The No. 9 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will travel to Bemidji, Minn. this weekend to take on Bemidji State University in a crucial game for both Western Collegiate Hockey Association members. With a home playoff berth on the line for the Bulldogs, both games will get underway Friday and Saturday at 2:07 p.m. in the Bemidji Regional Events Center.
THE SERIES: The Bulldogs are 51-2-2 all-time against the Beavers and split with BSU earlier this season at AMSOIL Arena
Back on Nov. 19, UMD triumphed 4-1 over the Beavers, with Audrey Cournoyer figuring in three of the Bulldogs four goals with two goals and an assist. UMD suffered only its second setback ever to BSU on the Nov. 20 outing, a 4-3 win for the Beavers despite another goal and an assist fro Cournoyer. Cournoyer racked up five points in the series, including three goals and two assists. She also went +4 on the weekend.
LAST WEEKEND: No. 9 UMD solved nothing in the WCHA race for home ice advantage, splitting its series with Ohio State at AMSOIL Arena over the weekend. The Bulldogs used four goals in the first 12 minutes of the game Friday night to knock off the Buckeyes 4-2. The furious start was the most goals UMD has scored in the first period since Jan. 30, 2009, when the Bulldogs scored five en route to a 7-2 win over St. Cloud at the DECC. Senior forward Haley Irwin and junior forward and linemate Audrey Cournoyer each had a goal and two assists for UMD Friday night.
The Bulldogs surrendered a 2-0 goal lead Saturday night to suffer a 4-3 setback to the Buckeyes. Irwin had two assists but UMD served 19 minutes of penalties on the evening.
The Bulldogs are now 46-7-4 against Ohio State all-time, and split the season 2-2. UMD has split three of their last four series outings with the Buckeyes.
CLOSING IN ON THE CAREER POINT CLUBS: Only five players in Bulldog history have registered over 200 points, but senior forward Haley Irwin is poised to become the sixth. Irwin now has 195 career points as a Bulldog (74g, 121a), which ranks her as the sixth-highest scorer in program history. Irwin also jumped into the No. 3 spot for career assists with 121, and her current run of 43 helpers is thefifth-most in a season by any UMD player. Irwin ranks No. 4 in the NCAA with a 1.23 assist per game average through 26 games played.
Blueliner Jessica Wong is just four points shy now of becoming only the second defenseman ever to score 100 career points at UMD. Wong has scored 40 goals and compiled 56 assists for 96 points, just four shy of the exclusive 100-point club. With 14 member in the club already, Wong would become just the second defenseman in Bulldog history to become a card carrying-member.
Two other UMD players are currently sitting at 94 career points – junior forwards Audrey Cournoyer (43-51=94) and Pernilla Winberg (35-59=94).
BULLDOG NOTES: Jenna McParland currently leads all WCHA freshman in scoring with 22 of 25 points having come in league play In 24 skates, and she has piled up 16 goals and six assists, almost double the goals scored by any other freshman in the league...UMD is the second most penalized team in the NCAA, averaging 14 minutes of infractions an outing...Haley Irwin ranks No. 4 in the NCAA with a 1.23 assist per game average through 26 games played.
