Colorado College Sweeps Into Sole Possession of First Place in WCHA Race; Wisconsin Wins Twice over UAA
Nate Proesser Scored the Game-Winner for CC at MSU on Nov. 14 |
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Nov. 15, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MADISON, Wis. – Colorado College and Wisconsin were the big gainers in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association over the weekend as the Tigers won twice on the road over Minnesota State, Mankato to take over sole possession of first place while the Badgers swept visiting Alaska Anchorage to climb into a share of third.
After a 1-0 overtime win over the Mavericks on Friday (Nov. 13), CC claimed a 3-2 victory on Saturday (Nov. 14) to complete the sweep and improve to 6-1-1 in league play. Wisconsin, meanwhile, followed up a 5-1 triumph over the Seawolves Friday with a 6-2 decision on Saturday to gain four points.
In the two other WCHA series contested this weekend, Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State battled back from Friday setbacks to prevail in their respective series finales on Saturday night. The host Bulldogs powered past Michigan Tech, 8-1, while the Huskies knocked off host North Dakota, 3-2.
Through games of Nov. 14, just four points separate the top five clubs in the WCHA. Colorado College (7-2-1, 6-1-1 WCHA) is out front with 13 points –seven of which have come on the road. Defending MacNaughton Cup champion North Dakota (7-2-1, 5-2-1 WCHA) is second with 11 points, followed by a three-way tie for third place with nine points between idle Denver (6-3-1, 4-1-1 WCHA), Minnesota Duluth (7-4-1, 4-3-1 WCHA) and Wisconsin (6-3-1, 4-3-1 WCHA). St. Cloud State (4-4-2, 3-2-1 WCHA) and Minnesota share sixth place with seven points each, although the Huskies have played the fewest league games of any team with six. Alaska Anchorage (4-8-0, 2-6-0 WCHA) and Michigan Tech (3-7-0, 2-6-0 WCHA) are tied for eighth with four points each while Minnesota State (3-6-1, 1-6-1 WCHA) is 10th with three points.
In non-conference play this weekend, Minnesota opened a Saturday-Sunday home series against Bemidji State of College Hockey America with a 4-1 victory on Nov. 14, moving the WCHA’s collective non-conference record in 2009-10 to 17-9-1 (.648).
Looking ahead to next weekend – Nov. 20-21 – there will be four WCHA series contested as Minnesota hosts Minnesota Duluth, Wisconsin visits St. Cloud State, Denver hosts North Dakota, and Alaska Anchorage entertains Minnesota State. In non-conference play, the CC Tigers host Robert Morris of College Hockey America.
At Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato on Saturday evening, defenseman Nate Proesser scored a game-winning power-play goal at 3:55 of the third period and Joe Howe stopped 28 of 30 shots on goal to lead visiting Colorado College to a 3-2 win over Minnesota State and a sweep of their WCHA series before 4,307. Also for CC, defenseman Ryan Lowery had two points (1g, 1a) while for the Mavericks, winger Mike Louwerse and defenseman Channing Boe netted goals and blueliner Kurt Davis had two assists.
Before 13,612 at the Kohl Center on Saturday, host Wisconsin completed a sweep of Alaska Anchorage with a 6-2 win as center Ben Street scored twice and assisted on another and 14 players had points. Center Derek Stepan and defenseman Cody Goloubef added two assists each while winger Patrick Johnson scored the game-winner at 2:32 of the third period. The Badgers outshot the Seawolves, 42-13, with UAA getting a pair of goals from center Josh Lunden.
At Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks on Nov. 14, visiting St. Cloud State rallied behind a 47-save effort from goaltender Dan Dunn and the game-winning goal from defenseman Craig Gaudet at 0:14 of the second period to upend host North Dakota, 3-2, and gain a split of their league set before a sellout crowd of 11,782. The Huskies, who were outshot 49-28, led 3-0 after Gaudet’s tally before the Sioux got on the board at 1:23 of the second on center Brad Malone’s goal. Both teams went scoreless on the power-play (SCSU 0-of-7, UND 0-of-6).
At the DECC in Duluth on Saturday evening, host Minnesota Duluth received five-point nights from wingers Justin Fontaine (4g, 1a) and Mike Connolly (1g, 4a) and four assists from winger Rob Bordson and hit on 4-of-8 power-play chances to down visiting Michigan Tech, 8-1, before 4,478 and gain a series split. Fontaine’s power-play goal at 2:43 of the second period proved to be the game-winner. For the Huskies, center Brett Olson scored at 13:11 of the third to break up the shutout.
And at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis on Saturday night, a sellout crowd of 10,198 saw their Minnesota Golden Gophers skate past Bemidji State, 4-1, in non-conference play as wingers Mike Hoeffel and Nico Sacchetti each had a goal and an assist and defensemen Cade Fairchild and Aaron Ness each had two assists. Hoeffel’s power-play tally at 4:37 of the second period held up as the game-winner.
This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, Nov. 13: Alaska Anchorage 1 at Wisconsin 5 (WCHA); Michigan Tech 3 at Minnesota Duluth 2 (WCHA); Colorado College 1 at Minnesota State 0 ot (WCHA); St. Cloud State 2 at North Dakota 4 (WCHA).
Results of Saturday, Nov. 14: Alaska Anchorage 2 at Wisconsin 6 (WCHA); Colorado College 3 at Minnesota State 2 (WCHA); Michigan Tech 1 at Minnesota Duluth 8 (WCHA); St. Cloud State 3 at North Dakota 2 (WCHA); Bemidji State 1 at Minnesota 4 (nc).
Games for Sunday, Nov. 15: Bemidji State at Minnesota (nc), 6:07 pm CT.
Next Week in the WCHA
Games for Friday, Nov. 20: Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT; Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Wisconsin at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Robert Morris at Colorado College (nc), 7:37 pm MT; North Dakota at Denver (WCHA), 7:37 pm MT.
Games for Saturday, Nov. 21: Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA), 7:07 pm AT; Robert Morris at Colorado College (nc), 7:07 pm MT; North Dakota at Denver (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Wisconsin at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT.
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