Conference play is in full swing this weekend out west. St. Scholastica and St. Olaf battle in a key MIAC series while UW-Stevens Point takes aim at maintaining its lead at the top of the WIAC standings as it faces off against UW-River Falls.
Adrian and St. Norbert both go into their respective matchups as favorites.
Check out the picks for this week below.
Friday and Saturday
St. Scholastica (8-5-2, 5-0-1) vs. St. Olaf (11-5-1, 5-3)
It’s a battle between two of the top teams in the MIAC. The Saints and Oles are tied for second with 16 points apiece, which means this series is a big deal for both teams.
The Saints have two of the top three scorers in the league Arkhip Ledenkov and Nathan Adrian. The two have scored 13 and 10 goals,respectively. The Oles, of course, have been led by Tyler Cooper, who has come through with 10 goals. This should e one of the more entertaining series of the weekend.
St. Olaf, 5-4; St. Scholastica, 4-3
Concordia (5-9-1, 2-4) vs. Bethel (9-7-1, 4-3-1)
The Cobbers are in dire need of a win after dropping their last five games. They also need to have success against Bethel to keep hope alive for a conference tourney berth. The Royals have a chance to gain significant ground in the stands, sitting just two points back of the Saints and Oles. Based on how this season has gone, a split seems likely.
Bethel, 5-2; Concordia, 4-3
Augsburg (8-6-1, 4-2) vs. Gustavus (2-13-2, 0-7-1)
The Auggies hope to pick up a couple of wins this weekend against the Gusties and begin their climb back towards the top of the conference standings. The Gusties have dropped their last five and have managed only eight goals in that time. The No. 15 Auggies, even with their position in the standings, have an offense that can dominate when clicking on all cylinders.
Augsburg, 5-2 and 4-1
Saturday
Saint John’s (10-6-2, 6-2-1) at Hamline (8-7-1, 1-6)
The Johnnies won Thursday’s game over the Pipers by a 6-3 score and widen their lead in the MIAC standings. Saint John’s now has a four-point lead over second place St. Scholastica.
The Johnnies can go off at any point in a game, as was the case Thursday when they scored four unanswered to pull away for good. The Pipers showed promise on the power play in the loss, scoring on two of their three opportunities.
Saint John’s, 5-3
UW-Superior (10-6-1, 5-2) at UW-Eau Claire (10-6, 3-3)
The Yellowjackets hope to notch a couple of big road wins this weekend against the Blugolds as WIAC play heats up. UW-Superior ranks third in the conference in goals scored (51) while the Blugolds are fourth (50). Max Gutjahr has been a difference maker in goal for UW-Eau Claire and will be a key to success. The Yellowjackets have depth at goal with Dylan Meilun and Myles Hektor. A defensive series could be on tap.
UW-Superior, 3-2; UW-Eau Claire, 4-3
UW-River Falls (7-9-1, 1-5-1) at UW-Stevens Point (10-3-3, 2-0)
The Falcons have their hands full against the 10th-ranked Pointers. They are just 2-5-1 on the road this season. The two teams last played in December and UW-Stevens Point prevailed 3-1. UW-River Falls has to be able to generate offense early to keep pace with the Pointers, who feature one of the better offenses in the country. They have 56 goals on the year.
UW-Stevens Point, 3-2 and 4-1
Adrian (14-2-1, 8-2) at Lake Forest (6-8-3, 3-5-2)
The Bulldogs come in ranked third in the nation and are tied for the second-best record in the conference. Going on the road, though, is never easy, but the Bulldogs have shown they can thrive away from home, fashioning a 7-0-1 mark. Adrian is one of the hottest teams around, winning nine in a row, and if it plays up to its potential, it will be tough to beat. The Foresters are trying to get back on track after dropping two in a row. They’ve shown they can play top teams tough, tying Aurora twice in a series earlier this season.
Adrian, 5-3 and 5-2
St. Norbert (11-5-1, 8-2) vs. Marian (6-10-1, 3-6-1)
The ninth-ranked Green Knights take on the Sabres in a home-and-home series. St. Norbert has won its last two and has scored 60 goals off 106 assists on the year. Right in the mix for a conference crown, these are two games they Green Knights have to have to keep pace in what continues to be a tightly contested race for the title. Marian will need its best offensive effort of the year to have a shot at the upset.
St. Norbert, 5-1 and 6-2
