Last year, the crowd at Thompson Arena chanted "overrated" as then-number four Dartmouth toppled then-number three Minnesota by a 6-3 score. This year, the stakes will be even higher.
The two-game series will be a clash of the top two teams in the nation as number one Big Green travels to Ridder Arena in Minneapolis to face the Gophers. Neither team has been ranked below number three all season, but Dartmouth trailed Minnesota in votes until two weeks ago when a Big Green victory coupled with a Gopher loss swapped the two teams in the polls.
The teams are virtually identical in most statistical categories. Dartmouth (16-1-2) leads the nation in scoring with 4.95 goals per game while Minnesota (19-2-1) ranks third with 4.59 goals per contest. Both team's leading scorers are sophomores -- Krissy Wendell (19 g, 25 a) for Minnesota and Tiffany Hagge '06 (14 g, 16 a) for Dartmouth. The two teams even have similar roster-shakeups to deal with, as both squads will be missing two top players for this weekend's games.
Minnesota will be without Olympians Natalie Darwitz and Lyndsay Wall. Darwitz injured her elbow two weeks ago, and Wall is ineligible for the rest of the year for academic reasons. Dartmouth will play without Katie Weatherston '06 and team co-captain Meagan Walton '05, who are both in Germany competing for the Canadian U-22 squad.
Even without top players, both teams are still dangerous and explosive. Minnesota easily handled Bemidji State last weekend, and Dartmouth has played to a 9-0-2 record since later November while dealing with injuries and roster shifts.
"It's been hard to play with new lines every week," said Sarah Clark '04, one of three Big Green co-captains. "But we have three solid lines, and anyone can step in and pick up the scoring."
If last weekend was any indication, Dartmouth outscored Union 7-0 and 11-0 while allowing only 22 shots in two contests. Immediately after returning to campus, the team launched into a week of intense practice in preparation for Minnesota.
"Practice was spotty this week," said head coach Mark Hudak. "I think with midterms this week and ongoing line-shifts, the players find it difficult to get into rhythm. However, there were great moments in practice, and I think we will be ready to play this weekend."
Once in Minnesota, the Big Green will have the unenviable task of dealing with Wendell, the nation's leading scorer. She has taken over the scoring for the Gophers in the absence of Darwitz and Wall, registering 15 points in only six games. Her speed and explosiveness are only a part of a very dangerous Minnesota team.
"They will use [Wendell] a lot, and we just have to make sure that we have the right player on ice to play against her," said Hudak. "Minnesota transitions well. They're very quick and disciplined. It should be a great series."
The teams will lock horns on Saturday afternoon and clash again on Sunday for an encore. The games will carry significant Frozen Four implications, as the winner of the weekend series will likely gain unanimous consent for the top team in the country.
"I think we can expect great games whenever the top teams in the country go against each other," said Clark. "And I think we are ready for two wins."
