Back into the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years, the No. 3 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will host the No. 5 University of Minnesota in the NCAA Quarterfinal round on Saturday, March 11 at AMSOIL Arena. The game, scheduled to start at 2:37 p.m., will mark the first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal showdown between two of the nation's most historically successful programs. The Gophers, the defending NCAA champions and owner of four of the last five NCAA titles, have an NCAA-best six national titles and are on the road in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. The Bulldogs, who last won an NCAA crown in 2010 -- which was also the last time UMD hosted an NCAA Quarterfinal contest, own five NCAA titles and remain the only program to have won three-straight NCAA trophies (2003, 2002, 2001).
USCHO RANKING: UMD-- No. 3, Minnesota-- No. 5
USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY MAG: UMD-- No. 3, Minnesota-- No. 5
THE SERIES: In 85 all-time showdowns, UMD is 27-51-7 against the Gophers after using double-overtime to knock off Minnesota last Saturday in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Final Face-Off Semifinals. Prior to UMD's 2-1 extra-time thriller, the Bulldogs snapped a five-year winless streak against Minnesota back on Jan. 13 in 3-2 win before sweeping the Gophers with a 5-3 triumph on Jan. 14. The series sweep was also the first by UMD over Minnesota since Oct. 29-30, 2010.
Last Saturday, the Bulldogs relied heavily on a record-setting performance from sophomore goaltender Maddie Rooney. Rooney topped her previous UMD record for saves in a game (also set against Minnesota last season) by making 62 saves to neutralize the Gophers 63-41 shots on goal advantage.
Immediately after Rooney made her record-setting save, UMD netted the game-winner when Lara Stalder whacked down a puck that had been sent at the net from Katerina Mrázová and then deflected off a Gopher player to become airborne. Stalder's eighth game-winning goal of the year came at 11:29 of the second overtime, sending UMD into the WCHA Final Face-Off final for the first time since 2012.
Mrázová backhanded UMD's first goal at 12:15 of the second period on the power play, and both Mrázová and Stalder had a goal and an assist in the contest.
While Minnesota outshot the Bulldogs overall in the game, the Gophers outshot UMD in the first (17-6) and third period (12-11), and in the first overtime (20-8). The Bulldogs had slight shot on goal advantages in the second period (10-9) and second overtime (6-5). UMD held Minnesota scoreless on three power play attempts.
The Bulldogs and Gophers each swept their home series over the course of the regular season, with Minnesota pocketing a 4-3 win on Oct. 14, followed by a 3-2 overtime win on Oct. 15 at Ridder. UMD had the slight edge in goals scored through those four games, netting 13 to the Gophers 12, and now 14-13 overall.
While the Bulldogs own a 14-13 goal advantage over the Gophers in five games this season, Minnesota owns a 206-142 shots on goal advantage on UMD.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GOPHERS: Minnesota finished right ahead of UMD in the WCHA regular season, and owns a 25-7-5 overall record. The Gophers needed three games to get to last Saturday's semifinal, defeating Bemidji State University Sunday 3-2 to reach their 18th-straight WCHA semifinal.
At the helm is Brad Frost, who in his 10th season, has an overall record of 318-53-27 at Minnesota and four NCAA titles.
Junior forward Kelly Pannek leads the Gophers and the NCAA with 60 points (19g, 41a) in 37 games. She is followed by sophomore Sarah Potomak, who has recorded 51 points on 19 goals and 32 assists.
THE BULLDOG -- GOPHER NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY: Despite meeting in 10 WCHA postseason games, UMD and Minnesota have met just once in the NCAA postseason - and never in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The Bulldogs and Gophers lone NCAA match-up game came at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. on March 19, 2010, a 3-2 NCAA Frozen Four semifinal win for UMD. Both Emmanuelle Blais (2g, 1a) and Laura Fridfinnson (1g, 2a) had three points for the Bulldogs in the win, while then freshman goaltender Jennifer Harss had 27 saves for UMD.
UMD IN THE NCAA POSTSEASON: While the headline may be the Bulldogs appearance in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011, prior to that, UMD was dominate in the tournament.
All-time, the Bulldogs are 15-5 in the NCAA postseason, including 11-2 in the NCAA Frozen Four and 4-3 in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The NCAA didn't adopt a quarterfinal game until the 2004-05 season, and prior to that, UMD had played in and won the first three NCAA titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003, going a perfect 6-0 in the NCAA postseason.
In three NCAA Quarterfinal games in Duluth, Minn., UMD is 2-1 all-time. (Though UMD's only quarterfinal loss was actually at Wessman Arena in Superior, Wisc., due to a DECC conflict at the time). The Bulldogs are an impressive 6-0 all-time in NCAA postseason games actually held in the city limits of Duluth.
A look at UMD in the NCAA Quarterfinals --
March 12, 2011 - at Wisconsin 1-2 Loss
March 13, 2010 - vs. New Hampshire 2-1 Win
March 14, 2009 - at New Hampshire 4-1 Win
March 15, 2008 - vs. Mercyhurst 5-4 Win
March 9, 2007 - at Mercyhurst 3-2 OT Win
March 11, 2006 - at St. Lawrence 0-1 Loss
March 18, 2005 - vs. St. Lawrence 2-3 OT Loss
LAST TIME OUT: UMD played in its first WCHA Final Face-Off championship game since the 2012 season last Sunday. After knocking off Minnesota 2-1 in double-overtime, the Bulldogs turned around 19 hours later to face the rested top-ranked Badgers at Ridder Arena. The result was a 1-1 game until the third period. Wisconsin scored three goals in the third period to defeat UMD 4-1, despite 50 saves from Maddie Rooney. Defenseman Sidney Morin had the Bulldogs lone goal in the game, assisted by Lara Stalder and Katerina Mrázová.
UMD is now 1-3-1 against the top-ranked Badgers this season.
NOTES FROM THE WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF:
Overall, UMD is 36-17 in WCHA postseason play in all games. In the WCHA semifinal round, UMD is now 8-8, while the Bulldogs are 5-3 in the final.
--Maddie Rooney was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and the first-ever winner from the non-winning team. Rooney becomes the sixth Bulldog player to earn WCHA Final Face-Off MOP honors.
--Rooney, Lara Stalder and Sidney Morin were named to the WCHA Final Face-Off All-Tournament team.
--Rooney's 112 saves over the weekend shattered the league's record for saves in the WCHA Final Face-Off.
--Rooney has now had four games with 40 or more saves against Minnesota in eight career outings, and two with 61 or more stops.
--Rooney also now owns the second most saves in a single UMD season with 935. Only Jennifer Harss, who recorded 1138 saves in the 2009-10 title season has ever had more in year.
--Stalder and Katerina Mrázová each had three points over the weekend. Mrázová had two goals and an assist, while Stalder had one goal and two assists.
--Saturday's double-overtime win was the fourth-longest game in UMD program history at three hours, 20 minutes long. All-time, the Bulldogs have played in four games that have gone into double or triple overtime, and in those games, UMD is a perfect 4-0.
--UMD snapped a 0-15-1 record against the Gophers at Ridder last Saturday night. Prior to Saturday night's win, UMD had not beaten Minnesota at home since defeating them on March 19, 2010 in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals by a score of 3-2. UMD is now 2-16-1 in Ridder since winning the 2010 NCAA title. Besides the Bulldogs Saturday overtime win, UMD's other triumph at Ridder over that span was against Wisconsin in the semifinals of the 2012 WCHA Final Face-Off (a 3-1 win).
---The Bulldogs tied a program record for most overtime games in a season (eight).
ROONEY'S ROLLING: It's been a busy week for sophomore goaltender Maddie Rooney, who was not only named the WCHA Final Face-Off's Most Outstanding Player, she was also named the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Week and also to the U.S. National Team for the upcoming World Championship Team.
Rooney will compete in the upcoming IIHF Women's World Championship in Plymouth, Mich. from March 31-April 7, and it will be the first time the goaltender will suit up for the senior national team. Rooney's debut also marks the first time a current Bulldog player will suit up for the U.S. senior national team since Julianne Vasichek did in 2004.
Ranked fifth in the NCAA with a .942 saves percentage and the nation's third most saves, Rooney owns the seventh best winning percentage of .764, as well as the seventh-most shutouts with six. Rooney's 2191:10 minutes over 36 games is the second minutes and games played by a goaltender in UMD single-season history. With 985 saves, Rooney also now has the second most saves made in a season by a UMD netminder.
Rooney's WCHA weekly honor was the fourth of the year for her.
STREAKING STALDER: Kazmaier top-3 candidate Lara Stalder had a goal and two assists over the weekend and extended her current scoring streak to 15-games -- only the fourth player in UMD history ever to run a scoring streak that long.
With 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 15 games, Stalder has recorded at least a point in every Bulldog game since Dec. 10, 2016. Nine of those 15 games have been multiple point performances, including five games over that span with three or more points.
HOME SWEET HOME: UMD is 15-1-2 this season at AMSOIL Arena, its lone loss coming against top-ranked Wisconsin on Nov. 19.
The Bulldogs home record this year is its fourth-best home record ever, and is tied for the second most home wins ever if WCHA Final Face-Off and NCAA Frozen Four games are subtracted.
The Bulldogs lone AMSOIL loss also ties the fewest home losses in a season (UMD went 17-1-2 at the DECC back in 2000-01).
All-time, in NCAA postseason games held at either the DECC or AMSOIL Arena, UMD is a flawless 6-0.
WINNING DOGS: UMD's Friday win was the 25th of the season, and is the first time since 2009-10 and the eighth time the program has earned 25 or more wins in a season.
UMD ON THE OFFENSIVE: UMD's 110 total goals in 36 games is the most goals the program has scored since the 2011-12 season.
--In just 34 games, Lara Stalder has turned in 56 points -- the most by a Bulldog since since Emmanuelle Blais had 65 (33g, 32a) in 41 games in 2009-10. Blais had 60 points (30g, 30a) in 38 games prior to UMD entering its the 2010 NCAA Quarterfinal contest.
---Ashleigh Brykaliuk's back-to-back 40+ point seasons is the first by a Bulldog since Irwin did it in 2010-11 (48 points, 24 games) and again in 2011-12 (54 points, 34 games).
--UMD has three players that have accumlated 30 or more points so far this season -- Stalder (56), Brykaliuk (45) and Katherine McGovern (34). The last time a Bulldog squad has three players over 30+ points in a season was in 2011-12. That season Irwin (54), Audrey Cournoyer (48 points) and Jenna McParland (32) all notched 30 or more points that season.
CHARTING NEW TERRITORY: The Bulldogs have etched their way into the record books in multiple of ways already this season, starting with senior forward Lara Stalder becoming the program's 20th 100 point club member back on Oct. 8. Since then, Stalder has become UMD 11th all-time scorer with 54 goals and 94 assists for 148 points. Stalder also ranks 8th all-time in assists (94).
Senior defenseman Sidney Morin now ranks as the 7th highest scoring blueliner in UMD history with 70 points. Morin's 19 goals is the fifth-most by a defenseman, while her 51 assists ranks her sixth all-time.
While Morin already owns the UMD record for consecutive games played (146), she also now sits sixth in total games played over a career. In fact, three Bulldogs are now in the top-10 for games played, including Morin, Ashleigh Brykaliuk in seventh with 145 skates and Demi Crossman in tenth with 143 games played.
Sophomore goaltender Maddie Rooney now ranks in the top-10 in six single-season record categories. Rooney ranks second with both 985 saves and games (36) and minutes (2191:10) played. She sits third with six shutouts in a season, and tied for fourth with a .942 saves percentage. Rooney's 25 wins is also the fifth most in a single season by a Bulldog netminder.
A REGULAR SEASON OF SUCCESS: Prior to the quarterfinals, the Bulldogs had already reached a plethora of milestones during their regular season.
Notably: UMD's third place finish in the WCHA is the program's highest since 2010-11 when the Bulldogs tied for second.
--The Bulldogs 19 league wins is the most since the 2009-10 season.
--UMD had scored the most regular season goals (96) since the 2011-12 regular season when that UMD squad recorded 111.
--The Bulldogs had a program record 10 WCHA Scholar Athletes in 2016-17.
--With a home record of 13-1-2, the Bulldogs have the best home regular season record in Duluth, Minn. since the program posted a 13-2-1 record in 2007-08. In fact, those 13 regular season home wins ranked (along with the 2007-08 season), as the third most regular season home wins ever. UMD posted a record of 17-1-2 at the DECC over the 2000-01 season, and a regular season 14-3-1 at home during the NCAA title season of 2002-03.
--Lara Stalder had scored 47 points in the regular season, the most by a Bulldog heading into the playoffs since Emmanuelle Blais ran up 49 points on 13 goals and 36 assists in 34 regular season skates back in 2009-10. While Blais posted an impressive 49 points, she did so with four more games than Stalder, who had just 30 games over the 2016-17 regular season.
--Senior forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk ran up the program's second-longest scoring streak ever -- 19 games -- with an incredible 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points between Oct. 29, 2016 through Feb. 12, 2017. Only Hanne Sikio has recorded a longer scoring spree as Bulldog. Sikio set her record during the 1999-00 season, a 23-game streak where the Finnish Olympian tallied 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points.
--Both Brykaliuk's streak and Stalder's current 13 game, 27 point stretch are career bests scoring streaks for the seniors.
STALDER KAZMAIER TOP-3 FINALIST: Lara Stalder is one step closer to the confirmation that the Bulldogs may just have the best women's hockey player in all of Division I NCAA hockey.
The UMD senior forward was named a Top-3 Finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award last week, the award presented annually to the top player in the nation. The Bulldogs leading scorer with 56 points (23g, 33a) in 34 games, the Luzern, Switzerland native also ranks first in the WCHA in goals and second in assists. In the NCAA, Stalder is first in points per game (1.65), third in goals per game, and fourth in assists, as well as second with eight game-winning goals. Stalder, currently in the midst of a 30 point, 15-game scoring streak, has had 17 multiple point games for the Bulldogs, including seven outings with three or more points. In 14 games against top-10 opponents, Stalder had eight goals and 12 assists for 19 points.
Named the WCHA's Player of the Year, as well as the WCHA's Student Athlete of the Year, Stalder also earned the first-ever Women's Hockey Association Player of the Month for January 2017, and was named the WCHA's Offensive Player of the Month for January 2017. Five times the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week this season, Stalder won the weekly award on Jan. 31, Jan. 24, Jan. 17, Nov. 15 and Oct. 11. Stalder was named a 2016-17 WCHA Scholar Athlete, and carries a 3.719 Cumulative GPA as a Retail Marketing Analytics major.
As a program, UMD has had a total of six top-3 finalists, with goaltender Kim Martin garnering the most recent honor prior to Stalder during the 2007-08 season. In all, the Bulldog program has had ten top-10 Patty Kazmaier finalists.
ROONEY NAMED TO U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER: The native of Andover, Minn. was named to her first U.S. Hockey Women's National Team Tuesday. Maddie Rooney will compete in the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship in Plymouth, Mich. from March 31-April 7, and it will be the first time the goaltender will suit up for the senior national team. Rooney's debut also marks the first time a current Bulldog player will suit up for the U.S. senior national team since Julianne Vasichek did in 2004.
STALDER, MRÁZOVÁ LAND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER SPOTS: Along with Madde Rooney, Lara Stalder and Katerina Mrázová will represent their countries in the 2017 IIHF Women's World Championship. Stalder, who has already landed a gig with the Switzerland Olympic Team for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will lead Switzerland, while Mrázová will suit up for the Czecg Republic.
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