After a closely contested series of games against the University of Minnesota Gophers, the Minnesota women's hockey team travels to Duluth this weekend to take on the No. 7-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.
The Mavericks faced Duluth earlier in the season, but have suffered two losses, and are looking to turn their fortunes around away from home.
The Mavericks have been in a slump lately, losing their last five games to conference teams.
After their blowout to the Gophers, the Mavs' overall season record fell to 10-17-0. They now sit with a 4-16-0 record in the conference, which places them in sixth place in the WCHA standings.
The Bulldogs currently have a 13-11-2 overall record, and a 10-10-0 record in the conference, which places them in fifth place in the WCHA standings.
The Mavericks had a tough game against the Gophers, with the score telling the story both times. The Mavericks failed to get over the hump in either game.
The Bulldogs also fell into a slump heading into the final stretch of the season, losing their final four games.
The Bulldogs have won six of their last seven games against the Mavericks, and own a 7-6-1 home win record. It's safe to say that the Bulldogs will feel confident going into this matchup with the Mavs, as they have a 5-8-0 record on the road this season.
Mannon McMahon and Reece Hunt will be the players the Bulldogs look forward to, with both players leading the team in points. McMahon has 22 points this season, while Hunt is not far behind with 21 points.
The Mavs will look to turn their fortunes around and be more effective than they have been in their recent games.
“We continue to make great strides in playing fully competitive games against the best teams in the country,” coach John Harrington said in a press conference posted on the Mavericks' sports page after Saturday's game. “We need to continue to give ourselves a chance in the third period by creating chances while looking to continue to capitalize on our opponents' mistakes.”
The Mavs will look to Sidney Langseth, Whitney Tuttle and Jimmy Nelson, as the three combined for a total of 71 points on the season.
It looks like it could be a very interesting and contested encounter between the two rivals, with both looking to end their losing streak and finish the season strong.
The Mavs will look to get their first win over Duluth since February 2022, while the Bulldogs will look to win their third straight game against the Mavs.
This weekend's games will be played in Duluth at AMSOIL Arena at 6pm on Friday and 2pm on Saturday.
Banner Image: The Minnesota State women's hockey team's games against the University of Minnesota Duluth will be played at AMSOIL Arena on Friday and Saturday. (Courtesy Maverick Athletics)
Write to Ahmed Hassan at [email protected]
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