Insider: Tylke tapped for breakout season

When the sun came up on the 2016-17 season, the St. Cloud State women's hockey team (0-2-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) found that nearly 40 percent of its goal scoring had left overnight.

The Huskies scored 63 goals last year and face the unenviable task of replacing 25 of them. No loss hurts more than Molly Illikainen, who lit the lamp a team-leading 17 times in her senior season. Head coach Eric Rud hopes each player—from the seasoned seniors to the incoming freshman—will chip in to help fill that void. But one player in particular stands out for her ability to spark the Husky offense.

Sophomore forward Julia Tylke is the team's top returning scorer, having netted nine goals and 24 points in her rookie season. She earned All-WCHA Rookie Team honors and Rud believes Tylke is capable of stepping into Illikainen's go-to role.

The Delafield, Wis., native is quiet, but dedicated to her craft. She is a student of the sport and routinely attends her team's optional skills sessions. That commitment has her primed to take her game to the next level.

"She has even another step to her game right now," Rud said of Tylke. "She gained muscle and had a great summer."

"There is no reason she can't step into a premier role in this league."

When Rud and his staff recruited Tylke, they knew they were getting an athletic player with good hands and an uncanny ability to use them to create offense. But until she arrived on campus, they didn't fully appreciate all she brings to the ice.

"I don't think any of us knew just how explosive she is," Rud said. "She pulls away from players and has the hands and the ability to beat people one-on-one in all areas of the ice."

"Her elusiveness and hand skills are truly elite."

Tylke showed her game-breaking ability in St. Cloud State's season-opening series against No. 1 Wisconsin. Her power play goal in the waning seconds of the second period of the series finale gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead and fueled the team's hopes for an upset.

"My head was racing I was so excited," Tylke said.

As she continues to grow into a premier playmaker, there will likely be many more of those moments for Tylke and St. Cloud State before her Husky career ends.

UP NEXT: St. Cloud State (0-2-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) vs. Merrimack (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Hockey East)—Friday, September 30, 6:07 p.m.; Saturday, October 1, 3:07 p.m.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS: Merrimack enters its second season at the NCAA Div. I ranks in 2016-17. The Warriors won five games last season, including three in Hockey East play. They were picked to finish ninth in the conference this season in the preseason coaches poll. Merrimack returns all of its players from last year's inaugural roster, including sophomore forward Paige Voight—a Hockey East All-Rookie Team selection. The St. Michael, Minn., native led the Warriors with 11 goals and 19 points in 2015-16. She had one goal and three points in the two games against the Huskies.

LAST MEETING (Oct. 2-3, 2015): In the Warriors' inaugural series as a NCAA Div. I team, St. Cloud State swept Merrimack at Lawler Rink in North Andover, Mass., winning 6-4 and 6-2. Nine different players scored goals for the Huskies, including a hat trick from senior forward Lexi Slattery in the opener that rallied SCSU to a come-from-behind win. Freshman goaltender Taylor Crosby earned her first career win in the finale, stopping 21 of 23 shots on goal.

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER:

The 12 goals SCSU scored against Merrimack last season was its most in a two-game set during the 2015-16 campaign.
Junior defenseman Brittney Anderson (0 4) and senior defenseman Christa Moody (1 3) each led the Huskies with four points against the Warriors. Anderson's three points in the series opener tied for the most for an SCSU player in a single game last season.
Welcome to St. Cloud: Five players made their SCSU debut against the Badgers, including senior goaltender Madeleine Dahl. Dahl, who started her career at Union College, made her first start in more than two and a half years in Friday's season opener after battling back from injury. She stopped 28 shots in the loss.
Crosby's Crease: Crosby got her second career start last Saturday against the Badgers and turned away 52 shots in the loss (.945 SV%)—tied for the sixth highest single-game save total in St. Cloud State history.
Tylke Time: Sophomore forward, and 2015-16 All-WCHA Rookie Team honoree, Julia Tylke 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. After tallying a goal last Saturday against the Badgers, Tylke now has two goals and five points in her last six games.
WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll: After finishing fifth in the WCHA with a 9-15-4 record and 34 points last season, the conference coaches picked St. Cloud State to finish sixth in the league this season.
Reaching New Heights: In his second season behind the bench, head coach Erid Rud led SCSU to 13 wins in 2015-16, which was the program's highest total since winning 15 games in 2009-10.
On the Way Up: Seven St. Cloud State players achieved career-high point totals in 2015-16, including six who set new career marks for goals scored.
How May I Assist You?: Junior defenseman Brittney Anderson led all Huskies, and set a new career high, with 16 assists last season. Her 20 total points were the most for an SCSU rear guard since Danielle Hirsch also scored 20 (2 18) in the 2008-09 season.
Blue Line Barrier: The Huskies return six of their seven defensemen from last season's group that ranked sixth in the WCHA in scoring defense (3.29 G/GM). SCSU ranked sixth in league play as well, allowing 3.14 goals against per contest.
Searching for Scoring: St. Cloud State lost nearly 40 percent of its goal scoring to graduation, including Molly Illikainen, who led the team with 17 goals a season ago.
Battle Between the Pipes: Three goaltenders are vying to replace Katie Fitzgerald in the Huskies' crease: Senior Madeleine Dahl, sophomore Taylor Crosby and freshman Janine Alder. Fitzgerald started 34 of 35 games for SCSU last season. Of the goalies on this year's roster, Dahl has the most career starts (13). Prior to last Friday, Dahl's last career start ame in 2013-14 with Union College.
Husky Puppies: SCSU welcomes seven newcomers this season: Goaltender Janine Alder; forwards Janna Haeg, Brooke Kudirka, Katie Detert, Kayla Friesen and Dana Rasmussen; and defenseman Rachel Herzog. Headlining the list are Alder and Friesen. Alder, a native of Switzerland, won a bronze medal with the Swiss national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Friesen played for Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF U-18 Women's World Championships and scored one goal and two points in five games to held the Canadians to a silver medal finish.

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Players Mentioned

Janine Alder

Brittney Anderson

Taylor Crosby

Madeleine Dahl

Katie Detert

Katie Fitzgerald

Kayla Friesen

Janna Haeg

Rachel Herzog

Molly Illikainen

Brooke Kudirka

Christa Moody

Dana Rasmussen

Lexi Slattery

Julia Tylke

Saint Cloud State University Athletics