In the CCHA, which used to be the WCHA for both men and women, it couldn’t be more competitive. Bemidji State leads with 37 points on an 11-7-2 record; St. Thomas and Bowling Green are tied with 35 points and identical 11-8-1 records. Minnesota State Mankato also has 35 points and an 11-7-2 record. 

This weekend, things could get straightened out a bit — or even more tangled — in the CCHA when Bemidji State faces two games at St. Thomas, while Lake Superior State invades Mankato, Michigan Tech is at Bowling Green and Northern Michigan at Ferris State.

In the Big Ten, Minnesota stumbled at Notre Dame, but came back from a 6-1 embarrassment to gain a 3-2 overtime victory in the rematch when Jaxon Nelson scored late to tie it, and Jimmy Snuggerud scored at 1:18 of overtime to win it.

Nevertheless, Minnesota’s stretch of 9-1-1 was broken, as was the Gophers hope to vault up into the top spot in the conference. At 12-6-4, the third-place Gophers have 37 points to stay ahead of Notre Dame, but they still trail first-place Michigan State (46 points, 14-4-2 record) and second-place Wisconsin (13-6-1, 39 points). The Gophers are idle this weekend, while last-place Ohio State heads for Michigan State after ruining Wisconsin’s title hopes with 3-2 overtime and 3-1 victories for the Buckeyes last weekend.

The NCHC, meanwhile, which had some struggles early, has now settled into its usual position as the nation’s best conference. The top five teams could legitimately feel as though they could win any other conference in the country. Those top five are North Dakota, St. Cloud State, Colorado College, Denver and Western Michigan, and they are all bunched within eight points.

Rough weekend for UMD vs. Denver
Minnesota Duluth isn’t among the NCHC title-chasers this season, but if they can pull all their loose ends together for the final six regular-season games, the Bulldogs may well decide who wins it. The Bulldogs languish in seventh place after being swept 5-4 in overtime and 5-2 by Denver last weekend at AMSOIL Arena. While Denver looked like the best team any hockey fans in Duluth have seen this year, they trail the leaders: North Dakota (11-6-1, 37 points), St. Cloud State (10-4-4, 36 points) and surprising Colorado College (12-6, 33 points). Denver is 11-6-1 with 31 points.

UMD, having lost twice to powerful Denver, now finishes the regular season at North Dakota this weekend, at Colorado College and back home against St. Cloud State. How’s that for a playoff tuneup?

Last Friday night’s game might have been the most entertaining and exciting games of the season for the Bulldogs who, if they didn’t have their torturous loose ends together, they pulled them together in that wild finish with two goals after pulling goaltender Zach Stejskal to tie the game 4-4 — only to fall on a goal by Aidan Thompson at 1:46 of the 3-on-3 overtime.

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, all within about four minutes of elapsed time.

The loose ends came back to haunt UMD Saturday night, after another similar rally seemed to lift the Bulldogs from a horrible three-goal opening deficit fashioned in a shaky first seven minutes, to self-destructing when two of their promising scorers — Ben Steeves and Anthony Menghini — wound up sharing penalty box time for misconduct penalties through the final minutes to eliminate any chance of continuing the rally.

It was, in a word, embarrassing. That, after an embarrassing start of three goals on five shots that caused coach Scott Sandelin to pull Stejskal and send in Matthew Thiessen.

“And you know what the most embarrassing thing was?” Sandelin said, challenging three media types who showed up after the game. “That stuff at the end. Having two guys sitting there for mouthing off. It’s frustrating, and I get it, but I’m sorry, if they don’t learn it’s not going to bode well for us. You don’t disrespect the team.”

And with that, Sandelin stalked away from the podium. Press conference over.

That Saturday night, UMD’s fire was extinguished early when Zeev Buium scored on the first shot of the first shift, at 0:31, and Connor Caponi shoveled in a backhander at 5:25. Jared Wright got loose on the right boards and flew in to score short-side on his breakaway for a 3-0 lead at 6:39. Shots were 5-5, but the score was 3-0 Denver, and the crowd was silent. Thiessen was sent in to tend goal, and he was sharp immediately, and made saves on all eight shots the rest of the first period.

Denver took a 5-2 lead in the third period, and the air went out of the balloon. At 9:57 of the third period, it got worse. That’s when Menghini, who has scored seven goals as a freshman, was called for checking from behind. Menghini said something to the ref, and was given a 10-minute misconduct, too. Sandelin sent Steeves over to serve the minor, and it ended just as a whistle blew. Steeves skated out and, as he passed the ref, he made a comment. Bang! He also was awarded a 10-minute misconduct, with eight minutes to go.

Losing the chance to make one last bid to win was too much for Sandelin, and while he has defended his players all season, he blew up this time, although UMD’s dressing room full of players might have been a better audience than the three-person media contingent that showed up after the game.

UMD women’s hockey close to home-ice advantage
Meanwhile, on the women’s front, UMD had a more beneficial answer to the women’s WCHA run to the playoffs. Needing three points to clinch home ice for the first round, the Bulldogs edged St. Cloud State 1-0 on Clara Van Wieren’s goal at 4:33 of the third period, and goalie Hailey MacLeod held on for the victory by that score. Playing as afternoon preliminaries to the UMD men, the Bulldogs played another amazing battle with St. Cloud on Saturday, this time going 0-0 through all three periods and overtime, and sending the game to a shootout to be decided.

Goalies Jojo Chobak of the Huskies and freshman Eve Gascon of UMD were brilliant throughout, but when the shootout started, everybody scored! Hanna Baskin scored for UMD; Emma Gentry scored for the Huskies. Van Wieren scored for UMD; Laura Zimmermann matched it for St. Cloud. Then Olivia Wallin skated in but was stopped by Chobak, putting all the pressure on Finnish freshman Sofianna Sundelin, who scored on Gascon and gave the extra point to the Huskies.

In what might be a brilliant political PR performance, UMD’s MacLeod was named goaltender of the week by the WCHA for her first-game performance, overlooking Chobak’s two-game performance, stopping 28 of 29 shots in the first game and all 39 shots the Bulldogs pelted her with in the second, for a weekend tally of 57 saves on 58 shots.

UMD coach Maura Crowell admitted she was pleasantly surprised that her sophomore goalie got the award, but added Chobak’s cumulative two-game performance deserved something.

UMD senior center Mannon McMahon was cited for playing in her 164th and 165th consecutive games over an illustrious five-season career, and she admitted stopping the game to acknowledge her achievement was “a special moment.”

More importantly, the Bulldogs will play at Minnesota this weekend, after which UMD and St. Cloud will reconvene at AMSOIL Arena next weekend for the first round of the best-of-three WCHA playoffs. And the Huskies, after very impressive performances in both games of last weekend’s series, will not be bothered by not having home ice.

The post ‘Minnesota 6’ Compete for Conference Titles appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Courtesy of NCHA Sports Information.

Featured Image:
Isabel Waidacher scores her fourth of the night. (Photo: St. Scholastica Athletics)

St. Scholastica’s Nina and Isabel Waidacher each recorded eight points in a 10-0 win Friday night over visiting Finlandia.  The eight-point games are believed to tie the records for both the NCHA and the NCAA.

The NCHA record for points by one player in a single game was previously held by UW-Superior’s Mika Sharpe, who accomplished the feat in the inaugeral season of NCHA hockey.  UW-Superior defeated UW-Eau Claire in that contest on December 2, 2000.

Isabel scored three times in the first period to give the Saints a 3-0 lead and bank the pure hat trick.  She added three assists and a goal in the second period, and then scored her fifth goal of the game in the third.

Five goals in one game is good for second on the all-time NCHA list, last accomplished by current St. Norbert forward Henriette Ostergaard in 2010.

Nina Waidacher put up two assists in the first period, three goals and two assists in the second and one assist in the third.  Five assists in a single game is believed to tie the NCHA record, last accomplished in 2007.

Isabel and Nina are two of three Waidacher sisters on the Saints’ roster, all hailing from eastern Switzerland.  Isabel is a freshman, Nina a junior and Monika a senior.

“There’s no question both Isabel and Nina have quite the chemistry with each other,” said St. Scholastica head coach Jackie MacMillan.  “They come from a family where those 3 girls (including sister Monika) all play hockey, the rink in Arosa (Swizterland) is right down the street from their house and the priority for the family has been always been skating and skiing … They’ve grown up together in similar age ranges and they’ve been able to play together quite a bit.”

Isabel and Nina skate on a line with senior Michelle Fischer, whom MacMillan gives much of the credit for the entire line’s success.  Fischer had a goal and three assists in the win.

The line did not take a shift in the third period, and the players only played when their special teams units took the ice.

“(Nina and Isabel) have been working so hard this season and in the preseason,” said MacMillan.  “I think a lot of it has to do with how comfortable they feel with the team and the team chemistry that we have right now.”

The post Sister Act appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Lots to ‘like’ in the MIAC
The MIAC’s social media presence started two years ago, in the fall of 2010, with Facebook and Twitter accounts dedicated to the conference. This week, both MIAC social media sites hit significant milestones, as the league received its 1,000th “follow” on Twitter, and its 800th “like” on Facebook. The MIAC would like to thank its dedicated fan base for help reaching both numbers.

In addition, metro-area MIAC fans will get a chance to see conference action on TV this winter. Channel 45 plans to broadcast two hockey contests at the University of St. Thomas, one each in men’s hockey and women’s hockey. The broadcast schedule is below.

Channel 45 MIAC Hockey TV Broadcasts
• Dec. 1 – Men’s Hockey – Concordia at St. Thomas – 2:30 p.m.
• Feb. 16 – Women’s Hockey – Augsburg at St. Thomas – 2 p.m.

Bethel men’s hockey brings broomsticks to St. Peter
The Bethel University men’s hockey team went on the road Saturday night and completed the sweep of the #5 ranked Gustavus Adolphus College Gusties with a 2-0 victory at the Don Roberts Ice Rink. After an emotional and physical, and at times dominating, 3-2 win Friday night the Royals proved it was no fluke with another solid performance and a convincing victory. Bethel outshot Gustavus 24-20 and freshman Matt Rowe recorded his first career win and shutout in the net.

Gustavus’ Colleen Jacoby makes impact between the Pipes 
Less than one day removed from her first collegiate start on Saturday afternoon, Gustavus goaltender Colleen Jaboby (Muskegon, Mich.) recorded the first shutout of her career to allow the Gustavus women’s hockey team a season-opening sweep over Bethel with 3-1 and 2-0 victories.  Jacoby tallied 29 saves on the night, the most in regular-season play since Dec. 10th, 2010 when Danielle Justice `12 recorded 36 saves against UW-River Falls.  Jacoby’s 29 saves are also the most in an MIAC regular season-game since Nov. 22nd, 2002 when Anne Kautzer `05 recorded 29 saves against St. Thomas.

Hamline women’s hockey finally goes home
Nearly a month after they were allowed to start practice, the Hamline women’s hockey team finally got on their regular home ice – Warner Coliseum – Monday, November 12, for a practice. The ice hadn’t gone in at the Coliseum so the team had been practicing at Ridder Arena. As it turned out, it was a brief moment. The day after practicing at home, HU headed to Duluth for a non-conference game with St. Scholastica. The Pipers played their first three “home” games in Vadnais Heights and a fourth at Ridder. The women play their first game at Warner on November 18 against St. Olaf.

St. Catherines hockey opens MIAC season with sweep of Augsburg
After dropping it’s opening game of the season without scoring a goal, the St. Catherine University hockey team erupted this weekend, scoring three power goals Friday night in a 3-2 win over Augsburg before shutting the Auggies out 2-0 on Saturday at home. Newcomer Bailey Rasmussen scored the first goal in each contest, while Megan Killmer and Mallory Ryan each collected two points in the Friday win to lead the Wildcat attack.

MIAC Student-Athlete Spotlight

Karissa Olsen, Concordia College
Freshman, Women’s Hockey
Eden Prairie, Minn./ Eden Prairie
Major: Nursing

Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
I couldn’t imagine not continuing playing hockey in college, and this was the perfect opportunity

If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what one question would you ask them? 
Wayne Gretzky of course! I would ask him what was the most valuable thing he learned playing hockey

Who was your favorite childhood athlete and why? 
My brother, because I have always looked up to him as a hockey player

What is your most embarrassing sports moment?
When my breezers fell down while playing

Do you have any pregame/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
Eating noodles and stretching

If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why? 
I always think going to Feed My Starving children is rewarding because it puts in perspective the difference between needs and wants.

Record Chasing: Lakeville freshman stops 64 in collegiate debut

Just one weekend after Concordia-Wisconsin’s Kaitlyn Evans put up a top-10 save performance with 54 stops, Finlandia’s Taylor Gustafson of Lakeville, Minn. posted 64 saves in a 5-1 loss on Friday, November 9.  The 64 saves is the second most all-time in NCHA history, just 5 short of the record.

Gustafson faced more than 20 shots in all three periods against visiting Marian.  Her save totals by period reads 24-21-19.

In the second game of the two-game series Gustafson made 41 more saves, good for 105 stops on the weekend.

The single-game save record is 69 and is held by Melissa Calder of Marian, who accomplished the feat on February 19, 2010 against UW-River Falls.  The record for all games (including non-conference) is 79, set by Katie Hirsch, also of Concordia-Wisconsin, in 2007.

Below is a list of the top single-game goaltender performances in NCHA history:

Most Saves – NCHA conference games

69, Melissa Calder, Marian – vs UW-River Falls, Feb 19, 2010
64 Taylor Gustafson, Finlandia – vs Marian, Nov 9, 2012
63 Sally Bevis, Lake Forest, at UW-River Falls, Mar 3, 2007 (*playoff game)
57 Britta Staudenmaier, Concordia-Wis, vs UW-Eau Claire, Nov 17, 2007
54  Jennifer DeGeorge, Concordia-Wis, vs St. Scholastica, Feb 10, 2012
54, Kaytlin Ruzicka, Marian, at Adrian, Feb 7, 2010
53 Ryann McCarthy, Lake Forest, at UW-Superior, Mar 2, 2007 (*playoff game)
53, Elyse Dowdell, Superior vs. River Falls, Dec. 13, 2003
52  Kaitlyn Evans, Concordia-Wis at St. Scholastica, Nov 2, 2012
52, Kari Hunter, Concordia-Wis., vs UW-Superior, Nov 22, 2008

The post Division III hockey notebook appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.