Jaques named to player of the week honors

Senior Melissa Jaques was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association offensive player of the week and Fighting Sioux Club Athletes of the Week (along with Mario Lamoureux) for her performance over Bemidji State. Jaques scored two goals and an assist in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win becoming the programs all-time leading scorer. It is the first time this season she has received the award and second time in her career (Nov. 16-17, 2007 for back-to-back two-goal games against Niagara).

Sioux head into Christmas break in top-half of WCHA standings; Jaques becomes all-time points leader

With its sweep over Western Collegiate Hockey Association foe Bemidji State this past weekend, for the first time in program history the Sioux are in the top-half of the conference standings.

The Sioux did so with 2-1 and 3-2 (ot) road wins. The Sweep on the road was also the first-ever WCHA road sweep since entering the conference in 2004-05.

Here are the standings heading into the break: WCHA Standings

The Sioux are one point behind third-place and defending national champion Minnesota Duluth and one point ahead of fifth-place St. Cloud State.

Senior Melissa Jaques was able to step up with the Sioux in a jam. She was able to find the net twice (tying goal with only 1:21 remaining and game-winner in overtime) past a Bemidji goaltender, Zuzan Tomcikiva, that was the previous weeks WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and backstopped Bemidji with 98 saves on the weekend.

In doing so, Jaques became the all-time point leader in the programs eight-year history with 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists) passing Liz Funk's 67. She only needs one goal to tie the school record of 35 goals and one assist to tie Funk's record of 35 assists. Jaques leads the Fighting Sioux in all three major scoring categories with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points on the year.

Senior captain Casie Hanson, sophomore Stephanie Roy and freshmen Sara Dagenais and Alyssa Wiebe added goals for the Sioux against the Beavers.

Full Recaps can be found here: Friday / Saturday

Weekly Press Conference for 12/10/08 with coach Idalski and Kelsey Fletcher

After facing the top three teams in the WCHA the past three weeks, the UND women's hockey team heads to Bemidji State this weekend. The Sioux must remain as focused and continue to play at the same high level, head coach Brian Idalski said.

"Our kids need to understand they need to continue to play at a high level," Idalski said. "And they need to understand the ramifications of this (weekend's series) down the road. We are playing for something bigger."

To view complete press conferenence click here: Press Conference

Sioux come up just short in series against Gophers

The Sioux showed once again that they are becoming a team that nobody can overlook anymore as they had the second-ranked Gophers on the ropes going into the third period on Saturday leading 2-1. The Gophers would score four unanswered goals in the third to win 5-2 (last goal was an empty net).

On Friday, the Sioux could not take advantage of golden opportunities as they were held 0-for-12 on the power play and had four 5-on-3 opportunities in a 4-0 loss.

To view full FightingSioux.com recaps click here: Friday / Saturday

“If you look at the NHL as a model there are genuinely a few playoff
heartaches before you ultimately win the surprise of the Stanley Cup,” head coach Brian Idalski said. “That just seems to be a natural progression for an organization. I think to a lesser extent that is what we are going through here. We have to be close and feel some of those heartaches, and go back to the drawing board and put in the work to make ourselves better. We need to be hungry to get over that hump. I believe that is happening and that we are close. I think our kids believe that now, too.”

To view full post-game press conference from coach click here: press conference

Also, if you have a premium subscription to FightingSioux.com you can watch full games which are linked along with the stories.

This weeks FletchSKO show; Weekly press conference

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- At Wednesday's weekly press conference, University of North Dakota women's hockey head coach Brian Idalski was upbeat and said the Fighting Sioux have been practicing well lately.
The results have continued to pay off. After winning a number of games at home early in the season, UND split at Minnesota Duluth last weekend.
The Fighting Sioux host Minnesota this weekend. It's a rivalry not lost on Alex Williams, whose father Brian played for UND from 1982-86 and is 12th on the all-time scoring list. She said it's a rivalry not lost on her, growing up in Eagan, Minn., in the Minneapolis area. To view this weeks press conference click here: December 3, 2008, press conference

In this weeks episode of the FletchSKO show hosts Kelsey Fletcher and Randi Motsko breakdown some shootout celebrations with other members of the squad. To view this weeks episode click here: Episode 5

To catch up on previous episodes click on the episode:

Episode 4

Episode 3

Episode 2

Episode 1

There will be FREE popcorn and FREE soda Friday and fans will have a chance to win one of six pairs of tickets to watch the Minnesota Wild take on former Fighting Sioux Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on December 28