Lines, updated statistics going into Friday’s WCHA Final Five semifinal game between SCSU and Wisconsin

St. Cloud State’s Ben Hanowski battles for control of the puck with Mark Zengerle of Wisconsin during the March 9 game at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wis. Photo by Dave Schwarz, dschwarz@stcloudtimes.com

NO. 7 SCSU (23-14-1 OVERALL)

The Huskies have seven players with 10 or more goals in a season for the first time since 1997-98 (Matt Noga 15, Mike Maristuen 16, George Awada 15, Jason Stewart 14, Mike Rucinski 11, Sacha Molin 12, Jason Goulet 10). The 7 Huskies on this season’s team with 10 or more goals are Jonny Brodzinski, 21, Kalle Kossila 15, Ben Hanowski 15, Nic Dowd 14, Drew LeBlanc 13, David Morley 11, Cory Thorson 10.

The Huskies are 6-1-1 in their last 8 games against Wisconsin. SCSU is 2-1 in the Final Five against Wisconsin. The Huskies are 6-9 at Xcel Energy Center since it opened in 2000-01.

Andrew Prochno leads SCSU in blocks with 45 and Dowd is second with 44.

Nationally, the Huskies are the least-penalized team and third in goals-per-game (3.42). Brodzinski leads all Division I rookies in goals (tied for 6th overall) and leads all players in plus/minus (plus-28). LeBlanc leads Division I in assists. While Brodzinski has 1 power-play goal this season, Morley’s 7 goals on the power play are tied for 11th. Nick Jensen is second among defensemen in assists with 25. The school record for assists for a defenseman is 30, set by Bret Hedican in 1990-91. Hedican had 48 points that season.

St. Cloud State is tied for No. 7 in the PairWise Rankings going into Friday’s game.

NO. 14/15 WISCONSIN (20-12-7)

The Badgers beat Minnesota State-Mankato 7-2 on Thursday to advance to Friday’s game. Wisconsin leads the season series against the Mavericks 3-2.

Wisconsin advanced to its first Final Five since 2010 by sweeping Minnesota-Duluth (3-1 and 4-1) in the first round.

The Badgers won WCHA playoff titles in 1998, 1995, 1990, 1988, 1983, 1982, 1978, 1977, 1973, 1972 and 1970.

Wisconsin has 20 wins for the third time in the last four seasons.

The line of Nic Kerdiles-Mark Zengerle-Tyler Barnes has been hot and given the offense a jolt. That line has 15 goals, 31 assists in its last 9 games. In those 9 games, the Badgers are averaging 4.0 goals-per-game.

The Badgers go into the game at No. 16 in the PairWise Rankings.

 SCSU STATISTICAL LEADERS

 WISCONSIN STATISTICAL LEADERS

A shot by St. Cloud State’s Nic Dowd is blocked by Wisconsin goaltender Joel Rumpel during the March 9 game at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wis. Photo by Dave Schwarz, dschwarz@stcloudtimes.com

 

TEAMS STATISTICAL COMPARISON

St. Cloud State players celebrate their goal in the first period of the March 9 game at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wis. Photo by Dave Schwarz, dschwarz@stcloudtimes.com