Haley Irwin, Rookie of the Week

WCHA Rookie of the Week
Haley Irwin, Fr., F, University of Minnesota Duluth

Haley Irwin, a freshman from Thunder Bay, Ontario, scored a goal and added five assists for six points in the University of Minnesota Duluth's WCHA sweep over North Dakota over the weekend.

Irwin dished out four assists in last Friday's (Jan. 25) 8-1 scoring spree, and then netted the first goal of the game and another assist in last Saturday's 5-0 UMD victory.

Irwin, who has now recorded two goals and eight assists for 10 points in her last three outings, has scored 31 points, the second highest on the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs squad, making her the second highest scoring rookie in the nation.

Others nominated this week were: Emily West, F, Minnesota
Nina Tikkinen, F, Minnesota State, Nikki Hebert, F, North Dakota
Teal Bishop, D, Ohio State
and Mallory Deluce, F, Wisconsin.

News Tribune UMD Sweeps North Dakota Article

The Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team is enrolled in mental toughness training.

Coach Shannon Miller conducts the course with the hopes of focusing on teams at the bottom of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The class includes reading material with quotes on preparation and commitment, and a list of player goals.

“The ability to be disciplined enough to stick to the game plan, no matter what the circumstance,” the reading material says. “And control yourself, rather than being controlled by the situation. The ability to not be distracted, disturbed or knocked off your intended course.”

The first-place Bulldogs weren’t distracted Saturday night against North Dakota in a 5-0 victory to sweep the WCHA series at the DECC. The Bulldogs downed the Sioux 8-1 Friday.

The recipe for a letdown has loomed as the No. 3-rated Bulldogs — winners of 14 straight — played last-place Bemidji State Jan. 18-19 and seventh-place North Dakota (4-20-4 overall, 4-16-2 WCHA). The Bulldogs are 20-1 all-time against the Sioux and 37-0-1 against the Beavers.

“We can’t take any opponent for granted,” said UMD’s Joss Larocque. “We did that with Minnesota and after that we don’t take anyone lightly. We’ve done a great job of that and 14 wins shows it.”

UMD (22-3-1, 19-3) is 1-3 against the Gophers and hasn’t lost since Nov. 18.

“Since we’ve been talking about mental toughness, our team is recognizing situations where they need to be mentally tough,” Miller said. “It is one of the reasons we are having success.”

To preempt a possible letdown, the players’ goals are tailored to focus on each game.

“Personal greatness is not determined by the size of the job, but by the size of the effort one puts into the job,” the goal sheet says.

The Bulldogs have met their goals with a breakout period in each of the past four games.

Against Bemidji State, UMD scored three goals in the second period of a 5-1 win Jan. 18 and four goals in the first period in a 6-1 victory Jan. 19. A four-goal second period opened up Friday’s drubbing.

On Saturday, UMD scored all of its goals in the second period.

Freshman forward Haley Irwin scored a power-play rebound goal at 2:26 for a 1-0 lead. Iya Gavrilova and Karine Demeule scored goals in the 10th minute. Elin Holmlov and Laura Fridfinnson added scores late in the period.

UMD is the highest-scoring team in the country at 4.12 goals per game.

“They understand momentum,” North Dakota head coach Brian Idalski said of UMD. “When they have someone on the ropes, they know how to finish. They are very successful at that.”

The Bulldogs had a 45-15 shot advantage, including an 18-4 edge in the lopsided second period.

“We’ve been able to pop in goals right away,” Irwin said. “We didn’t do it at the start [Saturday], but we got one and they started to come.”

Late in the third period, the Bulldogs and Sioux got into a scrum. Irwin landed a few gloved punches to the helmet of the Sioux’s Ashley Lynch. The fracas sent six players, three from each team, to the penalty box. Players on the two teams also fought Friday.

UMD converted on two of seven power plays, while holding North Dakota scoreless on three player advantages.

UMD plays at Ohio State (12-11-3) at 6:07 p.m. Friday and 3:07 p.m. Saturday. The Bulldogs return home Feb. 8-9 to play second-place Wisconsin.

Dogs Sweep Sioux

The News Tribune really didn't have that much in it for Friday's game so I'll skip posting that, other than to say Elin Holmlov was credited with the hat trick in Friday's game.

Today's game was all UMD, winning 5-0 with all of their goals coming in the second period.

North Dakota's women's team is brutal. This of course is my own opinion... They cut Samantha Bowers, who always took a huge number of penalties, before the season, and still managed to take an amazing 23 penalties for 46 minutes on the weekend.

Iya Gavrilova continued her amazing point scoring streak with her 19th goal in tonight's series finale. If she doesn't win the WCHA rookie of the year there's something wrong with the voting for that award.

UMD Women Beat North Dakota Easy, 8-1

After a 1-0 first period, UMD took it to the Sioux in the second and third periods to win 8-1. Jessica Hawkins got her first goal of the season, with Erin Olson receiving her first point (an assist) on Hawkins goal.

Elin Holmlov scored twice, Haley Irwin picked up four assists, and Iya Gavrilova continued her torrid scoring pace with one goal and two assists.

View the rest of the scoring over at Collegehockeystats.net. I'll post the News Tribune story tomorrow night.

UMD came out a little slow in the first period, but whatever was said during the first intermission was perfect and the team picked up their play from the opening faceoff of the second period.

With Erin Olson getting an assist on the Jessica Hawkins goal, Libby Guzzo remains the only skater (non-goalie) to get at least an assist.

UMDBulldogs.com Sioux Preview

Click on the blog title to see the page.

The No. 3 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will look to extend its program record of 12 straight wins in the confines of the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center this weekend when the Bulldogs host the University of North Dakota. UMD, which will return to its home ice for the first time since Dec. 9, 2007, will face the Sioux Friday and Saturday night with 7:07 p.m. starts each evening.

THE SERIES: UMD, which currently holds the NCAA's longest winning streak with 12 victories, owns a 18-1-0 advantage over the Sioux (4-18-4, 4-12-2), including a current nine-game winning streak against UND.

The Bulldogs swept the Sioux earlier this season in Grand Forks, N.D., by scores of 9-2 (Nov.3) and 3-2 (Nov. 4). Freshman forward Haley Irwin notched two goals and four assists in the series to earn WCHA Rookie of Week honors the following week, and classmate Iya Gavrilova earned her first career hat trick in the 9-2 rout of UND on Nov. 3.

The one and only time UMD has ever dropped a contest to the Sioux was in the DECC on Feb. 11, 2006 when North Dakota snapped a nine-game winless streak against the Bulldogs, handing them a 2-0 setback.

LAST WEEK: UMD (20-3-1, 17-3-0) kept their grasp on the WCHA lead and stayed seven points ahead of the rest of the field by earning their eighth conference sweep of the season against Bemidji State this past weekend. The Bulldogs bit the Beavers 5-1 Friday night behind Iya Gavrilova’s second career hat trick, and brought out the brooms Saturday afternoon in a 6-1 win in Bemidji, Minn. Sophomore forward Elin Holmlov had two goals and an assist in Saturday’s offensive outburst, while eight UMD players logged a point on the afternoon. The Bulldogs have scored 23 goals in four skates with BSU this season.

Saturday’s win set a new program record of 12-straight wins for the Bulldogs, while Gavrilova tied a UMD record Friday when she scored a goal in her ninth consecutive contest, a feat only Maroon and Gold alums Jenny Potter and Hanne Sikio have reached.

The Sioux hosted No. 4 Minnesota last weekend in Grand Forks, suffering two setbacks in the process. UND was defeated 4-1 Friday night and 2-1 Saturday for its third consecutive loss.

THE COACHES: Shannon Miller, who currently is the only coach in the WCHA to have racked-up 220 wins, is in her ninth season behind the Bulldog bench.

As the only head coach UMD has ever employed, Miller has amassed an impressive overall record of 220-60-25 and has led the Bulldogs to six NCAA playoff appearances and three straight NCAA Championship titles (2001, 2002 and 2003). She has led UMD into four NCAA Frozen Four berths, including the 2007 NCAA Championship game. No other hockey program in the country has won three consecutive NCAA titles.

For her efforts, Miller was named the 2000 and 2003 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year and the 2003 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Division I Coach of the Year. Along with the incredible NCAA runs, her Bulldogs have captured two WCHA regular season titles (2000 and 2003) and three WCHA playoff titles (2000, 2001 and 2003).

During Miller’s time at the Bulldog helm, UMD has produced eight first-team All-Americans, 11 Patty Kazmaier Award Finalists, two WCHA Players of the Year, three WCHA Student-Athletes of the year and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.

North Dakota is guided by first year head coach Brian Idalski. Idalski was the head coach at UW-Stevens Point for five years prior to taking over the Sioux.

TWO FOR THE SHOW: 14 weeks, 14 Western Collegiate Hockey Association accolades.

Elin Holmlov and Iya Gavrilova were the latest UMD women's hockey players honored by the conference this past Tuesday, as Holmlov was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for second time this season, and Gavrilova reeled in WCHA Rookie of the Week honors, her third conference award this season.

STREAKING GAVRILOVA: Freshman forward Iya Gavrilova currently holds the Bulldogs longest scoring streak, dating back to Nov. 23 against Minnesota State. The Krasnoyarsk, Russia native has notched a point in UMD's last twelve games (13-12=25), games which have all been Bulldog wins, including six goals of which have been game-winning tallies. She ranks first in the WCHA and fourth in the NCAA in that category.

The WCHA's leading-point scorer with 37 (17-20=37), Gavrilova also tied a UMD record last Friday when she scored a goal in her ninth consecutive contest. The record was originally set by two former Bulldog Olympians, Jenny Potter (Dec. 7, 2002 - Jan. 25, 2003) and Hanne Sikio (Oct. 8, 1999 - Nov. 20, 1999), putting Gavrilova, an Olympian herself, in some fairly elite company.

The NCAA's leading rookie scorer by a gap of 12 points, Gavrilova now holds the No. 9 spot of UMD's Top-10 Rookie Scorers with 37 points through 24 outings, just three short of tying injured linemate Saara Tuominen, who racked up 40 points (12-28=40) in 39 games a season ago as a freshman.

NET DETECTORS: As the second highest scoring offense in the nation and first in the WCHA (3.92 goals per game), it's no wonder the Bulldogs boast some of the leading point-getters in the conference and country. Freshman forward Iya Gavrilova 17-20=37, 1.54) ranks No. 1 in the WCHA and eighth nationally, while sidelined sophomore Saara Tuominen (14-18=30, 1.50) still ranks No. 4, respectively, in the WCHA and tenth in the NCAA, despite not having worn a Bulldog jersey since Dec. 9, 2006.

Four Bulldogs have notched more than 20 points, with sophomore forward Elin Holmlov and freshman Haley Irwin rounding out UMD's top scorers with 25 points each. Holmlov and Irwin have identical scoring summaries, having recorded 11g and 14a in 22 games played.

Four of the top eight point scoring leaders in the WCHA are also, impressively enough, Bulldogs.

NET DEFLECTORS: Sophomore goaltender Kim Martin leads the NCAA and the WCHA with a .956 save percentage, having made 517 saves and allowing just 24 goals against. Martin also ranks third in the nation and first in the WCHA in goals against average (1.30 through 1109:31 minutes) and winning percentage (.833, 17-3-1).

The Bulldogs, who are fourth in the NCAA, allowing just 1.42 goals a game, rank second in the country in with their impressive penalty kill. UMD has successfully thwarted 118 of 127 man disadvantages for a 92.9 percentage.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: The Bulldogs, who have eleven players in the points column in double-digits (more than any other WCHA team), remain a team that has shared the offensive burden this season. Three players, Iya Gavrilova, Elin Holmlov and Saara Tuominen, have registered 99 points together, including 39 of UMD's 94 goals.

UMD has gotten some offensive firepower in some unsuspecting places. The Bulldogs boast six skating freshman who have posted 99 points as an underclass unit. The UMD blueliners have also chipped in, having added 54 total points.

MISSING CAPTAIN: UMD will be without the services of sophomore forward Saara Tuominen for a third straight series. Tuominen is recovering from an injury sustained in the European Air Canada Cup three weeks ago against Switzerland. The captain from Ylojarvi, Finland, had played in 59 straight games for the Bulldogs up until her injury, and was one of only two freshman to play every game of her first season a year ago.

A MATTER OF ROAD RECORD: UMD sports the WCHA's best road record, having racked up a 10-2-0 (.833) mark away from the DECC. The Bulldogs have played a conference-most 14 away contests, but still remain faithful to the DECC with a 8-1-1 (.850) standing on home ice heading into this weekends showdown with the Sioux.

BULLDOG NOTES: Along with Iya Gavrilova, two other Bulldogs are managing current scoring streaks...Senior forward Karine Demeule is in the midst of a career-best four-game scoring run, while freshman defenseman Jocelyne Larocque has tied her first-year high of three games with a point scored.

SIOUX NOTES: North Dakota is coming off a home sweep at the hands of Minnesota...Junior forward Melissa Jaques leads the Sioux with 16 points (9-7=16) in 26 skates so far this season...Sophomore Brittany Kirkham has stood between the pipes in all 26 contests for UND, collecting 1510:29 minutes of ice time in the process...Cassandra Flanagan, a sophomore defenseman, has committed 29 infractions for 58 penalty minutes.


DULUTH WELCOMES THE BEST OF WOMEN'S COLLEGE HOCKEY: The DECC will be the site of the 2008 WCHA Final Face-off and 2008 NCAA Frozen Four. The WCHA Final Face-off will be held March 8-9, while the Frozen Four will get underway on March 20, with the Championship game held on March 22. Tickets for both events are now available by calling the UMD Athletic Ticket Office at 218/726-8595.

Duluth News Tribune: ’Dogs sweep Beavers

Published Sunday, January 20, 2008
Amid subzero temperatures, Minnesota Duluth has the hottest winning streak in team history.

UMD won its record 12th straight game behind a four-goal first period in a 6-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory Saturday afternoon over Bemidji State at John S. Glas Fieldhouse in frigid Bemidji, Minn.

The second-ranked Bulldogs (20-3-1, 17-3 WCHA) topped the 11-game winning streak from the 1999-2000 season. UMD hasn’t lost since Nov. 18 to Minnesota. The Bulldogs beat the Beavers5-1 Friday night.

“That is awesome,” said UMD coach Shannon Miller as she first heard about the record-setting streak. “I will have to tell the team. It is mostly due to great goaltending, good team chemistry and work ethic. That is very exciting.”

UMD also has winning streaks of 10 games, nine games and five eight-game runs during its nine-year history. The 1999-2000 run expanded to a 21-gameunbeaten mark.

Sophomore Elin Holmlov, who has centered the first line in the absence of injuredforward Saara Tuominen, scored two goals in the first five minutes as UMD burst to a 3-0 lead.

UMD, which leads the WCHA with 34 points, peppered the Beavers with a44-7 shots advantage, including a21-2 assault in the second period.

“We had tremendous speed in our offensive attack,” Miller said. “We used all of our people in the offensive zone and had a lot of creative attacks.”

UMD freshman standout Iya Gavrilova had her nine-game goal-scoring streak snapped. The streak tied a school record.

Laura Fridfinnson, Haley Irwin, Myriam Trepanier and Tara Gray also scored for UMD.

Julie Rising scored the lone goal for Bemidji State (4-19-3, 1-17-2).

FINALLY, The UMD Women return home this week for two games against North Dakota! They haven't played at the DECC since December 8th/9th's sweep against Ohio State.

Duluth News Tribune Gavrilova hat trick leads UMD at Bemidji

Iya Gavrilova put her name beside twoformer Minnesota Duluth greats Friday night against Bemidji State.

The freshman from Krasnoyarsk, Russia, tied Jenny Potter and Hanne Sikio with a school-record, nine-game goal-scoring streak.

Gavrilova had a hat trick as the second-ranked Bulldogs disposed of the Beavers 5-1 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game at John S. Glas Fieldhouse in Bemidji, Minn.

With the win, the Bulldogs (19-3-1, 16-3 WCHA) tied aprogram-record 11-game winning streak from the 1999-2000 season.

Potter (1999-2000, 2002-04) and Sikio (1999-2003) each scored more than 200 points in their careers. Gavrilova has a team-high 35 points in 23 games, including a point in 11 straight contests.

“That is in great company,” said UMD coach Shannon Miller on Gavrilova’s accomplishment. “Jenny Potter, from Team USA, is one the best to play at UMD. And Hanne Sikio, from Team Finland, is right up there. Iya is with the best.”

Jaime Rasmussen and Elin Holmlov also scored for WCHA-leading UMD.

“Elin Holmlov has been playing fantastic,” Miller said. “She puts the puck on Iya’s stick a lot. Elin is instrumental in a lot of the goals that Iya scores.”

Goalie Emily Brookshaw stopped 42 shots for last-place Bemidji State (4-18-3, 1-16-2), while Kim Martin had 13 saves in two periods, and Johanna Ellison had eight stops in one period for the Bulldogs.

UMD lost second-line winger Emmanuelle Blais, who suffered a concussion when she crashed into the net.

UMD converted on two power plays and kept Bemidji State scoreless on four player advantages.

Great News Tribune Iya Gavrilova Article

Iya Gavrilova was better than the boys.

As a kid forward in her hometown of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, she not only skated on the boys team, but she also played on the first line. Her role in the lineup angered some parents, so the coach appeased their ire and moved her to the lower lines.

Did she deserve to be a starter? “Yeah,” she says proudly.

Iya Gavrilova (pronounced: EE-ah Gov-REE-lowva) has continued to stand out as a freshman for Minnesota Duluth. The 5-foot-7, 20-year-old winger has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) during UMD’s current 10-game winning streak.

Gavrilova takes an eight-game goal-scoring run and a team-leading 32 points into today’s series opener at Bemidji State.

Playing against the boys in Krasnoyarsk, a Siberian city of 900,000 people about 2,500 miles southeast of Moscow, helped Gavrilova develop her skills.

“The boys play faster and I got stronger playing with them,” said Gavrilova, who stated playing hockey with the guidance of her father, Viktor, at age 8.

Gavrilova is on the Russian national team and played five years of professional hockey in Moscow from age 14-19.

Former UMD player Kristina Petrovskaia (2001-03) plays with Gavrilova on the Russian national team and tipped UMD coach Shannon Miller to Gavrilova’s talent.

Miller went to the 2007 World Championships in Winnipeg to scout Gavrilova.

“What I saw was great game instinct, great hands and natural offensive ability,” Miller said. “I saw she could be a playmaker and a goal-scorer. Basically, she is someone that has a gift, so I got really excited.”

Miller said Gavrilova was one of the fastest verbal commitments and one of the most difficult to get to Duluth.

“It was a nightmare,” Miller said. “I spent all summer on it. First off, we’d FedEx a letter of intent to Moscow and it would get stolen. We’d send it again and it would get stolen. The third time we sent it, she got it. We are talking about two months. It was ridiculous.”

After she signed the letter of intent, Gavrilova needed to get accepted into UMD and apply for a travel visa. Overall, the process took from April to September and Gavrilova missed the first week of school.

Gavrilova didn’t speak English and needed Petrovskaia to translate e-mails from Miller.

“If I didn’t know Kristina Petrovskaia and she didn’t talk to me, I wouldn’t be here,” Gavrilova said. “She was key for me to come here.”

Gavrilova, an exercise science major, has begun to learn English and has loosened up around teammates.

“For the first month, she wouldn’t talk,” Miller said. “She would listen and nod if she understood. She [had] tutors for two classes, but does very well in school.”

Myriam Trepanier, Gavrilova’s roommate, said her fervor rubs off on the Bulldogs.

“She has the most enthusiasm on the team,” said Trepanier, a junior defender. “On the ice, she has so much fun and it reflects on everyone on the team. She has so much fun it is unbelievable.”

Gavrilova’s coming-out moment was Dec. 1 against Wisconsin, the two-time defending national champions. She scored the game-tying goal with 25 seconds left in the third period and netted a breakaway 15 seconds into overtime for a stunning 3-2 win in Madison.

“She is coming up with big goals in big games for us — at the right moment,” Miller said. “She is a big part of our success, no question.”

Gavrilova has six game-winning goals and is the nation’s leading rookie scorer with 14 goals and 18 assists. Her 32 points rank ninth on the school’s all-time rookie scoring list. She is on pace to score 47 points, which would place her fifth in school history.

“She is able to read the ice well and find her linemates,” Trepanier said. “She knows — when she looks at players in front of her — what to do to beat her and she is quick enough to do it.”

The Bulldogs (18-3-1 overall, 15-3 conference) have a seven-point lead in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, but they lost Gavrilova’s linemate, Saara Tuominen, to injury. The sophomore center and captain was tied with Gavrilova with 30 points entering the winter break, but Tuominen tore a knee ligament in the European Air Canada Cup and will be out at least 6-8 weeks.

“With Saara Tuominen out, [Gavrilova] has a bigger role to play,” Trepanier said. “If she keeps going, it will be a big help for us.”

Dogs Head to Bemidji, UMDBulldogs.com preview

n the midst of its first 10-game winning streak since the 2000-01 season, the No. 2 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will indulge in its second road stand of the new year this weekend. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association-leading Bulldogs swing up to Bemidji, Minn. Friday and Saturday to face local rival Bemidji State University. Friday night's game is set for 7:07 p.m., while Saturday will feature a matinee with a 2:07 p.m. showing.

THE SERIES: UMD, which currently holds the NCAA's longest winning streak with 10 victories, owns a 35-0-1 all-time record over the Beavers. The Bulldogs have won 25 contests in a row against BSU, including a series sweep Oct. 13 and 14 earlier in the season.

The Maroon and Gold defeated Bemidji State 4-0 in their DECC opener on Oct. 13 behind senior forward Karine Demeule's two goals. Demeule then notched her second game-winner of the series on Oct. 14 to help elevate the Bulldogs 1-0. Goaltenders Kim Martin and Johanna Ellison split the series between the pipes, sharing credit for blanking the Beavers.

UMD has allowed only three goals in the past six meetings with BSU, outscoring them 25-3 in those outings. In 36 total skates with the Beavers in program history, the Bulldogs have netted 224 tallies to BSU's 38. Bemidji State remains the only team in the WCHA that UMD has stayed undefeated against all-time.

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs (18-3-1, 15-3-0) kept their grasp on the WCHA lead and stayed seven points ahead of the rest of the field by earning their seventh conference sweep of the season against Minnesota State this past weekend. UMD beat the Mavericks in Mankato 2-1 last Friday night behind Karine Demeule's goal with six seconds remaining Friday to clinch the win. Emmanuelle Blais scored two goals on Saturday, including one in a four goal spurt in the third period to rally the Bulldogs past MSU 5-2.

The Beavers (4-17-3, 1-15-2) earned their first series split of the WCHA season last weekend when Lisa Kissick had a career-high two goals last Friday to help BSU defeat North Dakota 4-1. The win was the first for Bemidji State this season in conference play, and remains its only one as the Beavers fell 1-0 the next night to the Fighting Sioux in Bemidji, Minn.

THE COACHES: Shannon Miller, who currently is the only coach in the WCHA to have racked-up 218 wins, is in her ninth season behind the Bulldog bench.

As the only head coach UMD has ever employed, Miller has amassed an impressive overall record of 218-60-25 and has led the Bulldogs to six NCAA playoff appearances and three straight NCAA Championship titles (2001, 2002 and 2003). She has led UMD into four NCAA Frozen Four berths, including the 2007 NCAA Championship game. No other hockey program in the country has won three consecutive NCAA titles.

For her efforts, Miller was named the 2000 and 2003 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year and the 2003 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Division I Coach of the Year. Along with the incredible NCAA runs, her Bulldogs have captured two WCHA regular season titles (2000 and 2003) and three WCHA playoff titles (2000, 2001 and 2003).

During Miller’s time at the Bulldog helm, UMD has produced eight first-team All-Americans, 11 Patty Kazmaier Award Finalists, two WCHA Players of the Year, three WCHA Student-Athletes of the year and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.

The Beavers are led by head coach, (and brother of former UMD men's coach Mike), Steve Sertich. Sertich is in his second season behind the BSU bench, and is 15-38-9 overall since taking over the program.


DOORSTEP DEMEULE: Tallying two goals (and an assist) last weekend in typical Karine Demeule fashion, the forward earned her second WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honor this season.

The senior captain from Montreal, Quebec, scored two game-winning goals and added a game-tying assist to help lift UMD to a series road sweep of Minnesota State last weekend.

Demeule netted the game-clincher last Friday night with six seconds remaining to lead the Bulldogs to a 2-1 victory. Just two minutes prior to cashing in the game-winner, she assisted on the goal which drew UMD even with the Mavericks. The captain then notched her fourth game-winner of the season (and ninth goal overall) by registering the go-ahead mark for the Bulldogs in their 5-2 win over MSU Saturday.

The senior forward has been successful against the Beavers over her career, having posted nine goals and an assist (for 10 points) in seven appearances against BSU. Demeule has three times tallied two goals against the Beavers, including a two-tally outing on Oct. 13, and twice last season (Oct. 20, 2006 and Jan. 20, 2007).


STREAKING GAVRILOVA: Freshman forward Iya Gavrilova currently holds the Bulldogs longest scoring streak, dating back to Nov. 23 against Minnesota State. The Krasnoyarsk, Russia native has notched a point in UMD's last ten games (10-10=20), including ten goals in her last eight outings, five of which have been game-winning tallies. She ranks first in the WCHA and fourth in the NCAA in that category.

The WCHA's leading-point scorer with 32 (14-18=32), Gavrilova also holds an eight game goal scoring streak, just one shy of tying UMD's previous record of nine. The current record was set by two former Bulldog Olympians, Jenny Potter (Dec. 7, 2002 - Jan. 25, 2003) and Hanne Sikio (Oct. 8, 1999 - Nov. 20, 1999).

The NCAA's leading rookie scorer by a gap of 10 points, Gavrilova now holds the No. 9 spot of UMD's Top-10 Rookie Scorers with 32 points through 22 outings, just eight short of tying linemate Saara Tuominen, who racked up 40 points (12-28=40) in 39 games a season ago as a freshman.

NET DETECTORS: As the third highest scoring offense in the nation and first in the WCHA (3.77 goals per game), it's no wonder the Bulldogs boast some of the leading point-getters in the conference and country. Freshman forward Iya Gavrilova 14-18=32, 1.45) and sophomore Saara Tuominen (14-18=30, 1.50) rank No. 1 and 3, respectively, in the WCHA (and Tuominen eighth, with Gavrilova tenth in the NCAA) in point scoring. per game

Four Bulldogs have notched more than 20 points, with sophomore forward Elin Holmlov and Haley Irwin rounding out UMD's top scorers. Irwin, a freshman, has picked up 22 points (10-12=22) in just 20 games, while Holmlov has recorded 21 (8-13=21 in her 20 outings.

Four of the top 10-point scoring leaders in the WCHA are also, impressively enough, Bulldogs.

NET DEFLECTORS: Sophomore goaltender Kim Martin leads the NCAA and the WCHA with a .956 save percentage, having made 504 saves and allowing just 23 goals against. Martin also ranks fourth in the nation and first in the WCHA in goals against average (0.93 through 452:10 minutes) and winning percentage (.816, 15-3-1).

The Bulldogs, who are fourth in the NCAA, allowing just 1.45 goals a game, rank second in the country in with their impressive penalty kill. UMD has successfully thwarted 111 of 120 man disadvantages for a 92.5 percentage.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: The Bulldogs, who have ten players in the points column in double-digits, remain a team that has shared the offensive burden this season. UMD's top-producing line of Iya Gavrilova, Saara Tuominen, and Elin Holmlov have tallied 83 of the Bulldogs' 193 points between them (33-50=83).

UMD has also gotten some offensive firepower in some unsuspecting places. The Bulldogs boast six skating freshman who have posted 87 points as an underclass unit. The UMD blueliners have also chipped in, having added 50 total points.

BULLDOG NOTES: UMD will be without the services of sophomore forward Saara Tuominen for a second straight series... Tuominen is recovering from an injury sustained in the European Air Canada Cup two weeks ago against Switzerland...Tuominen had played in 59 straight games for the Bulldogs up until last weekend's series, and was one of only two freshman to play every game of her first season a year ago...UMD owns the WCHA's best road record, having racked up a 10-2-0 (.833) mark away from the DECC.

BEAVER NOTES: BSU is led in scoring by two freshman forwards, Erin Cody and Annie Bauerfeld, who have each compiled 6 points for the Beavers...Junior forward Lisa Kissick and freshman forward Julie Rising each lead Bemidji State with four goals apiece...Beaver Netminder Emily Brookshaw, a member of the U.S. U-22 Team, is three wins shy of setting BSU's all-time record for wins.

DULUTH WELCOMES THE BEST OF WOMEN'S COLLEGE HOCKEY: The DECC will be the site of the 2008 WCHA Final Face-off and 2008 NCAA Frozen Four. The WCHA Final Face-off will be held March 8-9, while the Frozen Four will get underway on March 20, with the Championship game held on March 22. Tickets for both events are now available by calling the UMD Athletic Ticket Office at 218/726-8595.

News Tribune Mankato Sweep Story

The third period was kind to Minnesota Duluth in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association women’s series against Minnesota State-Mankato.

The Bulldogs used four third-period goals to sweep the Mavericks with a 5-2 win Saturday night at All Seasons Arena in Mankato, Minn.

UMD (18-3-1, 15-3 WCHA) staved off defeat Friday with two goals in the final three minutes to win 2-1.

“We played a more compete game [Saturday],” UMD coach Shannon Miller said. “We didn’t register goals early, but we played harder.”

The WCHA-leading Bulldogs have won 10 straight games and 13 of their last 14.

Sophomore forward Emmanuelle Blais rebounded from a Friday benching to score two goals, including the game-tying goal at 8:02 of the third period.

“[Assistant coach] Caroline [Ouellette] did some video work with [Blais] and she was excellent [Saturday],” UMD coach Shannon Miller said.

Second-ranked UMD took the lead 16 seconds later, at 8:18, when Karine Demeule found the back of the net.

Haley Irwin and Iya Gavrilova also added final period goals for the Bulldogs.

“I thought the line of Haley Irwin, Emmanuelle Blais and Laura Fridfinnson were the best line [Saturday] and led the way,” Miller said.

Kim Martin had 20 saves for the Bulldogs, while former Cloquet-Esko-Carlton goalie Paige Thunder had26 stops for the Mavericks.

Amanda Stohr and Christina Lee each scored for the sixth-place Mavericks (5-12-1, 6-15-1).

The Bulldogs were 1-for-3 on the power play and 6-for-6 on penalty kill.

UMD Sweeps Mankato, Up 7 Pts on Gophers in WCHA Race

After getting benched part of Friday's game, Emmanuelle Blais scored twice in the sweep of Minnesota State Mankato.. aka the Mad Cows.. aka The Landcows.. etc

Laura Fridfinnson and Jocelyne Larocque each picked up three assists, while Haley Irwin and Myriam Trepanier each has two assists.

Karine Demeuele scored her 9th of the season and second straight game winning goal.

Even though she lost the game, congrats to Paige Thunder getting her first collegiate start (she did play a period and half in relief against UMD at the DECC earlier in the season.)

News Tribune's Friday Mankato Story

Success often follows hard work.

Minnesota Duluth learned that lesson Friday night against Minnesota State-Mankato in aWestern Collegiate Hockey Association game.

The Bulldogs were outworked through two periods as the Mavericks held a 26-17 shot advantage and a 1-0 lead.

In the third period, UMD rallied behind Karine Demeule’s game-winning goal at 19:54 for a 2-1 win at All Seasons Arena in Mankato, Minn.

“It should have been 3-0 after two periods because our team must have left their work ethic at home after the Christmas break,” UMD coach Shannon Miller said.

Second-ranked UMD (17-3-1,14-3 WCHA) fought back in the third period with a 16-7 shot advantage, including Iya Gavrilova’s game-tying goal at 17:43.

“In the third, after we made some line changes and I [benched] a player [Emmanuelle Blais], we had success and won because we worked,” Miller said.

Maggie Fisher scored at 18:27 in the second period for a1-0 lead, but the unranked Mavericks fell to 6-14-1, 5-11-1.

“We weren’t working,” Miller said. “We are second in the country and everyone is excited to be back, which is good, but we acted like we were at a party. This is business, and we have work to do.”

Sophomore defender Heidi Pelttari set up senior forward Demeule for the game-winner.

After a 26-day layoff, Miller didn’t expect UMD’s first game back to be attractive.

“I didn’t expect it to be pretty, but I expected to work,” Miller said. “You get good things in life if you work.”

Iya Does It AGAIN!

Iya Gavrilova tied the game at 17:43 of the third period, and Karine Demeule scored the game winner with SIX seconds left on the clock as the Bulldogs started 2008 with a WIN in Mankato. There's no UMDBulldogs.com story yet, so I'll post the News Tribune story tomorrow night, along with tomorrow's game results. Click on the blog title and visit the game's stat box from collegehockeystats.net

Dogs Still Ranked #2 To Start Second Half of Season

The complete USCHO.COM rankings as of today, January 7.

1 New Hampshire (12)
2 Minnesota-Duluth (1)
3 Harvard (2)
4 Mercyhurst
5 Minnesota
6 Wisconsin
7 St. Lawrence
8 Dartmouth
9 St. Cloud State
10 Connecticut

Click the title to go view how the rank/points went down.

Haley Irwin Scores in Team Canada European Air Canada Championship Win

From the HockeyCanada.ca game stats page, Canada fell behind 2-0, and after two periods the game was tied at 4. Haley Irwin scored the game tying goal in the second to take Canada to the intermission. If there were a tourney stats page I'd post total points for Bulldogs involved in the tournament.

More Bulldog Stars in European Air Canada Cup

Kim Martin dropped a game to Finland 5-0, in which her Swedish team only got 14 shots on goal. Bulldog Saara Touminen got a goal and an assist while Heidi Pelttari picked up two assists against their Bulldogs teammate Martin.

Finland today beat Switzerland 4-1, with Pelttari picking up a goal assited by Tuominen, who had two assists in that game.

Canada beat Russia 7-0, Emmanuelle Blais scored the game winning first goal, and Haley Irwin picked up a goal assited by Laura Fridfinnson.

It's good to see Bulldog players getting in the swing of hockey after the holiday break, and hopefully come back to UMD all healthy and ready for a big run to the Frozen Four.

Bulldogs Star in 13-2 Canada Win Over Russia

Emmanuelle Blais scored a goal, Haley Irwin scored two, Laura Fridfinnson scored one and assisted on another, and Joss (Jocelyne) Larocque picked up two assists in the 13-2 Team Canada victory over Russia in the Air Canada Cup in Germnay

European Air Canada Results

In mentioning the Bulldogs in the U-22 Canada team.. I didnt' realize the tournament in Germany is only U-22 for Canada. Kim Martin, Maria Rooth, and the rest of Team Sweden, defeated Patricia Sautter-Elsmore and Team Switzerland 6-1 in their matchup today. Maria Rooth scored and assisted on one in that game.

Germany lose to Russia 4-1, with Germany's only goal coming from Michaela Lanzl's sister Andrea.