October 31st

Gophers Edge Huskies 2-1
Mark Christopher, Sophomore Writer


MINNEAPOLIS -- The Number 2 ranked University of Minnesota Women's Hockey Team hosted the St. Cloud State Huskies Friday night at Ridder Arena in the first game of a home-and-home weekend series.

Since their first meeting in January of 1999, the Gophers and Huskies have played in 14 home-and-home series, including six consecutive times since January of 2006, with Minnesota holding an all-time record of 35-2-1. The two teams tied in their first series meeting last season 4-4, with St. Cloud winning the next game 2-1 which snapped the Gophers 24-game win streak against the Huskies.

Minnesota (5-2-1, 4-1-1 WCHA) is currently in one of its toughest stretches of the season having swept the then number one ranked Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (Oct. 10-11) and then a sweep over then ranked number nine Ohio State two weeks ago. Last weekend the Gophers earned two points against top ranked Wisconsin (1-1 tie, 2-1 shootout loss), and for the third straight week received the Number Two ranking in the U.S College Hockey Online and the USA Today polls.

St. Cloud State (4-2-2, 1-2-1 WCHA) started the season with a series win over Quinnipiac and then a suffered two one-goal losses to North Dakota. The Huskies then took three points (four including the shootout) against Minnesota-Duluth, and got a win and tie last weekend against Brown.

The Huskies were looking to carry over there success against Brown and did so early on and throughout the first period against the Gophers. St. Cloud did a great job of disrupting Minnesota's attack and clogging their offense, not letting them get anything really going and it wasn't until 8:32 into the game that the Gophers registered their first shot on goal, and the Huskies also did a tremendous job of killing off Minnesota's first power play chance by not allowing a shot on goal and forcing the Gophers to turn the puck over each time they were able to get in the zone as the two teams skated to a scoreless first period, with St. Cloud out shooting Minnesota 12-4.

The Gophers only needed :22 seconds into the second period to break the scoreless tie, as after winning the opening faceoff skated in the zone and St. Cloud goaltender Ashley Nixon stopped Brittany Francis's shot from the left side but the rebound went right to Emily West as the Sophomore's scored her third goal of the season to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead.

A total of 11 penalties were called in the second period which brought a few 4-on-4 and 4-on-3 situations but both teams were able to kill each off as the Gophers went 0-4 and St. Cloud 0-2 with the extra attacker in the second.

The third period started with St. Cloud on a 5-on-3 power play for :02 seconds, and the Huskies won the opening faceoff, and brought the puck in the zone right as Junior Michelle Maunu came out of the box for Minnesota, Huskies left winger Sammy Nixon stopped on the left face off dot and her slapper went past Alyssa Grogan to tie the game 1-1. Senior Captain Gigi Marvin put the Gophers ahead at 12:38 as her shot was partially stopped but ended up trickling thru Nixon's pads for the eventual game winning goal. Marvin now has 148 points in her Gopher career (62-86=148) in 123 games and ranks 10th in school history in points and goals.

With the win Minnesota improves to 6-1-1 in the WCHA, while St. Cloud drops to 1-4-1 in league play. Both teams finish the home-and-home series Saturday night at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud at 7pm.


THREE STARS OF THE GAME

3--SCSU--Sammy Nixon (Scored Huskies lone goal :08 into 3rd period)

2--MN--Emily West (Scored her 3rd goal of the season :21 into 2nd period)

1--MN--Alyssa Grogan (The Freshman had 25 saves and improved to 3-0-1)


GAME STATS:

University of Minnesota Team Summary


Player -------------------------- G A PIM Sh +/-

Kelly Seeler------------------- 0 . 0 0 0 0
Melanie Gagnon------------- 0 0 2 1 0
Sarah Erickson--------------- 0 0 4 0 0
Laura May--------------------- 0 0 0 2 0
Rachel Drazan------------- 0 0 2 0 +2
Kelli Blankenship------------ 0 1 0 2 +1
Jaimie Horton---------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Brittany Francis-------------- 0 1 0 2 +1
Jocelyne Lamoureux------- 0 0 4 3 0
Chelsey Jones--------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Emily West-------------------- 1 0 2 6 +2
Gigi Marvin-------------------- 1 0 0 4 +2
Monique Lamoureu x------- 0 0 2 5 0
Anne Schleper--------------- 0 0 2 0 0
Dagney Willey---------------- 0 0 2 1 0
Jen Schoullis----------------- 0 0 0 2 0
Terra Rasmussen----------- 0 0 0 1 0
Michelle Maunu-------------- 0 0 2 1 +2

Totals--------------------------- 2 2 22 30 +10


Goalie Stats

St. Cloud

Ashley Nixon (Loss) 59:09 Min 2 GA 28 SV
EMPTY NET 00:51 Min

Minnesota

Alyssa Grogan (Win) 59:46 Min 1 GA 25 SV
EMPTY NET 00:14 Min


Goals

SCSU 0-0-1 1
MN 0-1-1 2

Prd--Time-Team--Scored by (Assists)

2nd--00:21--MN--EV Emily West (Brittany Francis)

3rd--00:08--SCSU--PP Sammy Nixon (Caitlin Hogan)
3rd--12:38--MN--EV Gigi Marvin (Kelli Blankenship)


Shots on Goal

SCSU 12-6-8 26
MN 4-15-11 30


Penalties--Minutes

SCSU 11--22
MN 11--22


Power Plays

SCSU 1-8 (3 SOG, Time on PP 10:28)
MN 0-9 (6 SOG, Time on PP 11:58)


Faceoffs Won

SCSU 31
MN 36

October 28th

NHL MOVES BACK TRADE DEADLINE

The National Hockey League announced that the trade deadline has officially been moved one day later from Tuesday March 3, to Wednesday March 4.

The League and Playes Association came to the agreement largery because there are 12 games on the NHL slate on the 3rd and only two games on the 4th.

Last season there were 25 deals on deadline day that saw 45 players change teams.


COYOTES CLAIM KLEE OFF WAIVERS

The Phoenix Coyotes have claimed veteran defenceman Ken Klee on re-entry waivers.

The 37-year-old was acquired by the LA Ducks of Anaheim eariler this month in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers, but played only three games with the Ducks before being sent to the American Hockey League.

The Ducks and Coyotes will split the remainder of his $1.25-million salary since he was acquired off re-entry waivers.

Phoenix is Klee's sixth team since the NHL lockout. He has 54 career goals and 184 points in 866 regular-season games.