Race For Top Five Positions Tightens

All five weekend series end in sweeps.

  • print
  • email
  • font +
  • font -
  • rss

Dec. 4, 2000

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

MADISON, Wisc. - After a December-opening that saw four WCHA and one non-conference series end in sweeps for North Dakota, St. Cloud State, Wisconsin, Denver and Colorado College last Friday (Dec. 1) and Saturday (Dec. 2), the battle for the top five places has tightened considerably. The conference standings now show six points separating six teams between second and fifth place. The second-ranked Fighting Sioux (12-2-4) won twice at Alaska Anchorage (4-2, 3-0) to boost their lead in the MacNaughton Cup derby to three points over Minnesota and stretch their unbeaten streak to 11 games (10-0-1). The Gophers, meanwhile, were defeated twice at Denver (4-0, 4-1), a pair of victories that helped the Pioneers move into a fifth place tie in the WCHA and up their own unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1). Defending league champion Wisconsin came up with 5-4 and 4-3 (ot) decisions at Minn-Duluth and climbed into a third place tie, while St. Cloud State took a pair of games (4-3 ot, 4-3) at MTU to move to 10-3-1 overall. Colorado College, unbeaten over the last five games (4-0-1), also moved to 10-3-1 with non-conference wins over Air Force (4-1) and Bemidji State (2-1). The schedule for Dec. 8-10 finds North Dakota at CC, Denver at Alaska Anchorage, and Wisconsin at St. Cloud State in WCHA action while Michigan Tech plays home-and-home against CCHA-member N. Michigan, UMD entertains Bemidji State of College Hockey America and MSU engages traveling CHA- member Alabama-Huntsville. Next Saturday, Minnesota hosts MAAC-member Quinnipiac before welcoming the Russia Select Team on Sunday night in the first game of their international/WCHA tour.

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation is sending a Regional Selection Team, made up of players who represent some of the top-level clubs in the country, to the United States Dec. 8-20 for a four-game WCHA tour of Minnesota, Wisconsin, St. Cloud State and Minnesota State, Mankato as well as a game in Ann Arbor against the U.S. National Development Team. (see tour details in pdf of release).