Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Jake Gannon and the CC Tigers lead the WCHA Race |
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Colorado College, North Dakota Earn WCHA Victories Friday; Tigers Open Six-Point Lead
Nov. 24, 2007
MADISON, Wisc. - The red-hot Colorado College Tigers, behind a three-goal hat trick from center Chad Rau and 28 saves from goaltender Richard Bachman, extended their winning streak to six games and stretched their lead in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to six points Friday (Nov. 23) evening with a 5-1 victory over second place Denver before a sellout crowd of 7,750 at Colorado Springs World Arena.
No. 4-ranked Colorado College (8-3-0, 8-1-0 WCHA), who also received a goal and an assist from defenseman Nate Prosser and a pair of assists sfrom both left winger Scott Thauwald and right winger Jimmy Kilpatrick, moved to 7-0 on home ice with the victory over the Pioneers. No. 3-ranked Denver (8-3-0, 5-2-0 WCHA) tied the game at 1-1 midway thru the first period on a goal from left winger Brock Trotter. The two Rocky Mountain rivals will go at it again on Saturday night, but this time at DU's Magness Arena. Faceoff is set for 7:07 pm MT.
In the one other WCHA game contested on Friday night, host and No. 5/6-ranked North Dakota had goals from eight different players -including the eventual game-winner from center Evan Trupp at 9:41 of the second period - en route to a 8-3 decision over No. 12/15-ranked Minnesota Duluth before a sellout crowd of 11,791 at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks. The Fighting Sioux (6-3-1, 4-3-0 WCHA), who improved to 3-1 at home this season, opened the game with three goals in the first 9:01. But the Bulldogs (5-4-2, 4-4-1 WCHA) then scored three straight of their own, with left winger Michael Gergen knotting the score at 3-3 with a goal at 4:52 of the second. North Dakota then scored five unanswered goals over the final 30:19 to seal the win. Multiple-point nights for UND were registered by center Chris VandeVelde (1g,1a), right wingers Matt Watkins (1g,1a), T.J. Oshie (1g,1a), Matt Frattin (1g,1a) and Brad Miller (1g,1a), left winger Ryan Duncan (2a), and defensemen Robbie Bina (2a), and Taylor Chorney (2a). UND and UMD will faceoff again at 7:07 pm CT on Saturday evening.
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Outside the WCHA on Nov. 23, league-member teams combined for a 1-1-1 record, moving the league's 2007-08 non-conference record to 23-6-5 (.750). No. 10/11-ranked St. Cloud State (7-2-2), behind two goals from right winger Ryan Lasch and 32 saves from goaltender Jase Weslosky, claimed a 4-1 victory over host and No. 7-ranked Clarkson that extended the Huskies' unbeaten streak to seven games at 6-0-1. SCSU was outshot, 33-13, in the game. In East Lansing, No. 13/15-ranked Minnesota (7-5-1), with a shorthanded goal from left winger Mike Hoeffel and 27 stops from Alex Kangas between the pipes, skated to a 3-3 overtime tie against defending national champion and No. 5/6-ranked Michigan State in a College Hockey Showcase game before 5,109 at Munn Arena. The Golden Gophers led 3-2 in the third before surrending a shorthanded, game-tying goal to the Spartans' Tim Kennedy at 12:41. And in Ann Arbor, visiting and No. 12/14-ranked Wisconsin (5-6-0) fell behind 3-0 after two periods before scoring twice at 17:10 and 17:28 of the third in a 3-2 College Hockey Showcase loss at No. 2-ranked Michigan before 6,854 at Yost Ice Arena. Notching the game-winner for the Wolverines was left winger Max Pacioretty on a power-play at 15:32 of the middle stanza. Scoring for the Badgers, who suffered their fourth straight setback, were forwards Podge Turnbull and Ben Street.
On Saturday night, SCSU will again take on Clarkson at 7:00 pm ET, Wisconsin will play at Michigan State at 7:05 pm ET, and Minnesota will take on Michigan at 7:35 pm ET.
Through games of Nov. 23, Colorado College leads the WCHA race with a 8-1-0 record and 16 points, Denver is second at 5-2-0 for 10 points, Minnesota Duluth (4-4-1 WCHA) and Michigan Tech (4-5-1 WCHA) are tied for third with nine points each, and North Dakota is fifth with eight points on a 4-3-0 mark. Michigan Tech has played the most league games to date with 10, while St. Cloud State, Alaska Anchorage and Wisconsin have played the fewest at six apiece.
Looking at the upcoming week, there will be a full slate of five Western Collegiate Hockey Association series on the schedule for Nov. 30-Dec. 1. League-leading Colorado College will travel to Alaska Anchorage, second place Denver will host North Dakota, Minnesota entertains Michigan Tech, St. Cloud State heads to Wisconsin, and Minnesota State hosts Minnesota Duluth.
This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, November 23: Minnesota Duluth 3 at North Dakota 8; Denver 1 at Colorado College 5; St. Cloud State 4 at Clarkson 1 (nc); Minnesota 3 at Michigan State 3 ot (nc); Wisconsin 2 at Michigan 3 (nc).
Games for Saturday, November 24: Minnesota Duluth at North Dakota, 7:07 pm CT; Colorado College at Denver, 7:07 pm MT; St. Cloud State at Clarkson, 7:00 pm ET; *Wisconsin at Michigan State, 7:05 pm ET; *Minnesota at Michigan, 7:35 pm ET (nc). *College Hockey Showcase
