GAME NOTES  |  LIVE AUDIO

GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University women's hockey team (5-7-0) will host Minnesota State University (6-7-1) on Thanksgiving weekend at the City Sports Center. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday and 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. Wayne State will also be sponsoring a toy drive, offering free admission to fans who bring a new toy to donate to the DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan.

Both the Warriors and Mavericks were swept in their respective series last weekend. Wayne State lost a pair of home games to conference rival Mercyhurst College (7-1, 5-2), while MSU had its four-game winning streak snapped by the University of Minnesota (1-0, 6-2).

This weekend is Wayne State's final home series of the 2010 calendar year. The Warriors head on the road next week to take on College Hockey America foe Syracuse, and will close out 2010 with a Dec. 30-31 series at Ohio State.


BEHIND THE BENCH
Jim Fetter is 114-109-22 in his eighth season at the helm of the WSU women's hockey program. He is a three-time College Hockey America (CHA) Coach of the Year and was named Women's Division I Coach of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association in 2008.

Minnesota State head coach Eric Means has a career record of 13-29-6 in his second season. He previously spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach on the MSU men's hockey staff.


THROUGH THE YEARS
Wayne State trails Minnesota State, 2-10-0, in the all-time series dating back to WSU's inaugural 1999-2000 season. The teams have not met since Nov. 10-11, 2006, splitting a series in Detroit.


IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was predicted to finish in fifth place by the CHA head coaches in the 2010-11 preseason poll. Minnesota State was picked eighth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association preseason coaches' poll.


SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE
After finishing 7-22-5 in Means' first year at the helm, the Mavericks are already just one win shy of matching last season's total. Minnesota State averaged 4.25 goals per game during its recent four-game winning streak, sweeping St. Cloud State at home and Ohio State on the road. After playing six straight WCHA opponents, the Mavericks will play a non-conference series for the first time since opening the season against Niagara.

Freshman forward Kathleen Rogan leads MSU with 15 points on eight goals and seven assists. She ranks seventh nationally among rookies in points per game (1.07). Senior Nina Tikkinen has 11 points including five goals.

Sharing time between the pipes are junior Alli Altmann (3-5-1, 2.99 GAA, .898 SV%) and freshman Danielle Butters (3-2-0, 3.52, .897).

Opportunities for Wayne State may be prevalent on special teams, as Minnesota State's power-play unit is operating at just 15 percent (6-40) this season. The Mavericks are tied with Robert Morris for the fourth-lowest penalty kill percentage (75.0) in the nation.


LAST TIME OUT
On Skate for the Cure Night, Wayne State took to its home ice at the City Sports Center for the first time since Oct. 2 but fell, 7-1, to fourth-ranked Mercyhurst on Friday. After a scoreless first period, the Lakers broke it open with a five-minute barrage midway through the second. Mercyhurst tacked on four more in the third to defeat Wayne State for the 11th consecutive time.

Laker forward Meghan Agosta had a hat trick as part of a four-point performance. Jess Jones contributed two goals and three assists, and Kelley Steadman scored a goal and had a helper.

Senior Adrianna Pfeffer scored the lone WSU goal, her first of the season, late in the second period with assists from Veronique Laramee-Paquette and Gina Buquet.

Wayne State held the edge in shots on goal, 10-6, after 20 minutes of play, but the Lakers out-shot the Warriors, 28-11, over the final two periods. Delayne Brian and Hillary Pattenden finished with 27 and 20 saves, respectively.

On Saturday afternoon, the Warriors surrendered four third-period goals in a 5-2 loss to the Lakers. Wayne State led 1-0 at the first intermission and 2-1 after 40 minutes of play, but a flurry of offense in the third period by Mercyhurst voided the potential for a split series.

Pamela Zgoda's first goal of the year at 6:47 of the third period was the game-winner, as Mercyhurst claimed its 12th straight victory over Wayne State.

Laramee-Paquette gave WSU a 1-0 lead 9:37 into the game, scoring on a 5-on-3 power play with assists from Cari Coen and Jill Szandzik. After Jones tied it up at 15:21 in the second, a goal by Buquet from Alyssa Baldin and Laramee-Paquette put the Warriors back in the lead.

The third period was all Mercyhurst, as the visitors racked up a 17-2 advantage in shots and scored four times including two power-play goals.

The final shot tally favored Mercyhurst, 45-20. Brian matched her season-high with 40 saves.


WSU VS. WCHA
Entering this weekend's series, Wayne State has a 13-41-5 record all-time against WCHA opponents. Minnesota State is the fourth team from the WCHA that Wayne State will face in 2010-11. The Warriors split a home series (0-3, 4-2) to open the season Oct. 1-2 against Bemidji State, shut out St. Cloud State on the road, 3-0, on Oct. 8, and lost a narrow 1-0 result at Minnesota the following day.
Wayne State is 5-5-2 versus WCHA squads over the last three seasons.


WARRIORS MOVING UP RANKS
With her assist Saturday, Baldin claimed sole possession of ninth place all-time in points (48), surpassing Emily McGrath-Agg (2002-05) and Tina Vanderhoeven (2005-09). Baldin also moved into a tie for seventh in career CHA points (21) with Laura Monk (2004-07) and Katrina Protopapas (2006-10).

Szandzik, who also had an assist Saturday, passed Katie Jones (2000-04) for eighth place on the career assists list (32) and took over 10th place from Vanderhoeven in CHA points (17). Szandzik is also tied for seventh with Monk and Laramee-Paquette in CHA assists (13).

Laramee-Paquette, who ranks ninth all-time in career power-play goals (7), gained sole possession of sixth place in career CHA goals (9), passing Monk and Jessica Haydahl (2002-06). She is also tied for fifth with Kelly Zamora (2001-05) in CHA points (22).

SKATE FOR THE CURE
Last weekend Wayne State hosted the sixth annual Skate for the Cure event, supporting the CHA's league-wide initiative to fight breast cancer. In anticipation of the event, the Warriors engaged in several fundraising activities this fall.

Hockey student-athletes sold t-shirts, pink pucks, cupcakes and ribbons in the days leading up to Skate for the Cure. They were also present at home football and volleyball games this fall to continue their fundraising efforts.

Proceeds from the Skate for the Cure campaign will go to benefit the American Cancer Society. A collective fundraising total from all five College Hockey America teams will be presented the weekend of the CHA Tournament in Syracuse.


CONFERENCE KUDOS
Baldin and Brian were selected as the Player and Goaltender of the Week, respectively, by College Hockey America after WSU's split series at Robert Morris two weeks ago.

Baldin's hat trick in the series finale against the Colonials was the first by a Warrior since Melissa Boal lit the lamp four times against RMU on Jan. 17, 2009. She scored the game-winner early in the second period and added two tallies in the third.

Brian totaled 59 saves on the weekend as WSU wrapped up its eight-game road trip. She made 38 saves and allowed just two power-play goals in the series opener, and stopped 21 of 22 shots the next day.

Brian has collected four CHA Goaltender of the Week awards this season. She was also named Goaltender of the Month for October.

LOOKING AHEAD
Wayne State will travel to Syracuse next weekend (Dec. 3-4) and, following exams and holidays, will close out the calendar year Dec. 30-31 at Ohio State. The Warriors have three consecutive home series in January, beginning Jan. 14-15 against Niagara.