Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Minnesota Duluth Won the WCHA Championship for the Third Time

HEADLINES

Laura Fast of St. Cloud State, Andrew Thomas of Denver Named Recipients of WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarships for 2008-09

2007-08 WCHA WOMEN'S SEASON-IN-REVIEW

SCHULER TO JOIN BULLDOG WOMEN'S HOCKEY STAFF

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Minnesota Duluth Captures WCHA Championship with Win over SCSU Saturday; Golden Gophers, Badgers to Battle for Second Place Sunday; OSU Sweeps BSU; MSU Earns Three Points from UND

Bulldogs, Golden Gophers, Badgers, Huskies have Earned First Round Home WCHA Playoff Berths

Feb. 24, 2008

MADISON, Wis. - With the No. 3-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (26-4-1, 23-4-0 WCHA) having clinched the program's third Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship following a 5-1 victory over visiting St. Cloud State on Saturday (Feb. 23), the final day of the 2007-08 regular season will decide second and third place as well as complete the first round pairings for the WCHA playoffs next weekend.

Minnesota Duluth, who hosts the Huskies again on Sunday at 3:07 pm CT at the DECC, previous won league titles in 1999-2000 - the WCHA's first season - and in 2002-03.

Also on Sunday, second place and No. 4-ranked Minnesota (25-5-3, 21-5-1 WCHA) will face-off against third place and No. 5-ranked Wisconsin (24-7-2, 20-5-2 WCHA) at 3:07 pm CT at Ridder Arena. The Badgers snapped the Golden Gophers' nation's best unbeaten streak at 21 games on Saturday afternoon with a 5-1 victory and also closed the gap on the Gophers to just one point heading into their regular season finale.

In other WCHA action over the weekend, Ohio State (16-15-3, 11-14-3 WCHA) clinched fifth place in the final regular season standings with 6-3 and 3-2 victories at Bemidji State (4-27-3, 1-25-2 WCHA) on Friday and Saturday while Minnesota State (11-19-2, 10-16-2 WCHA) took three of four points from visiting North Dakota (4-24-6, 4-20-4 WCHA) with a 3-2 victory on Friday and a 3-3 overtime draw on Saturday in Mankato.

Following Sunday's two conference games, the first round of the WCHA playoffs will be set, with the four best-of-three game series set for Friday, Feb. 29, Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2 (if necessary). The No. 1-ranked team will host the No. 8-ranked team, No. 2 will host No. 7, No. 3 will host No. 6, and No. 4 will host No. 5.

The four first round playoff winners will then advance to the 2008 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF, set for Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center.

This Week in the WCHA
Results of Friday, February 22: Ohio State 6 at Bemidji State 3; North Dakota 2 at Minnesota State 3.

Results of Saturday, February 23: Ohio State 3 at Bemidji State 2; North Dakota 3 at Minnesota State 3 ot; St. Cloud State 1 at Minnesota Duluth 5; Wisconsin 5 at Minnesota 1.

Games for Sunday, February 24: St. Cloud State at Minnesota Duluth, 3:07 pm CT; Wisconsin at Minnesota, 3:07 pm CT.