Friday, November 11
St. Cloud, Minn.
3:07 p.m.
St. Cloud State
vs
Ohio State
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Hockey
F
/ Women's Hockey
F
/ Women's Hockey
F
/ Women's Hockey
F
/ Women's Hockey
F
/ Women's Hockey
Photo by: Maddie MacFarlane
SCSUWHK Insider: Huskies seeking offensive chemistry
11/9/2016 8:03:00 PM | Women's Hockey
St. Cloud State experimenting with different line combinations to spark offense
St. Cloud State women's hockey head coach Eric Rud wants to play an offensive brand of hockey. He believes being aggressive with the puck and using the forecheck to smother opponents is the optimal style of play for sustaining long-term success.
"It's not fun to coach a team that sits back and just hangs in there," Rud said. "It's not fun to play that way, it's not fun to practice that way and it is not how I am wired as a coach."
It's just not a process that happens overnight.
With 16 goals in 10 games this season, the Huskies are still searching for the right mix up front. After losing nearly 40 percent of its scoring to graduation, SCSU knew finding offensive chemistry would be a year-long focus.
The coaching staff has experimented with a number of different line combinations in order to give players opportunities in different situations and see where they flourish. When constructing lines, Rud starts by pairing two players who have shown chemistry and adds a third with the ability to enhance that.
Individual skill development is a major focus in practice each week as Rud seeks to maximize the talent he has on his roster—and the results are beginning to manifest.
"We work a lot on our offensive game," he said. "We've shown that the way we practice and the way we do things on a daily basis has improved all of our players and will continue to do so."
One player that has emerged recently is freshman forward Kayla Friesen. The rookie from Winnipeg, Manitoba has two goals in the Huskies' last four games—including one against the No. 2-ranked Gophers—which leads the team during that span.
"She took a step against Minnesota and is starting to look more comfortable all the time," Rud said of Friesen.
Eighteen different players have notched a point or more this season for SCSU, including five freshmen, and it will take contributions from the entire lineup for the Huskies to replace last season's departed production.
"That's the way we are always going to be at St. Cloud State," Rud said. "We're always going to be a team-driven engine if we are going to have success."
"We can have a lot of success with different people contributing every night and that's how we are building our program."
UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (3-6-1, 2-5-1-1 WCHA) vs. Ohio State (5-6-1, 1-6-1) — Friday, November 11, 3:07 p.m.; Saturday, November 12, 1:07 p.m. SCOUTING BUCKEYES: Ohio State snapped a five-game losing streak last weekend with a non-conference sweep of Lindenwood. OSU has lost six of its first eight WCHA games and ranks in the middle of the conference pack in both scoring offense (1.92 G/GM) and defense (2.00 GA/GM). Redshirt sophomore goaltender Kassidy Sauve has been the team's stalwart. Her .950 save percentage ranks second both in the WCHA and nationally. Sophomore Maddy Field leads OSU with five goals and eight points, while junior forward Lauren Spring paces it with six assists.
Ohio State finished the 2015-16 campaign with a 10-25-1 mark, including 6-21-1 in league play to earn the No. 7 seed for the WCHA playoffs. The Buckeyes were swept by Minnesota, 5-2 and 5-0, in the first round.
ALL-TIME SERIES: St. Cloud State trails the all-time series against the Buckeyes, 29-38-8, but has won the last four meetings between the WCHA rivals. The Huskies swept the season series in 2015-16, winning three one-goal games—3-2, 2-1 and 2-—in addition to a 4-1 victory.
Sophomore forward Julia Tylke led all SCSU players with seven points (3 4) in four games against OSU last season. In total, 10 different players recorded a point or more, including seven multi-point efforts, against the Buckeyes in 2015-16. Tylke's linemate, junior forward Alyssa Erickson, notched four points (2 2).
SKATE WITH THE HUSKIES: St. Cloud State's annual Skate with the Huskies event will take place immediate following Saturday's game against Ohio State. Fans will have the opportunity to take to the ice at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, meet and greet the team, get autographs and take photos. All youth will be admitted to the game for FREE. Game time is 1:07 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: St. Cloud State was swept by No. 2 Minnesota, 5-2 and 3-0, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, October 27-28. Freshman forward Kayla Friesen and senior forward Payge Pena scored on Friday and freshman goaltender Janine Alder made 69 saves in the series—including a career-high 36 in Saturday's loss.
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:
"It's not fun to coach a team that sits back and just hangs in there," Rud said. "It's not fun to play that way, it's not fun to practice that way and it is not how I am wired as a coach."
It's just not a process that happens overnight.
With 16 goals in 10 games this season, the Huskies are still searching for the right mix up front. After losing nearly 40 percent of its scoring to graduation, SCSU knew finding offensive chemistry would be a year-long focus.
The coaching staff has experimented with a number of different line combinations in order to give players opportunities in different situations and see where they flourish. When constructing lines, Rud starts by pairing two players who have shown chemistry and adds a third with the ability to enhance that.
Individual skill development is a major focus in practice each week as Rud seeks to maximize the talent he has on his roster—and the results are beginning to manifest.
"We work a lot on our offensive game," he said. "We've shown that the way we practice and the way we do things on a daily basis has improved all of our players and will continue to do so."
One player that has emerged recently is freshman forward Kayla Friesen. The rookie from Winnipeg, Manitoba has two goals in the Huskies' last four games—including one against the No. 2-ranked Gophers—which leads the team during that span.
"She took a step against Minnesota and is starting to look more comfortable all the time," Rud said of Friesen.
Eighteen different players have notched a point or more this season for SCSU, including five freshmen, and it will take contributions from the entire lineup for the Huskies to replace last season's departed production.
"That's the way we are always going to be at St. Cloud State," Rud said. "We're always going to be a team-driven engine if we are going to have success."
"We can have a lot of success with different people contributing every night and that's how we are building our program."
UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (3-6-1, 2-5-1-1 WCHA) vs. Ohio State (5-6-1, 1-6-1) — Friday, November 11, 3:07 p.m.; Saturday, November 12, 1:07 p.m. SCOUTING BUCKEYES: Ohio State snapped a five-game losing streak last weekend with a non-conference sweep of Lindenwood. OSU has lost six of its first eight WCHA games and ranks in the middle of the conference pack in both scoring offense (1.92 G/GM) and defense (2.00 GA/GM). Redshirt sophomore goaltender Kassidy Sauve has been the team's stalwart. Her .950 save percentage ranks second both in the WCHA and nationally. Sophomore Maddy Field leads OSU with five goals and eight points, while junior forward Lauren Spring paces it with six assists.
Ohio State finished the 2015-16 campaign with a 10-25-1 mark, including 6-21-1 in league play to earn the No. 7 seed for the WCHA playoffs. The Buckeyes were swept by Minnesota, 5-2 and 5-0, in the first round.
ALL-TIME SERIES: St. Cloud State trails the all-time series against the Buckeyes, 29-38-8, but has won the last four meetings between the WCHA rivals. The Huskies swept the season series in 2015-16, winning three one-goal games—3-2, 2-1 and 2-—in addition to a 4-1 victory.
Sophomore forward Julia Tylke led all SCSU players with seven points (3 4) in four games against OSU last season. In total, 10 different players recorded a point or more, including seven multi-point efforts, against the Buckeyes in 2015-16. Tylke's linemate, junior forward Alyssa Erickson, notched four points (2 2).
SKATE WITH THE HUSKIES: St. Cloud State's annual Skate with the Huskies event will take place immediate following Saturday's game against Ohio State. Fans will have the opportunity to take to the ice at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, meet and greet the team, get autographs and take photos. All youth will be admitted to the game for FREE. Game time is 1:07 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: St. Cloud State was swept by No. 2 Minnesota, 5-2 and 3-0, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, October 27-28. Freshman forward Kayla Friesen and senior forward Payge Pena scored on Friday and freshman goaltender Janine Alder made 69 saves in the series—including a career-high 36 in Saturday's loss.
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:
- SWISS SENSATION: Through seven games this season, Alder has shown poise beyond her years. The Zurich, Switzerland native boasts a .939 save percentage and 1.94 goals-against average, marks which both rank in the top five in the WCHA and are second among rookie net minders nationwide. She is 3-3-1 on the season, has been the goalie of record for each of the Huskies' wins and has posted four 30-plus save performances.
- SILKY TYLKE: Sophomore forward Julia Tylke leads the Huskies with six goals and eight points. The Delafield, Wis., native is tied for 21st, nationally, and tied for fifth among WCHA players in goal scoring. The two-games against the Gophers were the first time this season Tylke was kept off the scoresheet in a series. Tylke, a 2015-16 All-WCHA Rookie Team honoree, is St. Cloud State's top returning scorer, having registered nine goals and 24 points a season ago—the most for an SCSU rookie since the 2006-07 season, when Holly Roberts and Caitlin Hogan scored 35 (18 17) and 29 (12 17) points, respectively.
- FANTASTIC FRESHMEN: 18 Huskies have registered a point this season, including five freshman. Friesen leads all first year players with two points (2 0). The Winnipeg, Manitoba native has two goals in SCSU's last four games, which leads the team during that span. Pena also has two goals in that time.
- EXCEPTIONAL ERICKSON: Junior forward Alyssa Erickson has two goals and four points in SCSU's last six games, including the game-winning tally in the 2-0 win at Minnesota State on Oct. 22. The Mission, B.C., native is tied for second on the team with four points.
- OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Senior forward Lauren Hespenheide has four points (0 4) in eight games this season, which is tied for second on the team. The Huskies' captain had a career day against Merrimack on Sept. 29, tallying three assists and has already equaled her career high in assists (four).
- HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA: The WCHA and Fox Sports North announced on Oct. 13 that St. Cloud State and Minnesota State's game on January 21 will be featured on Hockey Day Minnesota. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports North Plus from the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center beginning at 3 p.m. This is the first time in Hockey Day Minnesota's 10-year history that an NCAA women's game will be broadcast as part of the festivities.
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