Gophers women's hockey vs. St. Cloud State
First round WCHA playoffs Fri: 7: p.m. Sat: 4 p.m. Sun (if necessary): 4:07 p.m.
Live video and audio: GopherSports.com
At stake: Winner advances to the four-team WCHA Final Faceoff, March 7-8 in Bemidji, Minn.
Gophers at a glance: Top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Minnesota (32-1-1, 26-1-1 WCHA) has reeled off a 20-game unbeaten streak since having its 62-game winning streak snapped Nov. 17 against North Dakota. Sophomore goaltender Amanda Leveille has posted three consecutive shutouts and hasn't given up a goal in the past 194 minutes, 37 seconds. The Gophers lead the nation in goals scored (4.79 per game) and goals allowed (1.06 per game). Junior Rachael Bona (20 goals, 32 assists) and sophomore Hannah Brandt (19 goals, 36 assists) are among 10 finalists picked for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the nation's top player.
Huskies at a glance: Eighth-seeded St. Cloud State (4-25-5, 3-21-4-2 WCHA) lost all four regular season games against the Gophers this year, but the scores were relatively close – 4-1, 4-3, 3-0 and 3-1. Junior goaltender Julie Friend, from Minnetonka, has three of the Huskies' four wins and has posted a 2.54 goals against average. Molli Mott, a senior from Colorado Springs, leads the team in scoring with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists).
JOE CHRISTENSEN
