February 25, 2012

AMSOIL Arena in Duluth will host the 2012 WCHA Final Face-Off

MADISON, Wis. – The four teams that finished one through four in the final Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season standings – league champion Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth – all swept their first round, best-of-three playoff series this weekend to advance to the 2012 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF at AMSOIL Arena (6,726) on March 2-3 in Duluth, Minn.

There will be two semi-finals played next Friday (March 2) with No. 4 seed Minnesota Duluth (20-13-1) taking on No. 1 seed Wisconsin (31-3-2) at 4:37 pm CT followed by No. 3 seed North Dakota (22-10-3) skating against No. 2 seed Minnesota (29-5-2) at 7:37 pm CT. Friday's two winners will then play for the league championship on Saturday (March 3) evening at 7:07 pm CT. The winner of the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF receives the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Div. 1 Women's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Wisconsin, the defending WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF champion, won their first round set over visiting Minnesota State by 7-0 and 4-0 scores on Feb. 24-25. Regular season runner-up and host Minnesota won back-to-back playoff games over St. Cloud State, 6-1 and 6-0. North Dakota prevailed by 3-1 and 2-0 counts over visiting Bemidj State. And Minnesota Duluth downed visiting Ohio State by 4-3 and 3-2 (ot) margins.

Results of Friday, Feb. 24: No. 6 Bemidji State 1 at No. 3 North Dakota 3 (NC); No. 5 Ohio State 3 at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth 4 (NC); No. 7 St. Cloud State 1 at No. 2 Minnesota 6 (NC); * No. 8 Minnesota State 0 at No. 1 Wisconsin 7 (NC). * at Eagle's Nest, Verona, WI

Results of Saturday, February 25: No. 6 Bemidji State 0 at North Dakota 2 (NC) (UND wins series, 2-0); No. 5 Ohio State 2 at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth 3 ot (NC) (UMD wins series, 2-0); No. 7 St. Cloud State 0 at Minnesota 6 (NC) (UM wins series, 2-0); No. 8 Minnesota State 0 at No. 1 Wisconsin 4 (NC) (UW wins series, 2-0). * at Eagle's Nest, Verona, WI

Tickets for the 2012 WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF championship, March 2-3 at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, are still available. There will semi-finals on Friday at 4:37 pm and 7:37 pm CT with the championship game on Saturday at 7:07 pm CT.

Reserved seating packages, which include all three games, are $20 for Adults, $18 for Seniors (age 62+) and $18 for Youth (ages 3-college). General Admission seating packages are $18 for Adults/Seniors and $15 for Youth (ages 3-college). Single game tickets go on sale Feb. 28.

For more information visit umdbulldogs.com or call the UMD Athletic Ticket Office at 218 726-8595.