Bemidji State, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth Skate to WCHA Victories Nov. 13, Look for Sweeps Saturday

Wisconsin Downs Wayne State; Four Points Separate Top Five Teams in WCHA Race

Montana Vichorek and her BSU Teammates Blanked SCSU on Nov. 13

HEADLINES

Bemidji State Blanks Host Wisconsin Sunday to Move Into Fourth Place; Minnesota State Shuts Out St. Cloud State

UMD Bulldogs Sweep Minnesota to Keep WCHA Title Race Alive, Clinch Home Playoff Berth; North Dakota, Wisconsin Win Saturday; Sunday Games Feature SCSU at MSU, BSU at U

Minnesota Duluth Downs UM to Keep WCHA Title Hopes Alive; OSU, SCSU Win Friday to Stay in Hunt for Home Playoff Berths; Badgers Host Beavers Outdoors Saturday at Camp Randall

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Nov. 14, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

MADISON, Wis. – Bemidji State, defending WCHA champion Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth all recorded conference victories on Friday (Nov. 13) and all three take aim at completing weekend series sweeps on Saturday. The Beavers blanked visiting St. Cloud State, 1-0, the Golden Gophers won 4-1 at Minnesota State, Mankato, and the Bulldogs upended host Ohio State, 3-2 in overtime.

On Saturday (Nov. 14), BSU and SCSU will face-off at 2:07 pm CT at John Glas Fieldhouse, UM and MSU will play at 3:07 pm CT at All Seasons Arena, and the Bulldogs and Buckeyes will complete their two-game set with a 7:07 pm ET face-off at the OSU Ice Rink.

In non-conference action this week, Wisconsin followed up a 2-2 overtime tie against visiting Wayne State on Thursday with a 6-2 triumph on Friday.

Through games of Nov. 13, just four points separate the top five clubs in the WCHA standings. Minnesota (9-2-0, 7-2-0 WCHA) is first with 14 points, Minnesota Duluth (8-5-0, 6-3-0 WCHA) is second with 12 points, Ohio State (5-5-3, 5-5-1 WCHA) is third with 11 points, and Bemidji State (4-7-2, 3-2-2-2 WCHA) and Wisconsin (7-4-1, 5-3-0 WCHA) are tied for fourth with 10 points each. North Dakota (3-6-1, 3-6-1 WCHA), idle this week, is sixth with seven points, Minnesota State (3-4-2, 1-4-2-1 WCHA) is seventh with five points, and St. Cloud State (3-8-0, 2-7-0 WCHA) is eighth with four points.

Looking ahead to next weekend, Nov. 20-22, there will be three WCHA series contested as Bemidji State visits Minnesota (Fri/Sat), St. Cloud State hosts Wisconsin (Fri/Sat), and Minnesota Duluth entertains Minnesota State (Sat/Sun). Outside the league, Ohio State will host St. Lawrence (Fri/Sat) for a non-conference set and North Dakota will engage the Manitoba Maple Leafs (Sat) in exhibition play.

At All Seasons Arena in Mankato on Friday, visiting Minnesota had seven points from the line of left winger Emily West (1g, 1a), center Sarah Erickson (1g, 2a) and right winger Brittany Francis (2a) in a 4-1 league victory over Minnesota State before 265. After a scoreless first period, the Gophers erupted for three in the second period, including the game-winner from defenseman Anne Schleper on a power-play at 17:57. For the Mavericks, Emmi Leinonen notched a third period power-play goal at 1:07. In nets, Noora Räty had 29 stops for UM while Alli Altmann had 33 for MSU.

In Columbus on Nov. 13, visiting Minnesota Duluth captured a 3-2 overtime WCHA victory over Ohio State before 345 at the OSU Ice Rink as defenseman Jaime Rasmussen knocked home the game-winner at 0:31 of the extra session. Also for UMD, winger Emmanuelle Blais had a goal and an assist, defenseman Mariia Posa had two assists and Jennifer Harss had 24 saves in goal. For OSU, centers Natalie Spooner and Laura McIntosh scored goals, with Spooner’s tying the game at 2-2 at 13:31 of the third period, while Chelsea Knapp had 33 saves in nets.

At John Glas Fieldhouse in Bemidji on Friday, the host Beavers prevailed 1-0 over St. Cloud State by virtue of center Sadie Lundquist’s second period game-winner at 15:06 and a 28-save performance from goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova before 203. In a game that featured only one minor penalty to SCSU, Bemidji State outshot the Huskies, 36-28. For St. Cloud State, goaltender Ashley Nixon stopped 35 of 36 shots on goal.

And at the Kohl Center in Madison on Friday afternoon, host Wisconsin received four goals from right winger Brooke Ammerman and three assists from defenseman Saige Pacholok en route to a 6-2 non-conference victory over Wayne State before 1,732. Ammerman’s power-play goal at 14:52 of the second period proved to be the game-winner. Also for the Badgers, left winger Brianna Decker had a goal and an assist.

This Week in the WCHA

Results of Thursday, Nov. 12: Wayne State 2 at Wisconsin 2 ot (nc). Results of Friday, Nov. 13: Wayne State 2 at Wisconsin 6 (nc); Minnesota 4 at Minnesota State 1 (WCHA); Minnesota Duluth 3 at Ohio State 2 ot (WCHA); St. Cloud State 0 at Bemidji State 1 (WCHA).

Games for Saturday, Nov. 14: St. Cloud State at Bemidji State (WCHA), 2:07 pm CT; Minnesota at Minnesota State (WCHA), 3:07 pm CT; Minnesota Duluth at Ohio State (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET.

Upcoming in the WCHA

Games for Friday, Nov. 20: Wisconsin at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 2:07 pm CT; Bemidji State at Minnesota (WCHA), 6:07 pm CT; St. Lawrence at Ohio State (nc), 7:07 pm ET.

Games for Saturday, Nov. 21: St. Lawrence at Ohio State (nc), 2:07 pm ET; Wisconsin at St. Cloud State (WCHA), 2:07 pm CT; Bemidji State at Minnesota (WCHA), 4:07 pm CT; Minnesota State at Minnesota Duluth (WCHA), 6:07 pm CT; Manitoba Maple Leafs at North Dakota (x), 7:07 pm CT.

Games for Sunday, Nov. 22: Minnesota State at Minnesota Duluth (WCHA), 3:07 pm CT.