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US Hockey Hall Of Fame Museum Women's Face-Off Classic

By Johnson/Morris, 10/05/17, 11:45AM CDT

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Game scheduled for November 5th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: Doug Johnson, 612-964-9529,      
 
Oct. 5, 2017                                                                              letsplayhockey@comcast.net

Minnesota Duluth takes on Bemidji State in

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women’s Face-Off Classic
Game is a benefit for injured hockey player Matt Olson

 

(Minneapolis) - The annual U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women’s Face-Off Classic will feature two top teams from the country’s premier conference, as Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) foes Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State drop the puck Monday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. CT at the Isanti County Arena.

 

Proceeds from the game will benefit Matt Olson, the Isanti, Minn. native who is recovering from a spinal cord injury he suffered in 2016 while playing junior hockey. The 21-year-old is living at his parents’ home, which is located about a slapshot away from the Isanti County Arena. Olson grew up in Isanti and skated for the Cambridge-Isanti Hockey Association before playing prep hockey at Totino-Grace.

 

ABOUT THE TEAMS

Both programs, each of which feature several Minnesota-born players, hail from the WCHA, which has won a record 16 national championships in its 18 seasons. The list of “State of Hockey” natives includes Bemidji State captains Emma Terres (New Hope) and Summer Thibodeau (Maple Grove), along with assistant captain Erin Deters (Sartell). The Beavers’ top returning scorer, Emily Bergland from Thief River Falls, tallied 16 goals last season. Bemidji State is led by fourth-year Head Coach Jim Scanlan (Cottage Grove).

 

One of the more storied programs in women’s college hockey, Minnesota Duluth enters the season ranked No. 5 nationally after a 2016-17 campaign that saw the Bulldogs win 25 games and advance to the NCAA tournament. UMD is led by North Oaks native Sydney Brodt, who as a sophomore is the youngest captain in team history. The Bulldogs also feature top scorer KateÅ™ina Mrázová (Prague, Czech Republic) and former Swiss Olympian Michelle Löwenhielm, while six of the team’s 10 freshmen hail from Minnesota. Head Coach Maura Crowell (Mansfield, MA), in her third year behind the UMD bench.

 

ABOUT THE MUSEUM

The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women’s Face-Off Classic is an annual game to raise awareness for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum (www.ushockeyhall.com) located in Eveleth, Minn.

The Museum was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of ice hockey in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams.

 

Photo caption – L-R: Anders Lee, New York Islanders; Matt Olson; Buzz Schneider, 1980 Gold Medalist, pictured at a recent golf outing.