complete game notes in .pdf format

Storyline
The Lindenwood women's ice hockey team takes a break from NCAA Division I opponents this week with two games against teams at the NCAA Division III level. The Lady Lions travel to St. Cloud, Minn. where they will face Saint Benedict on Friday and St. Catherine on Saturday.

The Lady Lions are still in search of their first win over a NCAA program. In its first season facing a NCAA schedule, Lindenwood has played 10 games against NCAA Division I schools, including four versus ranked programs. Its most recent series was at home against Mercyhurst, and the Lakers won by scores of 7-0 and 14-1.

Saint Benedict is 1-1 on its season and St. Catherine has not played an official game yet this year. Both teams are a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Last Time Out
Lindenwood was swept by Mercyhurst last weekend in the first series of the year at the LU Ice Arena.

In game one, the Lady Lions had a strong first period and were down just 1-0 against the No. 8 team in the country. Lindenwood got in penalty trouble the rest of the game and allowed six goals in the final two periods.

In the second game, Mercyhurst stole the momentum late in the first period and scored 12 unanswered goals in the final 43 minutes of the game. Five of those goals were on the power play.

Leading Scorer
Alison Wickenheiser is the team's top offensive threat. She leads the team with four goals and seven points, and is tied for first with three assists. She has scored at least one point in six out of the last eight games, and has had a hand in 58 percent of the team's goals.

Number Two Option
The number two offensive threat has been Alyssa West. She is second on the team with three goals and four points. Last week, she scored the first home goal since Lindenwood moved up to the next level.

Top Defender
Megan Cox is the lone Lindenwood player to play defense for all 10 games this season. She has been a constant as the right defenseman on the first line. Cox leads the team with 11 blocks on the season.

Goalkeeping Numbers
Taylor Fairchild has been in goal for Lindenwood for nearly 567 of the team's 600 minutes. She has faced 573 shots on the season and has made 488 saves. Only one goalie in the NCAA Division I statistical leaders has made more than 250 saves this season. (Providence's Genevieve Lacasse has 251 saves.)

In the first contest against Mercyhurst, Fairchild made 67 saves. If Lindenwood was eligible for the NCAA statistics, that total would be the seventh-most in NCAA I history.

100 Points
Brett Lobreau scored her first point against a NCAA opponent last Saturday with an assist against Mercyhurst. Counting her ACHA statistics, Lindenwood's captain now has 100 points for her career. Fifty of her points have come on goals and fifty on assists.

Lobreau is the top returning player from last year's ACHA squad. She was an ACHA All-American and scored a team-high 29 goals in 2010-11.

Penalty Kill
Lindenwood's penalty kill took a step back last weekend as the Lady Lions allowed goals on 58 percent of the other team's power-play opportunities.

In four games against ranked teams this year, Lindenwood has a 36.4 percent penalty kill. In the other six games, it has killed 73.5 percent of the opponent's power-play opportunities.

Quicker Starts
Lindenwood needs its offense to get off to a quicker start this weekend. The Lady Lions have just two first-period goals in 2011-12, and both were late in the periods.

Vs. NCAA Division III
Lindenwood will be playing a NCAA Division III team for the first time during its transition season to the NCAA level. Over the last four years, the Lady Lions have played exhibition games against Division III programs. The team was 9-4-1 in those contests. Included in that was a 0-0-1 record against St. Catherine, and a 3-1-0 mark versus Saint Benedict.

About the Blazers
Saint Benedict is off to a 1-1-0 start this season. The Blazers defeated Marian 4-2 in their season opener, and then fell 3-0 to St. Norbert's. Saint Benedict finished the 2010-11 season with a 4-16-3 overall record, and was eighth in the conference with a 3-12-3 mark. The squad scored 1.7 goals a contest and allowed just 3.3.

Keri Graske is the top returner player as she recorded 10 points on five goals and five assists. Kelly Fladebo also had five goals and led the team in plus/minus rating. Kaitlyn Rolando is the top returning goalkeeper after having a 3.07 GAA in her freshman season.

Head coach of the Blazers is Jennifer Kranz. She is in her first year at the school.

About the Wildcats
St. Catherine will be playing its first game this Friday against Finlandia, and then taking on Lindenwood on Saturday. The squad is coming off a 11-10-3 season in which it finished sixth in the conference with an 8-7-3 mark.

Kelsey Abrahamson is the top returning scorer with 11 goals last season. Also back is the team's defensive player of the year, Kayla Clafton. Kayla Lange, the backup goalie last year, is the lone returner in net.

Head coach of St. Catherine is Brad Marshall. Marshall is in his seventh season at the school.

Up Next
Lindenwood will play in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Eveleth, Minn. on Nov. 10. The Lady Lions will take on Bemidji State at 7 p.m.