St. Cloud State
Miami University (OH)
Players Mentioned
#1 St. Cloud State to open NCHC Playoffs with home games vs. Miami
3/8/2018 3:17:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Tickets available for these games at scsutickets.com
The #1 St. Cloud State University men's hockey team (22-6-6, 16-4-4 NCHC) will host Miami University (11-18-5, 6-14-4 NCHC) in the first round of the NCHC Playoffs in a best of three series at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on Friday, March 9 (at 7:37 p.m.), Saturday, March 10 (at 7:07 p.m.) and, if needed, Sunday, March 11 (at 7:07 p.m.).
TOURNAMENT TICKETS AVAILABLE: Fans can purchase tickets for the playoff series at SCSU by visiting www.scsutickets.com or by calling 1-877-SCSUTIX. Tickets prices are $30 for premium seats, $20 non-premium seats and $8 for SCSU students. Since this is an NCHC playoff game, SCSU students will have to purchase a ticket for these games at the HBNHC.
| SCSU HOCKEY CENTRAL |
| Tickets: www.scsutickets.com or call 1-877-SCSUTIX |
| Radio: The River 96.7 FM or KVSC FM 88.1 |
| Television: Fox 9 Plus (Charter Channel 10 in St. Cloud) |
| Live Stream: NCHC.tv/scsu |
| Live Stats: SCSU Live Stats |
| Team Notes: SCSU Weekly Team Notes |
WATCH: Watch these HBNHC playoff games on Fox 9+ in the Twin Cities this weekend. Check your local cable listings for the channel near you. In the St. Cloud area, you can watch on Charter Channel 10.
NEED TICKETS?: For complete ticket information on any upcoming home games, please call 1-877-SCSUTIX or visit www.scsutickets.com.
IN THE POLLS: The Huskies received a #1 ranking in the USA TODAY/USA Hockey Division I poll this week. SCSU also gained a #1 ranking in the USCHO.com poll this week...St. Cloud State was picked as the #2 team in the 2017-18 preseason NCHC poll. Of note, the Huskies received votes in the final USCHO.com poll of 2016-17.
LEAGUE CHAMPS: SCSU clinched the NCHC regular season title with its four point weekend vs. Denver. This marks the second time in team history that SCSU has won the Penrose Cup (first was in 2013-14) and the third time SCSU has won a regular season league title during the DI era. SCSU also won the WCHA regular season crown in 2012-13. As a DIII affiliate, SCSU won the NCHA league title in 1986-87.
ALL-NCHC AWARDS: Jimmy Schuldt was named to the 2018 All-NCHC First Team, while teammate Mikey Eyssimont was named to the All-NCHC Second Team. SCSU players who gained All-NCHC Honorable Mention status this season include David Hrenak, Will Borgen and Robby Jackson. Huskies who gained All-NCHC Rookie Team accolades include Blake Lizotte, Easton Brodzinski and David Hrenak.
THE WEEKEND UPDATE: The Huskies gained a win and tie in two overtime games at North Dakota on March 2-3. In the first game in Grand Forks, Ryan Poehling scored two goals including the game winner on the PP in OT during the Huskies' 4-3 victory at UND. Jon Lizotte and Jimmy Schuldt added the Huskies' other two goals in the contest, which included a 29 save performance in the nets by David Hrenak. The Huskies were outshot 32-25 in the game but SCSU was solid on the PP at 2-4...on Mar. 3, the Huskies and Fighting Hawks battled to a 2-2 OT draw. UND went on to gain the extra league point with a goal in the 3x3 OT session by Rhett Gardner. Ryan Poehlng and Jacon Benson added goals in the game for SCSU. Hrenak had 29 saves in the game.
MIKE RICHTER SEMIFINALIST: David Hrenak has been selected as one of the Mike Richter Award top 10 semifinalists for 2017-18. The award is presented annually to the nation's top NCAA DI goaltender. He was selected to the All-NCHC Rookie Team and was named an All-NCHC Honorable Mention pick in 2018. The award is presented by Let's Play Hockey and the Herb Brooks Foundation.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jimmy Schuldt was named the NCHC Defensive Player of the Week and Ryan Poehling was named the NCHC Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 5. Schuldt had 1g/2a in the weekend series with 8 blocks to his credit at UND. Poehling scored three goals and posted the GWG in the Huskies' 4-3 OT win at UND. His first goal of the night was a breakaway special, which was selected as an ESPN Sports Center #3 play of the night and was also named the NCAA's #1 Play of the Week. This was Schuldt's fourth NCHC Player of the Week award in 2017-18.
ALMOST THERE: Mikey Eyssimont needs three more points to join SCSU's 100 point club. He had two assists in the weekened series vs. DU and now has 14g/20a this winter. He would become the 30th player in SCSU history to score 100-plus points. In his career, Eyssimont has 42g/55a in 109 career games played.
LEADERS: Robby Jackson leads SCSU with 15 goals and 38 points this season, while Jimmy Schuldt leads the team with 28 assists. Schuldt now ranks eighth in the team records for most career points by a blueliner. His career totals include 26g/55a and 81 points. Kelly Hultgren leads the all-time defensive list with 107 points from 1991-95. Of note, Garrett Raboin ranks 7th on the list with 83 career points from 2006-10.
HOBEY HOPEFULL: Postseason honors candidate Jimmy Schuldt ranks second among the nation's defensive players with a scoring rate of 1.06 PPG. He has 8g/28 for 36 points. He leads the nation with a +23 on the plus/minus and he is among the nation's top shot blockers with 76. Schuldt also ranks 10th in the nation with 0.82 assists per game.
TOPS IN THE NCHC: The Huskies are the regular season champs in the NCHC. In NCHC games played this season, SCSU led the league with 93 goals scored, while WMU ranked 2nd with 82 goals. David Hrenak led all SCSU goalies with a .929 save rate and was second with a 1.94 GAA...Easton Brodzinski ranked second in the league among NCHC Rookies with 18 points (.78 ppg) and Schuldt was second in the NCHC for Defenseman Scoring with 23 points (.96 ppg)...Brodzinski led the NCHC this year with 4 GWG and Robby Jackson was tops in the league with three SHGs in 2017-18...for assists, Schuldt ranked second in the league with 20 helpers (.83 apg) in 2017-18, while Mikey Eyssimont and Robby Jackson ranked 6th in the league with 11 goals scored (.46 gpg). Jackson ranked fifth in the NCHC files this year with 27 points (1.12 ppg) and Eyssimont was ranked sixth with 26 points (1.08 ppg)
SCSU NOTES: SCSU was 3-4-0 during the month of January and the Huskies were 7-0-3 during the months of February and March...SCSU ranks 2nd in the nation with a scoring average of 3.76 goal per game...SCSU ranks 13th in the nation on defense with 2.44 goals allowed per game this winter...SCSU's power play rate of 22.6% ranks 11th in the nation...SCSU's winning percentage of .735 ranks third in the nation...SCSU's current unbeaten streak of 11 games is the second longest active unbeaten streak heading into the postseason in all of NCAA hockey...Will Borgen played in his 100th career game at SCSU on March 3
FROZEN FACEOFF: Never too soon to make plans for the 2018 NCHC Frozen Faceoff at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Mar. 16-17. Visit nchchockey.com for details.
ON DECK: The winner of this best of three series will advance ot the 2018 NCHC Frozen Faceoff at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on March 16-17.
SUCCESS: SCSU is 15-5-4 this season against team ranked among the nation's top 20 (when SCSU played team).
SENIOR SALUTE: The game on Feb. 24 was designated as SCSU Senior Night. The Huskies' three seniors on the 2017-18 were saluted as they played in their final regular season home game for the Huskies at the HBNHC. This group includes defenseman Mika Ilvonen, forward Judd Peterson and forward Blake Winiecki. This group of seniors has helped lead the Huskies to 89 victories, two NCAA tournament bids, the 2018 Penrose Cup title and the 2016 NHCH Frozen faceoff title over the past four seasons.
HOT STREAK: The Huskies have not lost a game since a 5-1 setback at UMD on Jan. 26. SCSU is 9-0-3 in its last 11 games played since that loss. SCSU opened the season with 7 consecutive wins. SCSU's longest consecutive undefeated streak is 15 games from Nov. 4, 2006 to Jan. 6, 2007.
HUSKY NOTES AND NEWS: SCSU has outshot its opponents 1118-969 in 2017-18...The Huskies are 14-2-2 at home in 2017-18. The Huskies are 324-174-56 since the doors opened at the Brooks Center in 1989...Bob Motzko is the 16th head coach in the history of the men's hockey program at SCSU. His 273 victories ranks second in the team records for coaching victories. Craig Dahl is the all-time SCSU win leader with 338 from 1987-2005. Charlie Basch ranks third with 181 wins from 1968-84. Of note, Craig Dahl was inducted into the SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013...The Huskies are 16-2-3 when they score on the power play this season.
OPPONENT NOTES: Redhawk coach Enrico Blasi played college hockey at Miami - at the same time that current SCSU coach Bob Motzko was an associate head coach at Miami in the 1990s...Blasi is in his 19th year as head coach at MU...this marks the first meeting between SCSU and Miami this season...earlier this year, SCSU scored a 4-0 and 5-2 series sweep at Miami on Feb. 10-11...last year, SCSU posted a 3-1 and 4-2 sweep at the HBNHC on Feb. 11 and Feb. 10...SCSU is 4-1-0 in the last five meetings against Miami and 7-3-0 in the last 10 games played...Coach Motzko is 13-12-1 in games played against Miami during his career...Miami leads the all-time series against the Huskies 16-14-2...of note, SCSU is 5-8-1 in games played at Miami and 7-6-1 in games played at SCSU...Mikey Eyssimont has 4g/6a vs. Miami during his career...last weekend, Miami lost 6-3 and tied 3-3 at Denver on Mar. 2-3...Gordie Green leads Miami with 14g/17a, while Louie Belpedio and Josh Melnick have 9g/19a apiece...SCSU is 0-2 in first round playoff games vs. Miami...at the Frozen Faceoff, SCSU is 0-1 in games played vs. Miami...the Huskies lost a 3-2 match vs. Miami at the 2015 NCHC playoff championships and the Huskies also lost by scores of 5-4 and 4-3 in first round play at the HBNHC in 2014.
