SAINT PETER, Minn. — Following their MIAC Championship victory, the Gustavus women's hockey team (22-4-0) is set to face UW-River Falls (28-0-0) in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championships. The Gusties and Falcons both earned a bye to the second round of the tournament, with the game to be hosted at the UWRF's Hunt Area at 2:05 p.m. CST. 

Tournament play began Wednesday night, with three teams earning a spot in Saturday's quarterfinal. Adrian (Mich.) will host Hamilton (N.Y.), Plattsburgh (N.Y.) will host Middlebury (Vt.), and Amherst (Mass.) will host Elmira (N.Y.). Those victorious in round two will head to the Frozen Four, to be hosted by the highest remaining seed of the four teams. 

TICKET INFORMATION

Saturday's game will be held at Hunt Arena on the campus of UW-River Falls in River Falls, Wis. Tickets will be available 90 minutes prior to game time. Doors will open 60 minutes prior to puck drop. Tickets cost nine dollars for an adult, and six for a senior, student, or youth. No online tickets will be available. The winner will advance to the Frozen Four next weekend.

GUSTIES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

The Gusties are set to make their fourth-straight NCAA tournament appearance and 17th overall (2002, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 2010, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24). In NCAA tournament games, the Gusties hold an all-time record of 17-20.

Last season, after earning the conference's automatic qualifier to the national tournament, the Gusties defeated River Falls 2-1 in the quarterfinal, heading to Amherst for the Frozen Four. Gustavus defeated Plattsburgh by a score of 3-2 in double overtime to punch a ticket to the title game for the second year in a row. The Gusties bested host Amherst 2-1 in triple overtime, playing in the longest title game in NCAA history to win the program's first national championship and the first for any team west of New York.

THE SERIES

In eight of the Gusties' 16 previous NCAA appearances, Gustavus and River Falls have met in the tournament, with seven games played in the quarterfinal and one matchup in the first round. The Gusties hold a winning record of 6-2 against the Falcons in NCAA Tournament play.

Saturday's game will mark the 53rd meeting between the two programs, and the fourth just this season, with River Falls winning all three games. River Falls shutout the Gusties in the first and last game of the non-conference series, 2-0 in both contests. The Gusties nearly returned the favor in the two teams' second meeting, falling by an eventual 3-2 to the top-ranked team in the country. Hailey Holland has both of the Gusties' goals against River Falls this season, while Katie McCoy has made an average of 22.3 saves against the Falcons in three games, including 28 in the two teams' first match-up.

Gustavus enters the game on a win streak of eight, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest USCHO.com coaches poll and holding a No. 3 spot in the NCAA Pairwise rankings. Meanwhile, the Falcons sit No. 1 in the nation according to the USCHO and NCAA Pairwise as the only team with an undefeated record this season (28-0-0). The Falcons earned one of four NCAA at-large bids to the tournament, as WIAC women's hockey does not earn an automatic qualifier with only five teams in the conference. The appearance in the tournament is the Falcons' 15th and fifth in a row. Their best NCAA run came in the 2015-16 season, finishing second overall.

SCOUTING THE GUSTIES

The Gusties, ranked No. 2 in this week's USCHO.com poll, enter today's title game after defeating Saint Mary's 2-0 in the MIAC Playoff Championship last Saturday. GAC has won its last eight games heading into the national tournament. As a team, the Gusties average 3.31 goals and 33.6 shots per game, while allowing just 0.88 goals against and an average of 16.7 shots from the opposition per game this season. 

The Gusties boast 20 NCAA top-15 statistics, including the most team shutouts (11), the best faceoff winning percentage (63.5 percent), and the second-best scoring defense (0.90 goals against). McCoy is the nation's leader in shutouts (nine), while Sophia Coltvet is second in the country with seven power play goals. 

The Gusties have allowed only one goal in their last five games. McCoy added her ninth shutout of the season last Saturday, and prior to Bethel's goal on Feb. 24's MIAC semifinal, McCoy and Maya Marston hadn't allowed a goal in the Gustie net for over 200 minutes of play. Hailey Holland and Brooke Power have handled much of the point production this season, with Holland posting 29 on 18 goals and 11 assists and Power adding 25 on 13 goals and 12 assists. 

The Gusties have spread the wealth in their scoring as of late, with eight of their last 12 goals coming from different players. The Holland sisters and Sophia Coltvet have led the offensive charge in the Gusties' last four games, with Hailey owning three goals and Kaitlyn and Coltvet two apiece.

THE MIAC'S BEST

The Gusties earned 11 MIAC postseason honors when the conference announced its awards earlier in the week. Five players earned All-Conference honors, as Hailey Holland, Molly McHugh, Brooke Power, Sophia Coltvet, and Katie McCoy earned the recognition. Holland was also named MIAC Offensive Player of the Year and All-Playoff. She is the 24th player in conference history to receive All-MIAC distinction in all four of her seasons. Honors for Power and McHugh were their third, while McCoy picked up her second and Coltvet her first. Kylie Ligday was named MIAC Honorable Mention, while Kylie Scott and McCoy were also named to the All-Playoff game. For the ninth time in his career, Mike Carroll was voted by his peers as the Coach of the Year. 

ALL HAIL HOLLAND

Hailey Holland earned her second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year honor, after once again leading the Gusties and the conference in scoring. Holland is one point away from her third 30-point season, with 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points. Holland scored 24 of those points in conference contests, with 14 goals and 10 helpers in league games. The fifth-year led the league in goals, points, hat tricks, and plus/minus. Her 10 assists were third in the conference, behind teammates McHugh and Lily Mortenson, while her two short-handed goals ranked second in the MIAC and ninth in the country. Holland's 140 career points rank third in program history, and she is four behind Hall of Famer Sarah Garrison Moe (1998-99, 2000-02) in second. Holland picked up the team's 12th MIAC Player of the Year Award, and is the first player since Andrea Peterson (2003-07) to earn a POTY honor in more than one season.

Holland has a point in all four of her last five games, scoring four goals and three helpers in that time. The Aberdeen, S.D. native has five goals and seven assists all-time against the Falcons. She has four goals and five assists in eight NCAA games played in her career. 

ONE OF ONE

One season removed from her first All-America honor, Katie McCoy has continued to impress during her fifth season, setting multiple program, MIAC, and NCAA all-time records. After a 1-0 win against St. Catherine on Jan. 27, McCoy became the all-time leader in career shutouts at the NCAA Division III level with 32 to her name. She has added two more since then, and is the active career leader in the stat in all levels and genders of NCAA hockey. A couple weeks later, McCoy and the Gusties claimed their 19th MIAC Regular Season Championship with a 6-0 win over Concordia, marking the Grafton, Wis. native's 78th career win, now the most in NCAA Division III women's hockey history. McCoy owns an impressive career record of 82-13-3, with a 0.988 goals against average, 1,512 saves, and a 0.940 save percentage. More shutouts for the Gustie defense and McCoy could help her clinch two remaining MIAC records – career save percentage – 0.943 set by Saint Mary's Nitara Frost from 1999-2003 – and career goals against average, a mark of 0.76 once again set by Frost. 

STAR POWER

Brooke Power has been second in point production for the Gusties as Holland's linemate. Power has 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 26 games, with four power play tallies, one on the PK, and five game-winners. The senior has five points in her last six games, and has dominated in the faceoff circle this season, posting 316 wins (7th/NCAA) on 451 draws for a mark of 70.1 percent. With a power play goal against Aurora on Dec. 8, Power became the MIAC's all-time leader in career power play goals with 19, passing St. Thomas/Hamline's Leah Schwartzman (2015-19). Power has added one more since then for 20 in her four seasons, and has one more year of athletic eligibility left in her career. Power and Holland are each one short-handed goal away from tying the MIAC's record for that statistic as well, each with five on the PK apiece.

GUSTIES' LAST ACTION

For the fourth time in as many years of the tournament, the Gustavus women's hockey team won the MIAC Playoff Championship, emerging victorious in a 2-0 shutout of No. 14 Saint Mary's last Saturday.

Macy Janssen scored what turned out to be the game-winner just seven minutes into the first period. A faceoff win from Lily Mortenson ended up on the stick of Margot Bettman, who rifled a quick shot at SMU goalie Celeste Rimstad. Janssen scooped up the rebound at the half-wall and turned a quick shot around the other way, catching Rimstad off-guard for the opening goal and a 1-0 Gustie lead in the first.

Saint Mary's took the ice in the second period determined to find the equalizer, but were met with Katie McCoy between the pipes every step of the way. The Cardinals put a number of impressive attempts toward McCoy, but the fifth-year All-American stood tall in her crease, saving all 12 shots on frame in the second period. 

Kaitlyn Holland doubled the Gustie lead and dashed any hopes of a Saint Mary's comeback early in the third period, putting Gustavus up by two just 43 seconds after intermission. A pass from Molly McHugh from behind the net found its way to a diving Holland out front, who tapped in the game's second for the eventual 2-0 final. With 2:01 on the clock at the end of the game, a penalty for Holland allowed Saint Mary's to pull Rimstad for a 6-on-4 advantage. Two extra skaters were still no match for the Gusties, who got blocks from Hailey Holland and Sophia Coltvet, as well as a save from McCoy, to end the game in shutout fashion. 

The Gusties were outshot by the Cardinals, 23-17, but thanks to the efforts of McCoy and the Gustie defense, were still able to pick up their 11th team shutout of the season. Brooke Power led the offensive attempts with four pucks on net, followed by three off the stick of Mortenson, who collected her 13th assist of the season in the victory. The Gusties blocked 11 SMU shots, successfully killed off four penalties, and dominated in the faceoff circle with a 71 percent win rate. 

LAST TIME THEY MET – GUSTIES vs. FALCONS

In their third matchup of the season, the No. 2 Gustavus women's hockey team fell to the No. 1 ranked UW-River Falls Falcons, 2-0. The Falcons used a second period surge to power past Gustavus for the third time in the non-conference series between the nation's best. 

Both teams leaned on their goalies in the first period, as neither was able to put the puck past the two experienced netminders. The Gusties had a number of chances, most notably off the sticks of Lily Mortenson and Hailey Holland. 

River Falls' Maddie McCollins was the difference-maker in the second period, scoring the Falcons' first on the power play and assisting the second. McCollins took a back-door feed from Aubrey Nelvin to beat Katie McCoy for the eventual game-winner. MaKenna Aure scored the final goal of the game, gloving down a puck out of the air and sending a floater high over the glove of McCoy with just eight seconds left on the clock in the second period.

The Gusties tried to muster a comeback effort in the third, but missed a couple key rebounds off the pad of Falcon goalie Jordan O'Connor. McCoy finished with 26 saves between the pipes, while O'Connor picked up the shutout with 28 stops. Mortenson and Holland led the Gustie offense with four shots on goal apiece.

FALCONS' LAST ACTION

The top-seeded and No. 1-ranked UW-River Falls women's hockey team, in front of over 1,000 fans at Hunt Arena, won 2-1 in overtime over No. 2 seed and No. 6-ranked UW-Eau Claire Saturday afternoon in the WIAC O'Brien Cup Tournament Championship game.

Not only did UWRF extend its program record win streak with its fifth consecutive WIAC Tournament title and ninth O'Brien Cup in program history, the Falcons' 28th win breaks a UWRF record for wins in a season.

The Falcons rallied from a one-goal deficit to force overtime, and Kenzie Dunn scored the game-winner six minutes into the OT period. After a pair of scoreless and high-paced first two periods, UWEC broke the shutout just over three minutes into the third period as Ellie Anderson gave the Blugolds a 1-0 lead.

UWRF totaled 22 shots on goal through the first two periods and while 22 totaled blocked shots by the Blugolds held the Falcons off the board. Maddie McCollins had an answer though, scoring near the midway point of the third period off a pass from Aubrey Nelvin to the tie the game at 1-1 and eventually force overtime. The final shot count was 38-20 in favor of UWRF, with faceoffs deadlocked at 25-25. Jordan O'Connor made 19 saves to earn the win in net.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

River Falls advanced to the national tourney after earning one of the NCAA's four at-large bids to the tournament, as the WIAC does not receive an automatic bid. The Falcons recently earned the program's fifth consecutive WIAC Playoff Championship, defeating UW-Eau Claire in overtime 2-1 last Saturday. The NCAA appearance is the 15th for the Falcons.

The Falcons rank first in the country in both the USCHO.com Coaches' Poll and the NCAA Pairwise rankings. UWRF has proved to be one of the best teams statistically as well, ranking first in the country in eight different categories. River Falls is first in assists (243), goals (151), power play goals (31), power play percentage (0.348), scoring margin (4.43), scoring offense (5.39), team points (394), and winning percentage (1.000). They are the only team in the country without a loss to their name. 

Maddie McCollins, a native of Maple Grove, Minn., leads the team and the country in points with 62 this season. McCollins has put forth a consistent offensive effort, scoring 32 goals and 30 assists, registering a point in all but three of the Falcons' 28 games. Behind McCollins is Megan Goodreau with 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points, while Alex Hantge has 41 on 14 goals and 27 helpers. Between the pipes, Jordan O'Connor has seen the most time in net, playing in 20 games, averaging 1.06 goals against with a 0.944 save percentage. 

THE WIAC'S BEST

The Falcons earned 12 WIAC postseason honors when the conference announced its awards earlier in the week. Much like the Gusties, five players earned All-Conference honors, as MaKenna Aure, Megan Goodreau, Alex Hantge, Maddie McCollins, and Jordan O'Connor earned the recognition. And, much like Hailey Holland, McCollins was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row. Holly Eckers, Aubrey Nelvin, and Kaitlin Ronn all earned WIAC Honorable Mention Honors, while Braelyn Sathers was named to the league's All-Sportsmanship Team. The nine combined Falcons on the First Team and Honorable Mention list is the most in UWRF All-Conference history. For the ninth time in his career, Joe Cranston was voted by his peers as the Coach of the Year. 

MADDIE McSCORIN'

Maddie McCollins has certainly made her campaign for Division III Player of the Year this season, handedly leading the nation in scoring. McCollins became UWRF's all-time leader in games played this season, owns the UWRF single-season goal scoring record, is currently tied for the second-most WIAC goals in a season, and was the WIAC Player of the Week three times this season. She follows her former teammate Callie Hoff (2021-22) as the second Falcon in program history to win back-to-back conference Player of the Year honors. McCollins ranks first in the nation in five different statistics. The fifth-year leads Division III in faceoff wins (419), goals per game (1.14), assists per game (1.07), points per game (2.21), and power play goals (eight).