2009-10 HEADLINES


St. Norbert Falls to Norwich in Longest Title Game Ever
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (St. Norbert Sports Information, March 20, 2010) - Despite a record-setting performance from goaltender B.J. O'Brien, St. Norbert College eventually succumbed to Norwich University 2-1 in double overtime in the championship game of the NCAA Division III Frozen Four at Herb Brooks Arena.

Despite not playing on the winning team, O'Brien was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after making 70 saves in 99 minutes 29 seconds of action - the longest game in St. Norbert and NCAA Division III Tournament history.

Norwich, which won its third national title with a 26-1-4 record, scored the game winning goal with 31 seconds left in the second overtime. Pier-Oliver Cotnoir scored when he pushed a loose puck in front of the crease into the net.

An obviously fatigued St. Norbert team was outshot 35-14 in the two overtime sessions, but was kept in the game by a spectacular performance by O'Brien. O'Brien's save total set a St. Norbert record as well as a NCAA Division III Tournament record.

The Green Knights had a couple of good scoring chances early in the first overtime. St. Norbert also had two quality opportunities in the second overtime. Adam Hammerbeck's shot from the goal line almost snuck around an open post, and Shane Wheeler's shot from the slot barely was stopped by the inside leg of Norwich goaltender Ryan Klingensmith. Klingensmith made 33 stops for the Cadets.

Norwich got on the board first with a power-play goal at 11:30 of the first period when O'Brien was screened on Chad Anderson's shot from the circle.

The Green Knights answered at 9:36 of the second when Sam Tikka cashed in on a 2-on-1 chance. Tikka took a pass from Matt Boyd and rung the inside of the crossbar and got the carom to square the game at 1-1.

St. Norbert (24-4-3) finished with 34 shots on goal and was 0-for-6 on the power play. The Green Knights had the only overtime power-play chance, getting an opportunity at 13:01 of the second overtime.

In addition to O'Brien's MOP honor, Tikka and Johan Ryd were both named to the all-tournament team.

The championship game was St. Norbert's fourth appearance in seven years. The Green Knights were also runner-up in 2004 and 2006 in addition to their national title in 2008.






Green Knights Win Thriller Over Oswego in Semifinals
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (March 19, 2010) - Cody Keefer scored an unassisted goal with 39 seconds remaining in regulation time to vault St. Norbert past top-seed Oswego State University 4-3 in the NCAA Semifinals this afternoon, ending an entertaining back-and-forth third period that featured five goals. The win sends the Green Knights to the DIII Championship game against Norwich.

Oswego State tied the game at three with just 2:32 left on the clock. But Keefer's 13th goal of the season put the Green Knights back on top for good. The freshman finished with a two point afternoon, also adding an assist earlier in the third period.

Goaltender B.J. O'Brien made 20 saves while earning his 24th victory of the season. He and the St. Norbert penalty kill held Oswego State scoreless in four power play opportunities.

Johan Ryd opened the scoring at 18:01 of the first period; St. Norbert took a 1-0 lead into the dressing room after the first period.

Oswego State tied the game at 17:14 of the second period, setting up a wild final stanza.

Tyler Allen put the Green Knights up 2-1 with a power play goal at 4:18 of the third, only to see the lead fizzle away just 56 seconds later. Then, less than two minutes after that, it was Sam Tikka scoring his 2nd goal of the season to give St. Norbert the lead again at 3-2.

Keefer and Ryd recorded multi-point games for SNC, each adding a goal and an assist.

The Green Knights were outshot by Oswego 23-20 and were 1-for-2 on the power play.







Three NCHA Players Named to Women's All-American Team
ST. PETER, MINN. (March 18, 2010) - The NCHA was well represented on the 2010 Women's All-American team, which was announced today by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Three of the six spots on the West team were awarded to NCHA student-athletes.

Lake Forest, which finished 19-3-4 but was not awarded a bid to the NCAA tournament, had two players named All-American. Senior defenseman Courtney Bean (Peoria, IL) and sophomore forward Kim Herring (Dover, NH) both received the highest honor.

Also earning All-American as the top goaltender in the West was UW-Superior's Melissa Kunzelman (Sr / Brandon, MB).






Five NCHA Men Named All-American
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (March 18, 2010) - Five NCHA student-athletes were named All-American today by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Four of those individuals earned spots as First-Team All-Americans.

St. Norbert goaltender B.J. O'Brien (Jr / Lakeville, Minn.) and defenseman Nick Tabisz (Jr / Kettering, OH)were both named to the First-Team and will be participating this weekend in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. Joining them on the First-Team were St. Scholastica's Jordan Chong (Sr / N. Vancouver, B.C.) and UW-Stout's Joel Gaulrapp (Sr / Owatonna, Minn.).

Also earning the highest honor was UW-River Falls' forward Tyler Czuba (Sr / Kelowna, B.C.), who was named to the Second-Team.






St. Norbert Grinds Past Adrian, Gustavus to Reach Frozen Four
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 17, 2010) – The St. Norbert Green Knights posted a pair of NCAA tournament wins last week at home against Adrian College and Gustavus Adolphus College to earn a spot in the national semifinals.

The Green Knights held on to beat Adrian 4-3 last Wednesday, March 10th at the Cornerstone Center. The Bulldogs grabbed the first lead of the game midway through the first period, but Cody Keefer scored for SNC to make it 1-1 heading into the dressing room. St. Norbert took control in the second with three straight goals and then withstood a charge from Adrian as it chipped away at the deficit. B.J. O'Brien earned the win in goal for the Green Knights.

On Saturday St. Norbert battled past Gustavus in a 3-1 final. Shane Wheeler and Tyler Allen scored first period goals and SNC led 2-1 after the first. the teams were scoreless in the second and Brandon Longley recorded an empty-net goal at 19:00 of the third to seal the win and the trip to Lake Placid. O'Brien was in net again, making 17 saves on 18 shots.

St. Norbert advances to play Oswego State in the afternoon semifinal at the Frozen Four at Herb Brooks Arena. The winner will play the winner of Plattsburgh State and Norwich, who play in the late semifinal, on Saturday afternoon.
Men's Weekly Notes - Mar 17, 2010






UW-River Falls Women Lose to Gustavus in NCAAs
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 17, 2010) – Gustavus Adolphus College ended an outstanding season for the UW-River Falls Falcons with a 2-0 win in the NCAA Tournament first-round last Saturday, March 13th. UW-River Falls finished the year with a record of 20-4-6.

The teams skated to a scoreless first two periods in Saint Peter, Minnesota, but the Golden Gusties struck in the third with goals just 1:01 apart. The even-strength goals came at 2:28 and 3:29, forming a deficit the Falcons could not come back from. UW-River Falls' goalie Cassi Campbell made 39 saves on the day, including 18 in the first period. At the other end of the rink, Gustavus' goalie Danielle Justice made 11 saves in the third period as UWRF pressed the tie the game.

The win sends Gustavus to the Women's Frozen Four, which the college will host. This marks the first time in the nine-year history of the NCAA tournament that the finals have been held at a Western site. The Gusties will open with top-seeded Amherst on Friday night. The early semifinal features Elmira and Norwich.
Women's Weekly Notes - Mar 17, 2010




Green Knights Gearing for Adrian on Wednesday
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 9, 2010) – St. Norbert College will host Adrian College in a first round NCAA tournament game Wednesday, March 10, the NCAA announced Sunday. The Green Knights 11th tournament berth in school history comes via the NCHA's automatic bid, which they earned with a 7-1 win over UW-River Falls in the Peters Cup Playoff championship game.

St. Scholastica and UW-River Falls, both which appeared in the latest NCAA West region rankings, were not selected to the tournament field.

In the title game, seven different Green Knights scored goals, a reflection of the balanced offensive attack they have used all season long. St. Norbert jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period and 4-0 after the second. The Green Knights improved to 18-0-1 when leading after two periods.

All-NCHA selection Nick Tabisz led all St. Norbert players with three points on the night. Alain Joanette, Matt Boyd and Tyler Allen each had two points.

St. Norbert has outscored its opponents in the past four games by a total of 24-3.
Game Preview
Men's Weekly Notes - Mar 9, 2010






UW-River Falls Could Host Frozen Four
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 9, 2010) – In an extremely tight O'Brien Cup Playoffs Final Four, third-seed UW-River Falls emerged the champion after wins over Adrian and UW-Superior. The Falcons discovered their fate yesterday, March 8, as the NCAA revealed they will open the NCAA tournament with a first-round game at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday afternoon. The winner of that game will host the NCAA Frozen Four and will face top-seed Amherst in the first semifinal.

The Division III Frozen Four has never been held at a Western site in the previous eight years of existence. A team from the West has never won the coveted national championship.

O'Brien Cup Recap - March 5-6 at Lake Forest
Semifinals: #4 UW-Superior vs. #1 Lake Forest
Chelsey Wierschem broke a scoreless tie with 28 seconds remaining in regulation to send UW-Superior into the championship game. Goalie Melissa Kunzelman stopped all 31 shots Lake Forest put on goal in earning her 8th shutout of the season.
Semifinals: #3 UW-River Falls vs. #2 Adrian
Alyssa Black and Jessica Thompson scored early in the second period, a boost UW-River Falls would use to beat Adrian 4-1. Cassi Campbell made 28 saves for the Falcons while Dana Timm made 40 for the Bulldogs.
Championship: #4 UW-Superior vs. #2 UW-River Falls
Jamie Briski scored both UW-River Falls goals in a dramatic 2-1 victory over UW-Superior to win the O'Brien Cup and the NCHA's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Briski's goals were her 15th and 16th of the year - tops for the Falcons. Yellowjacket goaltender Melissa Kunzelman made 32 saves, including 16 in the second period. Ashley Martin scored the lone goal for UW-Superior.
Women's Weekly Notes - Mar 9, 2010








UW-River Falls Women To Open NCAAs at Gustavus
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 8, 2010) – The UW-River Falls Falcons will open their NCAA tournament journey with a First-Round game at Gustavus Adolphus, the NCAA announced this morning. The date and time of the game are to be determined. The winner of the game will be the host school for the Frozen Four, the first time in Division III history a school from the West will host the event.

UW-River Falls is making its second straight trip to the tournament via its second straight NCHA playoff championship. And for the second year in a row, the Falcons are playing on the road at Gustavus. The winner of the game will play number-one overall seed Amherst.

Left out of the tournament field was Lake Forest, which was ranked first overall in the West region before last weekend's loss to UW-Superior in the NCHA semifinals. The Foresters finished with a 19-3-4 record and only two regional losses. UW-Superior, which fell to UW-River Falls in the NCHA title game, was also left out, along with Adrian.

UW-River Falls tied Gustavus 3-3 at home and lost 2-1 on the road this season. The Falcons defeated the Gusties in last year's NCAA first-round meeting, also in St. Peter, and then lost to Elmira and Middlebury in the Frozen Four.










St. Norbert to Host Adrian in NCAA First-Round
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 7, 2010) – With its automatic bid earned by winning the Peters Cup playoff championship on Saturday, St. Norbert College learned tonight it will host Adrian College in an NCAA tournament first-round game this Wednesday night. The Green Knights are the highest seed in the West region but will be forced to play a first-round game instead of going straight to the quarterfinals.

The winner of the game Wednesday will face the winner of the other West first-round contest, St. Thomas at Gustavus Adolphus, with the winner of that game going to the Frozen Four in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Left out of the tournament field were St. Scholastica and UW-River Falls. St. Scholastica was ranked third in the West region rankings before losing to UW-River Falls in the NCHA semifinals on February 27th. The Falcons were ranked fifth in that same publication, but could not make up enough ground during their playoff run to the championship game.

St. Norbert will make its 11th NCAA tournament appearance. The Green Knights won the national title in 2008 and bring a 12-9-1 all-time tournament record into this year's competition. Adrian, located an hour southeast of Ann Arbor in Michigan, is making its first trip to the tournament.













UW-Superior's Bina Named Men's Scholar-Athlete Winner
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 4, 2010) – Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel announced today that the winner of the 2010 Men's Scholar-Athlete Award is senior defenseman and team captain Brian Bina of UW-Superior. The award is the fifth individual NCHA honor in Bina's career, having been selected to the 2010 All-NCHA team, the 2008 Honorable Mention team and the 2009 and 2010 All-Academic teams.

Bina is completing his major in accounting at UW-Superior, where he has earned a 3.64 overall grade point average. He has been on the Dean's List for multiple semesters and is an academic scholarship recipient. Bina, who is from Grand Forks, North Dakota, recorded two goals and five assists on the ice this year as a dominant defender for the Yellowjackets. Bina also served as an alternate team captain during the 2008-09 season.

Each nominee for the Scholar-Athlete Award must have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average, be in the final year of eligibility and have competed in hockey at least two years at their institution. Other men’s nominees were three-time All-Academic members D.J. Clark and Nate Smith of UW-Eau Claire and two-time members Nicholas Kuqali of UW-Eau Claire, Bo Storozuk of UW-River Falls and team captain Sam Tikka of St. Norbert.
Complete Men's All-Academic Team











UW-Eau Claire's Dittrich Named Women's Scholar-Athlete
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 4, 2010) – UW-Eau Claire senior forward and team captain Beth Dittrich has been named the 2010 Women’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner, Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel announced today. Dittrich, a member of the 2010 All-NCHA team, had previously received NCHA Honorable Mention for the 2008-2009 season and twice during her career was named NCHA Player of the Week. For the second year in a row Dittrich is also a member of the NCHA All-Academic Team.


Dittrich is from Roseville, Minnesota. Her major is elementary education, in which she has earned a 3.87 overall grade point average. On the ice this season Dittrich posted 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points. She ranks in the top ten of the NCHA in each of those categories. Dittrich also served as an assistant Captain of the Blugolds for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons.

The Scholar-Athlete Award is given annually by the Commissioner to a student-athlete who has earned at least a 3.5 grade point average, is in the final year of eligibility and has participated in hockey at least two years at their institution. Also nominated this year were team captain Tracy Butler and Ann Hulme of UW-Stevens Point and Dana Timm of Adrian. Butler and Hulme were both named to their third All-Academic team while majoring in Communicative Disorders and Health Promotion and Wellness, respectively. Timm is majoring in Communications - Argumentation and Advocacy - where she has also earned All-Academic team honors.
Complete Women's All-Academic Team












Men's Championship Pits UW-River Falls and St. Norbert
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 2, 2010) – The 2010 Peters Cup Championship game will pit rivals UW-River Falls and St. Norbert on Saturday with a guaranteed trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. Both teams were victorious in the semifinals last Saturday, the Falcons knocking off St. Scholastica and the Green Knights taking care of UW-Stevens Point.

In the season series this year, St. Norbert swept UW-River Falls with wins in all three meetings. The Green Knights won twice by four or more goals. But UW-River Falls enters the title game on a three-game winning streak and having lost just once in its last eight games.

St. Norbert led all teams with five players voted to the All-NCHA team. In that group is forward Shane Wheeler, who has posted 27 points in 26 games this year. The Green Knights are remarkably balanced, though, when it comes to scoring. Four different players have ten or more goals and seven players have 20 or more points.

UW-River Falls features three bonafide stars in the lineup in Tyler Czuba, Josh Calleja and Justin Brossman. More than 30 percent of the Falcons scoring has come from this trio, and all three put up more than 30 points.

#5 UW-Stevens Point at #1 St. Norbert
St. Norbert pumped in four power-play goals in 15 attempts while firing 52 total shots on the UW-Stevens Point goal in a 7-1 semifinal victory. Kurt Astle scored two of those power-play tallies and was one of six Green Knights with a multi-point game.

#3 UW-River Falls at #2 St. Scholastica
St. Scholastica led 2-1 midway through the second period, but UW-River Falls would have the lead before heading to the dressing room. Ben Beaudoin and Tyler Czuba scored the crucial second period goals and the Falcons held off a comeback attempt by the Saints to win in a 6-3 final.

Men's Weekly Notes - March 2, 2010














Top Seeds All Advance in Women's Quaterfinals
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (March 2, 2010) – The top seeds all advanced in the quarterfinal round of the NCHA O'Brien Cup Playoffs last weekend, setting up an exciting finish this Friday and Saturday at Lake Forest. The Foresters are hosting the semifinals and finals after winning the regular season championship with 26 total points.

#8 Finlandia at #1 Lake Forest
Game 1: Kim Herring recorded her fourth hat trick of the season as Lake Forest beat Finlandia 6-1 in the series opener.
Game 2: Sam Herron was the one with the hat trick in game 2, scoring once in the first and twice in the second as Lake Forest won the series with a 7-0 win.

#7 Concordia-Wis. at #2 Adrian
Game 1: Sara Cole opened the scoring for Concordia-Wisconsin, but Adrian scored twice in the second period to come back and take game 1. Dana Timm made 30 saves for the Bulldogs.
Game 2: Jessica Grubbs scored the game's only goal at 18:59 of the second period, sending Adrian to the semifinals. Concorida-Wisconsin goalie Lea Jondal made 34 saves while taking the loss.

#6 UW-Eau Claire at #3 UW-River Falls
Game 1: Jackie McKay cut the Falcon lead to 3-2 early in the third, but UW-River Falls held on to win. Breanna Hrabe, Jessica Thompson and Kayleigh Bell scored for the Falcons.
Game 2: UW-River Falls scored three unanswered goals, all in the third period, in route to a 3-1 win. Melissa Deadorff made 21 saves for the Falcons.

#5 UW-Stevens Point at #4 UW-Superior
Game 1: Shana Katz had two goals and an assist as UW-Superior beat UW-Stevens Point 5-2. The Yellowjackets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, a deficit the Pointers couldn't overcome.
Game 2: Teagan Cassan broke a scoreless tie at 9:27 of the third period and Jodi Holland added an empty-netter in a 2-0 UW-Superior victory. Melissa Kunzelman stopped all 26 UW-Stevens Point shots on goal.

Women's Weekly Notes, March 2, 2010













Lake Forest's Herring Voted Women's Player of the Year
Carisa Zaban Named Coach of the Year
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 26, 2010) – Lake Forest sophomore forward Kim Herring, after breaking multiple records and leading the Foresters to their first-ever league championship, has been voted 2010 Player of the Year by the head coaches of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.

Herring led the NCHA in almost every offensive statistical category this season, putting up 25 goals and 19 assists for 44 total points. Besides owning the most goals, assists and points, she ranked first in game-winning goals (8), power play goals (7) and hat tricks (3). Her points and game-winning goal totals are tops in the nation.

"Kim's stats speak for themselves," said Lake Forest head coach Carisa Zaban, " But she also has a great attitude and always works hard, which is refreshing to see in someone with her talent."

Herring came to Lake Forest from Dover, New Hampshire, which is roughly 70 miles north of Boston. She played hockey at the Groton School before donning the Forester sweater.

The coaches also voted for Coach of the Year, selecting Lake Forest's Zaban. This is the first Coach of the Year award for Zaban, who has guided the Foresters to a 17-2-4 overall record in her fifth year as head coach.

Notable members of the 2010 All-NCHA team include UW-Eau Claire's Kristin Faber, who was second in the NCHA in total points and was named to her second straight All-NCHA team. Lake Forest had the most players voted to the team with three - Herring, and defensemen Courtney Bean and Jamie Sauer. Adrian College, playing in its first year as a NCHA member, had two players voted to the team in forward Brooke Zaleski and defenseman Kelly Salis. The majority of the team is made up of players in their sophomore season. Seven sophomores are on the 2010 team, compared with four seniors and one junior.
Full All-NCHA team / Honorable Mention

2010 Women's All-NCHA Team
Forwards
Beth Dittrich, UW-Eau Claire
Kristin Faber, UW-Eau Claire (09)
Katie Flanagan, UW-River Falls
Kim Herring, Lake Forest
Erin Marvin, UW-Stevens Point
Brooke Zaleski, Adrian

Defensemen
Courtney Bean, Lake Forest (09)
Amanda Ryder, UW-River Falls (09)
Kelly Salis, Adrian
Jamie Sauer, Lake Forest

Goalies
Lea Jondal, Concordia-Wisconsin
Melissa Kunzelman, UW-Superior

(08) Previous All-NCHA selection year










UW-Stout's Gaulrapp Voted Men's Player of the Year
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 19, 2010) – UW-Stout senior forward Joel Gaulrapp (Owatonna, Minn.) has been named Men's Player of the Year in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association after gaining the majority of the league coaches' votes. Gaulrapp posted 25 points during the regular season and was a dominant player for the Blue Devils both offensively and defensively.

Some of Gaulrapp's accomplishments this season included two separate four-game scoring streaks, game-winning goals against UW-Stevens Point and UW-Superior and eight multi-point performances. Opponents' game plans revolved around covering the Blue Devils' skilled forward.

"Joel has been our best player in both ends of the rink all year," said UW-Stout head coach Terry Watkins. "He's very good on the power play and penalty kill, and he never takes a shift off."

Gaulrapp is from Owatonna, Minnesota, which is roughly an hour south of the twin cities. He played high school and junior hockey in Owatonna, in the Minnesota State High School League and the North American Hockey League. Gaulrapp is majoring in construction.

The coaches also voted for Coach of the Year and St. Norbert's Tim Coghlin emerged the winner. Coghlin's Green Knights won the regular season NCHA championship with a 14-2-2 conference record. This is the fifth Coach of the Year award for Coghlin.

St. Norbert had the most players voted All-NCHA with five. Included was junior defenseman Nick Tabisz, who earned his third straight selection to the team. Conference runner-up St. Scholastica had the second most players voted All-NCHA. The Saints' Jordan Chong was the 2010 NCHA scoring leader as well as the leader in game-winning goals.
Full All-NCHA team / Honorable Mention

2010 Men's All-NCHA
FORWARDS
Tyler Allen, St. Norbert
Justin Brossman, UW-River Falls
Jordan Chong, St. Scholastica
Tyler Czuba, UW-River Falls
Joel Gaulrapp, UW-Stout (08)
Shane Wheeler, St. Norbert
Chris Wilson, UW-Superior

DEFENSEMEN
Mike Bernardy, St. Norbert
Brian Bina, UW-Superior
Dustin DeGagne, St. Scholastica
Garrett Suter, UW-Stevens Point
Nick Tabisz, St. Norbert (08, 09)

GOALIES
Zach Kleiman, St. Scholastica
B.J. O'Brien, St. Norbert

(08) Previous All-NCHA selection year








UW-Stevens Point Goalie Graves Takes Player of the Week Award
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 16, 2010) – Freshman goalie Nick Graves (Hewitt, Wis. / Sioux City, USHL) of UW-Stevens Point has been named NCHA Player of the Week in the Men's Division, the league announced today. Graves gave up just two goals while making 65 saves last weekend, helping land the #5 seed for the Pointers as they head into the playoffs.

Graves took a 2-1 loss last Friday but kept UW-Stevens Point in the game with a chance to win. He made 27 total saves on the night, including ten in the third period.

On Saturday, with the Pointers needing a win to secure the No. 5 seed, Graves stopped all 36 shots UW-Stout dumped on goal. His second period was particularly busy, when the Blue Devils unleashed 22 shots on goal. Graves and UWSP won the game 4-0, setting up a rematch with UW-Stout in the first round of the playoffs

PLAYOFF NOTES:
UW-Stevens Point takes the #5 seed over UW-Eau Claire via the head-to-head tiebreaker ... St. Norbert clinched its 11th NCHA championship overall with a 6-1 win last Friday ... UW-River Falls loss last Saturday at SNC was its first road loss of the season ... The Falcons enter the playoffs having won four of their last 5 games ... #1 St. Norbert will host the lowest remaining seed next weekend.
Men's Weekly Notes - Feb 16, 2010









Melissa Calder Marian's First Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 16, 2010) – Marian's Melissa Calder (Fort Frances, Ont.) has been named NCHA Player of the Week in the Women's Division, the league announced today. Calder put together an outstanding performance in goal for the Sabres last weekend against UW-Superior.

Marian lost twice to the Yellowjackets during their Friday-Saturday series, but Calder made things interesting during the Saturday game. She totaled 53 saves in a 2-0 loss, posting 19 saves in both the second and third periods. In the second period, she stopped all 19 shots on goal, and she turned away all four UW-Superior power play attempts.

On the season, Calder is averaging nearly 27 saves per game. She has made 481 total saves, which is second in the NCHA. Despite seeing so many shots each game, Calder has managed a save percentage of .894.

PLAYOFF NOTES:
Tie-breaking procedures are (1) Head-to-Head (2) Most NCHA wins (3) Goal differential in games between tied team only (4) Goal differential in all NCHA games (5) Coin flip by Commissioner ... Lake Forest clinches #1 seed with two points ... UW-River Falls clinches at least #3 seed with two wins ... UW-Superior, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point all have a chance to gain the #3 seed with three or more points ... Finlandia holds goal differential tiebreaker over Marian.
Women's Weekly Notes - Feb 16, 2010











Tiebreaker-U: All Seven Men's Teams Could Change Position After Final Weekend
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 11, 2010) - It's moving weekend in the NCHA Men's Division.

UW-Superior hosts St. Scholastica tonight to kick things off. Both teams, as well as the five other men's teams, could potentially change positions in the standings based upon the results of this final weekend of play.

St. Scholastica is guaranteed no lower than the #2 seed, but it could jump current #1 St. Norbert if the Green Knights give them some help. St. Norbert needs just one win or two total points to lock up the top seed and a first round bye in the Peters Cup Playoffs. The Green Knights would also clinch if the Saints lose tonight at UW-Superior.

Elsewhere, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout are jockeying for the #3 seed. UW-River Falls has control of the spot, but UW-Stout holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons. UW-River Falls is at UW-Stevens Point on Friday and at St. Norbert on Saturday; The Blue Devils are at SNC on Friday and at UWSP on Saturday.

The last three teams - UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior and UW-Eau Claire - are knotted up for the bottom three seeds. UW-Stevens Point holds a one point lead for the 5th seed. UW-Superior and UW-Eau Claire are tied with nine points each and will meet on Saturday night in Eau Claire to decide their tiebreaker status. The Yellowjackets have three points in the previous two games against the Blugolds, meaning they need just one point in the game to take the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Updated playoff scenarios will be posted on Friday night after the conclusions of the games.











Tyler Czuba of UW-River Falls Crowned Men's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 9, 2010) – Senior forward Tyler Czuba (Kelowna, BC / Swan Valley, MJHL) of UW-River Falls has been named NCHA men's player of the week for his five points last weekend in Falcon victories over UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire.

In the 3-2 win over UW-Stout on Friday, Czuba assisted on a critical goal for the Falcons in the third period. Trailing 2-1 with less than ten minutes to go, Czuba set up a Ben Beaudoin (Inver Grove Heights, Minn / Southern Minnesota, NAHL) power play goal to tie the game. Just over four minutes later, Josh Calleja (New Richmond, Wis. / Wisconsin, MJHL) scored the eventual game-winner to send UWRF to a comeback victory.

On Saturday Czuba went off with a hat trick in leading UW-River Falls to a comeback win once again. Trailing 2-1 in the third period, Czuba assisted on a goal that tied the game up. Then at 7:28, Czuba put UWRF in front with his first goal of the night. UW-Eau Claire would tie the game on a penalty shot, but Czuba answered the call again with a goal at 11:50. He completed his hat trick and a four-point night with a power play goal at 19:36.

PLAYOFF NOTES:
Tie-breaking procedures are (1) Head-to-Head (2) Most NCHA wins (3) Goal differential in games between tied team only (4) Goal differential in all NCHA games (5) Coin flip by Commissioner ... St. Norbert clinches #1 seed with two points ... UW-Stout holds head-to-head tie breaker over UW-River Falls ... UW-Stevens Point holds head-to-head tie breaker over UW-Eau Claire ... UW-Superior holds head-to-head tie breaker over UW-Stevens Point ... UW-Superior needs one point at UW-Eau Claire to hold head-to-head tie breaker over UWEC.
Men's Weekly Notes - Feb 9, 2010







UW-Eau Claire's Faber Takes Weekly Women's Award
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 9, 2010) – Kristin Faber (Austin, Minn. / Austin, MSHSL) has been named NCHA women's player of the week for her four-point weekend in a split with UW-Stevens Point.

Faber was involved in all four Blugold goals in a 4-2 victory last Friday night in Eau Claire. She assisted on a first period goal and two second period goals as UWEC built a 3-0 lead. But UW-Stevens Point came roaring back, cutting the lead to 3-2 after 40:00. Then, as the Pointers were pushing to gain the equalizer, Faber made it a two-goal cushion by burying her 19th of the season at 14:28 of the third. UW-Eau Claire won the game 4-2.

On the season, Faber is second in the NCHA in total points with 33 - two behind Lake Forest's Kim Herring. Her four-point game against UW-Stevens Point was the fourth time this season she has posted four points in a game and her ninth multi-point game of the year.

NOTES: Erin Marvin of UW-Stevens Point had three goals and an assist in a split with UW-Eau Claire ... Brooke Zaleski has eight points in her last six games for Adrian ... Kaytlin Ruzicka of Marian has made 140 saves in her past three games, giving up nine goals ... Lake Forest controls its own destiny for winning the conference championship with four games to play ... UW-River Falls visits Lake Forest this weekend ranked #6 and having lost once in its past 11 games ... UW-Superior has held its opponent to two goals or less in 19 of 20 games this season.
Weekly Women's Notes - Feb 9, 2010














St. Scholastica's Kleiman Perfect While Earning Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 2, 2010) – Zach Kleiman of St. Scholastica has been named player of the week by the NCHA for the second straight week after making 74 saves in two wins for the Saints. The senior goalie did not allow a goal last weekend while backstopping wins over #14 UW-River Falls and UW-Stout.

Kleiman's first shutout of the weekend featured 37 saves at UW-River Falls. He made double-digit saves in all three periods and turned away two Falcon power play attempts. St. Scholastica won the game 6-0.

On Saturday night Kleiman took on an even bigger challenge has he faced 41 shots from UW-Stout. But he was up to the task once again, turning all 41 away. In the third period Kleiman made 19 saves and stopped three Blue Devil power plays. For the game, he stopped eight UW-Stout power play opportunities. The Saints won 3-0, their fourth win in a row.

Kleiman has given up just one goal over his past 207 minutes played. His season goals against average rests at 1.84 and his save percentage is .937.

NOTES: Shane Wheeler of St. Norbert posted a goal and four assists in two Green Knight victories last weekend ... UW-Stevens Point's Johnny Meo had two goals last weekend and has tallied at least a point in four of his last five games ... Caleb Wolfgram of UW-River Falls scored his first collegiate goal on Saturday against UW-Superior, one of two points on the night ... #3 St. Norbert is on a four-game win streak and has won 8 of its past 9 games ... St. Scholastica obtained its highest ranking of the year in the latest uscho.com poll when it was voted #4 ... SNC travels to CSS this Friday for a 7:05p showdown in Duluth.
Men's Weekly Notes - Feb 2, 2010



















Flanagan's Big Contribution Earns Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (February 2, 2010) – Katie Flanagan of UW-River Falls has been named player of the week by the NCHA for her three-goal weekend at UW-Stevens Point January 29-30. The Falcons took three of four points in the rivalry series and Flanagan scored three of four UWRF goals.

Flanagan scored two goals in UW-River Falls 3-1 win on Friday night. She opened the scoring at 2:23 of the second period and later made it a 3-0 lead at 8:59 of the third. The two-goal game was the second multi-goal game for Flanagan of the season.

On Saturday Flanagan saved the day for the Falcons with a clutch goal in the third period as her team was trailing. Her goal at 13:46 came while UWRF was short-handed on a pass from Jessica Thompson. It made the score 1-1 at the time, a total which lasted through regulation time and overtime. It was the eighth goal of the year for Flanagan.

Flanagan's goals, no doubt, sparked UW-River Falls and the three points sent the team into third place in the NCHA standings. On the season, Flanagan has eight goals and two assists for ten total points. She has four points over her last four games.

Notes: Adrian's Dana Timm gave up just one goal in a sweep of UW-Superior last weekend, giving the Bulldogs a four point cushion on second place ... Courtney Bean of Lake Forest tallied four points in a sweep of UW-Eau Claire ... Lake Forest returned to the rankings this week as #9 in the uscho.com poll.
Women's Weekly Notes - Feb 2, 2010













St. Scholastica Goalie Kleiman Earns Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 26, 2010) – St. Scholastica senior goalie Zach Kleiman (Ottawa, Ontario) has been named player of the week by the NCHA for his strong performance in goal last weekend at UW-Eau Claire. Kleiman posted 49 saves over four periods and allowed just one goal while earning two wins.

Kleiman entered Friday night's game in relief of teammate Brennan Poderzay (Tower, Minn.), who was forced to leave because of injury. And the Blugolds wasted no time in firing a barrage of shots his way as the period started with a 2-2 tie. Kleiman stopped all 19 shots he faced as the Saints pulled away and won 5-2 with an empty-netter.

On Saturday Kleiman was the starting goaltender and he was brilliant again. St. Scholastica was outshot for the second night in a row, but Kleiman turned away 30 of 31 UW-Eau Claire shots to preserve a 2-1 Saints win. His impressive numbers included nine saves in the third period and zero goals against during five UWEC power play attempts.

On the season, Kleiman's goals against sits at 2.28 - third best in the NCHA - and his save percentage is .914. The Saints moved up two spots to #5 in the latest national rankings after the sweep of UW-Eau Claire.

NOTES: St. Norbert's Brandon Longley had four points in two wins against UW-Superior ... Luke Nesper of UW-Stevens Point scored both goals in a 2-1 Pointer win at UW-River Falls last Saturday ... UW-Stout's Scott Motz had a power play goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over St. Olaf at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul ... St. Norbert moved up one slot to #3, St. Scholastica moved up two spots to #5 and UW-River Falls fell to #14 in this week's uscho.com poll.
Men's Weekly Notes - Jan 26, 2010











UW-Stevens Point's Phillips Named Player of the Week for Second Time
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 26, 2010) – UW-Stevens Point senior goalie d'Andra Phillips (Swartz Creek, Mich.) has been named Player of the Week for the week of January 18 - 24, marking the second time this month she has received the award. Phillips made 74 saves in two games while leading the Pointers to a split at #8 UW-Superior.

Last Friday Phillips surrendered a first period power play goal to the Yellowjackets, but slammed the door from that point on. She made 12 saves in the first, 13 in the second and 14 in the third for a total of 39 on the night. The Pointers tied the game in the second and scored the eventual game-winner at 1:01 of the third for a 2-1 victory.

Phillips played well again on Saturday, giving up one goal on 36 shots. Again, the goal came on the power play in the first period. But UW-Stevens Point was unable to score the equalizer as it lost in a 1-0 final. The Pointers were shutout by UW-Superior goalie Melissa Kunzelman, who made 18 saves.

Phillips has lowered her goals against average nearly one goal per game (2.36) in her past four games while giving up just four goals over that span. Her save percentage has climbed from .860 to .918.

Other outstanding performances from last weekend:
Jamie Briski, UW-River Falls - Eight points last week, including an OT GWG
Kaytlin Ruzicka, Marian - 49 saves in 3-0 loss to Lake Forest
Rosy Fujimoto, Lake Forest - Hat trick, 5 points in weekend sweep at Marian
Weekly Women's Notes - Jan 26, 2010








NCHA, UW-Stout Counting Down to Hockey Day Minnesota
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 19, 2010) – The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association and UW-Stout will make history this Saturday afternoon when the Blue Devils host St. Olaf College at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul as part of the fourth annual Hockey Day Minnesota. The game will be the first NCAA Division III contest to be held at the arena, which is home to the NHL's Minnesota Wild. The Wild host the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday evening at 8:00 P.M.

The game will feature 35 Minnesotans between the two rosters. UW-Stout's point leader this season is Scott Motz (7-15-22), who is from Lake Elmo and played high school hockey at Tartan. The Blue Devils are also led by Joel Gaulrapp (Owatonna, MN / Owatonna) and Derek Hanson (Bemidji, MN). One player - senior defenseman Bobby Kuehl - is from Saint Paul and played at Johnson.

The Blue Devils enter the non-conference matchup after sweeping UW-Superior on the road last weekend. It was UW-Stout's first trip to Superior since last March when it won its first Peters Cup as the 2009 playoff champion. UW-Stout defeated NCHA rival St. Scholastica in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament and then lost in overtime to Gustavus-Adolphus at the DIII Frozen Four in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Hockey Day Minnesota is a joint concept and partnership between the Minnesota Wild and regional sports network Fox Sports North. The 2010 HDM will showcase two high school games in Hermantown, Minnesota, near Duluth. Broadcasters from FSN will be based at Xcel Energy Center and provide updates and stories throughout the day.

The NCHA currently has one men's team based in Minnesota: St. Scholastica, in Duluth. The Saints home rink is Mars Lakeview Arena. Next year the league will add a second Minnesota-based team as St. Scholastica adds a women's team. Both the Men's and Women's Divisions have an interlocking non-conference schedule with the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.











UW-River Falls' Calleja Takes Men's Weekly Honors
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 19, 2010) – The NCHA announced this morning that UW-River Falls' junior forward Josh Calleja (New Richmond, Wis.) is player of the week for his efforts last weekend at St. Scholastica. Calleja notched five points in a win and tie for the Falcons, including two goals in 25 seconds on Saturday night.

On Friday night Calleja assisted on two goals in the opening period as the Falcons jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. In the third period he added his fourth goal of the season, an insurance tally at 17:58. UW-River Falls won its third straight game by a final score of 5-0 over then #5 St. Scholastica.

The rematch was a much different game, and it required some heroics from Calleja. It looked like the Saints would cruise to a 5-3 win, which was the score late in the third period. But the Falcons pulled their goalie and Calleja scored at 19:13 ... and again at 19:38. Both goals were power play goals that helped UW-River Falls swipe a point in game two of the series.

The conference points were the first for UWRF since November 13-14 at UW-Eau Claire. The Falcons had lost four straight NCHA contests.

On the season Calleja has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points. The two multi-point games last weekend give him seven total on the season.

Other outstanding performances from last week:
Jordan Singer, UW-Eau Claire - 2 goals, 2 assists in split with SNC
Derek Hanson, UW-Stout - 2 goals, assist in win and tie at UWS
Men's Weekly Notes - Jan 19, 2010











Concordia-Wisconsin's Jondal Named Women's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 19, 2010) – Concordia-Wisconsin freshman goaltender Lea Jondal (Somerset, Wis.) has been named player of the week in the Women's Division, the NCHA league office announced this morning, for her nearly perfect weekend in goal for the Falcons. Jondal stopped 41 of the 42 shots she saw in a series sweep of Finlandia, which included the first shutout in school history for CUW.

On Friday night Jondal made her biggest contribution during the opening period as she made 11 saves on 11 shots on goal. Finlandia took a 1-0 lead in the second period, but that was all they would get from Jondal, who finished the game with 22 total saves. Concordia-Wisconsin tied the game in the second and then scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winner in the third for a 2-1 victory.

Jondal was at it again on Saturday, an effort that would result in history. The offense provided a cushion with scoring in each period and the sophomore stopped all 19 shots on goal in a 5-0 shutout. The first shutout in school history came in its 68th game, having started play in the 2007-08 season.

Other outstanding performances from last weekend:
Kristin Faber, UW-Eau Claire - 3 goals and an assist in two ties at UWRF
Brooke Hanson, UW-Stevens Point - Hat trick, 4 points in sweep of MARIAN
Women's Weekly Notes - Jan 19, 2010








UW-Superior's Wilson Snags Player of the Week Award
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 12, 2010) – Senior forward Chris Wilson (Prince Albert, Sask. / Nebraska-Omaha) of UW-Superior has been named player of the week for January 4 - 10, 2009, the NCHA announced today. Wilson led the Yellowjackets to a win and tie last weekend, tallying six points in the two games.

Wilson scored the eventual game-winning goal in a 5-1 win at Bethel last Friday night. He also assisted on the 3rd and 4th goals as the 'Jackets pulled away from the Royals. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for UWS.

On Saturday Wilson was at it again, this time helping rescue his team from a 4-1 deficit at then #7 Hamline. He added an assist in the second period on a goal which tied the game, but the Pipers were in control into the third. Thomas Erlacher (Brunico, Italy / Alaska) scored at 5:47 to cut Hamline's lead to two, then Wilson lit the lamp less than two minutes later. With the score 4-3 and the clock ticking away, Wilson set up Talon Berlando (Drumheller, AB) on the tying goal at 13:16. The teams would finish in a 4-4 tie after regulation and overtime.

On the year, Wilson eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points. Last weekend marked the 6th and 7th times this season he has recorded a multi-point game.

Other outstanding performances from last week:
Tyler Czuba, UW-River Falls - Four goals in two wins for the Falcons
Jordan Chong, St. Scholastica - Three goals, assist in two wins for the Saints
Isaiah Bennis, UW-Eau Claire - 3 goals in 2 Blugold wins
Garrett Suter, UW-Stevens Point - Four assists in a win and tie for the Pointers
Men's Weekly Notes - Jan 12, 2009








UW-Stevens Point Goalie Phillips Named Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 12, 2010) – UW-Stevens Point goaltender d'Andra Phillips (Swartz Creek, Mich.) was busy last Saturday in an important matchup with rival Gustavus; that performance was worthy of Player of the Week, as was announced today by the NCHA today.

The Pointers lost to the Golden Gusties 2-0, but Phillips gave her team a chance to win by making 41 saves on the afternoon. She starting things off by stopping all 18 shots she saw in the opening period. She stopped 16-of-18 in the second and all seven shots in the third.

The performance could be a momentum builder for Phillips as she continues to lower her goals against average and raise her save percentage. She stands at 3.27 and .885, respectively, but her playing time has come against strong MIAC opponents (St. Thomas, St. Olaf, Gustavus) and Lake Forest - which is in first place in the NCHA.

Other outstanding performances from last weekend:
Danika Porter, UW-Eau Claire - 24 saves in 1-0 win over Bethel
Melissa Deardorff, UW-River Falls - 23 saves in 4-1 win at St. Kate's
Brooke Zaleski, Adrian - Four assists in a win and tie at Casstleton State Tourney
Weekly Women's Notes - Jan 12, 2009










2010 Kicks Off With Non-Conference Action for Women
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 5, 2010) – Four women's teams opened the new year with tough non-conference action. Lake Forest went 1-1 in the Codfish Bowl in Boston, Concordia-Wisconsin beat and tied Hamline, UW-Eau Claire earned a split and Finlandia fell twice to St. Catherine.

Lake Forest's first loss of the season came at the hands of tournament host Massachusetts-Boston last Saturday, a 3-1 decision in which the Foresters outshot the Beacons 44-16. They bounced back the following day with a 3-2 overtime win over Bowdoin; Kim Herring (Dover, NH / Groton) scored all three goals for the Foresters while recording her third hat trick of the season. Lake Forest enters play tonight at Sacred Heart (Bridgeport, Conn.) with a 9-1-2 record and ranked 10th nationally.

In other action, Concordia-Wisconsin tied Hamline 3-3 on Saturday and won 7-4 on Sunday. Hamline scored three unanswered in the tie and Sam Meuwissen (Chanhassen, MN / Thoroughbreds) had two goals and an assist in the win for CUW.

UW-Eau Claire fell 3-1 to St. Olaf on Saturday, despite firing 35 shots on goal, but won 5-3 on Sunday thanks to a pure hat trick by Taylor Jenkins (Austin, MN / Austin).

Finlandia lost 5-1 to St. Catherine in their opener, a tight game until the Wildcats struck three times in the third. On Sunday the Lions lost 3-0 on two power play goals and an empty-net goal.
Women's Weekly Notes, Jan 5, 2010




UW-Stout, St. Olaf Square Off at Xcel Energy Center on Hockey Day Minnesota
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (January 4, 2010) - Mark your calendars: Division III hockey is coming to Hockey Day Minnesota, January 23rd at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul.

UW-Stout, originally scheduled to host St. Olaf on January 22nd, will now host the Olies on Saturday the 23rd at 1:30 P.M. at the "X." The game will take place on Hockey Day Minnesota, a celebration started by the Minnesota Wild and Fox Sports North.

More details will be released as they become available.




St. Scholastica's Chong Scores Crucial Goals, Swipes Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 15, 2009) – St. Scholastica senior forward Jordan Chong (North Vancouver, BC) has been named player of the week in the NCHA Men's Division for his two game-winning goals last weekend in a sweep of rival UW-Superior.

On Friday night Chong buried the Saints fourth goal of the game while shorthanded, and it proved to be the game winner. The goal marked the third straight game Chong had scored shorthanded. He also added an assist on an earlier goal as the Saints won 6-3.

In the second game of the series on Saturday it was Chong again recording the game-winning goal. This time it came at even strength and was the first goal of the game. Chong struck at 9:51 of the first period in route to a 3-0 final. This goal marked the third game in the past four that Chong had scored the game-winning goal.

On the season Chong has five goals and five assists for ten points - which ranks third on the team in scoring. His three shorthanded goals rank him 2nd in the nation in that category.

Other outstanding performances from last weekend:
Mike Hartviksen, UW-Stout - Two goals, four points in sweep at UWRF
Jon Madden, UW-Stevens Point - Two goals, three points in sweep of UWEC
Men's Weekly Notes - Dec 15, 2009




UW-Superior's Kunzelman Takes Player of the Week Award
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 15, 2009) – Melissa Kunzelman of UW-Superior has been named player of the week in the NCHA Women's Division for her outstanding performance in goal for the Yellowjackets last week. The senior turned away 87 shots over three games, going 2-0-1.

On Tuesday, December 8, Kunzelman (Brandon, MB / Crocus Plains) recorded a 28-save shutout against then #10 St. Thomas. The Yellowjackets were outshot 28-19, but Kunzelman made all the saves, including eleven in the 3rd period.

Last Friday Kunzelman was stellar again, this time posting 29 saves. Twelve of those saves came in the opening period, sparking UWS to an eventual 2-1 victory over Concordia-Wisconsin.

On Saturday she was at it yet again in another low-scoring game where goaltending was crucial. This time she posted 30 saves on 31 shots in a 1-1 overtime tie with CUW.

On the year Kunzelman has a 1.68 goals against average and a .934 save percentage in 607 minutes played. Last week she improved her GAA by nearly a half goal per game as well as raising her save percentage by nearly .15%.

Other outstanding performances from last week:
Kristin Faber, UW-Eau Claire - 5 goals, 3 assists in sweep of Marian
Jessica Grubbs, Adrian - 3 goals in sweep at FIN
Women's Weekly Notes - Dec 15, 2009




UW-Eau Claire Goalie Stephenson Nabs Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 8, 2009) – UW-Eau Claire freshman goaltender Brandon Stephenson (Saline, MI / Traverse City, NAHL) has been named player of the week in the NCHA Men's Division for his effort in a three-point weekend for the Blugolds. He made 54 saves on 56 shots in the two-game series against UW-Stout which vaulted UWEC back into the mix in the division race.

On Friday night Stephenson starred with a 24 save shutout in a 3-0 Blugold victory. It was the first league win of the year for UW-Eau Claire. Stephenson was especially good in the third period, making 15 saves and stopping three power play attempts.

Stephenson wasn't perfect on Saturday, but he still managed to hold the Blue Devils to a pair of goals - good enough for a 2-2 overtime tie. UW-Stout struck twice in the opening seven minutes of the first period, but the freshman goalie bounced back and stopped everything from that point on. He ended the night with 30 saves.

Other outstanding performances from last weekend:
Ben Beaudoin, UW-River Falls - Scored two game-winning goals for UWRF
Jordan Chong, St. Scholastica - Two shorthanded goals, including a game-winner
Justin Faryna, UW-Superior - Two goals, assist in 6-5 win at UWSP
Matt Boyd, St. Norbert - Goal, two assists in split with St. Scholastica
Men's Weekly Notes - Dec 8, 2009




Lake Forest's Kim Herring Named Women's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 8, 2009) – Lake Forest's Kim Herring (Dover, NH) has been named player of the week in the NCHA Women's Division for her efforts in a three-point weekend for the Foresters. Herring scored five goals and had six points in the two-game series against UW-Stevens Point.

Last Saturday Herring scored three times - all in the second period - to earn her second hat trick of the season. The score was 1-0 after the first when Herring went off with goals at 1:53, 11:20 and 15:08. All three scores came at even strength and helped the Foresters (8-0-2) to a 6-1 victory.

Herring scored two more times in a 4-4 overtime tie on Sunday. She cracked the score sheet at 3:05 of the first and
then scored what would be a crucial fourth goal at 10:53 of the second. Herring also assisted on a goal in the
second.

On the season Herring has 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points. Her 2.20 points per game is 3rd in the nation, and her 14 goals rank her first in total goals. With Herring's help, Lake Forest climbed to #7 in the current uscho.com national poll.

Other outstanding performances from last week:
Melissa Calder, Marian - Made 28 saves in Marian's first win in school history
Kristin Faber, UW-Eau Claire - 3 goals, including 2 in a 3-2 win on Saturday
Jessica Thompson, UW-River Falls - 3 points in split at Adrian
Women's Weekly Notes - Dec 8, 2009




St. Scholastica, UW-Superior Move Up Rankings with Holiday Wins
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 1, 2009) – St. Scholastica and UW-Superior both won two games over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, improving their records to 5-1-2 and 6-2-1, respectively.

St. Scholastica hosted a holiday series in Duluth, Minn. and defeated Salem State along with Lawrence. Jordan Baird (Port McNeill, BC) scored the game-winner in overtime on Friday night in a 4-3 win; Tyler Miller (Fort Frances, ON) starred in the 7-3 victory over Lawrence. The Saints are unbeaten in their last five games and will face St. Norbert this coming weekend.

UW-Superior beat Marian 5-3 at home last Friday and came from behind to beat St. Thomas 3-2 on the road on Saturday. Justin Faryna (Calgary, AB) scored the game-winner against Marian while Chris Wilson (Prince Albert, SK) had a goal and two assists in the win over St. Thomas. Against the Tommies, the Yellowjackets trailed 2-1 going into the third period. UW-Superior opens a series at UW-Stevens Point on Friday night.

Elsewhere in the NCHA, UW-Stout was defeated twice in the PrimeLink Shootout in Northfield, VT. The Blue Devils fell 9-1 to #10 Norwich and 7-3 to #9 Middlebury.

St. Norbert defeated Lawrence 2-1 last Friday night but was handed its first loss of the year in a 3-0 final against Salem State. Both games were played in Duluth, Minn.
Men's Weekly Notes - Dec 1, 2009




Four Conference Matchups Highlight Women's Division This Weekend
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (December 1, 2009) - Conference points, anyone?

The NCHA Women's Division returns to conference play this weekend after a brief break for the Thanksgiving holiday, and with plenty at stake. Four series will take place this Friday through Saturday in the first full weekend of conference play.

The feature matchup would be UW-Stevens Point at #10 Lake Forest. The Foresters lead the league with seven points in four games, but the Pointers are right behind in second place with four points in two games. Lake Forest (7-0-1) has several players atop the NCHA in scoring, but Kim Herring leads all skaters with 16 points. UW-Stevens Point, which cracked the national rankings back in early November, has gotten production from freshman Michelle Lunneborg. The 5-8 forward has five goals and six assist in nine games.

Other matchups:
Finlandia (2-5) at Marian (0-3)
UW-Eau Claire (3-3-1) at Concordia-Wis. (3-3)
#4 UW-River Falls (5-1-1) at Adrian (2-5)




St. Norbert's Tabisz Tabbed Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 25, 2009) – Junior forward Nick Tabisz (Kettering, OH) has been named player of the week in the men's division for his four-point weekend in a sweep for St. Norbert.

On Friday night Tabisz notched a goal and an assist in helping the Green Knights beat then #6 UW-River Falls. His goal was an even strength tally that tied the game at 6:08 of the second period; his assist came on a Matt Boyd goal just 1:19 later. St. Norbert held the lead for the rest of the game and won 4-2.

Tabisz scored a pair of goals on Saturday night in an 8-3 SNC victory. Both the goals came when the outcome was still unsure. He scored at 17:54 of the first to tie the game at 1 and then on the power play at :18 of the second to give the Green Knights a lead they would not surrender.

On the season Tabisz ranks 7th in the NCHA in points per game with 1.38. He has four goals and seven assists for 11 points.

The Green Knights obtained the #1 ranking in the nation on November 9th and hold it as they head into action this weekend at the St. Scholastica Thanksgiving tournament. St. Norbert will play Lawrence of the MCHA and Salem State of the MASCAC.

Other Player of the Week nominees included:
Chris Wilson, UW-Superior - 3 goals, assist in tie-win vs. UWEC
Donnie Hallmark, UW-Stevens Point - 3 goals, assist in two losses at STOUT
Derek Hanson, UW-Stout - Goal, 4 assists in sweep of UWSP
Isaiah Bennis, UW-Eau Claire - Scored game-tying goal in 2-2 tie at UWS
Men's Weekly Notes - Nov 25, 2009




UW-Eau Claire's Dickinson Takes Player of the Week Honors
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 25, 2009) – UW-Eau Claire forward Christine Dickinson (Layton, UT / Shattuck-St. Mary's) has been named player of the week in the NCHA women's division for her five goal outburst last weekend against Adrian.

Dickinson, a junior, scored a pair of goals just 3:31 apart last Friday at home against Adrian. The second goal tied \ the game at 2. UW-Eau went on to lose the game 6-3.

On Saturday the Blugolds bounced back, with Dickinson playing a role. She scored twice in the second period and once in the third to claim a hat trick in a 7-2 UWEC victory.

For the season, Dickinson leads the NCHA in goals per game at 1.17. She has seven goals on the season, which ranks second in the conferencce.

Other outstanding performances last week in the women's division:
Kim Herring, Lake Forest - Four goals in a sweep of Finlandia at home
Lauren Conrad, UW-River Falls - Goal, 3 assists in split with visiting UWS
Jessica Edward, UW-Stevens Point - Goal, assist in sweep of CUW
Jessica Tyra, UW-Superior - Goal, 2 assists in split with UWRF
Women's Weekly Notes - Nov 25, 2009




Men's Player of the Week: UW-Stout's Andy Sternberg
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 17, 2009) – Senior forward Andy Sternberg (Duluth, Minn. / East) was involved in several clutch goals last weekend for UW-Stout, earning him player of the week honors in the men's division. He tallied four points over two games at St. Scholastica.

On Friday night Sternberg scored twice in the second period, lifting the Blue Devils back from a 2-0 deficit. And in the 3rd, down 4-3, he assisted on a power play goal by Scott Motz (Lake Elmo, Minn. / Alexandria, NAHL) which proved to be the official game-tying goal. The teams finished the game in a 4-4 tie.

Saturday's rematch had a similar result, with Sternberg playing a similar role. UW-Stout trailed 1-0 until Sam Carr tied things up in the 2nd period. Sternberg provided the assist and the teams, again, finished in a tie - this time by a final of 1-1.

On the season Sternberg has four goals and two assists for six points. He has appeared in all six games thus far and is averaging one point per game.

Other Player of the Week nominees included:
Brandon Stephenson, UW-Eau Claire - 63 saves on 66 shots vs. UWRF
Tyler Fletcher, UW-Superior - Hat trick in 6-2 win at Lawrence
Justin Brossman, UW-River Falls - Scored 2 of team's 3 goals at UWEC
Nick Tabisz, St. Norbert - G, A in 2-0 win vs. UWSP Saturday
Men's Weekly Notes - Nov 17, 2009




Finlandia's Katelyn McLean Named Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 17, 2009) – The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association announced today Katelyn McLean of Finlandia University is the player of the week in the women's division. McLean (Houghton, Mich.) had four points in a split with Hamline last weekend for the Lions.

On Saturday night McLean, a junior forward, picked the Lions up in an attempted comeback against the Pipers. She scored two goals and assisted on another in the eventual 5-3 loss.

McLean provided a crucial power play goal on Sunday afternoon, giving the Lions a bit of breathing room at 2-0 in the 2nd period. Finlandia would hold on to that lead and win by a final of 2-0. The win was critical for the Lions, having lost its previous three games. It also doubled its win total from last year and built momentum into this coming weekend series at #10 Lake Forest.

Other outstanding performances last week in the women's division:
Melissa Kravich, Lake Forest - Hat trick, four total goals in sweep of Augsburg
Katie Flanagan, UW-River Falls - Two goals, assist in two non-conference games
Samantha Sheving, UW-Stevens Point - Assist, +3 in split with St. Olaf
Shannon Nelson, UW-Eau Claire - Assist on tying goal Saturday night
Women's Weekly Notes - Nov 17, 2009




UW-Eau Claire's Brigl Named Men's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 10, 2009) – Tyler Brigl (Eagan, MN / Bismark, NAHL) of UW-Eau Claire has been named player of the week by the NCHA for his play in goal during two Blugold wins last weekend. Brigl made 52 saves and surrendered just one goal in defeating Augsburg and #10 Gustavus Adolphus.

Brigl made 22 saves on Friday night against visiting Augsburg in a 3-0 win. He turned away six Auggie power play attempts and while earning the shutout and the first win of the year for UWEC.

On Saturday Brigl was up to the task again, this time giving up one goal on 31 shots in a 3-1 win. Gustavus had seven power play opportunities, all of which proved fruitless with Brigl in goal.

The pair of wins w crucial for UW-Eau Claire, given they were swept the previous weekend by Marian and Lawrence of the MCHA.

Other Player of the Week nominees included:
Bo Storozuk, UW-River Falls - 69 saves on 72 shots in split weekend for Falcons
Tom Lescovich, UW-Stout - Stopped all 44 shots he saw over 5 periods
Travis Erstad, UW-Stevens Point - 2 goals, 3 assists in split weekend for Pointers
Derek Stauber, UW-Superior - 2 goals, 2 assists in pair of wins for 'Jackets
Men's Weekly Notes - Nov 10, 2009




Danika Porter Earns Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 10, 2009) – Danika Porter (Rosemount, MN / Toronto Rattlers) was stellar in goal last weekend for UW-Eau Claire, and her efforts have earned her Player of the Week in the NCHA Women's Division. Porter had a win and a tie, the win coming with a shutout, and she gave up just 3 goals on 57 shots for the weekend.

Porter shutout Bethel on Friday night, with UWEC winning 2-0 on the road - t e first win of the season for the Blugolds. She turned away all 20 shots on goal along with eight Royals power play opportunities.

The momentum from Friday night's win carried over into a 3-3 overtime tie the following night against #8 St. Thomas. Porter made 34 saves on 37 shots. Two of the Tommies goals came on the power play.

For the season, Porter is 1-1-1 with a 2.27 goals against average. She has made 76 saves for a .916 save percentage .

Other outstanding performers from last weekend included:
Kim Herring, Lake Forest - 3 goals, 1 assist in a 3-point weekend for Lake Forest
Cassi Campbell, UW-River Falls - 41-save shutout of St. Thomas
Michelle Lunneborg, UW-Stevens Point - 3 goals, 2 assists in 3 wins for UWSP
Brooke Zaleski, Adrian - 1 goal, 2 assists at Utica
Women's Weekly Notes - Nov 10, 2009




St. Norbert Grabs #1 Ranking
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 9, 2009) - The Green Knights of St. Norbert are the top team in the nation, according to the latest U.S. College hockey Online coaches poll.

St. Norbert defeated Bethel University 8-2 and tied Hamline University 1-1 last weekend. The previous weekend it swept then #3 UW-Stout on the road. The Green Knights are 4-0-1 overall on the season and tied for first place in the NCHA with two wins and four points.




UW-River Falls' Justin Brossman Named Men's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 5, 2009) – Justin Brossman of UW-River Falls has been named player of the week for his efforts in a sweep of UW-Superior last weekend. Brossman finished with five points over the two games, giving him ten total points for the season.

On Friday night Brossman (Littleton, CO / Sioux City, USHL) assisted on the game-winning goal midway through the third period. The game was tied 1-1 when Brady Horn (Yorba Linda, CA / Langley, BCHL) scored on the feed from Brossman.

Brossman was all over the score sheet on Saturday night, posting a goal and three assists. River Falls shot out to a 4-0 lead - Brossman assisting on two of the goals - but the Yellowjackets fought back. Brossman's goal at 12:33 of the second period proved to be the game-winner in the 7-4 final.

Brossman leads the league in points through the first two weekends of play, notching two goals and eight assists for the 3-0 Falcons. His eight assists are also tops in the NCHA in that category.

Other nominees for player of the week included:
Brennan Poderzay, St. Scholastica - 67 saves, just 3 GA in sweep at UWSP
B.J. O'Brien, St. Norbert - 21 save SO on Friday, 16 saves in a 2-1 win Saturday
Men's Weekly Notes - Nov 5, 2009




Lake Forest's Jessica Dare Named Women's Player of the Week
SAINT PAUL, MINN. (November 5, 2009) – The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association announced today Lake Forest College sophomore forward Jessica Dare (Whitmore, MI / Belle Tire) is the player of the week in the women's division for the week of October 26 through November 1. Dare scored five goals as the Foresters (2-0-0) swept a two game series at home against St. Mary's University.

On Saturday Dare went for the hat trick in a 5-4 come-from-behind victory. Trailing 3-1 in the second period, Dare started the climb back with a goal at 5:40. She later tied the game at 12:01 on a tally assisted by Chelsea Thompson (Anchorage, AK / Team Alaska) and Denise Perez (San Jose, CA / MN Thoroughbreds).

Dare's scoring run continued on Sunday as she bagged two more goals in a 4-0 win. She opened the scoring with the eventual game-winning goal at 8:46 of the first. Her second goal came midway through the third, making the score 3-0 at the time.

All five of Dare's goals over the weekend came with the teams at even strength.

Other player of the week nominees included:
Sarah Luberda, Concordia-Wis. - Four goals and six points in sweep of Buffalo St.
Jessica Grubbs, Adrian - Two goals in a 3-2 loss at Neumann
Women's Weekly Notes - Nov 5, 2009



Playoff Formats Finalized for 2009-10 season
Saint Paul, Minn. (September 23, 2009) - There will be several dramatic changes to the men's and women's playoff formats for the 2009-10 season, including the addition of two teams into the women's playoff mix. The formats are outlined below.

WOMEN
Top eight (8) of nine teams will qualify for playoffs
High seeds will host Quarterfinal series weekend of Feb 26-28, 2010 using the two games + mini game format
Semifinals and Championship will be single-elimination at one site weekend of Mar 5-7, 2010
Semifinals and Championship will be hosted by highest remaining seed (second highest if Adrian is high seed)
Winner of Championship receives automatic bid to NCAA Tournament
No third-place game will be played

MEN
All seven (7) teams will qualify for playoffs, with teams seeded #1 through #7
Top seed receives a bye and hosts lowest remaining seed in Semifinals
Quarterfinals will be two games + mini game series format on Feb 19-20, 2010at high seeds
Semifinals will be single-elimination and hosted by high seeds Feb 27, 2010
Championship will be single-elimination and hosted by high seed Mar 6, 2010
Winner of Championship receives automatic bid to NCAA Tournament