Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Chris Butler and the DU Pioneers have Clinched a Home Playoff Berth |
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Road Sweep Lifts Colorado College into Four-Point Lead in WCHA Race; Denver Clinches Home Playoff Berth; SCSU Wins Twice to Move into Prime Contention; UM Takes Three Points from UW
Feb. 24, 2008
MADISON, Wisc. - Colorado College, Denver and St. Cloud State all recorded two-game sweeps in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play over the Feb. 22-23 weekend, with the Tigers opening a four-point advantage in the race for the regular season championship and MacNaughton Cup, the Pioneers becoming the third team to clinch a first round home WCHA playoff berth, and the Huskies elevating themselves into prime contention for a top five finish. One other WCHA team, two-time defending conference champion Minnesota, stepped up and earned three of four points to keep their hopes for a home playoff berth alive.
No. 4-ranked Colorado College recorded 3-0 and 4-0 road shutouts of No. 13 Minnesota Duluth, No. 8-ranked Denver won by 4-2 and 3-1 counts over visiting Alaska Anchorage, host St. Cloud State defeated Michigan Tech by 4-1 and 3-0 scores, and Minnesota won, 4-2, and tied, 4-4 (ot) against visiting and No. 10/12-ranked Wisconsin. Outside the league on Saturday night, No. 2-ranked North Dakota won the opening game of their non-conference series against Bemidji State, 5-1, to improve the WCHA's collective non-conference mark to 47-17-10 for a .703 winning percentage.
As a result of weekend play, Colorado College (23-8-1, 18-5-1 WCHA, 37 points) upped their advantage over second place North Dakota (20-8-2, 16-7-1 WCHA, 33 points) to four points with two weeks to go and maintained a six-point lead over third place Denver (21-10-1, 15-8-1 WCHA, 31 points). Wisconsin (14-13-7, 10-11-5 WCHA, 25 points) is currently fourth, followed by No. 10/11-ranked Minnesota State (16-11-4, 10-10-4 WCHA) and St. Cloud State (16-13-3, 11-11-2 WCHA) tied for fifth with 24 points each. Minnesota Duluth (12-12-6, 8-11-5 WCHA, 21 points) is seventh, Minnesota (13-13-8, 7-11-6 WCHA, 20 points) is up to eighth, Michigan Tech (11-16-5, 7-13-4 WCHA, 18 points) and Alaska Anchorage (7-18-7, 3-18-5, 11 points) is 10th. Both Wisconsin and Alaska Anchorage have just two league games remaining.
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At the DECC in Duluth on Saturday (Feb. 23) night, a crowd of 5,182 saw visiting Colorado College blank host Minnesota Duluth for a second straight night, this time 4-0 behind 29 saves from goaltender Richard Bachaman, two goals from center Chad Rau and three assists from defenseman Jack Hillen.
At the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud on Saturday, a sellout crowd of 6,052 saw their host SCSU Huskies up their conference winning streak to five and complete the sweep of Michigan Tech with a 3-0 victory, as goaltender Jase Weslosky stopped all 37 shots on goal and right winger Ryan Lasch netted the game-winning goal.
Before a sellout crowd of 10,231 at Mariucci Arena on Saturday night, host Minnesota recorded a 4-4 overtime tie against Wisconsin to give the Golden Gophers three points in the weekend series. Leading the way for UM were right winger Jay Barriball, who had a goal and an assist and defensemen Derek Peltier and Cade Fairchild, who each contributed two assists. For the Badgers, who rallied four times to tie the game, right winger Patrick Johnson had the game-tying goal at 14:58 of the third period.
At Magness Arena in the Mile High City on Feb. 23, the host Denver Pioneers completed a home-ice sweep of Alaska Anchorage with a 3-1 triumph, as left winger Matt Glasser had a goal and an assist, right winger Dustin Jackson had two assists and defenseman J.P. Testwuide scored the game-winner at 7:58 of the second period. For the Seawolves, left winger Tommy Grant scored the lone goal at 11:39 of period two.
And at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks on Saturday night, host North Dakota extended it's nation's best unbeaten streak to 12 games (11-0-1) with a 5-1 non-conference win over Bemidji State before a sellout crowd of 11,842. Right winger Ryan Duncan scored two goals for the Sioux, including the eventual game-winner at 13:35 of the first period, while center Chris VandeVelde added a goal and two assists, center T.J. Oshie had three assists, and right wing Brad Miller added 1-1-2.
Looking ahead to next week, Minnesota State will host CCHA-member Nebraska-Omaha in a non-conference tilt on Tuesday (Feb. 26) before a Feb. 29-March 1 weekend that will feature a complete set of five WCHA series. Colorado College hosts MSU, North Dakota heads to Minnesota Duluth (Sat-Sun), Denver visits Michigan Tech, Wisconsin travels to St. Cloud State, and Minnesota heads to Alaska Anchorage.
This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, February 22: Colorado College 3 at Minnesota Duluth 0; Michigan Tech 1 at St. Cloud State 4; Wisconsin 2 at Minnesota 4; Alaska Anchorage 2 at Denver 4.
Results of Saturday, February 23: Colorado College 4 at Minnesota Duluth 0; Michigan Tech 0 at St. Cloud State 3; Wisconsin 4 at Minnesota 4 ot; Alaska Anchorage 1 at Denver 3; Bemidji State 1 at North Dakota 5 (nc).
Games for Sunday, February 24: Bemidji State at North Dakota, 3:37 pm CT (nc).