North Dakota (22-11-3/16-9-3-2 WCHA)
How they got here: After defeating Ohio State 5-2 on Friday, UND capped off the sweep with an exciting 2-1 win in triple overtime to advance. Captain Andrea Dalen scored a hat trick to lead North Dakota in the first win, and Amy Menke finally snapped the 1-1 tie in the sixth period of play on Saturday afternoon.
Warroad’s Shelby Amsley-Benzie’s gives North Dakota every chance to skate away with a Final Faceoff trophy on Sunday. (WCHA photo)
Key Players: Goaltender Shelby Amsley-Benzie leads the nation in save percentage at .954 while holding a 1.15 goals-against average. Since Jan. 1, she’s posted eight shutouts, and has been a huge factor in UND’s turnaround. Forward Meghan Dufault took over the team scoring lead against the Buckeyes last weekend, and finding offense will be a necessity if UND hopes to win this tournament.
Strengths/Weaknesses: While North Dakota doesn’t play with a ton of offensive firepower, it still has a balanced attack that is bolstered by sound defensive play. Goaltending is obviously a huge strength as well. Not having so much scoring depth is a weakness, and while execution in the middle of the ice has greatly improved, that’s been problematic at times for this team.
Why they’ll win it: UND doesn’t dominate very often, but it manages the game very well, limiting quality chances for opposing teams. The team has shown an ability to capitalize on opportunities, and Amsley-Benzie has made her share of timely saves again and again this year at the other end.
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