Inaugural WCHA Minnesota College Hockey Showcase Takes Center Stage Saturday at Xcel Energy Center
The WCHA Minnesota College Hockey Showcase is Saturday at Xcel Energy Center |
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Nov. 1, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MADISON, Wis. - The first-ever WCHA Minnesota College Hockey Showcase, a conference doubleheader featuring all four Minnesota-based conference teams, takes center stage on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Tickets are still available (see next page for details) for today's event, which will get underway at 4:07 pm CT with host Minnesota Duluth (3-1-2, 0-1-1 WCHA) taking on St. Cloud State (3-3-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) followed by Minnesota State (3-1-1, 1-1-1 WCHA) facing-off against unbeaten Minnesota (3-0-2, 3-0-2 WCHA). Home to the annual Red Baron® WCHA Final Five, Xcel Energy Center has a seating capacity of 18,064.
Two other weekend WCHA series will conclude on Saturday as Michigan Tech (2-3-0, 1-2-0 WCHA) again hosts Alaska Anchorage (4-2-1, 1-1-1 WCHA) at 7:37 pm ET in the MTU Hall of Fame Game at John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton, Mich., and North Dakota (2-3-0, 2-1-0 WCHA) again entertains Wisconsin (0-6-1, 0-4-1 WCHA) at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. In the one other series being played, Colorado College (4-0-3, 2-0-1 WCHA) will host arch-rival Denver (4-1-1, 2-0-1 WCHA) on Sunday at 5:07 pm MT at Colorado Springs World Arena.
In action on Halloween Friday (Oct. 31), Michigan Tech downed Alaska Anchorage, 4-2, North Dakota upended visiting Wisconsin, 3-2, host Minnesota and Minnesota State played to a 3-3 overtime tie, and host Denver skated to a 2-2 overtime draw against Colorado College.
Looking ahead to next weekend, Nov. 7-8, there will be four WCHA series contested as Michigan Tech travels to Wisconsin, Denver hosts Minnesota Duluth, Colorado College entertains North Dakota and Alaska Anchorage entertains Minnesota State. Outside the league, Minnesota hosts New Hampshire and St. Cloud State hosts Robert Morris.
The race for the 2008-09 WCHA regular season championship and MacNaughton Cup, again consists of 28 conference games per team. The 2008-09 regular season will conclude on Saturday, March 7, followed by the first round of the WCHA Playoffs, a best-of-three series format set for Friday, March 13 thru Sunday, March 15. The five top-ranked teams at the end of the regular season will host the bottom five, with No. 1 hosting No. 10, No. 2 hosting No. 9, No. 3 hosting No. 8, No. 4 hosting No. 7, and No. 5 hosting No. 6.
The 2009 Red BaronTM WCHA Final Five, the league's annual playoff championship tournament, will be held March 19-21 at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn. Denver is the defending Final Five and Broadmoor Trophy champion.
The University of Minnesota will serve as host of the 2009 NCAA West Regional, set for March 27-28 at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. Other NCAA Regionals for 2009 are as follows: March 27-28 NCAA East Regional at Bridgeport Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Ct.
March 28-29 NCAA Midwest Regional at Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Mich.
and March 28-29 NCAA Northeast Regional at Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, N.H.
The 2009 NCAA Men's Frozen Four will then be contested April 9-11 at MCI Center in Washington, D.C.
This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, October 31: Alaska Anchorage 2 at Michigan Tech 4 (WCHA)
Minnesota State 3 at Minnesota 3 ot (WCHA)
Colorado College 2 at Denver 2 ot (WCHA)
Wisconsin 2 at North Dakota 3 (WCHA).
Games for Saturday, November 1: *St. Cloud State vs Minnesota Duluth, 4:07 pm CT (WCHA)
Wisconsin at North Dakota, 7:07 pm CT (WCHA)
#Alaska Anchorage at Michigan Tech, 7:37 pm ET (WCHA)
*Minnesota vs Minnesota State, 7:37 pm CT (WCHA).
*WCHA Minnesota College Hockey Showcase @ Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
#MTU Hockey Hall of Fame Game
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