Game Notes: St. Cloud State heads north to face No. 10 North Dakota
12/8/2016 1:55:00 PM | Women's Hockey
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The Huskies split with UND earlier this season and are looking to snap a four-game losing skid
By: Ryan Evans
UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (5-12-1, 4-9-1-1 WCHA) at No. 10 North Dakota (7-6-5, 5-5-4 WCHA) — Saturday, December 10, 2:07 p.m. and Sunday, December 11, 2:07 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad Arena (Grand Forks, N.D.)
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS: No. 10 North Dakota comes into this weekend's series with just one win in its last eight games, but have tied in four of those contests (1-3-4). In its most recent outings, UND tied, 1-1, and lost, 2-1, at Ohio State December 2-3. It has scored just 12 goals over its current eight-game stretch (1.5 per game). The Fighting Hawks are 4-4-3 at home this season. Offensively, they are led by senior forward Amy Menke and freshman forward Ryleigh Houston, who have 13 (4 9) and 11 (3 8) points this season, respectively. Freshman forward Emma Nuutinen leads UND with seven goals on a team that spreads its goal-scoring throughout its lineup. North Dakota's 38 goals this season have been scored by 15 different players. Eight different Fighting Hawks tallied a point the first time these two teams met this season.
Sophomore forward Julia Tylke and junior forward Alyssa Erickson lead the Huskies with two points apiece (1 1) in two games against the Fighting Hawks this season. Freshman goaltender Janine Alder boasts a .981 save percentage against UND in two career appearances.
ALL-TIME SERIES: St. Cloud State is 21-33-6 all-time against North Dakota. The Huskies and Fighting Hawks have met twice already this season, splitting a two-game set at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in early October. SCSU was 1-4-1 against UND in 2015-16, including a two-game playoff series, which North Dakota swept, 6-1 and 6-1, in Grand Forks.
LAST MEETING (Oct. 7-8, 2016): St. Cloud State split with North Dakota in their previous meeting this year. The Fighting Hawks prevailed, 1-0, in the series opener on the strength of a shorthanded goal before the Huskies rebounded with a 3-2 win in the finale. In that game, freshman goaltender Janine Alder came off the bench in the second period and held UND scoreless on 21 shots and senior forward Kelsey Saelens scored the game-winning goal in the third period, which broke a 2-2 deadlock.
LAST TIME OUT: Last weekend, St. Cloud State was swept by No. 4 Minnesota Duluth, 3-0 and 3-2, in St. Cloud—extending its season-long losing skid to four games. After they were shutout for the fifth time this season in the opener, senior defender Caroline Markstrom and senior forward Lauren Hespenheide scored in the finale as a third period comeback charge fell short. Hespenheide's goal was her second in the last three games, which leads the team in that time.
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:
FINDING SECONDARY SCORING: St. Cloud State has found varied sources of offense in its last seven games. Its last 15 goals have been scored by eight different players and three Huskies—Hespenheide, Markstrom, freshman forward Janna Haeg and sophomore forward Ivy Dynek—have chipped in their first goals of the season during that span.
Caroline MarkstromOFFENSE IS THE BEST DEFENSE: The Huskies blue line has stepped up, offensively, recently with two goals and 10 points, collectively, in its last seven games—which is nearly 60 percent (58.8) of SCSU's season total. A defender has had a hand in eight of the team's last 15 goals. Leading the way are Markstrom, who has two goals and three points in her last seven contests, and junior Brittany Anderson, who has three assists in six games since returning from injury on November 18 at Bemidji State.
SWISS SENSATION: Freshman goaltender Janine Alder has started 12-straight games and has shown poise beyond her years. In 13 total appearances, the Zurich, Switzerland native boasts a 2.39 goals-against average and .923 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: Tylke leads the Huskies with eight goals and 12 points and is tied for second with four points this season. Her goal total is tied for sixth in the WCHA and is one off her single season career high. 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 FRESHMAN: Freshman forward Kayla Friesen is among the top-10 rookie scorers in the WCHA with four goals and seven points this season. Her point total is tied for eighth and her four goals are tied for second among league freshmen. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native is tied for second among SCSU point-getters and goal-scorers.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Hespenheide has seven points (2 5) in 18 games this season, which is tied for second on the team. She has two goals in the Huskies' last three games, which leads the team over that span. The 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).
EXCEPTIONAL ERICKSON: Junior forward Alyssa Erickson has four goals and six points in 18 games this season, 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 in points.
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
