Insider: St. Cloud State embracing tough competition

Each season in the WCHA is an unforgiving gauntlet of some of the top teams in women's college hockey. Just ask the St. Cloud State women's hockey team (5-10-1, 4-7-1-1 WCHA), which plays its fourth nationally ranked opponent of the season this weekend—No.4 Minnesota Duluth.

But the Huskies do not back down from the challenge of competing in the nation's toughest conference. In fact, they view it as an invaluable opportunity.

"That's why you want to play in the WCHA—to play against the best," head coach Eric Rud said. "There is nothing better, as a team, than having that competition on a nightly basis."

Playing against the best players in the world every weekend is a vital tool for player development and the Huskies are seeing the results not just at the individual level, but for the program Rud and his staff are building as a whole.

"If you do not push yourself to the highest level, you are going to get embarrassed," Rud said. "If you're not doing something right, you have to fix it pretty fast."

"But our program is beyond that. We want to compete with the best, beat them and catch them in the standings."

Six of SCSU's first 16 games of the season have been against ranked opponent are are 1-5-0 in such games—with a 3-2 win over then-No. 6/7 North Dakota on October 8 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The Huskies will have another shot for such a win against the fourth-ranked Bulldogs.

St. Cloud State arguably out-played its results at last weekend's Windjammer Classic and Rud believes his team has a "certain level of confidence" heading into the series against its in-state rival.

UMD plays a wide-open, high-entertainment value brand of hockey and utilizes an aggressive forechek—led by a pair of the top scorers in the country in senior forwards Lara Stalder and Ashleigh Brykaliuk—in front of an experienced defensive core.

Minnesota Duluth is the next test for the Huskies and they are not backing down from it.

"They are as high-flying as anyone," Rud said. "We are excited for the challenge."

UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (5-10-1, 4-7-1-1 WCHA) vs. No. 4 Minnesota Duluth (10-3-3, 7-3-2 WCHA) — Friday, December 2, 7:07 p.m.; Saturday, December 3, 3:07 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW:

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: Minnesota Duluth comes in winners of two straight and is unbeaten in nine of its last 10 games (7-1-2). Its only blemish in that time was a 4-1 loss to No. 1 Wisconsin on November 19. UMD's only three losses this season came to the current No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country, the Badgers and Minnesota. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4 for good reason, boasting the No. 11 offense in women's college hockey (3.19 G/GM) and the No. 8 defense (1.81 GA/G). Their power play has been lethal as well, converting on 20 percent of its chances, which is fourth-best nationwide.

UMD is led by senior forwards Lara Stalder (8+15) and Ashleigh Brykaliuk (9+11), who rank fourth and fifth in the WCHA and ninth and 15th in the country with 23 and 20 points, respectively, on the season.

ALL-TIME SERIES: St. Cloud State is 11-58-5, all-time, against Minnesota Duluth. The Huskies were 1-2-1 against the Bulldogs last season, including a 3-2 win at home on February 19, 2016. Then-freshman forward Julia Tylke assisted on the eventual game-winning goal and led all SCSU players with two points (0+2) in the victory

Tylke led all Huskies with four points (2+2) in four games against UMD last season. The Delafield, Wis., native was named WCHA Rookie of the Week for games played Feb. 15-21, 2016, after notching three points (1+2) against the Bulldogs at home.

LAST TIME OUT: In its most recent outings, St. Cloud State fell to Vermont, 5-1, and Robert Morris, 5-3, at the Windjammer Classic in Burlington, Vt. Tylke and freshman forward Kayla Friesen tied for the team lead with three points apiece on the weekend. Senior forward Lauren Hespenheide scored her first goal of the season against RMU, a power play marker that snapped SCSU's 0-for-17 stretch with the man advantage that dated back to its October 22 game at Minnesota State.

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:

FINDING SECONDARY SCORING: St. Cloud State has found varied sources of offense in its last five games. Its last 13 goals have been scored by nine different players and three Huskies—Hespenheide, freshman forward Janna Haeg, sophomore forward Ivy Dynek and senior defenseman Caroline Markstrom—have chipped in their first goals of the season during that span. In addition, 14 different players have notched at least one point.
SWISS SENSATION: Freshman goaltender Janine Alder has started 10-straight games and has shown poise beyond her years. In 13 total appearances, the Zurich, Switzerland native boasts a 2.36 goals-against average and .926 save percentage, both of which rank second among rookie net minders nationwide. Alder has two shutouts this season and is the first goalie in St. Cloud State history to post multiple shutouts in her freshman season. She also has six 30-plus save outings.
SILKY TYLKE: With three points (1+2) at the Windjammer Classic, Tylke extended her team leads to eight goals and 12 points on the year. The Delafield, Wis., native is among the top 27 goal scorers in the country and is tied for sixth among WCHA players in goal scoring. 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: 19 Huskies have registered a point this season, including five freshman. After her three-point weekend at the Windjammer Classic, Friesen ranks second on the team with seven points (4+3), which paces the rookie class. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native led all Huskies with five points (2+3) in the month of November.
EXCEPTIONAL ERICKSON: Junior forward Alyssa Erickson has four goals and six points in SCSU's last 11 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 third on the team with six points.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Hespenheide has six points (1+5) in 16 games this season, which is tied for third on the team, and scored her first goal of the season in SCSU's last outing vs. Robert Morris. The Huskies' captain had a career day against Merrimack on Sept. 29, tallying a career-high three assists, and has already surpassed her single season 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.