Feb. 1, 2008

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WSU HEADS TO NIAGARA: The Wayne State University women's hockey team continues CHA conference play this weekend at Niagara. NU leads the all-time series with a 16-9-0 record. WSU won the last meeting between the two schools, 3-2, Mar. 2, 2007 in the semifinals of the CHA Tournament. The Warriors enter the contest with a 7-3-0 (2-0-0 CHA) road record this season.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES: Niagara enters the series with a 6-14-4 overall record and 0-2-0 mark in conference play. Last weekend, the Colonials dropped a pair of non-conference games to Ohio State 4-0 and 4-3 (Jan. 25-26). Niagara's offense is led by junior and second-team All CHA forward Ashley Riggs with 23 points (17 goals, six assists). Riggs also has earned league player of the week honors twice this season. In addition, three other players have double-digit point totals. Defensively, senior Shannon Moulson anchors the blueline leading all defenseman with 14 points (three goals, 11 assists)..

SEASON-HIGH STREAK: WSU opened league play with a series sweep at Robert Morris (Jan. 25-26). With the pair of wins, the team tied the school record for consecutive victories with six set during the 2004-05 season from Jan. 29-Feb.19. The wins also set a WSU record for the longest unbeaten streak at seven games (6-0-1).

RINK REWIND: Last weekend, WSU downed conference rival Robert Morris outscoring the Colonials 12-5 over two games. In Friday's 6-1 win, Junior Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) recorded four assists setting a school record for assists in a season while tying the record for most in a game. Junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) added two goals (including the game-winner) and three assists for a total of five points to earn No. 1 star of the game while sophomore Chelsea Burnett (Ridgeway, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) also notched her first goal of the season. During the series finale, Boal recorded her fourth hat-trick of the season to lead WSU to a 6-4 victory.

WARRIORS EARN POW HONORS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK: Boal and Burnett were named College Hockey America (CHA) Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week respectively marking first time Burnett has won the award this season and fourth consecutive week a WSU women's hockey player has received league honors. Boal recorded nine points on five goals and four assists in Wayne State's two victories. She had two goals, including the game-winner, and three assists in Friday's win at Robert Morris. On Saturday, she scored three times (short-handed, power play and game-winner) along with an assist on the goal which put WSU ahead 3-2. Boal finished the weekend with a +7 plus/minus rating. Burnett was +2 (plus/minus rating) on the weekend and was on the ice for only one RMU goal against. Offensively she contributed a power-play goal on Friday and assisted on WSU's fourth goal on Saturday in a 6-4 win.

LENDING A HELPING HAND: DiPietro recorded six assists in the series at Robert Morris (Jan. 25-26) to set the school record for assists in a season (36) eclipsing her own mark of 30 set during the 2006-07 campaign.

PILING UP THE PERIOD POINTS: Boal (five goals, four assists) and DiPietro (three goals, six assists) both tied the school record for points in a series with nine at Robert Morris (Jan. 25-26). KING NAMED FINALIST FOR HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Senior captain Ashley King (Winnipeg, Manitoba) was named one of a record eight finalists from 22 NCAA college hockey players nominated for the 2008 Hockey Humanitarian Award. Presented by BNY Mellon Wealth Management, the award is presented to college hockey's finest citizen.

FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: DiPietro has tallied four assists twice this season, at Robert Morris (Jan. 25) and at Cornell (Oct. 26), tying the school record for most assists in a game. Burnett also accomplished the feat with a career-high four assists in WSU's 6-2 win over Quinnipiac (Jan. 18) but also set the school mark for most assists in a period.

TURCOTTE HOT BETWEEN THE PIPES: Senior Valery Turcotte (Jonquiere, Quebec/Royal Metabetchouan) has a 6-0-1 mark over the last seven games with 145 saves, 2.12 goal-against average and one shutout. Turcotte also ranks 12th in the country with a .679 overall winning percentage.

WARRIOR FRONT LINE AMONG NATION'S BEST: Members of WSU's top scoring line are ranked near the top in many national offensive categories. Boal ranks first on the team accumulating 51 points (29 goals, 22 assists) and leads the nation in points-per-game (2.43, 51 total), is second in goals-per-game (1.38, 29 total) and short-handed goals (.14, three total). She also ranks fourth in power-play goals (.38 ppg, eight total), sixth in assists per game (1.05, 22 total) and seventh in game-winning goals (five total). Junior Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) is second on the team with 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists). She ranks second nationally in game-winning goals (8 total), third in goals-per-game (1.09, 24 total), fourth in points-per-game (2.18, 48 total), fifth in assists-per-game (1.09, 24 total) and seventh in power-play goals (.32, seven total). DiPietro leads the country in assists-per-game (1.64, 36 total) and is third in points-per-game (2.18, 48 total). She is also second on the team with 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists). Defensively, Burnett ranks 16th nationally in points-per-game for defenseman (.59, 13 total).

RUTLEDGE RETURNS: Prior to the season, Allison Rutledge was named assistant coach of the Wayne State women's hockey team by head coach Jim Fetter. Rutledge, a former standout goaltender at Niagara University, brings a wealth of experience to the Warriors. During her career at Niagara, Rutledge was a four-year letterwinner, two-time team captain and finished as the program's all-time leader in saves with 3,405 which ranks second in NCAA history. She also earned CHA All-Academic honors three times. As a senior, she was named Second Team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). She also was a CHA First Team selection and named CHA Student-Athlete of the Year. During her junior campaign in 2005-06, Rutledge set the single-season Niagara save record with 1,103 and was named to the CHA First Team and All-Tournament Team. Rutledge also made the CHA All-Rookie team as a freshman in 2003-04.

HIGH POWERED OFFENSE: The Warriors are first in the conference and second in the country in scoring offense with 90 goals (4.09 g/gm).

POWER UP: WSU's power-play ranks ninth nationally with 27 goals in 132 chances (20.5%).

TIP YOUR HAT: With Boal, Poyton and Bowers' combined six hat tricks this season, the team set the all-time single season record for hat tricks eclipsing the old mark of two.

FOUR OR MORE: WSU holds a perfect 14-0-0 record when scoring four or more goals in a game.