No. 3 St. Cloud State Set to Host Wisconsin at the HBNHC

Friday, October 22

St. Cloud, Minn.

7:30 P.M. CT

St. Cloud State

Wisconsin

10/21/2021 5:35:00 PM | Men's Hockey

Huskies Host the Badgers for the first time since 2011

GAME NOTES

THE MATCHUP

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey will host the Wisconsin Badgers at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center for the first time in nearly a decade this weekend, as the Huskies and Badgers play a two-game series in St. Cloud on Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23. The Huskies enter the weekend ranked No. 3 in both the USCHO Poll and USA Today / USA Hockey Coaches Poll, while the Badgers are receiving votes in the USCHO Poll. Friday's game will start at 7:30 p.m. CT while Saturday's game will start at 6 p.m. CT, with both games televised on Fox 9 + and streamed through NCHC.tv with Jim Rich, Pat Micheletti and Mark Parrish on the call. On the radio, both games will be available on KNSI (1450 AM / 99.3 FM) with Jim Erickson on and Dave Reichel on the call.

THE SERIES

For the third weekend in-a-row, the Huskies will face on old WCHA foe in the Badgers. This weekend's matchups will be the 88^th and 89^th all-time meetings between the two programs, with the Badgers holding a 45-33-9 advantage in the all-time series. Since moving the D-I in the 1987-88 season, the Huskies are 17-15-5 all-time against the Badgers at home at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. This will be the first matchup between the two programs since a 4-1 win for the Badgers on March 22, 2013 in the WCHA Final Five. The last time Wisconsin made a trip to St. Cloud, the Huskies earned a 7-2 win over the Badgers on Nov. 4, 2011 before the two teams played to a tie, 3-3 (OT), on Nov. 5, 2011. In the last 10 meetings between the two schools, the Huskies hold a 6-3-1 advantage.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEKEND

St. Cloud State came away with a split against No. 4/4 Minnesota last weekend, winning 2-1 on the road in 3M Arena at Mariucci on Friday, Oct. 15, before falling, 4-3, in overtime to the Gophers on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. In Friday's victory, junior forward Jami Krannila and freshman forward Mason Salquist scored. It was Salquist's second game-winning goal in as many games after recording the game-winner in a 3-1 win over No. 1/2 Minnesota State on Oct. 9. Scoring for the Huskies on Saturday was senior forward Sam Hentges, freshman defenseman Jack Peart and senior forward Nolan Walker.

TOUGH SCHEDULE AHEAD

St. Cloud State's 2021-22 schedule will be one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, as the Huskies are in the third weekend of a stretch facing opponents ranked or receiving votes in at least one of the national polls in nine of 10 consecutive series. As it currently stands, the Huskies will face ranked opponents or teams receiving votes in one of the two national polls in 13 of its 17 season series.

PEART RECEIVES NCHC WEEKLY HONOR

Freshman defenseman Jack Peart was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Rookie of the Week, marking the third straight week a Husky has been given an NCHC weekly honor. Peart follows junior forward Zach Okabe and freshman forward Mason Salquist being named Forward and Rookie of the Week on Oct. 4, and graduate goalie David Hrenak being named Goalie of the Week on Oct. 11.
Peart scored his first career goal and recorded two points in St. Cloud State's split against No. 4 Minnesota over the weekend. On Friday, Peart assisted on Salquist's game-winning goal in a 2-1 road victory over the Gophers. Then, on Saturday, he scored an unassisted goal, his first collegiate goal to tie the score 2-2 early in the third period and added two blocks. On the season, Peart is tied for the team-lead in assists with three, totaling four points total.

HRENAK ON TOP

With four victories to open the season, St. Cloud State Men's Hockey graduate goalie David Hrenak has now recorded the most victories for goaltenders in program history with 70 wins. He surpassed Brian Leitza (66-56-7, 1994-98) with a season-opening win over St. Thomas on Oct. 2. In four seasons as the starter for the Huskies, Hrenak has posted a record of 70-35-9 with 12 shutouts and a 91.0 save percentage. Among program ranks, Hrenak ranks first in shutouts (12), second in total saves (2,791) and fourth in goals against average (2.39).
Hrenak was named the NCHC Goalie of the Week on Oct. 11, as he helped lead the Huskies to a road split against No. 1/2 Minnesota State. Hrenak made saves on 50 of 52 shots (96.2 percent) against the Mavericks and led the Huskies to a 3-1 victory on Saturday, making 22 saves. The Husky netminder also made 28 saves on Friday night in a 1-0 loss.
On the season, Hrenak ranks sixth in the NCAA in goals against average (1.43) and 12^th in save percentage (.940). Both marks are tops amongst the NCHC.

OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER

St. Cloud State has opened the season as an offensive juggernaut, ranking among the top-15 nationally in many categories, including points (58, 2^nd in NCHC / 4^th in NCAA), assists (36, 2^nd in NCHC / 4^th in NCAA) and goals per game (3.67, 5^th in NCHC / 13^th in NCAA). The scoring has been balanced as well, as seven Huskies have found the back of the net multiple times, while seven enter the weekend with 4+ points.
The Huskies have been highly successful on the power play as well, converting 43.5 percent (10-of-23) on the season, which ranks first in the NCHC and third in the NCAA. The Huskies 10 power play goals rank second nationally. Individually, Kevin Fitzgerald and Zach Okabe have each scored twice on the power play this season.
Winning faceoffs certainly helps the offense flow, and the Huskies have two of the best in the circle this season. Nolan Walker and Fitzgerald are tied for the sixth in the NCAA with 59 faceoffs won each.