MINOT, N.D. – The regular season wraps up on the road for the Minot State women's hockey team, while the Beaver men return to action after a weekend off playing at the University of Mary on Saturday before hosting Jamestown on Sunday.
The No. 2-ranked Beaver women (20-8-1 overall) tangle with No. 3 Midland this weekend in Nebraska, a preview for the Women's Midwest Collegiate Hockey tournament in Maryville, Missouri, Feb. 23-25.
Minot State plays at Midland on Saturday at 4 p.m., and on Sunday at noon.
Minot State and the Warriors have already clashed four times this season with the Beavers scoring the win in the teams' last meeting, 4-3 in overtime. The Warriors have two wins in the season head-to-head series, and the teams have tied once, showing just how competitive this battle has been.
The Warriors (22-5-3) are led by the quartet of Ally Rakowski, Kayla Flanigan, Callie Maguire, and Jenna Grosdidier, all of whom have double-digit goals this season led by Rakowski with 27 goals and 14 assists. Flanigan has 17 goals and 22 assists, Maguire 19 goals and 11 assists, and Grosdidier has added 15 goals and nine assists for Midland. Against the Beavers that foursome has combined for 8-of-11 goals.
Hannah Stone leads the way in goal with a 13-2-0 record and a 1.10 goals against average, while Kayla Bailey is 7-2-1 with a 1.49 GAA. That one overtime loss for Bailey came against Minot State.
As for Minot State, the Beavers all-time shutout leader
Jordan Ivanco leads a stellar tandem in goal as she is 7-4-1 with a 2.00 GAA, while
Haylie Biever, who has the win against Midland in three starts, is 6-3-0 with a 2.58 GAA.
They're supported by a balanced offensive attack, much like Midland boasts, as the Beavers have five top scorers led by senior
Jordan Kulbida, who has 16 goals and 10 assists, along with fellow seniors
Sydney Spicer, who has 13 goals and eight assists, and
Megan Norris, who has eight goals – including the overtime game-winner over Midland – and 17 assists.
Gillian Gervin also adds 14 goals and six assists, and
Anna German has eight goals and 17 assists to help lead the balanced Minot State attack.
As for the Minot State men (26-2-0), who are ranked No. 1 in the nation, they'll take on Mary which is ranked No. 1 in the West Region of the ACHA Division II poll, and one of only two teams to beat the Beavers this winter.
Minot State plays at Mary on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Beavers, who had seven players earlier this week named to ACHA teams headed to the World Cup in April, are led by
Carter Barley (18 goals, 33 assists),
Joey Moffatt (17 goals, 24 assists), and
Drew Carter (15 goals, 17 assists) who were named to Team Canada, along with
Jay Buchholz (13 goals, 22 assists), who was named to Team U.S., to name just a few of Minot State's weapons on a team with 10 players with double-digit goals.
Goalies
Jake Anthony and
Riley Wallace benefit from all that offensive firepower as Anthony is 17-2-0 with a 1.53 GAA this season, and Wallace is 7-0-0 with a 1.74 GAA.
As for the Marauders (34-6-1), Kyle Hayden has been the standout in goal with a 23-3-0 record, 12 shutouts, and a 1.03 GAA, but the lone win for Mary over Minot State in the two teams' head-to-head history belongs to Conan Hayton (11-3-1, 2.50 GAA) who made 35 saves in a 3-2 Marauder home victory on Dec. 3.
Offensively, Isaiah Thomas and Seth Cushing lead a balanced offense as each has 19 goals, with Thomas adding 31 assists and Cushing 16 helpers.
Johnny Witzke also helps out with 16 goals and 28 assists, and Alexander Flicek had 11 goals and 32 assists for the Marauders.
Sunday, Minot State returns home to Maysa Arena for a 5 p.m. puck-drop against visiting and eighth-ranked Jamestown, the sixth meeting between the in-state foes this season with the Beavers holding a 5-0-0 edge head-to-head this winter.
Players to watch for the Jimmies are Brad Fortin, who has 12 goals and 24 assists, Jordan Baranesky with 19 goals and 15 assists, and Morgan Venne with 12 goals and 15 assists.
Brandon Weare has been the go-to- goalie for Jamestown (19-7-0) with a 16-4-0 record, five shutouts, and a 1.77 GAA.
