Minnesota Scene: Two goalies from state Division I teams among five finalists for top award

Minnesota Duluth freshman Hunter Miska of Stacy, Minn., and Bemidji State junior Michael Bitzer of Moorhead, Minn., are among the five finalists for the Mike Richter Award, which will be presented to the most outstanding goalie in college hockey during the Frozen Four in Chicago.

The other three: junior Tanner Jaillet of Denver, junior Cal Petersen of Notre Dame and senior Charles Williams of Canisius. The Gophers play the Fighting Irish on Saturday in the Northeast Regional.

The Gophers softball and baseball teams both open Big Ten Conference play on Friday.

The No. 8 softball team (25-2) opens a series at Nebraska (8-18) at 5:30 p.m. The Gophers are first among Big Ten teams in batting average (.342) and ERA (1.67).

The baseball team (11-8) plays at Ohio State (9-11) at 4 p.m. The Gophers are coming off a 2-2 road trip to California. Luke Petterson is hitting a team-high .379; Micah Coffey and Toby Hanson led the Gophers with RBI apiece.

• The Gophers' Taylor Wiebke, a sophomore from Kasson-Mantorville, Minn., was named the Big Ten's women's field athlete of the week. She won the high jump at the Bulls Invitational in Tampa, Fla., with a personal-best mark of 5 feet, 10¾ inches, which currently ranks third in the nation.

• Two St. Thomas Academy hockey players, center Willie Reim and defenseman Robbie Stucker, have committed to Air Force and Colorado College, respectively, for the 2018-19 season, according to College Hockey, Inc. Both are seniors who helped the Cadets (25-5-1) win the consolation title in the Class 2A state tournament.

• The St. Paul Saints signed first baseman Kyle Roller. He hit 15 homers last season between Class AAA Durham and Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League.