DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's hockey team will host two huge games in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) conference as the season starts to wrap up.
Where:
Mars Lakeview Arena – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Friday vs #5/6 St. Norbert – 7 p.m. (
Video |
Stats)
Saturday vs Finlandia– 5 p.m. (
Video |
Stats) – Senior Night
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSMHockey
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaints
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/csssaints
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 9-11-1, 4-9-1 NCHA
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association: Standings | Stats
What You Need to Know about the Saints:
-CSS will recognize three seniors on Saturday in
Cole Golka (Ardrossan, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Dryden Ice Dogs-SIJHL)), captain
Kristofer McKinzie (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall School (Minnesota Magicians-NAHL)) and assistant captain
Seth Chumley (Cambridge, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minnesota Iron Rangers-SIJHL))
-The Saints dropped a pair of game at home last weekend against Lawrence University (Wis.) and Marian University (Wis.). Continuing their winless streak in 2019 to eight games.
-The Saints are now in fifth place in the North Division and five points behind Finlandia University (Mich.) for the final spot in the playoffs.
There are four regular season games remaining, so that means eight points are still in play. CSS needs to likely win at least three of their final four and Finlandia needs to lose three of their final four.
-The last time the Saints failed to make the postseason was the 1996-97 season.
-During the 2019 calendar least, the Saints have allowed 5.25 goals per game, the only game in which they've allowed less than four goals was their most recent, a 2-1 loss to Marian.
-The Saints have failed to use one goalie for the entire game since a 4-2 loss to Concordia University Wisconsin back on January 11.
-The Saints scored three goals over the weekend,
Mike Nolan (Aldergrove, British Columbia/Yale Secondary (Fresno-WSHL)),
Michael Talbot (Anoka, Minn./Anoka HS (Minot-NAHL)) and
Jordan Fralich (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall School (Bismarck-NAHL)) all recorded goals over the weekend.
-CSS committed nine penalties for 26 minutes over the weekend and allowed just one power play goal.
-Golka now leads the Saints in points with 21; he still holds the lead in goals with 12.
-Fralich and
Nate Pionk (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS (Minot-NAHL)) are second on the team with 18 points. Fralich leads all NCHA skaters with 16 assists.
-The Saints outshoot opponents in the first period only. They're outshot 21 in the second period and 9 in the third.
-The Saints are 0-7 when they fail to score first and are winless when trailing at an intermission.
What You Need to Know about St. Norbert:
Record: 10-4-3, 6-3-1 NCHA
-St. Norbert leads the all NCHA teams with 21 points and enters the weekend on a five-game win streak.
-The Green Knights have already clinched a NCHA postseason spot.
-St. Norbert is ranked No. 5 in the country in the USCHO.com poll and No. 6 in the D3hockey.com poll.
-All of SNC's losses have been on the road as the Green Knights are 3-4-1 away from the Cornerstone this season.
-Senior Riley Christensen leads the team 21 points.
-Junior Kurt Black leads the Green Knights with 11 goals.
-Sophomores Luke Davidson and Peter Bates along with freshman Brendon Gysbers, lead the Green Knights with 14 assists.
-T.J. Black has a 13-4-2 record on the season. He only allows 1.45 goals per game (Fifth in NCAA) on a .937 save percentage (11
th in
in the NCAA)
-The Green Knights outshoot opponents by 81 shots in the first period, 107 in the second, and 36 in the third.
-The Green Knights are 0-2-0 when trailing after two periods. They are 11-3-2 when scoring first.
Series Record: SNC leads 55-14-4
(Last Meeting: 7-2 SNC – 1/19/2019)
Series History: In the last 10 games the Saints are 2-7-1, including knocking off a No. 1 ranked St. Norbert squad last season. St. Norbert is known for their dominance throughout Division III hockey, in the last 37 meetings between these teams the Green Knights have been ranked as No. 7 or better dating back to 2005. The Green Knights were ranked No. 1 in the country in 10 of those games.
What You Need to Know about Finlandia:
Record: 8-11-2, 6-6-2 NCHA
-After a four-game skid to end 2018, the Lions have stepped it up. They were 5-2-1 in January.
-The Lions had a five-game unbeaten streak snapped with a loss at Adrian College (Mich.) on Saturday.
-Finlandia needs four points to clinch a playoff spot and knock CSS out of the playoffs.
-However, the Lions finish with Northland College on Friday, the Saints Saturday and then a weekend against division leader St. Norbert next week.
-Sophomore Cale Markham leads the Lions with nine goals.
-Freshman Teddy Randell leads the team with 10 assists and 14 points.
-Sophomore Marcus Gloss owns a 6-7-2 record this season including two shutouts. He has a .921 save percentage with a 2.69 GAA.
-The Lions are 3-2-2 on the road this season.
Series Record: CSS leads 11-2-0
(Last Meeting: 7-4 Finlandia – 1/18/2019)
Series History: The Saints are 6-0-0 all time in Duluth against Finlandia. The Saints are 8-2 in the last 10 versus the Lions, the last meeting the Saints allowed their most goals ever to the Lions.
Looking Ahead: The Saints head on the road for their last regular season series of the season. They'll head on the road to face Lawrence and Marian next weekend.
