Santorelli Watch

If the Northern Michigan Wildcats chances of hosting a CCHA playoff game at the Berry Events Center was depressing, then you may not want to read this one because Mike Santorelli's chances of winning the goal scoring title have essentially slipped away as well.

With two games remaining for Santorelli (26 goals), he trails Niagara's Tim Cook (27) by one goal but Cook still has six games left to play.

A new player has also entered the mix, Quinnipiac's Brandon Wong (23), who is only a freshman. He sits three back from Santorelli.

Here is a comparison of the top three's next opponents.

Santorelli, 2 vs. Miami

- Bye this week but will meet Miami next week. The Redhawks are ranked No. 4 overall in the CCHA in team defense, allowing only 2.56 goals per game. Their penalty kill is even more solid, having allowed only 22 goals all season.

- In net, Miami uses a tandem, rotating time between Jeff Zatkoff and Charlie Effinger. Zatkoff has a 2.19 goals against average and Effinger sits at 2.65. Each has allowed 41 goals this season.

- In Miami on Nov. 3-4, Santorelli did score each night in a split.

Cook, 2 at Wayne State

- Wayne State is allowing 3.78 goals per game. The Warriors use two different goaltenders - Brett Bothwell and Will Hooper. Bothwell, the freshman, is allowing 3.70 goals against while Hooper has allowed 3.85.

- Cook posted three goals in a two-game sweep of the Warriors at Niagara in December. Hooper was in net both nights.

Wong, 1 at Cornell, 1 at Colgate

- After riding David McKee for the previous three seasons, the Big Red have also gone to a pair of netminders rotating time. Freshman Ben Scrivens is posting a 2.21 GAA in 11 games thus far while Troy Davenport has a 2.36 GAA in 19 games, and a winning record.

- Wong had one goal on Davenport during their first meeting of the year on Nov. 18, a loss for Quinnipiac.

- Colgate is led in net by Mark Dekanich, who has a 2.36 GAA in 30 games this season. Wong was held scoreless by Dekanich in a 2-2 tie back on Oct. 28, the two schools only meeting this season.