Michigan Tech 3 @ Denver 0
1st: No scoring. 2nd: G1 MTU - Jimmy Kerr 2 (John Hartman, Mike Batovanja), 5:10; G2 MTU - Brandon Schwartz 4 (Colin Murphy, Taggart Desmet), PPG, 11:23. 3rd: G3 MTU - Chris Conner 8 (Murphy), 15:31. Score by Periods: MTU 0-2-1 = 3; Denver 0-0-0 = 0. Pen: MTU 6-12; Denver 5-10. PP: MTU 1-2; Denver 0-3. Saves: Cam Ellsworth (MTU), 11-10-14 = 35 (60:00); Glenn Fisher (Denver), 9-11-4 = 24 (60:00). Att: 5,983. Time: 2:08.
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