Whitecaps Ready to Host Riveters for Girls Hockey Weekend in Minnesota
December 11, 2019 - Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)
Minnesota Whitecaps News Release
On Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:00 p.m. CT the Minnesota Whitecaps and the Metropolitan Riveters will write the next chapter of their rivalry together. After Saturday night's game, the Whitecaps will again host the Riveters on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CT. That means we'll see two teams that went to overtime the last time they played each other face off twice in less than 24 hours.
It's also important to note that this weekend is the 4th annual Girls Hockey Weekend in Minnesota. Together with the Minnesota Wild, Freschetta Pizza, Minnesota Hockey, USA Hockey, and the WCHA, the Whitecaps will be hosting clinics for girls on Friday and Saturday. You can buy tickets to both of this weekend's games at whitecaps.nwhl.zone/tickets. Saturday's game will be streamed on twitch.tv/nwhl and Sunday's matinee rematch will be live on twitch.tv/nwhl2.
State of Hockey
For the Whitecaps, this weekend series provides an opportunity to catch the Buffalo Beauts in the standings for second place behind the Boston Pride. Thus far, Minnesota is 4-3-1 with two games in hand over Buffalo. Securing home ice advantage for the postseason will be a priority for the Whitecaps after they won the Isobel Cup on home ice last year.
This season, the Whitecaps have been led by what has become the second-most feared offense in the league. Minnesota has three lines that can score and a few dangerous blueliners including Amanda Boulier and Sydney Baldwin.
Thus far, the Whitecaps have been at their most dangerous on the power play, but they also have a +2 goal differential at even strength through the first eight games of the season. Minnesota is at its best when they enter the offensive zone with speed to generate scoring chances and to draw penalties.
Road Warriors
Saturday's game at TRIA will already be the Riveters' eighth game on the road. Following this much-anticipated weekend series against the Whitecaps, the Riveters will be on the road again for the Buffalo Believes Classic on Saturday, Dec. 27. Head coach Ivo Mocek's team wants to enter that historic game with some momentum. The team's 3-2 over the Connecticut Whale last Sunday was a step in the right direction.
Thus far this season, the Riveters have been either blown out in a loss or very much in the game; five of their nine games have been decided by two goals or less. The last time the Riveters and Whitecaps met for a weekend series, the Riveters suffered their worst loss of the season in a 9-2 rout on Oct. 12 before earning their first win of the season the very next day.
Against a fast team like Minnesota, the Riveters can ill-afford to have miscues in the neutral and defensive zones and they will need to stay out of the box. Mocek's team has averaged six penalties a game thus far this season. That is not a stat that you want to league the lead in when you're about to play a team that has a 31.25 percent success rate on the power play.
Players to Watch
Former Riveter and current Whitecap Audra Richards is due for a big game. Richards has had a solid start to her second NWHL season with a goal and two assists in eight games, but we know she is capable of much more. Richards scored eight goals in 16 GP with the Riveters as a rookie last season. ÃÂ after scoring eight goals in 16 GP in her rookie season with Metro. She's averaging 3.35 SOG/GP this season playing in more of a depth role with Minnesota, so more goals are on the way.
Speaking of Riveters rookies scoring goals, Kendall Cornine has started her first season of NWHL hockey with a bang. The RIT alumna has scored nine goals in nine games for the Riveters - including back-to-back two-goal games last weekend - and is second in the league in goal scoring behind only McKenna Brand. Cornine is tied for second on the Riveters in points (10) and is also second on the team in SOG (43). The Whitecaps will want to challenge her every time she has the puck on her stick this weekend.
Premier Hockey Federation Stories from December 11, 2019
- Labatt Blue Named Title Sponsor of the NWHL Buffalo Believes Classic Outdoor Game - Buffalo Beauts
- Whitecaps Ready to Host Riveters for Girls Hockey Weekend in Minnesota - Minnesota Whitecaps
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