Buffs look to punch ticket to nationals: WWCHL playoff preview
- Paxton Haines
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
The Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League playoffs are right around the corner, and the Colorado Buffaloes are on the hunt to win their first conference title since 2022.
The conference playoffs will be held at the CU Recreation Center in Boulder, Colorado. The field consists of the Buffaloes, regular-season champion Utah Utes, Grand Canyon Antelopes and Montana State Bobcats.
Colorado finished the regular season with a record of 15-8-2-1, good for third in the WWCHL. They will play Grand Canyon on Friday at 4:30 p.m. MT, followed by Utah on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. MT. The WWCHL championship will be Sunday at 11 a.m., where the winner will punch their ticket to the ACHA National Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri.
Let’s see how the Buffs stack up.
Colorado’s Strengths
Colorado has the best player in the WWCHL. Junior forward Mia Fiscelli has 23 goals this season, the most in the conference. She’s fifth in all of ACHA in goals. Fiscelli creates scoring chances singlehandedly with her elite speed and stick handling, blowing past defenders for open looks at the net. Add on a wicked shot, and Fiscelli’s going to be a handful for teams this weekend.
Fiscelli’s linemates, Natalie Ewald and Anna Masiello, have 13 and 11 goals, respectively. Together, the first line has a combined 88 points.
“[Fiscelli] knows exactly how I play,” Ewald told Sko Buffs Sports. “And I know exactly how she plays, so it’s really easy for us to bounce off each other.”
CU is clinical on the penalty kill, owning the best percentage in the conference at 95.7%. Sometimes, they look better down a man than at even strength.
The Buffs have an aggressive playstyle on the penalty kill. They like to attack the puck holder and do so effectively, denying their opponents the ability to settle the puck down and initiate sustained possessions. CU’s not afraid to send multiple players into puck battles, and is exceptional at winning them.
Colorado also has something special that can’t be taught: chemistry. Senior forward Brianna Arens described this team as the closest she’s seen in her four years.
“It shows on the ice,” Arens said. “We’re supporting each other, and not getting down on ourselves, because you know your teammates are behind your back.”
Multiple players shared the belief that the Buffs play their best when they’re having fun. The team likes to dance on the ice and interact with fans after whistles. Their friendships off the ice translate to synergy on it.
Colorado’s Weaknesses
Colorado’s biggest issue is its tendency for depth players to go cold offensively. The Buffs have gone on stretches this year where the bottom two lines can’t find the back of the net. Most notably, the Buffs played five consecutive games in January with no bottom-six scorers.
CU is a little top-heavy, and it’s shown in certain games this season. The Buffs have been dominated at times if the first line isn’t on the ice. In the playoffs, an offensive identity of just one line is not going to cut it.
When Colorado is not on its game, it’s evident in the passing. The Buffs have moments of sloppy passing, sometimes lasting as long as entire periods. When that happens, Colorado’s offensive generation falls apart. Pucks get lost at the blue line, and rushes end early due to errant passing.
The Buffs have also lost games this year due to failure to clear the zone. Colorado has a habit of being slow to the puck in their own zone, fanning on attempts to clear and coughing it up at its own blue line. It was at its worst in the series versus UMass in late January, where CU allowed five goals due to lousy clear attempts that led to extended possessions.
The Competition
The road will not be easy for the Buffaloes, nor will it be for any team. Every team in the WWCHL playoffs has defeated every other team this regular season.
Grand Canyon has won 12 of its last 13 games, finishing the regular season with consecutive wins over the nationally No. 9-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. The Antelopes’ first line is just as potent as CU’s, spotlighted by forward Abigail Brigg’s conference-leading 41 points. The Buffs split their games against GCU this year, both winning and losing by a score of 3-2.
Utah enters as the regular-season champions. In the WWCHL’s 12-year history, Utah has never missed the conference playoffs. The Utes hold the best power play in the field at 20.2%. Colorado and Utah won two games apiece against each other this season, each victory by the home team.
Montana State won the WWCHL in terms of point percentage. The Bobcats have the top goalie in the conference in Reese McConnell, who boasts a 1.35 goals against average and 0.964 save percentage. However, Colorado lit her up for eight goals in October. The Buffs and Bobcats split that series.
“All four teams in playoffs are going to be really good,” Ewald said. “We need to be ready for the full 60 minutes.”
Can Colorado Win the Conference?
Short answer: if they play well, yes. Sounds obvious, but it is that simple. Colorado has the tools. At their best, the Buffs can dominate any team in the conference. At their worst, the Buffs are a sluggish team susceptible to being outskated and shut down. They can win the conference, but they must play fundamentally sound hockey.
The stakes are especially high this weekend. Based on the ACHA rankings, there will be no at-large bids given to the WWCHL. Only the conference champion will make nationals via auto-bid, most likely.
“This is time for redemption,” Arens said. “We’ve made it to playoffs three times now and have yet to win. This is our chance.”
The Buffaloes, Utes, Antelopes and Bobcats begin the road to nationals on Friday. All games will be streamed live on YouTube on Sko Buffs Sports.