RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The No. 12-ranked UW-River Falls men's hockey team opens its 2021-22 home schedule this weekend, hosting non-conference games against Hamline University and Gustavus Adolphus College.
UW-RIVER FALLS (3-0-1, 0-0 WIAC) VS. HAMLINE (0-2, 0-0 MIAC)
Date: Friday, Nov. 12, 2021
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Site: River Falls, Wis. // Hunt Arena
UW-RIVER FALLS (2-0, 0-0 WIAC) VS. GUSTAVUS (2-2, 0-0 MIAC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Site: River Falls, Wis. // Hunt Arena
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons are coming off a non-conference series at Concordia College last weekend, in which the Falcons and Cobbers tied 1-1 on Friday before UWRF earned a comeback 5-3 win on Saturday. Down 3-1 in the first period, the Falcons scored four unanswered goals to earn the in during the series finale.
Vilho Saariluoma (So., Helsinksi, Finland) tallied three assists on the weekend, including an assist on Saturday's game-winner, scored by
Cayden Cahill (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska). He was named the WIAC Men's Hockey Player of the Week.
AGAINST THE PIPERS
Friday's game marks the 34th all-time meeting between UW-River Falls and Hamline, with the Falcons holding a 24-4-5 series advantage.
The two teams last met in 2019, a 1-1 draw in St. Paul, Minn. In the last 10 matchups, UWRF owns a 6-1-3 advantage over the Pipers.
AGAINST THE GUSTIES
Saturday's game marks the 45th all-time meeting between UW-River Falls and Gustavus, with the Falcons holding a 24-18-2 series advantage.
The two teams last met in 2019, a 2-1 Falcon victory in Saint Peter, Minn., with goals scored by
Cayden Cahill and
Sam Anzai. Over the previous 10 matchups dating back to the 2008-09 season, UWRF owns a 5-4-1 series advantage and has won four consecutive.
IN THE POLLS
After receiving votes in the first edition of the USCHO Men's Division III poll last week, the Falcons were ranked No. 12 in the Nov. 8 national rankings. WIAC foes UW-Stevens Point is ranked No. 11 and UW-Eau Claire at No. 15.
FALCON NOTES
- Cayden Cahill (2g-3a) and Vilho Saariluoma (1g-4a) lead the Falcons with five points each through four games.
- UWRF is 3-for-24 on the power play, with two scored by Caleb Anderson (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.).
- 11 different Falcons have found the scoresheet through four games, including first career goals by defenseman Alex Davis (Fr., Broke Arrow, Okla.), Noah Ganske (So., Bloomington, Minn.), and Josh Martin (So., Brownstown, Mich.).
- Falcon goaltenders Dean Buchholz (So., Dearborn Heights, Mich.) and Dysen Skinner (Billings, Mont.) have each started two games. Skinner is 2-0 while Buchholz owns a team-best 1.44 goals against average with a .938 save percentage.
