WCHA NCAA Frozen Four Release
March 20, 2005
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MADISON, Wisc. - Top-ranked Minnesota (34-2-/25-1-2) defeated Providence 6-1 Friday in the NCAA Quarterfinals to earn a spot at the 2005 NCAA Women's Frozen Four in Durham, N.H. Minnesota will face Dartmouth (27-6-0/16-4-0) in the semifinals on Friday. St. Lawrence (27-7-5/14-3-3) meets Harvard (25-6-3/17-1-2) in the other semifinal.
The WCHA entered the quarterfinals represented by three teams. Minnesota Duluth (26-6-2/22-4-2) fell in overtime, 3-2, to St. Lawrence. Wisconsin (28-9-1/20-7-1) was edged by Dartmouth, 4-3. Harvard won its quarterfinal match-up with Mercyhurst, 5-4, in three overtimes.
Friday's semifinal marks the third straight year that Minnesota has faced Dartmouth in the Frozen Four. In 2003, Dartmouth defeated Minnesota in the third place game and last year, Minnesota posted a 5-1 victory in the semifinals to advance to the national title game. This year's Frozen Four field is the same as it was a year ago. Minnesota defeated Harvard 6-2 to capture the championship.
The WCHA has dominated the NCAA Women's Frozen Four, winning the past four. Minnesota Duluth captured the first three championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003 while Minnesota took top honors in 2004. Minnesota also won the AWCHA National Championship in 2000.
The Gophers won their second-straight WCHA Playoff Championship with a 3-2 win over Wisconsin in overtime. Minnesota also captured its second-straight regular-season title with 52 points, the most by any team in the league's six-year history. Minnesota also set a new conference record with 25 league wins and hit the 30-win mark for the second-straight season.
Minnesota Duluth made a return to the NCAA tournament after missing its first tournament since its inception last season. Wisconsin's trip to the quarterfinals was the first appearance in the NCAA tournament in the history of the Badger program. The WCHA tied with the ECAC Hockey League with three teams earning spots in the newly expanded eight-team field.
The WCHA also boasts all three of the finalists for the 2005 Patty Kazmaier Award. Minnesota's Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell and Minnesota Duluth's Caroline Ouellette were all repeat top 10 finalists and earned spots among the top three for the first time in their careers. The Kazmaier Award will be presented Saturday, March 26.
NCAA Women's Frozen Four
Friday, March 25 - NCAA Frozen Four Semifinal, Durham, N.H.: St. Lawrence vs. Harvard, 5 p.m./ 8 p.m.; Dartmouth vs. Minnesota, 5 p.m./ 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 27 - NCAA Women's Frozen Four, Durham, N.H.: Third Place game, 12:30 p.m.; Championship, 4 p.m.
Last Week
Thursday, March 3: WCHA Quarterfinals
North Dakota 2 Minnesota Duluth 3 OT
Bemidji State 3 at Minnesota 6
Friday, March 4: WCHA Quarterfinals
St. Cloud State 1 Wisconsin 3
Minnesota State1 Ohio State 4
Saturday, March 5: WCHA Semifinals
Wisconsin 3 Minnesota Duluth 2 OT
Ohio State 1 Minnesota 7
Sunday, March 6:
Third Place Game
Ohio State 0 Minnesota Duluth 5
Championship
Wisconsin 2 Minnesota 3 OT
Friday, March 18: NCAA Quarterfinals
St. Lawrence 3 at Minnesota Duluth 2 OT
Providence 1 at Minnesota 6
Saturday, March 19: NCAA Quarterfinals
Wisconsin 3 at Dartmouth 4
USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll
Final Poll - March 14 (first-place votes in parentheses)
Last Ranking Record 1. Minnesota, 150 (15) 1 33-2-2
2. Minnesota Duluth, 126 2 26-5-2
3. Wisconsin, 112 3 28-8-1
4. Harvard, 110 5 24-6-3
5. Dartmouth, 99 4 26-6-0
6. St. Lawrence, 70 6 26-7-5
7. Mercyhurst, 65 7 28-6-2
8. Providence, 41 9 21-10-5
9. New Hampshire, 23 8 21-8-6
10. Connecticut, 16 10 16-12-8
Others Receiving Votes: Princeton 5, Yale 3, Ohio State 2
USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll
March 15 (first-place votes in parentheses)
Last Ranking Record 1. Minnesota, 190 (19) 1 33-2-2
2. Minnesota Duluth, 163 3 26-5-2
3. Wisconsin, 148 2 28-8-1
4. Harvard, 137 5 24-6-3
5. Dartmouth, 120 4 26-6-0
6. Mercyhurst, 88 7 28-6-2
7. St. Lawrence, 85 6 26-7-5
8. Providence, 57 9 21-10-5
9. Connecticut, 26 10 16-12-8
10. New Hampshire, 25 8 21-8-6
Others receiving votes: Yale, 4; Princeton, 2
WCHA Leaders * Individual
Most Points (All Games): 105, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most Points (WCHA): 72, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most Goals (All Games): 40, Krissy Wendell, Jr, F, UM
Most Goals (WCHA): 28, Caroline Ouellette, Sr, F, UMD
Most Assists (All Games): 66, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most Assists (WCHA): 45, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most PP Points (All Games): 47, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most PP Points (WCHA): 35, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM
Most SH Points (All Games): 10, Krissy Wendell, Jr, F, UM
Most SH Points (WCHA): 8, Krissy Wendell, Jr, F, UM
Most GWG (All Games): 9, Caroline Ouellette, Sr, F, UMD
Most GWG (WCHA): 7, Natalie Darwitz, Jr, F, UM, and Caroline Ouellette, Sr, F, UMD
Most Points, Defenseman (All Games): 46, Lyndsay Wall, So, D, UM
Most Points, Defenseman (WCHA): 37, Lyndsay Wall, So, D, UM
Most Points, Freshman (All Games): 32, Bobbi Ross, Fr, F, UM
Most Points, Freshman (WCHA): 24, Bobbi Ross, Fr, F, UM
GAA (All Games): 1.37, Brenda Reinen, Sr, UM
GAA (WCHA): 0.89, Jody Horak, Sr, UM
Save Percentage (All Games): .942, Riitta Schaublin, So, UMD
Save Percentage (WCHA): .952, Jody Horak, Sr, UM
Winning Pct. (All Games): .885, Jody Horak, Sr, UM (22-2-2)
Winning Pct. (WCHA): .895, Jody Horak, Sr, UM (16-1-2))
WCHA Leaders * Team
Scoring Offense, G/GM (All Games): 4.89, Minnesota
Scoring Offense, G/GM (WCHA): 4.61 Minnesota
Scoring Defense, G/GM (All Games): 1.29, Minnesota
Scoring Defense, G/GM (WCHA): 0.93, Minnesota
Power-Play (All Games): 30.3%, Minnesota (66-of-218)
Power-Play (WCHA): 29.4%, Minnesota (48-of-163)
Penalty-Kill (All Games): 92.2%, Minnesota Duluth (190-of-206)
Penalty-Kill (WCHA): 93.8%, Minnesota (150-of-160)
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