Huskies return to HBNHC to host #3 Minnesota Gophers on Jan. 22-23
1/21/2016 11:22:00 AM | Women's Hockey
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St. Cloud, Minn. --- The Huskies return to the HBNHC for the first time since their Nov. 21 win against Ohio State to host the #3 Nationally ranked Minnesota Gophers on Jan. 22-23 at 3:07 p.m.
Tickets for both of these games are available at the gate. As a special promotion throughout the 2015-16 season, all youth (grades 12 and under) will be admitted FREE to all regular season SCSU women's hockey games this winter.  SCSU students with a valid SCSU student ID card will also be admitted to all regular season St. Cloud State women's hockey home games in 2015-16.  Just show you ID card at the gate and you get in FREE...it's that simple!Â
Alyssa EricksonSt. Cloud State (7-8-3-3, 27 pts.; 11-9-3) skated its way to a 2-1 win on both days of competition against the Buckeyes to get their second sweep against Ohio State (7-17-0, 3-15-0 WCHA) in the 2015-16 season. This was the first series win at Ohio State for the Huskies since the 2008-09 season.
Hannah Potrykus scored the opening goal of the series, which marked the young forward's third WCHA goal and fourth goal in her inaugural season.
Brittney Anderson has been a force to be reckoned with on the blue line this season, sitting in the third spot for points on the team. She lent her help on Tylke's game winner on Saturday, which gives her a season total of 13 assists and 2 goals for 15 total points.
Alyssa Erickson has now tripled her total points in her sophomore season compared to her freshman year. She tallied 4 total points in her first year and with the assist on Tylke's game winning goal she has now recorded 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 total points.
Senior goaltender, Katie Fitzgerald, has been the backbone of the Huskies all season long. SCSU was out shot 62-37 in the series against Ohio with Fitzgerald making 60 saves in the weekend. She has faced 664 shots from her opponents this year and has a .910 save percentage with a 2.74 GAA. She has played in all WCHA games for the Huskies and has a record of 10-9-3.
Molly Illikainen is eighth in the WCHA in scoring with 14 goals, 12 assists and 26 points this season. In the Huskies' six-game winning streak she scored eight goals and tallied five assists. After being held without a goal in the first six games, she found the chemistry with her line mates and recorded 12 goals and 18 points in 10 straight games. Illikainen continues to contribute to her team offense tallying an assist on the game on winner and scored the first goal of game two to give the Huskies an early lead.
St. Cloud's Julia Tylke has been awarded WCHA Rookie of the Week for the second time of her freshman campaign.Tylke continued her sensational freshman campaign, leading St. Cloud State to a road sweep at Ohio State with a pair of game-winning goals in consecutive 2-1 victories. The rookie from Delafield, Wis. snapped a 1-1 tie with her goal at the 10:26 mark of the second period Friday, giving the Huskies a lead they would not relinquish. In Saturday's series finale, Tylke factored in both SCSU goals, assisting on the game's first score before again breaking a 1-1 deadlock with the game-winning marker just 14 seconds before intermission. She now leads all WCHA rookies with three game-winners on the season, while ranking second with eight goals and 18 points.
The Huskies have formed a strong penalty kill, killing off 10 for 10 in the last 5 conference games. They are 48 /64 on the season and .750. In conference play alone they have killed 40/49 and are .816.
In Coach Rud's second season as head coach he has transformed the Huskies into an over .500 team. The Huskies currently sit at .543 on the season, a number that has not been hit in program history. The Huskies have won 11 games this season, which breaks a five-year lull in double digit wins. The last time the Huskies won over 10 games was back in the 2009-10 where they finished with a season total of 15 wins.
The Huskies and Gophers have met three times already this season. The Gophers have shutout St. Cloud 25-0 in those three meetings.Â
