Feb. 28, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

WARRIORS HOST NIAGARA: The Wayne State University women's hockey team will host Niagara in a two-game set this weekend. WSU trails the all-time series with an 11-16-0 record. Earlier this season, the Warriors defeated the Purple Eagles, 4-0 and 4-3, (Feb. 2-3). WSU enters the contest with a 9-5-2 home record this season. With two wins, the Warriors will lock up the No. 1 seed in the post-season tournament and finish no worse than co-CHA regular season champions.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES: Niagara enters the series with a 9-19-4 overall record and 3-7-0 mark in conference play. Last weekend, the Purple Eagles swept a pair of conference games against Robert Morris 2-1 and 4-1 (Feb. 22-23). Niagara's offense is led by junior and second-team All CHA forward Ashley Riggs with 30 points (20 goals, 10 assists). Riggs also has earned league player of the week honors twice this season. In addition, six other players have double-digit point totals. Defensively, senior Shannon Moulson anchors the blueline leading all defenseman with 16 points (three goals, 13 assists).

SENIOR SEND OFF: Saturday's regular season finale will be the last home game for seniors Jenny Cameron (Copper City, Fla./North American Hockey Academy), Ashley King (Winnipeg, Man./River East Lightning), Tiffany Thompson (Dryden, Ont./Thunder Bay Queens), Valery Turcotte (Jonquiere, Quebec/Royal Metabetchouan) and Danielle Wilson (Gravehurst, Ont./Ottawa Raiders). The Wayne State women's hockey team would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the program.

BOAL NAMED KAZMAIER AWARD FINALIST: Junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) was named as one of the top-10 finalists for the 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award by the USA Hockey Foundation. Boal becomes the first women's hockey player in school history to be named as a Kazmaier finalist. In its 11th year, the award recognizes the accomplishments of the most outstanding player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey each season.

WSU RANKED 10TH IN NATIONAL POLL: WSU is currently ranked #10 in USA Today/USA American Hockey poll for the second time this season and received votes in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll.

FOLLOW WSU HOCKEY ON TEAMLINE: The two remaining WSU home women's hockey games can be heard via Teamline for free. You can access Teamline at http://www.teamline.cc/teampage?teamcode=4820 in order to listen live to the audio webcast. This weekend's games will feature play-by-play by Tom Balog who has been voice of the Warriors for three years.

RINK REWIND: Last weekend, WSU moved into a first place tie atop the conference standings splitting a two-game set with visiting #7 Mercyhurst. In Friday's 4-1 setback (Feb. 22), the Lakers' defense held the high-power Warrior offense to just one goal and 1-for-9 power-play mark. On Saturday, Wayne State rallied from a two-goal third period deficit for a 3-2 overtime victory (Feb. 23). Junior Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) once again was the hero scoring her nation's best 12th game-winning goal at the 2:02 mark. The victory gave the Warriors the season series over the Lakers for the first time in school history.

POYTON NAMED OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For fifth time this season, Poyton has been named College Hockey America (CHA) Offensive Player of the Week. She recorded four points on three goals and an assist as the Warriors split with #7 Mercyhurst. She also scored WSU's lone goal on Friday. In Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory, Poyton's first goal cut the Laker lead to 2-1. Her power-play assist helped knot the game at two, then she scored the game-winner in overtime marking the first time in school history the Warriors have won the season series over Mercyhurst. Poyton finished the series with a (+/-) rating of +1.

16 AND COUNTING: Junior Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) is currently riding a school record 16-game point streak and recorded two assists last weekend to reach the career century mark.

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 is tied for first on the team with 63 points (31 goals, 32 assists) and leads the nation in points-per-game (2.25, 63 total), is third in goals-per-game (1.11, 31 total), assists-per-game (1.14, 32 total) and short-handed goals per game (.11, three total). She also ranks sixth in power-play goals (.32 ppg, nine total) and 12th in game-winning goals (five total). Poyton is also tied for first on the team with 63 points (35 goals, 28 assists). She leads the nation in game-winning goals (12), ranks second in goals-per-game (1.17, 35 total) third in points-per-game (2.10, 63 total), sixth in assists-per-game (.93, 28 total) and seventh in power-play goals per game (.30, eight total). DiPietro is second on the team with 61 points (16 goals, 45 assists). She leads the country in assists-per-game (1.50, 45 total), ranks fourth in points-per-game (2.03, 61 total), eighth in short handed goals (.07, two total) and 26th in goals-per game (.53, 16 total). Sophomore Chelsea Burnett (Ridgeway, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) ranks 22nd nationally in points-per-game for defenseman (.57, 17 total).

TEAM HITS NATIONAL MARKS: As a team, WSU ranks fifth nationally in scoring offense (3.73 g/gm), 10th in winning percentage (69.6), 12th in scoring margin (.87) and 15th in power-play percentage (17.9).

TURCOTTE HOT BETWEEN THE PIPES: Turcotte has a 11-2-2 mark over the last 16 games with 378 saves, 2.10 goal-against average, .922 save percentage and two shutouts. Turcotte also ranks 11th in the country with a .682 overall winning percentage. She set a career-high with an 11-game win streak (Jan. 5-Feb. 15).

BOAL IMPROVES CAREER SCORING STREAK: Boal has a career-high 15-game scoring streak which eclipsed her old mark of 10 set earlier this season (Oct. 19-Nov. 17, 2007). That streak ended prematurely as she was forced to leave the first game of the Colgate series (Nov. 23) due to injury before recording a point.