DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The No. 11-ranked St. Scholastica men's hockey team will host Marian University (Wis.) this weekend at Mars Lakeview Arena in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) series.
Where:Mars Lakeview Arena – Duluth, Minn.
When:Friday at 7 p.m.
Saturday at 4 p.m.
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www.facebook.com/css.saints #11 St. Scholastica SaintsStatsRecord: 4-1-1, 3-1-0 NCHANorthern Collegiate Hockey Association: Standings | Stats Last Action: The Saints swept Northland College two weeks ago in a home-and-home series … CSS rallied to win game one at Mars Lakeview Arena 4-2, scoring three goals in the third period …
Tyler Bruggeman (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS (Austin-NAHL) ) stopped a career-high 49 shots in the victory … The next night in Ashland, the Saints scored two second period goals to rally past the LumberJacks 3-2 …
Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev./Odyssey Charter School (Langley Rivermen-BCHL) ) had a goal and an assist in the victory.
D3Hockey.com Team of the Week: The Saints have had two players named to the D3hockey.com Team of the Week this season …
Brandon Millin (Port Moody, British Columbia/Heritage Woods HS (Notre Dame Hounds-SJHL) ) earned First Team honors the week of November 16 and
Tyler Bruggeman (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS (Austin-NAHL) ) earned second team honors the week of November 23.
Ranked: The Saints have been ranked five straight weeks in the USCHO.com Division III poll and sit No. 11 for the second consecutive week this week … Also for the first time this season, the Saints are ranked in the D3hockey.com poll coming in at No. 15.
Where They Stand: It is very early in the season, but the Saints are tied for second in the NCHA North Division standings with six points, but are tied with division leader St. Norbert College in the loss column … St. Norbert has played four more games than the Saints already this season.
Millin Lighting the Lamp: Junior
Brandon Millin (Port Moody, British Columbia/Heritage Woods HS (Notre Dame Hounds-SJHL) ) is tied for second in country averaging a goal per game (6 goals in 6 games) … He has scored at least one goal in four straight games.
Making Things Happen: Senior
Dylan Nowakowski (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial HS (Brooks-AJHL) ) and junior
Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev./Odyssey Charter School (Langley Rivermen-BCHL) ) both rank in the top 10 nationally in assists per game … Nowakowski is fourth at 1.33 assists per game, while Sutliffe is ninth at 1.17 per game … Nowakowski has six assists in the last three games.
A Reunion: Sophomore defenseman
Mark Whiteley (Surrey, British Columbia/Holy Cross HS (Marian University)) will face his former team this weekend … As a freshman with Marian last season, Whiteley had four goals and eight assists in 26 games and was named the team's freshman of the year, while also being named to the NCHA All-Freshman Team.
Power-Play Success: The Saints have the top power-play unit in the conference (9-for-29) and is fourth in NCAA Division III … The Saints have scored all nine power-play goals in the last five games.
Overtime Woes: The Saints are 0-6-6 in their last 12 overtime games … The last overtime victory for CSS was January 10, 2014 at Hamline University.
NCHA Preseason Poll1. Adrian 99 points (9 first-place votes)
2. St. Norbert 91 (2 first-place votes)
3. MSOE 76
4. College of St. Scholastica 715. Lake Forest 69
6. Marian 50
7. Concordia Wisconsin 47
8. Lawrence 40
9. Northland 29
10. Finlandia 22
11. Aurora 11
Upcoming Opponents Marian SabresRecord: 4-3-3, 2-3-1 NCHA The Sabres enter this weekend unbeaten in their last four games, including a victory over No. 10 UW-Eau Claire last Saturday and a tie over No. 2-ranked UW-Stevens Point two weeks ago … Marian has also tied Adrian College when it was ranked No. 6 and defeated St. Norbert College when it was ranked seventh … Based on records, following this weekend, the Sabres schedule in the second half looks favorable … Marian is led by sophomores Derek Thorogood and Hunter Stewart, who have 12 and 11 points, respectively … Senior Devin Stuermer has a team-high five goals on the year … In net, junior Mike Baldwin and sophomore Mike Gudmandson have split time with recording two wins … The Sabres are out-scoring teams 11-3 in the second period this season.
Series History: CSS leads 9-4-0
Last Meeting: Marian swept the Saints in both games last season in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin … Both were decided by one goal with the Sabres taking the first game 6-5 in overtime and game two 4-3 … CSS is 5-1 all-time at home against the Sabres.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will go out of conference next weekend when it hosts Gustavus Adolphus College on Friday night, December 11 and travels to Saint John's University on Saturday, December 12.
