Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Emmanuelle Blais had two goals and the game-winner for UMD vs Mercyhurst |
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WCHA Champion Minnesota Duluth, Two-Time Defending National Champion Wisconsin Advance to 2008 NCAA Women's Frozen Four in Duluth
Complete Release in PDF Format
March 16, 2008
MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Minnesota Duluth, champions of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season and WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF for 2007-08, and the University of Wisconsin, two-time defending national champions, have earned berths in the upcoming 2008 NCAA Women's Frozen Four, set for Thursday, March 20 and Saturday, March 22 at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center in Duluth, Minn.
The No. 3-ranked UMD Bulldogs (32-4-1) will face-off against No. 2-ranked New Hampshire (33-3-1) at 8:00 pm CT on Thursday at the DECC in the day's second semi-final. In the first semi-final late Thursday afternoon, No. 5-ranked Wisconsin (28-8-3) will take on No. 1-ranked Harvard (32-1-0) at 5:00 pm CT.
Minnesota Duluth skated past visiting and No. 7-ranked Mercyhurst, 5-4, at the DECC (Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center) this past Saturday (March 15) night while Wisconsin overcame league-rival, host and No. 4-ranked Minnesota, 3-2 in overtime, at Ridder Arena. Out east on Saturday, host and No. 2-ranked New Hampshire outlasted No. 6-ranked St. Lawrence, 3-2 in overtime, and top-ranked Harvard triumphed over visiting and No. 8-ranked Dartmouth, 5-1.
At the DECC, a crowd of 925 saw Minnesota Duluth rally from a one-goal third period deficit to score three straight times - with right winer Emmanuelle Blais netting the game-winner at 16:53 - to defeat Mercyhurst, 5-4. Coach Shannon Miller's Bulldogs, who outshot their opponents, 33-29, had multiple-point nights from four different players, led by a four assist effort from center Haley Irwin, two goals and one assist from Blais, a pair of goals from left winger Laura Fridfinnson and two assists from defenseman Heidi Pelttari. Mercyhurst held the lead on three different occasions, at 10, 2-1 and 3-2, but each time UMD battled back. In goal, Kim Martin had 25 stops for the Bulldogs while Laura Hosier had 28 for Mercyhurst.
And at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on March 15, visiting Wisconsin received the game-winning goal from center Mallory Deluce at 1:29 of overtime to upend host Minnesota (27-7-4), 3-2, before 1,458. Coach Mark Johnson's Badgers opened the scoring with goal from left winger Kelly Nash at 8:19 of the first period but then found themselves trailing 2-1 after Golden Gophers' center Gigi Marvin notched a power-play goal at 16:56 of the first and left winger Emily West scored a go-ahead goal at 19:59 of period two. In the third, Wisconsin right winger Hilary Knight knotted the score at 2-2 with a goal just :14 seconds in, setting up the extra session. Between the pipes, Jessie Vetter had 21 saves to record the victory while Jenny Lura had 23 stops for Minnesota.
Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin now look to extend the WCHA's record streak of winning all seven NCAA Frozen Fours contested since 2000. Minnesota Duluth won the national championship in Minneapolis in 2001, Minnesota Duluth won in 2002 in Durham, N.H., Minnesota Duluth won in 2003 at the DECC in Duluth, Minnesota captured the national title in 2004 in Providence, Minnesota won again in 2005 in Durham, N.H., and Wisconsin has won the past two - in 2006 in Minneapolis and in 2007 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
2008 NCAA Regional Results
Results of Saturday, March 8: *Mercyhurst 4 at Minnesota Duluth 5; Wisconsin 3 at Minnesota 2 ot; St. Lawrence 2 at New Hampshire 3 ot; Dartmouth 1 at Harvard 5.
This Week in the WCHA • 2008 NCAA Women's Frozen Four At Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center • Duluth, MN
Semi-Final Games for Thursday, March 20: Wisconsin vs Harvard, 5:00 pm CT; #New Hampshire at Minnesota Duluth, 8:00 pm CT.
National Championship Game for Saturday, March 22: Wisconsin/Harvard winner vs New Hampshire/Minnesota Duluth winner, 12:30 pm CT (CBS College Sports Television).
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