Follow the WCHA Final Face-Off championship game

Welcome to the WCHA Final Face-Off championship game matching the University of North Dakota (26-10-1) and the Minnesota Golden Gophers (37-0-0).

This is the first appearance in the league title game for North Dakota. It becomes the fifth program to reach this round:

Team (WCHA championship game appearances)
North Dakota (1)
Ohio State (1)
Minnesota-Duluth (7)
Wisconsin (7)
Minnesota (12)

North Dakota is attempting to become the fourth program to claim a WCHA crown. The others are:

Team (WCHA playoff titles)
Minnesota (4)
Wisconsin (4)
Minnesota-Duluth (5)

North Dakota is led in scoring by:
Player, Class, Position, Games Played (Goals-Assists-Points)
Jocelyne Lamoureux, SR, F, 37 (35-46-81)
Monique Lamoureux, SR, D, 37 (26-39-65)
Michelle Karvinen, JR, F, 25 (18-28-46)
Josefine Jakobsen, SO, F, 35 (16-25-41)
Meghan Dufault, FR, F, 36 (18-21-39)

The primary goaltender is redshirt freshman Shelby Amsley-Benzie. She’s played in 21 games with a record of 13-6-1, a Goals Against Average of 2.24, a Save Percentage of .907 and 3 shutouts.

UND is on a program-record 13-game unbeaten streak that started after losing at home to Wisconsin, 2-1, on January 19. Its 26 wins is also a program best, surpassing the 22 victories from last year.

Minnesota is led in scoring by:
Player, Class, Position, Games Played (Goals-Assists-Points)
Amanda Kessel, JR, F, 33 (43-51-94)
Hannah Brandt, FR, F, 37 (30-49-79)
Megan Bozek, SR, D, 37 (19-34-53)
Maryanne Menefee, FR, F, 31 (15-19-34)
Becky Kortum, SR, F, 36 (14-17-31)
Kelly Terry, JR, F, 35 (8-23-31)

The primary Minnesota goaltender is senior Noora Räty. She’s played in 34 games with a record of 34-0-0, a Goals Against Average of 0.90, a Save Percentage of .957, and an NCAA record of 16 shutouts. She also holds the NCAA records for careers wins (110) and shutouts (42).

Minnesota is on an NCAA-record 45-game winning streak that started after losing at home to North Dakota, 2-1 in overtime, on February 17, 2012. Its 37 wins ties the NCAA record set by Wisconsin in 2011.

The lines for tonight’s game for No. 3 seeded North Dakota, the visiting team:
LW / C / RW
Ashley Furia / Jocelyne Lamoureux /Meghan Dufault
Michelle Karvinen / Josefine Jakobsen / Mary Loken
Andrea Dalen / Becca Kohler / Megan Gilbert
Allison Parizek / / Layla Marvin
Defensemen
Sam LaShomb / Monique Lamoureux
Tanja Eisenschmid / Samantha Hanson
Jordan Slavin / Tori Williams
/ Kayla Berg
Goaltenders
Shelby Amsley-Benzie
Jorid Dagfinrud
Michelle Bonapace-Potvin

The lines tonight for top-seeded Minnesota:
LW / C / RW
Bethany Brausen / Sarah Davis / Meghan Lorence
Maryanne Menefee / Hannah Brandt / Amanda Kessel
Becky Kortum / Kelly Terry / Rachael Bona
Sam Downey / Katie Frischmann / Brook Garzone
Defensemen
Baylee Gillanders / Megan Bozek
Lee Stecklein / Rachel Ramsey
Milica McMillen / Mira Jalosuo
Goaltenders
Noora Räty
Amanda Leveille
Shyler Sletta

The teams are on the ice.

North Dakota starters are
G – Amsley-Benzie
D- LaShomb and M. Lamoureux
F – Kohler / J Lamoureux / Dufault

Minnesota starters are:
G – Raty
D – Gillanders and Bozek
F – Kortum / Terry / Bona

We’re under way.

Brandt line had a flurry, but no chances.

UND gets a shot that Raty gloves.

Davis just missed an empty net.

Raty blockers a Dufault shot and covers the rebound shot.

UND called for icing.

Dalen with a shot gloved by Raty.

Menefee missed net on feed from Kessel; closest call yet.

UND flung puck in from center, Raty didn’t see it coming and reacted at the last instant.

North Dakota offside.

UND ices the puck

Dufault on the rush sealed off by Stecklein, and the puck now goes out of play.

Benzie saves a shot from Stecklein

Toe save on a shot by Davis

Kessel shoots wide from Bona

Raty stops LaShomb; Minnesota counters, but Benzie saves

Raty blockers Dufault

Minnesota offside; shots 9 to 4 in UND’s favor

Kessel circles the zone, but Benzie covers her centering attempt.

Bozek blasts from center, Benzie saves and covers

Bona shoots, Benzie saves and covers.

Shots now UND 11; UM 6

UND called for icing

Brandt line flurry around the crease; Benzie covers

Jocelyne Lamoureux tackles Menefee and will sit

matching minors

end of the period

Minnesota has 40 seconds of power play time remaining.

Shots for the 1st period unofficially were UND 11; Minnesota 10

Minor penalties near the end of the period where Kortum for slashing; LaShomb for roughing.

Zamboni is off the ice; 5:30 left of intermission.

In the period, each team attempted 20 shots; the Gophers blocked six to four by UND.

The officials are back on the ice. The referees are Wrazidlo and Langley.

The teams are back on the ice.

The puck has been dropped.

powerplay is over

Bona with a good chance in close but it doesn’t go

Raty stops a 2-on-1

UND has come out with a lot of jump

NoDak ices the puck

Back and forth right now; shots are even for the period

UND penalty as Jalosuo was tripped

Furia will go

slashing the call

Minnesota gets the puck to the net; Benzie saves.

Minnesota goal

Called off due to a high stick but being reviewed

1:35 of penalty remaining if no goal

High shot from the point and Benzie missed it, but it may have been tipped.

still reviewing

The teams met in the WCHA semis a year ago and after Minnesota had a goal called back, it seemed to fire them up

no goal

faceoff in the Minnesota zone coming up.

Brandt shoots Benzies saves but can’t control

Bozek scores from the point; PP goal

That’s her 20th goal; assists to Kessel and McMillen

Shots now 16-14 in favor of Minnesota

UND with a great flurry but last shot was wide

Menefee scores for UM on a breakaway

16th of the season, unassisted as of now.

Minnesota called offside

Bozek shoots, saved but a big rebound

Menefee shoots and Benzie saves

Icing on UND

UND pressures, but Gophers clear

Puck out of play; faceoff in UND defensive zone

UND ices

Shots 20-17 UM

Bozek shot kicked out

Minnesota controlling at the moment.

Terry line putting on pressure

UND had a 3-on-2 with UM help coming but shot blocked out of play

Monique Lamoureux will sit for 2:00

Body checking the call

Karvinen with a shorthanded chance. Raty saves and holds

McMillen with a one-timer; Benzie saves

Puck is frozen with 37 seconds left on the PP for UM

Minnesota offside

Shots 26-18 for UM

penalty over

Gilbert topples Raty

Raty blocker save on Monique

UND pressures, but UM clears

end of the second period

Shots 25 to 20 in favor of Minnesota

Officials are back on the ice.

Attempts in the last period were 30-18 in favor of Minnesota.

Both goals came in the 2nd period

Bozek on the PP from Kessel and McMillen

and Menefee unassisted

Teams are back

Underway

Amsley-Benzie gloves a long shot and holds

Gilbert shoots; Raty holds

Slavin shoots from long range; Raty holds

Dufault shot is swallowed up by Raty

Crosschecking call on Terry of UM

Karvinen shoots; Raty holds

Minnesota clears

47 seconds of PP remain

Faceoff after Raty covers

Minnesota clears

PP over

Kohler shoots; Raty holds

Slavin broke up a 3-on-1

Back and forth in neutral

Icing on MN

Ramsey shot just wide

Icing on UND

Shots 27-26 UM

Bozek hit pipe

puck out of play

Minnesota is getting pucks deep and changing

Shots 30-28 UM

Kessel deflects but hits the outside of the net.

Puck out of play at center

Minnesota dumps and changes

Kessel jams the puck in front; Benzie covers

PUck deep and change

Terry shot saved by Benzie

Deep and change

Penalty on Ramsey of UM for high stick

UND net is empty — 6 on 4

Gophers clear

Raty saves and holds

Final Gophers win 2-0

I’ll stick around and announce the All Tournament team.

Final shots were 34 – 30 for the Gophers

Teams are shaking hands

The awards table is on the ice

They are saluting the four teams that competed this weekend

All Tournament team:
Hannah Brandt, UM
Jocelyne Lamoureux, UND
Maryanne Menefee, UM
Monique Lamoureux, UND
Megan Bozek, UM
Noora Raty, UM

Most Valuable Player Noora Raty

Raty was MVP last year in Duluth at the Final Face-Off as well

She did not allow a goal in four games in the WCHA Tournament this year

Minnesota is being presented with the trophy

Thanks for joining this blog and Good Luck to your team in the NCAA Tournament.