Two points -- that is all that currently separates the No. 6 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team from Bemidji State University in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings. While the Bulldogs are ranked sixth in the all-important PairWise rankings that determine the postseason, it is safe to say UMD will be looking out for its own best interests when it welcomes the Beavers to the second college women's hockey series in brand new AMSOIL Arena. Games are set for Friday and Saturday night, and both games will start at 7:07 p.m.
UMD NOTES VS BEMIDJI STATE
THE SERIES: The Bulldogs are 48-1-2 all-time against the Beavers, and 1-1 so far this season. More pressing for UMD, however, is that it currently trails Bemidji State by two points in the WCHA standings. With the Beavers in fourth and the Bulldogs in fifth, this weekend presents an opportunity for UMD switch positions with BSU and make a run at North Dakota in the third slot.
In the two teams last series in Bemidji on Nov. 5-6, UMD suffered it's first-ever setback to BSU in the first game (Nov. 5), a 1-0 loss. The Bulldogs were mighty thin that weekend however, with Team Canada call-ups Haley Irwin and Jocelyne Larocque, as well as assistant coach Laura Schuler with Team Canada ahead of the Four Nations Cup. The UMD was also missing senior defenseman Tara Gray, who was forced to sit out the series due to a concussion. The Bulldogs outshot the Beavers 38-31 in the loss, and again the next day, 37-28 en route to a 3-1 win. UMD netted two power-play goals, in the second perid courtesy of Audrey Counoyer and Brienna Gillanders to take the lead for good, and Elin Holmlov's third period tally cememented the 48th win over the Beavers in program history. Kim Martin made 27 saves in the win.
In fact, that last time the Bulldogs pulled off a sweep of an opponent on the road was against the Beavers last season on Feb. 19-20, 2010. UMD picked up 5-3 and 2-0 victories, the last time the Bulldogs accomplished that feat.
LAST WEEK: No. 6 UMD picked up just one point against top-ranked Wisconsin over the weekend, dropping a 4-1 decision Friday night before earning a 4-4 tie Saturday evening. The series was the first ever in the Bulldogs brand new AMSOIL Arena, and Friday's opening was a start-studded affair, with alums Jenny Potter, Caroline Ouellette and current assistant coach Maria Rooth dropping the honorary first puck in the ceremonial face-off. UMD struggled to assert its new home ice advantage, however, and while the Badgers built up a three goal lead by the third period, the Bulldogs didn't get on the scoreboard until 8:15 on a goal by Elin Holmlov. Wisconsin added a controversial open net goal with 21 seconds in the contest (it was clearly shown to be offsides on replay), and the Badgers, who outshot UMD 25-21 added their 11th consecutive win in 4-1 style. UMD leading scorer Haley Irwin did not play Friday night, and sophomore goaltender Jenny Harss made 21 saves.
The Bulldogs fought back to overcome a two-goal deficit in each of the three periods Saturday evening to earn the 4-4 tie. Outshot 43-27 in the game, UMD had two players -- Kacy Ambroz and Tara Gray on the power-play -- notch their first goals of the season. Sophomore defenseman Jessica Wong added a power-play tally, her 11th score of the year, and rookie forward Jamie Kenyon scored her third goal of the season, and first game-tying tally of her young career, with just 1:14 left in regulation to bring the game to a 4-4 stalemate. Kenyon and Gray's goals came a mere 1:17 a part, and in the last three minutes of regulation. The overtime -- the 19th ever between the two programs -- ended in their 10th tie, although UMD lost in the ensuing league shootout 2-1. Harss was brilliant between the pipes for the Bulldogs, making 39 save -- a season-high for either Harss or senior goaltender Kim Martin.
NOTES FROM THE WISCONSIN SERIES: UMD is now 26-21-10 all-time against the Badgers, and finishes up the regular season portion against Wisconsin 1-2-1, with two overtime games. The Bulldogs are also now 2-4-3 against Wisconsin when the Badgers own the No. ranking since 2007.
--Friday night's opening night was the largest home crowd for the Bulldogs this season, with 1,639 fans in attendance. The crowd is also the ninth biggest crowd for a UMD women's hockey game in Duluth ever, and the fourth most attended game during the regular season in Bulldog history. It was the biggest regular season crowd for a game not opposing the University of Minnesota.
--Saturday's draw was also the first time this year UMD has allowed four goals by its opponent but not suffered a setback. The Bulldogs are 0-3-1 in contests they surrender four goals so far this season.
--UMD has not won a game since Dec. 10, a 4-1 victory against North Dakota. Since then, in five games, the Bulldogs are 0-3-2, the longest winless streak in UMD's storied history, but not it's longest losing streak. That mark was set during the 2006-07 season, and is just four setbacks suffered in a row.
The Maroon and Gold's seven WCHA setbacks this season is only the third time in program history the Bulldogs have lost seven or more games in league play. UMD was 18-7-3 in league play in 2005-06, and lost a program-high eight skates in the WCHA back in 2003-04, when the Bulldogs went 15-8-1.
--With last Saturday's loss, UMD owns six WCHA losses for a third consecutive season. In fact, the Bulldogs have suffered six setbacks in league play in four of their last five seasons, and yet have twice still managed to win the WCHA Regular season, WCHA Playoff, and NCAA titles in both 2010 and 2008.
-The Bulldogs are 6-6-2 so far this season against teams ranked in the top-ten, and have now had seven games where UMD has netted two or more power-play goals during an outing. Four of those two-goal power-play games have come against nationally ranked opponents, and while UMD is just 4-of 35 in its last six games with the extra skater, they have had two of their two-goal power-play outings in those last six games.
--Elin Holmlov extended her pile of points against the Badgers over her career by adding a goal Friday and an assist Saturday, giving the senior forward five goals and 10 assists against Wisconsin for 15 points over her career. Haley Irwin's assist Saturday night brings her career total against the Badgers to 14 points (5g, 9a) in just 16 skates. Sophomore defenseman convert Jessica Wong has now registered a point in six of the 8 games she has played against Wisconsin so far in her career. Wong has three goals and five assists for seven points. Other Badger-baiters who tacked on to their points against Wisconsin this weekend were senior Laura Fridfinnson (6-6-12) and sophomore forward Pernilla Winberg (2-7=9), who has nine points in eight games.
--UMD's two-goal, first period deficit on Saturday night was the second time the Bulldogs have found themselves in that predictament this season. The other occasion was back on Oct. 16 against Minnesota State, Mankato, but the Bulldogs used a four-goal second period to flatten the Mavericks 5-2 in the final. UMD is now 1-0-1 this year when they trail a team by two goals after the first 20 minutes of play.
--The Bulldogs have struggled in with the WCHA's mandatory shootout since its inception during the 2008-09 season. In three years, UMD is just 2-6 -- two wins in eight shootout attempts. In both shootout contests this season, the Bulldogs are now 0-2.
--Irwin's absence in last Friday's loss to Wisconsin can be measured in more than just points lost on the scoresheet. On Saturday, Irwin took 40 of the games 71 face-offs -- over half. Irwin won 18 draws, just four less than UMD as an entire squad combined won on Friday night.
--Last weekend was the first time since Feb. 12-13, 2010 of last winter the Bulldogs allowed back-to-back, four goals against...Ohio State scored four and six goals a season ago in their series at the DECC.
--Saturday's overtime game was the longest so far of the season for the Bulldogs, lasting two hours and 30 minutes (2:30). The extra time didn't allow for more UMD shots, however. The Maroon and Gold were held to its second-lowest shot total of the season (27).
AN OUT OF THE BREAK, BREAK DOWN: While the Bulldogs currently hold the program's longest winless streak (five games, 0-3-2 since Dec. 11), UMD is in almost the exact predictament it was just a season ago.
Although last season the Bulldogs (who have historically been a sterling team out of winter break) lost just one game after break and went 18-1-0 overall all the way to the NCAA title game, UMD was just 13-7-2 heading into the break after playing 22 games. Currently the Bulldogs have played exactly 22 games, and are 12-7-3 overall. Switch one tie into the win column, and the 2010-11 UMD squad is in exactly the same spot it was a year ago -- heading down the backstrech of its 2010 NCAA title run.
The most losses a Bulldog championship team has had in a season and still netted the NCAA title is eight -- from just one season ago (2010).
AHEAD IN THE POLLS, BEHIND IN THE CONFERENCE RACE: While both UMD and BSU feature identical 10-7-3 WCHA records, the Beavers are currently sitting in fourth place in the league, while the Bulldogs are right behind them in fifth. The difference? Two shootout wins in favor of Bemidj State, which gives the Beavers 35 total points, while UMD has 33.
The Bulldogs have also played two of the best teams in the country right now in the past two weeks -- Wisconsin and Minnesota, where UMD has gone 0-2-2. While BSU did play North Dakota two weeks ago to the tune of two losses, it faced bottom-rung Minnesota State last weekend, helping the Beavers pile up four points to UMD's single point.
In the national polls, however, it's all Bulldogs. UMD ranks sixth in the two most notable polls (USCHO.com and USA TODAY), while BSU is receiving votes in both. In the most important poll, the PairWise rankings, UMD is also sitting at sixth. The top eight teams in the Pairwise ranking are invited to the NCAA tournament, a place the Bulldogs have been nine times, and six years in a row.
LAROCQUE'S ALONE AT THE TOP: Senior defenseman Jocelyne Larocque made her own Bulldog history Saturday night. With her assist on Gray's goal at 17:29 in the third period of play, Larcoque became the all-time leading scoring defenseman in UMD history with a combined 92 points, 16 goals, 76 assists in 115 skates. Larocque's 92 points ranks her No. 8 all-time among WCHA defenseman, and just one point from entering a tie for the No. 7 slot, currently owned by Bobbi-Jo Slusar of Wisconsin from 2003-07.
The Ste. Anne, Manitoba native also ranks No. 10 all-time among UMD's career assist leaders. Her 76 assists place her just one helper away from Noemie Marin, who sits in the No. 9 slot with 77 career assists in 126 outings -- as a forward. Larocque is the only blueliner on the top-ten list.
MARTIN'S WCHA MARK: While senior goaltender Kim Martin is sitting at 62 career wins -- just two shy of tying the UMD record of 65 currently held by Riitta Schaublin -- she is also climbing the all-time ranks of the WCHA.
Martin currently sits No. 10 in the league for games played with 93 and No. 12 in minutes played (5124:06). The Stockholm, Sweden native's 62 wins ranks her fifth all-time among WCHA goaltenders (Schaublin is sitting at fourth with 65). Ranked ninth in saves with 2153, she also owns 14 career shutouts -- the seventh most by any goaltender in league history, and just three clean-sheets behind Schaublin's 17 shutouts, which ranks her fourth all-time.
BULLDOG NOTES: Kim Martin isn't the only UMD player moving up the WCHA all-time lists...Senior forward Elin Holmlov, currently has 90 career assists, ranking her 13th all-time among former WCHA greats...Haley Irwin leads all UMD players with a plus/minus rating of +25, while Holmlov owns a +24 and senior blueliner Jocelyne Larocque has a +21...Irwin has never finished up a season with less than a +28 rating, and owned a +40 rating as a rookie...Larcoque has never allowed her plus/minus rating below +22, and had a career-high 35 as a freshman as well...senior Laura Fridfinnson has registered a point in her last two games, only the second time this season the defensive convert has gotten on the scoresheet in back-to-back games...Fridfinnson has actually had an assist in three of her last four skates....the Bulldogs have been outshot in each of their last four games for a combined 110-151 advantage to their opponents...UMD is 8-3-1 in Duluth so far this season (8-2-1 at the DECC and 0-1-1 in AMSOIL)...last weekend marked the first time this season sophomore Jennifer Harss has played an entire series...senior goaltender Martin has played three complete series so far this year, logging 821:52 minutes overall, while Harss has spent 501:18 between the pipes for UMD.
