WCHA Final Face-Off Preview

Bemidji State Beavers (20-16-1/13-14-1-1 WCHA)

How they got here: Coming into the playoffs as the fifth seed, the Beavers earned two big road wins to knock off Minnesota Duluth last weekend. They beat the Bulldogs 3-2 in the first game, but Minnesota Duluth bounced back with a 2-0 win on Saturday to force a third and deciding game. The Bulldogs scored late in the third to take a 1-0 lead, but Hanna Moher tied it up for BSU with just 34 seconds remaining. Kaitlyn Tougas scored the overtime winner to complete the upset and help the Beavers advance.

BSU’s Brittni Mowat is focusing in on a potential Final Faceoff title for the Beavers on Sunday. (MHM Photo / Brent Cizek)

Key Players: Bemidji State has relied a lot on netminder Brittni Mowat, who holds a .945 save percentage and 1.66 goals-against average. Tougas is now tied for the team lead in game-winning goals and leads the Beavers with 13 goals and 27 points. Ivana Bilic has stepped up in a big way this season to anchor the blue line, and her ability to control play will be integral to their success.

Strengths/Weaknesses: Mowat’s play in net is BSU’s biggest advantage heading into the games this weekend. She has little trouble standing on her head to hold opponents off the board. The Beavers are also a very committed team in front of her, clogging up most passing and shooting lanes in the middle of the ice. They don’t generate a ton of offense, however, and a power-play efficiency of 14 percent could hamper them.

Why they’ll win it: Bemidji State has at least one win against each of the three teams playing this weekend, so the Beavers have already proven that they can beat them despite being the underdog. Though they tend to sit back and let the other team play with the puck, they’re also opportunistic and can take advantage of plays in transition.