Huskies Set to Host #1 Minnesota in Final Home Stand
2/20/2013 12:42:00 PM | Women's Hockey
St. Cloud, Minn. - The Huskies are set to finish their final regular season series as they play host to the #1 University of Minnesota in the comforts of the National Hockey & Event Center. The games are set for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23 with the drop of the puck at 7:07 p.m. and 2:07 p.m. respectively.
THE RECORD: SCSU comes into this weekend's WCHA series versus Minnesota with a record of 9-20-3 overall and 5-19-2-1 in the WCHA. The Huskies are currently in seventh place in the WCHA rankings with 18 points.
HUSKIES DEFEAT MINNESOTA STATE ON THE ROAD: St. Cloud State University women's hockey team took it to Minnesota State University, Mankato this past weekend for their final regular season road series of the 2012-13 campaign. The Huskies and Mavericks tied in overtime 2-2 Friday but prevailed in a 1-0 shootout, while Saturday was all SCSU shutting out Mankato 2-0.
SCSU VS MINNESOTA STATE GAME ONE: The Huskies came out and earned the first shot on goal by either team but was saved by the MSU goalie. Mankato answered bringing the puck back down the ice to take an early 1-0 lead in the first period. SCSU outshot the Mavericks by a margin of 13-to-8 to start the game. St. Cloud State was not going to go down without a fight as Haylea Schmid fired a shot into the net from the right face-off circle at the 12:08 mark of the second period tying the game up 1-1. Schmid was assisted by Cari Coen on the goal. Shots on goal were even at nine each in the second period. Just 4:04 into the third period Lisa Martinson fired a shot into the top of the net to take a 2-1 lead over the Mavericks. Assists were charted to Abby Ness and Molli Mott on the goal. Martinson's goal was her second of the season. At the 10:59 mark of the third period the Mavericks were able to get a shot past SCSU's goalie Julie Friend to tie the game up 2-2. The Huskies and Mavericks took the game to overtime tied 2-2. Neither team could get a shot into the net after overtime so they went to a shootout. In the shootout Audrey Hanmer was able to get one past the MSU goalie for the Huskies to win 1-0. Friend posted some great saves recording a total 23 in the game.
SCSU VS MINNESOTA STATE GAME TWO: At the 16:50 mark of the first period SCSU's Audrey Hanmer took a shot in the air just in front of the blue line and put it right past MSU's Danielle Butters. Hanmer was unassisted on the goal taking the Huskies to a 1-0 lead. St. Cloud State outshot Mankato by a margin of 12-to-7 in the first period. In the second period it was defense on both ends of the ice. The Huskies continued to outshoot the Mavericks in the second period by a margin of 17-to-6. SCSU started out the third period on their third power-play advantage with a late penalty by Mankato in the second. Just 38 seconds into the third period, Hanmer got past Butters to take a 2-0 lead over Mankato on the power-play. St. Cloud outshot the Mavericks by a margin of 42-to-20 in the game and went one-for-five on power-play advantages. Julie Friend was in the net again for the Huskies posting 20 saves for the win.
MINNESOTA BRIEFLY:
2011-12: 34-5-2, 21-5-2 WCHA
2012-13: 32-0-0, 26-0-0 WCHA
Series: Minnesota is currently leading the all-time series against St. Cloud 53-3-2 with the teams earlier match-up this season.
Ranked: Minnesota currently sits in first place in the WCHA standings with 78 points and is ranked #1 nationally in the polls. The Gophers are also the 2012-13 WCHA Conference Champions.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS VS. MINNESOTA: The Huskies last met the Gophers the first series of the 2012-13 season in Minneapolis on Oct. 5-6. Minnesota took the series defeating the Huskies 7-1 and 4-0. The teams met three times during the 2011-12 season with one being the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Gophers swept the Huskies in all three meetings last season with two series at home.
SENIOR DAY SATURDAY: The Huskies will host their final home stand of the 2012-13 campaign on Feb. 22-23 as they play host to the University of Minnesota. SCSU will recognize their eight seniors on Saturday, Feb. 23. This years senior class consists of #2 Katie Allen, #9 Haylea Schmid, #10 Kylie Lane, #11 Lisa Martinson, #15 Alex Nelson, #18 Callie Dahl, #21 Ellie Sitek, and #30 Anna Donlan.
LEADING THE WAY FOR THE HUSKIES: Junior Molli Mott is leading the team in points (22) this season. Seniors Haylea Schmid and Alex Nelson both with 21 and then sophomore Audrey Hanmer with 17 closely follow. Mott has played in 31 games and has recorded nine goals and 13 assists. Schmid has totaled nine goals and 12 assists in 32 games played, while Nelson has posted nine goals and 12 assists in 29 games. Hanmer has recorded five goals and 12 assists in her 31 games this season.
HANMER NAMED WCHA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore defenseman Audrey Hanmer, who made a significant contribution at both ends of the ice to help the visiting Huskies to a successful series at Minnesota State last weekend, has been named the WCHA Women's Defensive Player of the Week for February 20. A sophomore from Wyoming, Minn., Hanmer scored the game-winning shootout goal following a 2-2 (ot) tie last Friday against Minnesota State and then scored both goals to lead St. Cloud State to a 2-0 triumph over the Mavericks last Saturday. She notched the game-winner with an unassisted tally at 16:50 of the first period in game two and then tallied a power-play goal at 0:38 of period three, earning No. 2 Star of the Game honors. This was the first time she has had a two-goal game. In addition to her key goals, Hanmer totaled eight shots on goal during the series and was a +1 on the plus/minus. Playing in 31 of SCSU's 32 games this season, Hanmer ranks fourth in scoring among her teammates with five goals, 12 assists and 17 points.
LIVE STATS: Hockey fans, there will be live stats available for both games of the series on Friday and Saturday. To view live stats, visit the St. Cloud State University athletics website at www.scsuhuskies.com.
LIVE VIDEO: There will be a live video stream available for both games of the WCHA series on Friday and Saturday. To view the live video stream, visit the following website at http://www.americaonesports.com/partner_members.asp?id=28
LIVE AUDIO: You can hear both games live on KVSC 88.1 FM Friday and Saturday. Friday's game will start at 7:07 and Saturday's game will be an afternoon matinee with a 2:07 puck drop. Don't miss “The Jeff Geisen Show” that will air during Friday's drop matchup along with KVSC's Senior Salute that is set to air during Saturday afternoon's contest.
