After an impressive second half to the regular season, the No. 8/9 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team turns its focus to the postseason and Bemidji State University for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff quarterfinals. The Bulldogs will host the Beavers at AMSOIL Arena Friday night for a 7:07 p.m. puck drop, and game two will get underway at 4:07 p.m. Saturday. If needed, game three will also take place at 4:07 p.m. on Sunday.
THE SERIES: UMD is 77-20-7 all-time against the Beavers, and won three straight against BSU this past January.
In their last WCHA series, the Bulldogs swept Bemidji State, outscoring the Beavers 8-2 on the weekend.
In game one on Jan. 17 at AMSOIL, UMD struck early -- 25 seconds into the action early -- on a goal from Ashton Bell. Anna Klein added another one at 19:29 of the first period and Taylor Anderson and Gabbie Hughes scored goals in the third period. UMD was outshot 30-27, but Maddie Rooney made all 30 saves en route to setting the Bulldog career saves record that night.
In the 4-2 win Saturday, BSU struck first early in the first period, but Kylie Hanley equalized for UMD at 18:58. Hanley's power play goal was followed by power play tallies from Ryleigh Houston (6:57) and Bell (7:38) of the second period. Senior forward Sydney Brodt added another goal at 8:51 of the third period to put the game out of reach for BSU.
Both teams had 31 shots on net, but UMD went 3-of-5 on the power play.
OTHER UMD-BSU NOTABLES: The Bulldogs have outscored Beavers at AMSOIL this season by a combined 10-2 score, including two shutouts, despite BSU having outshot UMD 99-83 over those same three outings. In all five games, the Bulldogs have outscored the Beavers 13-8 but were outshot 133-151 -- BSU logged more shots on goals than the Bulldogs in three of the five skates.
--Gabbie Hughes leads all UMD players in scoring against BSU so far this season, despite having only playing in four of the five games. Hughes rang up two goals and six assists against the Beavers for eight points -- an average of 2.00 points per game against BSU this season. Ashton Bell added three goals and three assists for six points in all five games against the Beavers, while Sydney Brodt netted a goal and three assists for four points.
UMD AND BEMIDJI STATE IN POSTSEASON PLAY: Having squared off in four of the last five WCHA quarterfinals (where the road team has won each time), the Bulldogs and Beavers have met a total of 15 times in WCHA postseason play, where UMD owns a 11-4 overall record in those meetings, including a 10-4 record in WCHA quarterfinal showdowns.
UMD-BSU WCHA Postseason History--
UMD 4, BSU 3 March 2, 2019
UMD 3, BSU 2 March 1, 2019
WCHA Quarterfinal
BSU 3, UMD 0 Feb. 25, 2018
UMD 4, BSU 1 Feb. 24, 2018
BSU 2, UMD 1 Feb. 23, 2018
WCHA Quarterfinal
UMD 2, BSU 1 (Away) Feb. 28, 2016
UMD 5, BSU 1 (Away) Feb, 27, 2016
WCHA Quarterfinal
BSU 2, UMD 1 Overtime March 1, 2015
UMD 2, BSU 0 Feb. 28, 2015
BSU 3, UMD 2 Feb. 27, 2015
WCHA Quarterfinal
UMD 7, BSU 3 March 6, 2010
WCHA Final Face-Off semifinals
UMD 5, BSU 1 March 1, 2008
UMD 6, BSU 0 Feb. 29, 2008
WCHA Quarterfinal
UMD 3, BSU 0 March 4, 2006
UMD 7, BSU 2 March 3, 2006
WCHA Quarterfinal
UMD IN THE WCHA TOURNAMENT:
UMD is 41-20 in all WCHA postseason games. A breakdown of UMD's all-time WCHA tournament record --
WCHA Quarterfinal games -- 28-8
WCHA Semifinal games -- 8-9
WCHA Third Place games -- 2-0
WCHA Championship games -- 5-3
In all, UMD owns five WCHA playoff crowns (2010, 2008, 2003, 2001, 2000).
LAST TIME OUT: UMD took just one point from No. 2 Wisconsin last weekend, suffering a 4-1 lost to the Badgers Friday before tying UW 5-5 on Sunday at AMSOIL.
Friday night, Ryleigh Houston and the Bulldogs scored 11:38 into the first period, but the Badgers netted four unanswered goals, including two goals in the second period in the first 6:09. The Badgers were awarded five power plays, scoring once with the extra skater, while UMD was 0-of-1. Maddie Rooney made 28 saves for the Bulldogs, who were outshot 32-18 in game.
On Sunday, UMD became the first team in seven seasons to score five goals on a Wisconsin squad, but the two sides ended up with a 5-5 tie.
The Bulldogs owned two, two-goal leads twice, including at 10:01 of the second period when Houston scored a shorthanded tally to give UMD a 2-0 lead. After the Bulldogs owned a 5-3 lead on two third period goals from Sydney Brodt, Wisconsin scored a power play goal with 59 seconds remaining and then again at 14 seconds to draw even at 5-5. UW picked up the extra point in the 3-on-3 double overtime period.
The Bulldogs outshot the Badgers 15-4 in the first period, but UW ended up with te 34-29 SOG advantage after 65 total minutes. Rooney had 29 saves in the game.
NOTES FROM THE WISCONSIN SERIES: UMD went just 0-3-1 against the Badgers this season, and all-time fell to 30-52-14. Wisconsin outscored the Bulldogs 18-11 in those four games.
--UMD's five goals Sunday was the most goals scored on a Wisconsin side since Minnesota netted five on the Badgers on March 21, 2014. The Gophers handed UW a 5-3 loss in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal that season.
--UMD's loss Friday was the first time in 2020 the Bulldogs have lost at AMSOIL, breaking a six-game home winning streak. The Bulldogs have been brilliant at home this season, and have gone 10-3-3 at AMSOIL.
--Gabbie Hughes and Anna Klein led all UMD players in points against the Badgers this season -- Klein had a team-best three goals and two assists for five points, while Hughes has a goal and four assists, also for five points. Sydney Brodt posted a goal and three assists against UW this season for four points.
THE OFFENSIVE BELL-WETHER: How good of a season is junior defensive convert Ashton Bell having? Bell currently leads all WCHA defenseman in points (31) in 32 games, goals (11), power play goals (7) and game-winning goals (5)--which is a WCHA high among all players, not just blueliners.
Bell also has the most points by a UMD defenseman since the 2007-08 season. Bell is now in a three-way tie in fifth for the most points by a blueliner in a single season and a three-way tie for third for the most goals (11) by a defenseman in a single season in program history.
COMING UP HUGHES: Sophomore center Gabbie Hughes continues to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points. Hughes ranks fifth in the WCHA in points, with 48 in just 31 games and leads the conference with five game-winning goals. Her 48 points on 18 goals and 30 assists ranks her eighth in the NCAA. In the 32 games Hughes has skated in for the Bulldogs this so far this season, the sophomore center has notched points in all but four.
Hughes is just one of two players in the past eight years to register 48 or more points, as well as 30 or more assists. Only Lara Stalder has compiled more points in the past eight seasons -- Stalder turned in 56 points (23g, 33a) in 35 games in 2016-17.
As a freshman, Hughes led UMD in scoring with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 33 games -- just the third freshman to lead the Bulldogs in scoring in program history.
ROONEY REELS IN ANOTHER CAREER RECORD: Senior goaltender Maddie Rooney set UMD's all-time career saves record on Jan. 17 in the Bulldogs 4-0 win over BSU, and currently owns 3,328 stops.
Rooney took over another UMD program record last Sunday afternoon, and has now played more career minutes than any other goaltender in program history. With 6,960:52 minutes under her belt, Rooney remains just three games from tying the record for goaltender games player, currently owned by Kayla Black at 121.
Rooney owns three of the program's top-three single-season saves record -- she ranks third with 989 saves over 31 GP in 2018-19, and second in 2016-17 with 1013 stops in 37 games, only the second UMD goaltender ever to make more than 1000 saves in a season. With 843 saves so far this season in 31 games, Rooney is already tied for the sixth most stops in a season (she is currently tied with Kim Martin prior to the start of Friday's contest.)
No current active NCAA goaltender has had more career saves than Rooney, and the Andover, Minn. has also taken aim at WCHA and NCAA marks. Currently, Rooney owns the fourth-most career saves by a WCHA goaltender, and also sits 12th in the NCAA and just 127 stops from entering the NCAA's top-10. Rooney also owns the second most career wins among active NCAA goaltenders with 57.
BRODT'S BEST FOR LAST: Senior forward Sydney Brodt is having the best offensive season of her Bulldog career, having put up a UMD second-best 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 32 games played. Brodt has also recorded two or more points in 13 games so far this season. Brodt has compiled seven goals and four assists for 11 points over her last seven skates -- four goals and four assists of that coming against teams ranked in the top-5.
Brodt is also now inching up closer to the 100 career point, currently sitting with 94 points on 38 goals and 56 assists over 137 games.
ROONEY NAMED TO 2020 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM: UMD senior goaltender Maddie Rooney has been named to her third-straight U.S. Women's National Team that will compete in the 2020 IIHF Women's World Championship that will be held March 31 through April 10 in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia.
Rooney -- who already owns two IIHF World Championship gold medals that the U.S. won in both 2019 and 2017 -- is one of 18 players that was on the winning U.S. 2019 squad. Rooney also famously owns a 2018 Olympic gold medal from backstopping the U.S. to the greatest game in U.S. women's hockey history with 29 saves, and stopped Canada's last two shooters to help the U.S. win its first Olympic gold medal since 1998 in a 3-2 penalty shootout thriller at the Gangneung Centre in South Korea.
BULLDOG NOTES: UMD's six ties this season ties a program-record set during the 2013-14 season...With 42 career assists in 133 games, senior defenseman Jalyn Elmes has now cracked the program's all-time list for helpers by a defenseman...Elmes is currently tied for 10th... Sydney Brodt and Gabbie Hughes continue to find success against ranked opponents -- Brodt has 19 points (8g, 11a) in 14 games, while Hughes has 21 points (8g, 13a) in those same 14 skates...UMD is 12-4-6 when it scores the first goal, and is unbeaten at 14-0-2 when it leads after two periods...The Bulldogs are now 6-8-2 with fewer shots on the board than their opponents.
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