April 9, 2005

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COLUMBUS, Ohio ­ It's the University of Denver Pioneers vs the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux for the 2005 NCAA Frozen Four championship here Saturday night, the 20th time that two Western Collegiate Hockey Association-member teams will face-off in college hockey's national title game. Game time at Value City Arena in The Jerome Schottenstein Center (capacity 17,500) is 7:00 pm ET, with the live telecast on ESPN and live audiocasts via Westwood One, Denver's KKFN 950 AM, and Grand Forks' KQHT OEThe Fox' 96.1 FM.

Coach George Gwozdecky's Pioneers (31-9-2) are the defending Frozen Four champions, seek the program's seventh national championship overall, and hope to become a repeat champion for only the sixth time since the tournament began in 1948. Michigan won in 1951, 1952, 1953 and also in 1955 and 1956; Denver won in 1960 and 1961 and then again in 1968 and 1969; Boston University won in 1971 and 1972; and Minnesota won in 2002 and 2003. Coach Dave Hakstol's Sioux (25-14-5), meanwhile, are after the program's eighth national championship overall, with their most recent title coming in 2000.

This national championship marks a record 35th overall for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association since the league's founding in 1951, fourth straight, and fifth in the last six seasons. North Dakota won the Frozen Four in 2000, Minnesota won in both 2002 and 2003, and Denver won in 2004. The only loss in the past six years was a 3-2 overtime decision by Boston College over the Sioux in 2001.

In the Frozen Four semi-finals on Thursday (April 7), Denver defeated Colorado College, 6-2, while North Dakota upended the University of Minnesota, 4-2. This marks the first time in the Frozen Four's 58-year history that four teams from one conference have made up the championship field.

This Week in the WCHA - 2005 NCAA Men's Frozen Four
April 7-9 € Value City Arena @ Jerome Schottenstein Center - Columbus, OH

Semi-Final Results from Thursday, April 7: Colorado College 2 vs University of Denver 6(30-9-2) (TV: ESPN 2; RADIO - Westwood 1); University of North Dakota 4 vs University of Minnesota 2 (TV: ESPN 2; RADIO - Westwood One).

National Championship Game for Saturday, April 9: University of North Dakota (25-14-5) vs University of Denver (31-9-2), 7:00 pm ET (TV: ESPN; RADIO - Westwood One).

North Dakota, Denver Have Won 13 Previous NCAA Frozen Four Titles Combined
North Dakota has won seven NCAA Frozen Four championships (1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000). The Fighting Sioux are making their 15th Frozen Four appearance overall since 1958 and are in their 20 national tournament appearance.

Denver has won six NCAA Frozen Four championships (1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004). The Pioneers are the defending national champions, are making their 13th Frozen Four appearance since 1958, and are in their 17 national tournament appearance overall.

NCAA Championship (Frozen Four) Facts
Since it's founding in 1951-52, teams representing the WCHA have earned a collegiate record 35 NCAA championships, including titles won by Minnesota in St. Paul in 2002 and in Buffalo in 2003, and by Denver in Boston in 2004. This year's Frozen Four winner will also now come from the WCHA ­ either Denver or North Dakota ­ giving the league it's 35th national title overall. WCHA-member teams will have also finished as the national runner-up on 27 occasions. The 2005 NCAA Frozen Four also marks the 20th time that two WCHA-member teams have faced-off in the national championship.

National Championships (thru 2003-04): 9 ­ Michigan; 7 ­ North Dakota; 6 ­ Denver; 5 ­ Minnesota, Wisconsin; 4 ­ Boston University; 3 ­ Michigan Tech, Lake Superior State; 2 ­ Colorado College, Cornell, Rensselaer, Michigan State, Maine, Boston College.

Frozen Four Appearances (thru 2004-05): 22 ­ Michigan (1948-2003); 20 ­ Boston University (1950-97); 19 ­ Minnesota (1953-2005), Boston College (1948-2004); 15 ­ North Dakota (1958-2005); 13 ­ Denver^ (1958-2005); 12 ­ Harvard (1955-94); 10 ­ Colorado College (1948-2005), Michigan Tech (1956-81), Michigan State (1959-2001); 9 ­ Wisconsin^ (1970-90), St. Lawrence (1952-2000), Maine (1988-2004).

Frozen Four Wins (thru 4/8/05): 24 ­ Michigan (1948-2001); 21 ­ North Dakota (1958-2005); 19 ­ Minnesota (1953-2003); 18 ­ Boston University (1950-97); 17 ­ Denver^ (1958-2005); 13 ­ Wisconsin^ (1970-90); 11 ­ Michigan Tech (1956-81); 10 ­ Boston College (1948-2004); 8 ­ Maine (1988-2004), Michigan State (1959-2001); 7 ­ Colorado College (1948-97), Cornell (1967-80), Lake Superior State (1988-94).

Frozen Four Winning Percentage (thru 4/8/05): .875 ­ Lake Superior State (1988-94) (7-1-0); .750 ­ Bowling Green, 1978-84 (3-1-0); .724 ­ North Dakota, 1958-2005 (21-8-0); .722 ­ Wisconsin^, 1970-90 (13-5-0); .680 ­ Denver^, 1958-2005 (17-8-0), .667 ­ Michigan, 1948-2002 (24-12-0); .600 ­ Rensselaer, 1958-85 (6-4-0); .543 ­ Minnesota, 1953-2003 (19-16-0); .550 ­ Michigan Tech, 1956-81 (11-9-0).

National Tournament Appearances (thru 2004-05): 29 ­ Minnesota (1953-2005); 28 ­ Boston University (1950-2005); Michigan (1948-2005); 25 ­ Boston College (1948-2005); 23 ­ Michigan State (1959-2004); 20 ­ North Dakota (1958-2005), Wisconsin^ (1970-2005), Harvard (1955-2005); 18 ­ Clarkson (1957-99); 17 ­ Colorado College (1948-2005), Denver^ (1958-2005).

National Tournament Wins (thru 4/8/05): 49 ­ Minnesota (1953-2005); 44 ­ Michigan (1948-2005); 34 ­ North Dakota (1958-2005), Boston University (1950-2003); 29 ­ Wisconsin^ (1970-2005); 27 ­ Boston College (1948-2005); 26 ­ Maine (1987-2005); 24 ­ Michigan State (1959-2004); 24 ­ Denver^ (1958-2005).

National Tournament Winning Percentage (thru 4/8/05): .708 ­ North Dakota (1958-2005) (34-14-0); .677 ­ Michigan (1948-2005) (44-21-0); .649 ­ Denver^ (1958-2005) (24-13-0); .641 ­ Lake Superior State (1985-96) (20-11-1); .620 ­ Minnesota (1953-2005) (49-30-0); .612 ­ Wisconsin^ (1970-2005) (29-18-2); .605 ­ Maine (1987-2005) (26-17-0); .591 ­ Michigan Tech (1956-81) (13-9-0).
^ does not include vacated years

NCAA Championship Game Scores, WCHA Teams

Year	Teams & Score
1952	Michigan 4 vs Colorado College 1
1953	Michigan 7 vs Minnesota 3
1954	Rensselaer 5 vs Minnesota 4 ot
1955	Michigan 5 vs Colorado College 3
1956	Michigan 7 vs Michigan Tech 5
1957	Colorado College 13 vs Michigan 6
1958	Denver 6 vs North Dakota 2
1959	North Dakota 4 vs Michigan State 3 ot
1960	Denver 5 vs Michigan Tech 3
1961	Denver 12 vs St. Lawrence 2
1962	Michigan Tech 7 vs Clarkson 1
1963	North Dakota 6 vs Denver 5
1964	Michigan 6 vs Denver 3
1965	Michigan Tech 8 vs Boston College 2
1966	Michigan State 6 vs Clarkson 1
1968	Denver 4 vs North Dakota 0
1969	Denver 4 vs Cornell 3
1971	Boston University 4 vs Minnesota 2
1973	Wisconsin 4 vs Denver 2
1974	Minnesota 4 vs Michigan Tech 2
1975	Michigan Tech 6 vs Minnesota 1
1976	Minnesota 6 vs Michigan Tech 4
1977	Wisconsin 6 vs Michigan 5 ot
1979	Minnesota 4 vs North Dakota 3
1980	North Dakota 5 vs Northern Michigan 2
1981	Wisconsin 6 vs Minnesota 3
1982	North Dakota 5 vs Wisconsin 2
1983	Wisconsin 6 vs Harvard 2
1984	Bowling Green 5 vs Minnesota Duluth 4 (4 ot)
1987	North Dakota 5 vs Michigan State 3
1989	Harvard 4 vs Minnesota 3 ot
1990	Wisconsin 7 vs Colgate 3
1991	Northern Michigan 8, Boston University 7 (3 ot)
1992	Lake Superior State 5 vs Wisconsin 3
1996	Michigan 3 vs Colorado College 2 ot
1997	North Dakota 6 vs Boston University 4
2000	North Dakota 4 vs Boston College 2
2001	Boston College 3 vs North Dakota 2 ot
2002	Minnesota 4 vs Maine 3 ot
2003	Minnesota 5 vs New Hampshire 1
2004	Denver 1 vs Maine 0

NCAA Tournament Records - WCHA Teams
Note: records are thru 4/8/05

Team (Appearances): Years Participated; GP, W-L-T, Pct.; 1-2-3-4 North Dakota (20): 1958-59-60-63-65-67-68-79-80-82-84-87-90-97-98-99- 2000-01-03-04-05; 48 gp, 34-14-0, .708; 7-4-2-1

Denver (17): 1958-60-61-63-64-66-68-69-71-72-86-95-97-99-2002-04-05; 35 gp, 24-13-0, .649; 6-2-2-2

Minnesota (29): 1953-54-61-71-74-75-76-79-80-81-83-85-86-87-88-89-90- 91-92-93-94-95-96-97-2001-02-03-04-05; 79 gp, 49-30-0, .620; 5-6-5-2

Wisconsin (20): 1970-72-73-77-78-81-82-83-88-89-90-91-92-93-94-95-98- 2000-01-04-05; 49 gp, 29-18-2, .612; 5-1-2-1

Michigan Tech (10): 1956-60-62-65-69-70-74-75-76-81; 22 gp, 13-9-0, .591; 3-4-1-2

Minnesota Duluth (5): 1983-84-85-93-2004; 15 gp, 8-7-0, .533; 0-1-1-0

Colorado College (17): 1948-49-50-51-52-55-57-78-95-96-97-98-99-2001- 02-03-05; 34 gp, 17-17-0, .500; 2-3-2-2

Alaska Anchorage* (3): 1990-91-92; 7 gp, 2-5-0, .286; 0-0-0-0

Minnesota State (1): 2003; 1 gp, 0-1-0, .000; 0-0-0-0

St. Cloud State (4): 2000-01-02-03; 4 gp, 0-4-0, .000; 0-0-0-0
* not in WCHA during NCAA tourney years

WCHA Team Statistical Leaders
(thru games of April 8)
Scoring Offense, G/GM (All Games): 4.05, Denver
Scoring Offense, G/GM (WCHA): 4.07, Denver
Scoring Defense, G/GM (All Games): 2.22, Wisconsin
Scoring Defense, G/GM (WCHA): 2.29, Wisconsin
Penalty Minutes, Game (All Games): 20.7, Minnesota State
Penalty Minutes, Game (WCHA): 20.8, Minnesota State
Power-Play (All Games): 23.6%, Colorado College
Power-Play (WCHA): 25.2%, Colorado College
Penalty-Kill (All Games): 86.9%, Wisconsin
Penalty-Kill (WCHA): 86.2%, Wisconsin

WCHA Individual Statistical Leaders
(thru games of April 8)
Most Points (All Games): 64, Marty Sertich, Jr, C, CC
Most Points (WCHA): 42, Marty Sertich, Jr, C, CC
Most Goals (All Games): 34, Brett Sterling, Jr, LW, CC
Most Goals (WCHA): 20, Luke Fulghum, Sr, LW, Denver
Most Assists (All Games): 42, Colin Murphy, Sr, RW, MTU
Most Assists (WCHA): 25, Marty Sertich, Jr, C, CC; Colin Murphy, Sr, RW, MTU
Most PP Points (All Games): 34, Brett Sterling, Jr, LW, CC
Most PPG (All Games): 18, Brett Sterling, Jr, LW, CC
Most SH Points (All Games): 4, Jussi Halme, Sr, D, Denver; Adam Burish, Jr, C, UW; Travis Zajac, Fr, F, UND.
Most SHG (All Games): 4, Adam Burish, Jr, C, UW
Most GWG (All Games): 7, Brett Sterling, Jr, LW, CC
Most Points, Defenseman (All Games): 43, Matt Carle, So, D, Denver
Most Points, Defenseman (WCHA): 30, Matt Carle, So, D, Denver
Most Points, Freshman (All Games): 45, Joe Pavelski, Fr, C, UW
Most Points, Freshman (WCHA): 31, Paul Stastny, Fr, C, Denver
Best GAA (All Games): 2.10, Jordan Parise, So, G, North Dakota
Best GAA (WCHA): 2.09, Curtis McElhinney, Sr, G, CC
Best Saves Percentage (All Games): .924, Peter Mannino, Fr, Denver
Best Saves Percentage (WCHA): .931, Curtis McElhinney, Sr, G, CC
Best Winning Pct. (All Games): .827 (21-4-1), Curtis McElhinney, Sr, G, CC
Best Winning Pct. (WCHA): .833 (12-2-1), Curtis McElhinney, Sr, G, CC.

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