The Aurora University women's hockey team will enter the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Slaats Cup Playoffs for the first time in the program's three year history. The Spartans finished the regular season with a school record 17-8 overall record and an 11-5 record in the NCHA. AU finished third to finish as the No. 3 seed and will host the No. 4 seed Saints from the College of St. Scholastica. 
 
The Match-up –
- The #3 Spartans will take on #4 St. Scholastica Saints who AU was 1-1 against in the regular season and the match-up comes just two weeks after the two teams played in Duluth, Minnesota.
- All-Time AU is 1-5 against CSS.

Catch the action online - 
Live Video and live stats
 
Slaats Cup Playoff Format (Two-game series / mini-game format) - 
* Two games are played with standard NCAA rules applying (single 5:00 OT).
* Games 1 and 2 can end in an OT tie.
* If the two games are split or if both end in a tie, a 20-minute mini-game is played.  At the end of the second game, the ice shall be resurfaced and there is a 15-minute intermission.  Starting lineups are announced before the mini-game, as in a regular game, and the teams will play the full 20 minutes, regardless of score.  Should the game be tied after the 20 minutes, the teams will play 20-minute sudden-death overtimes periods.
 
All-Time NCHA Slaats Cup History –
- The NCHA began in 2000 and in the 20 seasons, five schools have captured the Slaats Cup crown.
- Adrian College has captured the last five Slaats Cups.
- Lake Forest College (2009-2010) is the only other current NCHA member to win the Slaats Cup.

About the Spartans –
- AU is making their first appearance in the NCHA Playoffs and hosting a first round series..
- The Spartans won a program record 17 games, 17-8 overall record.
- The Spartans are led by junior Nicole McKernan who has 24 points on a team-leading 11 goals and 13 assists.
- Junior Chiara Pfosi is in net with a 17-8 record on six shutouts, a 1.71 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.
- Junior Marissa Dunbar has 17 points with seven goals and 10 assists.
- Junior Olivia Matson has 17 points on a team-leading 13 assists and four goals.
- Freshman Marisa Trevino has 16 points on a team-leading 11 goals with five assists.
- 14 Spartans have tallied at least one goal on the year with 19 collecting a point.

About the Saints - 
- St. Scholastica will make its ninth consecutive NCHA postseason appearance this weekend.
- CSS enters the playoffs as the No. 4 seed
- The Saints have played or advanced to the NCHA Semifinals each of the last four seasons, including advancing to the championship game for the first time last year.
- Junior Rachel Anderson leads the team with 16 assists and 24 points.
- Junior Taylor Thompson has a team-high nine goals and is second on the team with 23 points.
- Senior goaltender Lexi Thomeczek is second in the league with a 1.70 goals-against-average and a .948 save percentage.
 
About the NCHA Slaats Cup Opponents –
- #1 Adrian College finished the season with a 19-3-3 overall record and 14-1-1 in the NCHA.
- #2 Lake Forest College.finished the regular season with a record of 15-9-1 overall and 12-3-1 in the NCHA.
- #5 Concordia Wisconsin finished the season with an 8-14-2 overall record and 7-8-1 in the NCHA.
- #6 St. Norbert College finished the season with an 8-17 overall and 7-9 NCHA record.
 
Up next for the Spartans –
Game two of the Slaats Cup between AU and St. Scholastica will take place on Sunday, March 1 with a 12:15 p.m. puck-drop at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois.

A look ahead - 
The winner of this weekend's series will advance to championship weekend March 6-8 at the highest remaining seed. The top seed get a bye to the championship, while the other two lower seeds play in a semifinal on March 6.