Two days after thinking its season may be over, the University of Wisconsin-Superior men's hockey team received an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championships and will host Hamline University in a first-round at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
The winner will advance to play at St. Norbert (22-4-1) in the NCAA quarterfinals Saturday.
The NCAA D-III semifinals and final will be played at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis on March 25-26.
The Yellowjackets thought their season may have been over with a 2-1 loss at St. Norbert Saturday night in the Peters Cup championship game, but received word that they were one of three teams picked for the tournament among Western schools.
UWS (16-12-1) will host the Hamline Pipers (16-6-5), who won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title and beat Concordia of Moorhead, Minn., 5-2 in Saturday's MIAC playoff final.
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Hamline defeated UWS 4-1 on Jan. 7 at the DECC.
In Monday's U.S. College Hockey Division III poll, Hamline was ranked No. 9 and UWS No. 13. The NCAA ratings among Western schools were 1. St. Norbert, 2. Adrian (Mich.) College, 3. Hamline and 4. UWS.
However, the game is in Superior because Hamline didn't have home ice available. The Pipers will be listed as the home team Wednesday and have the last line change.
"We thought there was a slight chance to be selected and our strength of schedule was a significant factor," said UWS coach Dan Stauber, 208-75-42 in 11 years. "We played well against St. Norbert -- we outshot them and pushed them right to the end. But after the game I gave my end-of-the-year speech. One thing in our favor was playing a tough schedule, and that's one thing the (NCAA) selection committee looked at."
In 2009, UWS lost a first-round NCAA home game to Gustavus Adolphus 2-0. In 2006, the Yellowjackets beat St. Olaf College 2-1 in the first round at Wessman Arena before losing at St. Norbert 8-2 in the quarterfinals. In 2002, UWS won the Division III title by beating Norwich (Vt.) University 3-2 in overtime in Middlebury, Vt.
Tickets for tonight's game are $10 and will go on sale at noon today at Wessman Arena. All tickets are general admission and non-refundable. No season or student passes will be valid.
'JACKET JOTTINGS: The Yellowjackets will appear in the NCAA event for the 13th time in program history and own an all-time record of 23-16-3, including a national title in 2002 and three second-place finishes. ... The championship game will be webstreamed live on NCAA.com at 7 p.m. ... In 2010, Norwich claimed its third national championship title with a 2-1 win in overtime against St. Norbert at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Knights 2, 'Jackets 1
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The St. Norbert Green Knights won its record night NCHA's Peters Cup championship with a 2-1 win over UWS Saturday night before 1,652 fans at the Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon.
UWS trailed 2-0 until Derek Stauber scored with 44.6 seconds remaining.
Senior goalie B.J. O'Brien stopped 30 shots as top-ranked St. Norbert improved to 22-4-1.
O'Brien, who improved to 19-2-1, proved why he was the NCHA player of the year by stopping 11 shots in the third period.
Drew Strandberg stopped 20 shots for UWS.
UW-Superior 0 0 1 -- 1
St. Norbert 1 1 0 -- 2
First Period: SNC, Nick Tabisz 7 (Brandon Hoogenboom, Johan Ryd), 7:18 (pp).
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Penalties: Derek Stauber, UWS (slashing), 6:20. Zach McDonald, SNC (holding the stick), 12:53.
Second Period: 2. SNC, Jonan Ryd 9 (Scott Pulak, Mike Bernardy), 15:41.
Penalties: Cody Keefer, SNC (slashing), 1:46. Chris Moteus, UWS (holdin), 19:04.
Third Period: 3. UWS, Derek Stauber 4 (Jeff Forsythe, Tom Budziakowski), 19:15 (6-on-5).
Penalties: Jesse Junkermeier, UWS (boarding), 9:43. Taylor Langford, SNC (tripping), 12:13.
Saves: Drew Strandberg, UWS 7-6-7--20. B.J. O'Brien, SNC 9-10-11--30.
2011 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship
First Round
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Wednesday March 9
Neumann (14-8-4) at Bowdoin (17-7-1)
Hamline (16-6-5) at UW-Superior (16-12-1)
Curry (16-8-3) at Norwich (20-5-3)
Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 12
Neumann-Bowdoin winner at Oswego St. (22-4)
Elmira (17-6-4) at Adrian (23-3-1)
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Hamline-UWS winner at St. Norbert (22-4-1)
Curry-Norwich winner at Plattsburgh St. (20-7-1)
Frozen Four
Ridder Arena, Minneapolis
Semifinals
3:30 and 7 p.m.
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
