DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – For the second time in the last three seasons the St. Scholastica men's hockey team will travel to face Marian University (Wis.) in the quarterfinals of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Harris Cup.
Where:
Blue Line Family Ice Center – Fond du Lac, Wis.
When:
Friday at 7 p.m.
Saturday at 4 p.m.
Live Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/marianwi/
Live Stats: https://csssaints.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CSSMHockey
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/css_menshockey
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/csssaints
TWO-GAME SERIES / MINIGAME FORMAT
* Two games are played with standard NCAA rules applying (single 5:00 OT).
* Games 1 and 2 can end in an OT tie.
* If the two games are split or if both end in a tie, a 20-minute minigame is played. At the end of the second game, the ice shall be resurfaced and there is a 15-minute intermission. Starting lineups are announced before the minigame, as in a regular game, and the teams will play the full 20 minutes, regardless of score. Should the game be tied after the 20 minutes, the teams will play 20-minute sudden-death overtimes periods.
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 8-16-1, 5-14-1 NCHA
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association: Standings | Stats
What You Need to Know about the Saints:
-The Saints ended the regular season on a three-game win streak, which was their first such win streak of the season.
-CSS defeated the University of St. Thomas in overtime, marking the program's first win over the Tommies since the 1991-92 season.
-The three-game win streak has been spearheaded by the return of senior goaltender
Zane Steeves (Red Deer, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (100 Mile Wranglers-KIJHL)), who missed eight straight games in the month of January.
-Steeves, who ranks fourth in the conference with a .921 save percentage, was not active in the team's regular season trip to Marian.
-Between Steeves and junior
Nick Trenciansky (Vancouver, British Columbia/Holy Cross Regional HS (Kindersley-SJHL)), the Saints allowed just one goal per game during the win streak.
-Team leading scorer junior
Carson Rose (Surrey, British Columbia/Elgin Park Secondary (Weyburn-SJHL)) scored a goal in each of the final two games of the season and recorded a point in each of the final three games.
-Sophomore
Jon Hansen (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall (Minnesota Mullets-USPHL)) finished the regular season strong with at least one point in four of the final five games.
-Junior
Jordan Fralich (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall School (Bismarck-NAHL)) ranks in the top 10 of NCHA defensemen with 14 points and is third with five goals.
-The Saints are 8-3-1 in their last 12 NCHA Quarterfinal games.
-If the series goes to a mini-game, the Saints have won all three mini-games in has participated in in program history (2015, 2010, 2007).
What You Need to Know about Marian:
Record: 17-7-1, 13-7-0 NCHA
-The Sabres captured the NCHA North Division title by splitting with Finlandia University (Mich.) over the weekend.
-Marian was 9-2-0 on home ice during the regular season with the two losses coming early in the season against Adrian College (Mich.) and Lake Forest College (Ill.).
-Marian enters this weekend on a seven-game home winning streak.
-The Sabres also ended the regular season winners of five of their last six games.
-Marian had the best power-play unit in the NCHA during the regular season with a 24.5 percent success rate.
-The team is led by sophomore Gianni Vitali who has 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points.
-The 16 goals was third-most in the conference.
-Former Saint Davis Ross led the team in assists with 18.
-Ross ranks fourth in the conference among defensemen with 20 points.
-Other former Saints on the roster include seniors Brett Radford and Nolan Ross.
-Radford and N. Ross have combined for 22 points this season.
-Senior goaltender Hunter Vorva ranks third in the conference with a 2.20 goals-against-average and a .925 save percentage.
Series Record: Marian leads 16-10-0
(Last Meeting: 6-2 Marian – 1/11/2020)
Series History: The Sabres have won 11 straight games for the Saints, including a sweep during the regular season at the Blue Line Family Ice Center by a combined score of 11-3 … CSS was swept by Marian in the only other postseason meeting during the 2018 Harris Cup playoffs … Prior to St. Scholastica and Marian being in the same conference, the Saints had a record of 8-1 against the Sabres … However, since 2013-14 the Sabres are 15-2 against the Saints as CSS has not won in Fond du Lac during that span.
Looking Ahead: The winner of this week's series advances to face the winner of St. Norbert and Lawrence on Saturday, February 29 in the Harris Cup Semifinals.
