WCHA Championship/MacNaughton Cup, Final First Round Home Playoff Berth On The Line This Weekend

Denver locks up home-ice advantage for WCHA playoffs with 3-1 win at CC Thursday night; Final home WCHA playoff berth now up for grabs between St. Cloud State and Minnesota; WCHA�s 2003-04 non-conference record at 52-18-9 (.715); Seven WCHA teams, led by No. 1-ranked North Dakota, among top 15 in latest national polls; 2004 Red Baron WCHA Final Five tickets still available... championship set for March 18-20 at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul.

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Seawolves, Pioneers, Bulldogs, Badgers Skate to WCHA Victories Saturday; CC Tigers Sweep Robert Morris

Denver, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, St. Cloud State Gain WCHA Victories Friday; CC Downs RMU

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March 5, 2004

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MADISON, Wisc. � The final two days of the 2003-04 regular season � Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6 � will decide the Western Collegiate Hockey Association�s regular season champion and MacNaughton Cup winner, the final first round home WCHA Playoff berth, and all five pairings for next week�s opening round of the WCHA playoffs.

In Grand Forks this weekend, league-leading North Dakota (24-6-3, 18-5-3 WCHA) needs two points against visiting Michigan Tech at Ralph Engelstad Arena or a loss by second place Minnesota-Duluth (22-10-3, 18-7-1 WCHA) at Wisconsin to guarantee themselves at least a share of their fifth regular season title in the past eight seasons. The Bulldogs need at least two points against the Badgers and additional help from Michigan Tech at UND to have a shot. In addition, Wisconsin (20-9-7) can overtake UMD for second place with a sweep.

In Colorado Springs Thursday night, the Denver Pioneers (22-10-5) became the fourth team to lock up a first round home WCHA playoff berth when they upended host Colorado College (18-14-3), 3-1, before a sellout crowd of 7,566. That leaves one home berth remaining heading into the final weekend, with that advantage to be decided as a result of the St. Cloud State and Minnesota series. The Huskies (18-12-4, 12-10-4 WCHA) currently have 28 points while the Golden Gophers have 27. SCSU can nail down the home-ice edge with at least two points while Minnesota (20-13-3, 13-12-1 WCHA) will need to gain at least three points in the series to secure the berth. Only one team, CC in 7th place, is locked into their current position.

This Week in the WCHA

Tuesday, March 2: Minnesota State 5 @ Nebraska-Omaha 3 (nc).

Thursday, March 4: Denver 3 @ Colorado College 1.

Friday, March 5: Minnesota-Duluth @ Wisconsin, 7:05 pm CT; St. Cloud State @ Minnesota, 7:05 pm CT; Michigan Tech @ North Dakota, 7:35 pm CT; Colorado College @ Denver, 7:35 pm MT; Alaska Fairbanks @ Alaska Anchorage, 7:05 pm AT (nc).

Saturday, March 6: St. Cloud State @ Minnesota, 2:05 pm CT; Minnesota-Duluth @ Wisconsin, 7:05 pm CT; Michigan Tech @ North Dakota, 7:05 pm CT; Alaska Fairbanks @ Alaska Anchorage, 7:05 pm AT (nc); Nebraska-Omaha @ Minnesota State, 7:05 pm CT (nc). END OF REGULAR SEASON.