Beavers travel for key series at Minnesota Duluth

The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team travels to rival University of Minnesota Duluth with playoff implications on the line to resume Western Collegiate Hockey Association play. The Beavers (11-11-2, 6-7-1-1 WCHA) currently sit fourth in league standings and just three points in front of the fifth place Bulldogs (9-11-1, 5-8-1-1 WCHA). The Friday-Saturday series will take place at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., with Saturday’s game available to watch on Fox Sports North.

The Beavers and Bulldogs meet for the 86th and 87th meetings in the two program’s histories dating back to 1998. Minnesota Duluth dominates the all-time series record at 67-14-4 but the Beavers have won two-out-of-three meetings in 2017-18. BSU and UMD last met Nov. 6 at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game with the Beavers earning a 3-2 victory in Isanti, Minn. Senior Alexis Joyce leads the team with 12 points (2g-10a) in 20 games against UMD while Emma Terres adds seven points (3g-4a) in 20 games. Four-year head coach Jim Scanlan is 10-8-2 against the Bulldogs 66-59-9 all-time.

The Bulldogs get ready to host the Beavers currently fifth in the WCHA standings and just three points back from BSU. Minnesota Duluth’s most recent action came in two exhibitions against the Korean National Team and the Minnesota Whitecaps, Jan. 5-6, with the Bulldogs earning two wins. UMD last played a game on record Dec. 8-9 going 0-1-1 against University of Minnesota.

The Bulldogs have the fifth-ranked offense in the league averaging 2.00 goals per game but are sixth in defense, allowing 2.48 goals per game. UMD converts on .164 percent of its power plays (10-of-61), fifth in the WCHA, while holding a .836 percentage on the penalty kill (41-of-29) to rank sixth.

Minnesota Duluth is led by a pair of freshmen in Naomi Rogge and Ashton Bell. Rogge leads the team with 16 points (10g-6a) while Bell follows with 15 points (9g-6a). Sophomore Jalyn Elmes follows with 13 points (4g-9a) while senior Katerina Mrazova adds 11 points (3g-8a). Senior Jessica Convery has started 19 of the teams 21 games and is 9-9-1. She has compiled a 2.32 goals against average and .913 save percentage, ranking seventh in the league in both categories.