This week the UND Woman’s hockey team plays against the top
ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Ralph Englestad Arena. Game times
for Saturday and Sunday is 2:07 PM CT. On Saturday it's "Fill the Bowl and tickets to the game are $1.00 and if you have a UND Champions Card you can get a free ticket to get into the game.
UND Women's Hockey head coach Brian Idalski on playing the top rated Minnesota Gophers.
“They’re [Minnesota] averaging just under seven goals per game,” Idalski
said. “Their power play has scored 17 goals and clicking at 40 percent, so I
would say that things are going really well for them. Defensively they’re just
as solid if not better. [Noora] Ratty has four shutout in seven starts and her save
percentage is close to 98%, so there is no weakness, their d-corps is really
strong they have given up three goals all season long. It will be fun.”
UND Women’s head coach Brian Idalski on the status of his
star forward Michelle Karvinen who has missed all six games that UND has played
in this season with an injury.
“She looks good, Idalski said. "She skated well and she is
progressing well and she will be a game time decision.”
Senior forward Captain Jocelyn Lamoureux was asked about playing
the Minnesota Gophers and if there is a little extra incentive playing against the Gophers.
“It’s exciting to always play them especially with my
history, but you have to approach it like any other series, Lamoureux said. “We
have to stay even keel and not let our emotions get the best of us the last
series and we get to play them here and we’re excited.”
The past few seasons the amount of penalties that UND takes has
been a something that UND has been concerned about. Senior Jocelyn Lamoureux was
also asked about her if her team is focused on eliminating penalties this week.
“I don’t know if it’s the topic this week in the practice,
Lamoureux said. “But we know we need to that we need to stay out of the penalty
box more and we can’t take as many penalties as we have been and that seem to be
a common theme the last couple of years the amount of penalties our team takes
its starts with Monique [Lamoureux] and I and the seniors down... “
Senior defenseman Jordan Slavin was injured last season and
only was able to play in 14 games. Last season, Slavin missed both series against the
Minnesota Gophers.
“It’s been fun; it’s been a lot of fun just being back out
there with the girls and being able to play,” Slavin said. “Once you like... don’t
have something and then you get it back it’s been an unbelievable experience.”
Slavin was asked if she feels like is back to full strength.
Yeah I do, I feel really good, my edges feel great and my
knees aren’t giving men any problems this time around.
Slavin also had this to say about getting a chance to play against
the top ranked Minnesota Gophers after not playing in any of the series last year against the Gophers
because of injury.
"I didn’t get to play them at all last year, Slavin said. "It’s
more fun than any series that I think we play during the year. Just the intensity
is up, the speed is up, everything is sharp, the atmosphere is fun, I am excited."
