The top ranked Golden Gopher women's hockey team is ready to defend their National Championship today at Ridder Arena. First stop... North Dakota. The same opponent they sent packing in last year's quarterfinal is back and ready to exact revenge. North Dakota snuck in past both Wisconsin and Northeastern to grab that final spot. Their win over Wisconsin in the Final Faceoff semi-finals might have been the win that got them here. The game will be played at 4 pm.
Minnesota has had trouble with UND all season, with only one clear cut victory in their five meetings so far this season. The Lamoureux twins are crafty veterans that can not only pack a scoring punch, but can make things difficult all over the ice. They are constant aggravators that can get under your skin. Pair that with secondary scoring from the likes of Michelle Karvinen, Josefine Jakobsen, and Meghan Dufault and you have a team with a lot of potential. They add excellent goaltending from freshman Shelby Amsley-Benzie, who has found her niche and is playing very well right now.
The March Madness will begin at Noon Central time when Harvard travels to Chestnut Hill to play Boston College and Mercyhurst travels to Lynah Rink to play host Cornell. Then at 2 pm, Clarkson heads to Walter Brown Arena to face Boston University.
Predictions:
-Cornell beats Mercyhurst with out a doubt. 6-2 final. Mercyhurst struggles with Robert Morris, and these ladies are way beyond Robert Morris.
-The ECAC keeps rolling...BC is talented, but young. Nothing easy comes against Harvard and I think the Crimson outlast BC, 3-1.
-B.U has a good mix of young and veteran talent, plus they have one of the best goalies in all of college hockey in Kerrin Sperry. Clarkson has shown they are good, but won't be able to go to Boston and pull the upset. 4-1 final for B.U.
Thanks for reading!
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