It's one thing to have to rebuild.
After UMD made the 2004 NCAA Frozen Four, UMD was never able to put it together in the 2004-2005 season. A slew of freshmen -- 11 of them -- came on board for the 05-06 campaign, one that saw only 11 wins as UMD tried to rebuild its talent base.
Three years later, UMD was back in the NCAA hunt. The WCHA playoff champions rode the hot stick of senior center MacGregor Sharp and the goaltending of Alex Stalock to a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2005, UMD was rebuilding.
In 2010, UMD was able to reload. Yeah, Evan Oberg left early, and Sharp graduated, and Stalock was long gone, but the Bulldogs brought in freshmen named JT Brown and Justin Faulk, and used the leadership of guys who were around when the team was struggling -- captain Mike Montgomery, for example -- to catapult the program to its first national championship.
Now, Brown is gone, as are star forwards Jack Connolly and Travis Oleksuk, and defenseman Brady Lamb. Goalie Kenny Reiter and his 52 wins are headed to Fort Wayne of the ECHL.
It's time for another reload.
Or, at least that's the plan.
It all starts Friday with Ohio State, another team in flux. The Buckeyes and Bulldogs combine for 32 freshmen and sophomores, and many of those youngsters are expected to make an impact.
Both teams lose leading scorers from last year. Connolly had 60 points at UMD, while Chris Crane led Ohio State with 24. Co-leader Ryan Dzingel returns, and guys like Max McCormick, Curtis Gedig, Darik Angeli, and Tanner Fritz should be better-positioned to do good things and be consistent in the tOSU lineup.
Despite the Columbus location of campus, Ohio State should have a notable cheering section tonight. Seven Buckeyes hail from Minnesota, including former UMD goalie Brady Hjelle and Duluth East graduate Al McLean, a defenseman.
UMD relies on sophomore Caleb Herbert (33 points) and senior Mike Seidel (17 goals) to carry their production over from last season. Herbert will get a chance to center Seidel and sophomore Justin Crandall, who was Herbert's wingman for the first part of last season, before Herbert moved permanently to wing in November.
Freshmen Tony Camaranesi and Austin Farley should make their presence felt up front early, as will young defenseman Andy Welinski, a Duluth native who has two years of USHL experience under his belt after he left high school a year early.
The fact that we're talking about reloading with this program is -- by itself -- a win. UMD won nearly 100 games over the last four years, and with that has come a bit of respect for the program. Despite the uncertainty, UMD is solidly in the top six of the WCHA in the preseason polls, and national rankings list UMD in the top 15.
The lines should look a bit like this Friday (the five skaters not likely to play Friday are marked with an asterisk for their groups):
Justin Crandall - Caleb Herbert - Mike Seidel
Austin Farley - Tony Camaranesi - Joe Basaraba
Cody Danberg - Jake Hendrickson - Keegan Flaherty
Dan DeLisle - Max Tardy - Adam Krause
Charlie Sampair - Cal Decowski - Austyn Young*
Wade Bergman - Chris Casto
Drew Olson - Andy Welinski
Luke McManus - Tim Smith
Willie Corrin - Derik Johnson*
Aaron Crandall - Matt McNeely - Alex Fons
You can find coverage of this weekend's games on 94X, 94.1 FM in the Twin Ports, and 104.3 FM in the surrounding area. Listeners in northeast Minnesota can hear the games on KQ 105.5 FM out of Deer River, or KQ 106.7 FM in Babbitt/Ely.
Online, the games can be found at www.94xrocks.com or this page.
More UMD coverage:
Season preview: Goalies
Season preview: Defensemen
Season preview: Forwards
Showing posts with label ccha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ccha. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Paul Kelly Out, Some Guy Eventually In at College Hockey, Inc.
When College Hockey, Inc., started in 2009, I was optimistic. It seemed like a good idea by the commissioners of the Division I leagues to consolidate under one banner for the expressed purpose of promoting college hockey.
It wasn't a short-term deal. This is a long-term project in every way. It's about educating young teenagers on the importance of keeping the options open. Make sure they don't commit to a Canadian major junior career, one that destroys any chance of ever playing U.S. college hockey. So far, CHI hasn't necessarily reaped a lot of benefits, but you can see things improving in many ways.
College hockey is still churning out professionals, and more guys are leaving options open until later in their youth, meaning they aren't running to the CHL when they are 16, and instead deciding on the NCAA or CHL path at a later age.
It sucks for college hockey to have lost guys like J.T. Miller, Stefan Matteau, and Charlie Coyle recently, but Miller and Matteau waited quite a while before making the jump, and Coyle played a season-plus at Boston University before he did. These losses aren't a good thing for college hockey, but these are kids who might never have even committed to a U.S. college if they had reached this age three years ago.
It's not the impact we all want on the game, but it's an improvement.
Now, we have upheaval. CHI executive director Paul Kelly stepped down Monday, and USCHO reports it's because the Hockey Commissioners Association -- the group that put CHI in place to begin with -- told Kelly to resign or be fired.
There is the appearance here that Kelly wanted to do more with CHI than just promote the sport. It's something in lock step with a discussion I had with a couple people just last week about CHI one day expanding its scope to do more with the game.
The problem with doing that is it would take some power away from the commissioners. I'm sure guys like Steve Hagwell and Bruce McLeod are thrilled with that thought.
What isn't clear -- and I just don't have a lot of intel on this -- is what exactly Kelly was proposing.
The discussions I've had with people surround the idea of having CHI take over the area of supplemental discipline. Every game has video these days, and there's no reason not to take advantage of it to create a disciplinary system that isn't horribly arbitrary or completely random.
(In other words, one that is unlike what we have in the WCHA.)
I don't know if this is what Kelly was after, or if he wanted more control over something else.
Either way, it probably wasn't the worst idea ever hatched.
Now, HCA is left to look for a new executive director. I'll let Chris Dilks take it from here.
I mean no disrespect toward the commissioners, but there is no chance that any Division I conference is in a place where Kelly -- with his expertise and years of experience around the sport -- couldn't be of any help to them. The CCHA is dying, the WCHA almost died, the ECAC -- in my opinion -- is spinning its wheels right now, Hockey East is in very good shape but is hardly perfect, and the NCHC and Big Ten haven't played a single game yet.
Instead of listening to what Kelly had to say, it seems the commissioners decided to get rid of him before he could become a problem.
And by "problem," I mean "a guy who has good ideas that make sense but would make us all look bad because we didn't think of any of it in all these years we've been running these conferences."
Perhaps there is more to it than this -- there usually is -- but this is how it reads to me now. As a supporter of college hockey (I've been a fan of the game a hell of a lot longer than I've been covering it), this is somewhat disconcerting.
It wasn't a short-term deal. This is a long-term project in every way. It's about educating young teenagers on the importance of keeping the options open. Make sure they don't commit to a Canadian major junior career, one that destroys any chance of ever playing U.S. college hockey. So far, CHI hasn't necessarily reaped a lot of benefits, but you can see things improving in many ways.
College hockey is still churning out professionals, and more guys are leaving options open until later in their youth, meaning they aren't running to the CHL when they are 16, and instead deciding on the NCAA or CHL path at a later age.
It sucks for college hockey to have lost guys like J.T. Miller, Stefan Matteau, and Charlie Coyle recently, but Miller and Matteau waited quite a while before making the jump, and Coyle played a season-plus at Boston University before he did. These losses aren't a good thing for college hockey, but these are kids who might never have even committed to a U.S. college if they had reached this age three years ago.
It's not the impact we all want on the game, but it's an improvement.
Now, we have upheaval. CHI executive director Paul Kelly stepped down Monday, and USCHO reports it's because the Hockey Commissioners Association -- the group that put CHI in place to begin with -- told Kelly to resign or be fired.
An erosion of trust in Kelly from the commissioners of college hockey’s five Division I men’s leagues led them to end Kelly’s two-plus-year term leading the promotional and marketing group.
... Sources described a falling out between the commissioners and Kelly that had been a while in the making, based on a difference of opinions on College Hockey Inc.’s scope.
But the final straw, the sources said, was Kelly recently approaching athletic directors from some ECAC Hockey schools about meeting to give College Hockey Inc. a more leading role in the administration of Division I men’s hockey.
There is the appearance here that Kelly wanted to do more with CHI than just promote the sport. It's something in lock step with a discussion I had with a couple people just last week about CHI one day expanding its scope to do more with the game.
The problem with doing that is it would take some power away from the commissioners. I'm sure guys like Steve Hagwell and Bruce McLeod are thrilled with that thought.
What isn't clear -- and I just don't have a lot of intel on this -- is what exactly Kelly was proposing.
The discussions I've had with people surround the idea of having CHI take over the area of supplemental discipline. Every game has video these days, and there's no reason not to take advantage of it to create a disciplinary system that isn't horribly arbitrary or completely random.
(In other words, one that is unlike what we have in the WCHA.)
I don't know if this is what Kelly was after, or if he wanted more control over something else.
Either way, it probably wasn't the worst idea ever hatched.
Now, HCA is left to look for a new executive director. I'll let Chris Dilks take it from here.
Not to mention that Kelly was handcuffed in how he could sell the sport much of this summer due to college hockey's realignment. Unfortunately, he didn't have the ability to walk away from Bruce McLeod's incompetence and do his own thing the same way that 75% of the teams in Bruce McLeod's league did. Still, Kelly made significant gains in terms of the visibility of college hockey, especially north of the border, and probably did more in two years than the rest of college hockey's leadership had ever done prior to his tenure.
And now, all of the work done by Kelly is basically discredited and undone. Headlines were already going up around Canadian hockey circles yesterday that "Kelly Told to Either Resign or Be Fired". It completely ruined a noble initiative in College Hockey Inc. over a petty power squabble. The commissioner's have said they will rehire someone to run the operation, though the position will likely be different--read: toothless--in nature. I can't imagine who would be foolish enough to take that gig.
I mean no disrespect toward the commissioners, but there is no chance that any Division I conference is in a place where Kelly -- with his expertise and years of experience around the sport -- couldn't be of any help to them. The CCHA is dying, the WCHA almost died, the ECAC -- in my opinion -- is spinning its wheels right now, Hockey East is in very good shape but is hardly perfect, and the NCHC and Big Ten haven't played a single game yet.
Instead of listening to what Kelly had to say, it seems the commissioners decided to get rid of him before he could become a problem.
And by "problem," I mean "a guy who has good ideas that make sense but would make us all look bad because we didn't think of any of it in all these years we've been running these conferences."
Perhaps there is more to it than this -- there usually is -- but this is how it reads to me now. As a supporter of college hockey (I've been a fan of the game a hell of a lot longer than I've been covering it), this is somewhat disconcerting.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: The Michigan Tech Turnaround
I know we're barely a month into this college hockey season, and I know that means some teams still have 30 or more regular season games to play. I know that we've danced the "quick start" dance with programs in the past, and I know that it hasn't always ended well.
But I don't care. This can no longer be ignored.
Without a doubt, the biggest and best story of this young college hockey season resides in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State have everyone talking. After Friday night, WCHA fans all over should be looking long and hard at what Michigan Tech is doing.
The Huskies -- long-time doormats of the WCHA and, for the last two-plus years, one of the most insanely cursed programs in recent memory -- blasted Denver 7-2 Friday in Houghton, a win that had DU coach George Gwozdecky proclaiming that the Huskies were "by far the better team," and saying that his team "could have had Patrick Roy in goal for us." The latter comment references the fact that DU lost starting goalie Adam Murray to an injury on Tech's first goal. Juho Olkinoura finished the game, and Gwozdecky said Murray will not play in Saturday's series finale.
(More on that in a bit.)
Even if you allow for the fact that injuries robbed the Huskies of front-line players and depth for two straight years, and now those players are healthy and contributing, you still can't ignore what Mel Pearson is doing in his first year on the job. A team that won four games all of last year has already won five. A team that won two league games all of last year has already won three.
Senior goalie Josh Robinson has an .886 save percentage in his career. He's at .922 this season after stopping 38 of 40 shots against Denver Friday.
The only thing Pearson hasn't done (yet) is win away from Houghton, and it won't happen anytime soon, because the Huskies don't play on the road for two more weeks.
At 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the WCHA, there are no illusions for Pearson and the Huskies. There is a lot of work to be done, and a lot can change between now and when UMD visits Houghton in early December. But for now, it's hard not to smile when thinking about the potential this Michigan Tech team has to do something special.
As I said on the UMD broadcast Friday night, I always enjoy my time in Houghton. When my family is able to travel with me, they enjoy their time in Houghton. We've gotten to know and like many of their fans, and Houghton will always be special because it's where I called my first UMD game in 2005 (national championship game and all, that still stands as the closest I've ever come to throwing up while trying to work ... nerves can do that, I guess).
Time will tell if Pearson can engineer a rapid turnaround. But the early reviews are in, and they're wholly positive.
If it weren't for Michigan Tech's story about 260 miles away, Lake Superior State would probably be grabbing more headlines as we approach Halloween. Friday night, the Lakers took a 4-0 lead and held on to win at Miami 5-3, completing a sweep in the Thursday-Friday series.
The Friday win gives LSSU a 7-1 record on the season, notable for a number of reasons. For starters, Lake State didn't win its seventh game until Jan. 28 last season. So it took the Lakers eight games to win seven this season after needing 26 to hit that mark last season.
So far, Lake Superior State isn't getting a ton of scoring from one guy. Instead, a group of sophomores and juniors have combined to lead the way offensively. Juniors Nick McParland, Zach Trotman, and Domenic Monardo, and sophomore Kyle Jean all have at least seven points in the eight games. Goalie Kevin Kapalka has a .924 save percentage and has started all eight games.
No one thought this Lake Superior State team would make much noise in the CCHA this season, and maybe this 7-1, 5-1 start is a mirage. Maybe Miami's 2-6, 0-4 start is a mirage.
But right now, it makes for a good story, just like their Yooper brethren in Houghton.
UMD fell behind early Friday, as Bemidji State took a 2-0 lead on goals 1:05 apart in the first seven-plus minutes of the first. Scott Sandelin called his timeout after Jordan George gave the Beavers a two-goal lead, and got immediate results. Wade Bergman scored on a scramble play on the first shift after the timeout. J.T. Brown tied the score five minutes later. From there, it was all Bulldogs.
Keegan Flaherty, Chris Casto, Brady Lamb, and Jack Connolly scored as UMD won 6-2 Friday at Amsoil Arena. The Bulldogs saw that Bemidji State's power play was clicking at nearly 30 percent to start the season, so they wisely avoided the cubicle of shame, with Connolly's tripping minor at :59 of the first the only two-minute power play BSU had in the game (no shots).
UMD got back to .500 at 3-3-1, got its first WCHA points, and ran its unbeaten streak to three.
Now, it's time to take another step in this team's development. Saturdays haven't been nearly as good as Fridays for UMD so far this season, a trend that can't last long if UMD is to mold itself into a contending team.
Unquestionably, Bemidji State will be better. Can UMD match that?
******
Elsewhere in the WCHA, St. Cloud State went to Grand Forks, played without No. 1 goalie Mike Lee, got outshot badly, had two players kicked out of the game for illegal hits, and still shut out North Dakota 4-0.
Lee is not on the trip because of an injury that could be serious. Ryan Faragher filled in nicely in goal, shutting out the Fighting Sioux in his first WCHA start. Travis Novak's short-handed empty-net goal late was the only special teams goal of the night, despite UND having two five-minute power plays and a long five-on-three.
North Dakota has never started 0-4 in the WCHA. They'll make history if they don't solve Faragher in the second game of this series.
Nebraska-Omaha got an Alex Hudson power play goal with 21 seconds left to beat Wisconsin 5-4. It was UNO's first lead after rallying from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. Also, Minnesota beat Alaska-Anchorage 5-0, and Colorado College rode two Rylan Schwartz goals to a 4-1 win at RPI.
But I don't care. This can no longer be ignored.
Without a doubt, the biggest and best story of this young college hockey season resides in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State have everyone talking. After Friday night, WCHA fans all over should be looking long and hard at what Michigan Tech is doing.
The Huskies -- long-time doormats of the WCHA and, for the last two-plus years, one of the most insanely cursed programs in recent memory -- blasted Denver 7-2 Friday in Houghton, a win that had DU coach George Gwozdecky proclaiming that the Huskies were "by far the better team," and saying that his team "could have had Patrick Roy in goal for us." The latter comment references the fact that DU lost starting goalie Adam Murray to an injury on Tech's first goal. Juho Olkinoura finished the game, and Gwozdecky said Murray will not play in Saturday's series finale.
(More on that in a bit.)
Even if you allow for the fact that injuries robbed the Huskies of front-line players and depth for two straight years, and now those players are healthy and contributing, you still can't ignore what Mel Pearson is doing in his first year on the job. A team that won four games all of last year has already won five. A team that won two league games all of last year has already won three.
Senior goalie Josh Robinson has an .886 save percentage in his career. He's at .922 this season after stopping 38 of 40 shots against Denver Friday.
The only thing Pearson hasn't done (yet) is win away from Houghton, and it won't happen anytime soon, because the Huskies don't play on the road for two more weeks.
At 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the WCHA, there are no illusions for Pearson and the Huskies. There is a lot of work to be done, and a lot can change between now and when UMD visits Houghton in early December. But for now, it's hard not to smile when thinking about the potential this Michigan Tech team has to do something special.
As I said on the UMD broadcast Friday night, I always enjoy my time in Houghton. When my family is able to travel with me, they enjoy their time in Houghton. We've gotten to know and like many of their fans, and Houghton will always be special because it's where I called my first UMD game in 2005 (national championship game and all, that still stands as the closest I've ever come to throwing up while trying to work ... nerves can do that, I guess).
Time will tell if Pearson can engineer a rapid turnaround. But the early reviews are in, and they're wholly positive.
******
If it weren't for Michigan Tech's story about 260 miles away, Lake Superior State would probably be grabbing more headlines as we approach Halloween. Friday night, the Lakers took a 4-0 lead and held on to win at Miami 5-3, completing a sweep in the Thursday-Friday series.
The Friday win gives LSSU a 7-1 record on the season, notable for a number of reasons. For starters, Lake State didn't win its seventh game until Jan. 28 last season. So it took the Lakers eight games to win seven this season after needing 26 to hit that mark last season.
So far, Lake Superior State isn't getting a ton of scoring from one guy. Instead, a group of sophomores and juniors have combined to lead the way offensively. Juniors Nick McParland, Zach Trotman, and Domenic Monardo, and sophomore Kyle Jean all have at least seven points in the eight games. Goalie Kevin Kapalka has a .924 save percentage and has started all eight games.
No one thought this Lake Superior State team would make much noise in the CCHA this season, and maybe this 7-1, 5-1 start is a mirage. Maybe Miami's 2-6, 0-4 start is a mirage.
But right now, it makes for a good story, just like their Yooper brethren in Houghton.
******
UMD fell behind early Friday, as Bemidji State took a 2-0 lead on goals 1:05 apart in the first seven-plus minutes of the first. Scott Sandelin called his timeout after Jordan George gave the Beavers a two-goal lead, and got immediate results. Wade Bergman scored on a scramble play on the first shift after the timeout. J.T. Brown tied the score five minutes later. From there, it was all Bulldogs.
Keegan Flaherty, Chris Casto, Brady Lamb, and Jack Connolly scored as UMD won 6-2 Friday at Amsoil Arena. The Bulldogs saw that Bemidji State's power play was clicking at nearly 30 percent to start the season, so they wisely avoided the cubicle of shame, with Connolly's tripping minor at :59 of the first the only two-minute power play BSU had in the game (no shots).
UMD got back to .500 at 3-3-1, got its first WCHA points, and ran its unbeaten streak to three.
Now, it's time to take another step in this team's development. Saturdays haven't been nearly as good as Fridays for UMD so far this season, a trend that can't last long if UMD is to mold itself into a contending team.
Unquestionably, Bemidji State will be better. Can UMD match that?
******
Elsewhere in the WCHA, St. Cloud State went to Grand Forks, played without No. 1 goalie Mike Lee, got outshot badly, had two players kicked out of the game for illegal hits, and still shut out North Dakota 4-0.
Lee is not on the trip because of an injury that could be serious. Ryan Faragher filled in nicely in goal, shutting out the Fighting Sioux in his first WCHA start. Travis Novak's short-handed empty-net goal late was the only special teams goal of the night, despite UND having two five-minute power plays and a long five-on-three.
North Dakota has never started 0-4 in the WCHA. They'll make history if they don't solve Faragher in the second game of this series.
Nebraska-Omaha got an Alex Hudson power play goal with 21 seconds left to beat Wisconsin 5-4. It was UNO's first lead after rallying from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. Also, Minnesota beat Alaska-Anchorage 5-0, and Colorado College rode two Rylan Schwartz goals to a 4-1 win at RPI.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Alabama-Huntsville Drops Hockey
The inevitable became the reality Monday.
The University of Alabama-Huntsville announced that it is dropping its varsity Division I men's hockey program, effective at the end of the season.
UAH interim president Malcolm Portera made the announcement, one week before he leaves the position to make room for the school's new president.
The school's team will move back to club level, and its players will have an opportunity to transfer to another Division I school without the normal one-year waiting period.
(A few years back, UMD had a defenseman named Ryan Swanson, who transferred after Iona dropped its hockey program. He also had the ability to transfer without sitting a season. Isn't the NCAA nice like that?)
I've got nothing to say, really. It makes me sick that college hockey's powers that be -- all of them -- could have done more to help save this program. It also makes me sick that the University of Alabama system so badly failed this program. They turned away from a grassroots group raising over $500,000 and also backed away from other potential means of funding the program, all in the name of trying to "enhance" the school's Division II sports.
Instead of blabbing, I'll point to stuff I wrote in 2009, when UAH was inexplicably rejected by the CCHA.
The writing was on the wall then, and it's too bad that nobody tried to wash it off in the two years since.
The University of Alabama-Huntsville announced that it is dropping its varsity Division I men's hockey program, effective at the end of the season.
UAH interim president Malcolm Portera made the announcement, one week before he leaves the position to make room for the school's new president.
As a result of a financial analysis of our athletic program, and numerous conversations I have had with athletic directors, university presidents and commissioners of Division I ice hockey programs, it has become obvious that, for the best interest of this university, our athletic department and the ice hockey program, we move the team from the Division I level back to its original classification as a club sport at the end of the 2011-2012 season," Portera said in a written statement.
Portera said the cost savings from cutting hockey will allow the university to enhance the other 15 sports on campus.
"We will continue to honor the scholarship commitment made to these students, and if a student-athlete chooses to transfer to another program, we will provide help in making that relocation as seamless as possible," Portera said. "Coaches will remain on our staff through May 31, 2012, and the university will assist them in their endeavors to seek future employment."
The school's team will move back to club level, and its players will have an opportunity to transfer to another Division I school without the normal one-year waiting period.
(A few years back, UMD had a defenseman named Ryan Swanson, who transferred after Iona dropped its hockey program. He also had the ability to transfer without sitting a season. Isn't the NCAA nice like that?)
I've got nothing to say, really. It makes me sick that college hockey's powers that be -- all of them -- could have done more to help save this program. It also makes me sick that the University of Alabama system so badly failed this program. They turned away from a grassroots group raising over $500,000 and also backed away from other potential means of funding the program, all in the name of trying to "enhance" the school's Division II sports.
Instead of blabbing, I'll point to stuff I wrote in 2009, when UAH was inexplicably rejected by the CCHA.
It's probably curtains for the UAH program very soon. There's little chance of a Division I team being able to sustain itself as the only independent in the land. They'd have to rely on bye weeks to get non-conference dates, and good luck getting anyone willing to play in Huntsville.
... Quite simply, the CCHA took the easy way out. For college hockey fans, it's a horrible disappointment.
The writing was on the wall then, and it's too bad that nobody tried to wash it off in the two years since.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: Good Start, Better Finish
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The first road trip of UMD's young season got off to an auspicious start Friday night, and the finish to a 5-2 win over Providence was even better than the start.
The Bulldogs got a goal from their fourth line just 3:11 into the game, as Keegan Flaherty tipped in a goal-mouth feed from Scott Kishel after Kishel stole a puck in the neutral zone and led the charge three on one/two.
(The Friars kind of had someone back. It was sort of a three-on-one mixed with a three-on-two mixed with a two-on-one. But I digress. And blab. And confuse people.)
Yeah, I know Providence evened the score later in the period, but there are a few important takeaways from Friday's game.
For starters, UMD never trailed in the game. Travis Oleksuk gave them the lead for good in the second period. Mike Seidel added a goal two minutes later (baseball style!), then Oleksuk and Caleb Herbert (power play) scored in the third period for UMD.
The special teams game was a win. Herbert's goal on the power play was the only special teams goal of the night, but even without that, it was a win for the Bulldogs. They severely limited Providence's chances on the man advantage, and even created a couple opportunities for J.T. Brown short-handed. Oleksuk's second goal of the night came one second after a power play ended, so it was basically a power play goal, even though it didn't count as one.
When Providence carried a chunk of the first period, UMD regrouped and didn't let it happen again in the game. You can question the opponent if you want, but this was a badly-needed performance and win for the champs.
The finish was the most impressive. After taking a one-goal lead into the second intermission, UMD out-scored Providence 2-0 in the third period, out-shot the Friars 13-5, and held the Friars to just ten shot attempts in the period, all of them from outside the slot (five on each side of the offensive zone, none particularly threatening).
Kenny Reiter was shaky on a couple shots, but pretty solid. The first goal was a weird play, where it looked like the initial shot was blocked, and no one could find it for what felt like five minutes before it was shot into the net. On the second, there was a defensive breakdown, leaving a Providence player wide open at the side of the net for an easy goal.
Not sure what UMD will do in goal Saturday. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if either guy started. I know there are a lot of fans who think these games mean more than the league games do, and the PairWise certainly presents a solid argument for that being the case. But I don't think coaches see it the same way at this point. I still think they look at the league games as being the most important things on a schedule, because points are on the line. This might be a good opportunity to keep Aaron Crandall fresh, because even if you start rolling with Reiter as the No. 1 goalie, it's good to have the second guy ready to play in case something bad happens.
Freshman Adam Krause, who took a seat with defensman Luke McManus for the series opener, should be in the lineup Saturday on the fourth line, with Keegan Flaherty moving to the left wing and Krause serving as Jake Hendrickson's right wing. The fourth line had a good night Friday, chipping in a goal and some good shifts with puck possession, even when they weren't matched up against Providence's fourth line.
The Friars looked a bit like a team in transition in this game. Nate Leaman's teams at Union became progressively more and more difficult to play against, capped by last year's team that was outstanding. A good in-your-face, grinding, battle-for-every-puck-and-every-inch team that made life hell for its opponents. Coaching a different guy's recruits, you saw flashes of that style from the Friars, but it wasn't anything remotely close to 60 minutes of it.
UMD needs more of the same Saturday to finish off the sweep. It would be a very nice way to close out the first road trip of the season, and it would ensure some smiles on the trip home, despite the 4:00am Eastern wake-up call Sunday.
(Zombies!)
Some odd happenings around the WCHA Friday. In Bemidji, the Beavers beat Michigan Tech 6-5 in their home opener. BSU scored five straight after trailing 3-1 in the first. It started when the Beavers pulled Dan Bakala after he allowed three goals on four shots (yup, his save percentage on the night was .250).
Meanwhile, goaltending was also optional in St. Cloud, where St. Cloud State beat New Hampshire 7-5. The Huskies trailed early, but scored three second-period goals to take a 5-2 lead they wouldn't relinquish. It's St. Cloud State's second win of the season after a three-game losing streak.
Speaking of "optional goaltending," Wisconsin beat North Dakota 5-3 in a game where all the scoring happened in the first two periods. Neither starting goalie was sharp, but North Dakota was the only one to make a change, pulling Brad Eidsness after he allowed four goals on 18 shots.
Also Friday, Denver rallied past Minnesota State 4-2, and Minnesota improved to 5-0 with a 6-0 drubbing of Vermont.
The most bizarre happening was in Marquette, Mich., where Northern Michigan beat Michigan 5-3. During the second period, NMU's Andrew Cherniwchan got tangled up with Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick, and a fracas ensued.
(The only YouTube showing up at the moment is one of the crowd at Berry Events Center reacting to Hunwick getting ejected. It's great if you like cheering crowds and music, but it accomplishes nothing else. If I ever see a video of the incident online, I'll update.)
Hunwick ended up taking a major penalty for contact to the head, and a game misconduct. Adam Janecyk had to finish the game in goal for Michigan, allowing four NMU goals on 15 shots (Hunwick had a shutout going).
The senior goalie was apologetic via Twitter after the game.
Cherniwchan and Michigan's Luke Moffatt took matching majors for fighting, which comes with an automatic game disqualification in college hockey. Neither will be eligible to play in Saturday's rematch, while Hunwick will be.
Saturday's coverage starts at 5:30 from Providence, on 94X and the Bulldog Sports Radio Network (KQ 105.5, KQ 106.7). You can hear the game online at www.94xrocks.com.
The Bulldogs got a goal from their fourth line just 3:11 into the game, as Keegan Flaherty tipped in a goal-mouth feed from Scott Kishel after Kishel stole a puck in the neutral zone and led the charge three on one/two.
(The Friars kind of had someone back. It was sort of a three-on-one mixed with a three-on-two mixed with a two-on-one. But I digress. And blab. And confuse people.)
Yeah, I know Providence evened the score later in the period, but there are a few important takeaways from Friday's game.
For starters, UMD never trailed in the game. Travis Oleksuk gave them the lead for good in the second period. Mike Seidel added a goal two minutes later (baseball style!), then Oleksuk and Caleb Herbert (power play) scored in the third period for UMD.
The special teams game was a win. Herbert's goal on the power play was the only special teams goal of the night, but even without that, it was a win for the Bulldogs. They severely limited Providence's chances on the man advantage, and even created a couple opportunities for J.T. Brown short-handed. Oleksuk's second goal of the night came one second after a power play ended, so it was basically a power play goal, even though it didn't count as one.
When Providence carried a chunk of the first period, UMD regrouped and didn't let it happen again in the game. You can question the opponent if you want, but this was a badly-needed performance and win for the champs.
The finish was the most impressive. After taking a one-goal lead into the second intermission, UMD out-scored Providence 2-0 in the third period, out-shot the Friars 13-5, and held the Friars to just ten shot attempts in the period, all of them from outside the slot (five on each side of the offensive zone, none particularly threatening).
Kenny Reiter was shaky on a couple shots, but pretty solid. The first goal was a weird play, where it looked like the initial shot was blocked, and no one could find it for what felt like five minutes before it was shot into the net. On the second, there was a defensive breakdown, leaving a Providence player wide open at the side of the net for an easy goal.
Not sure what UMD will do in goal Saturday. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if either guy started. I know there are a lot of fans who think these games mean more than the league games do, and the PairWise certainly presents a solid argument for that being the case. But I don't think coaches see it the same way at this point. I still think they look at the league games as being the most important things on a schedule, because points are on the line. This might be a good opportunity to keep Aaron Crandall fresh, because even if you start rolling with Reiter as the No. 1 goalie, it's good to have the second guy ready to play in case something bad happens.
Freshman Adam Krause, who took a seat with defensman Luke McManus for the series opener, should be in the lineup Saturday on the fourth line, with Keegan Flaherty moving to the left wing and Krause serving as Jake Hendrickson's right wing. The fourth line had a good night Friday, chipping in a goal and some good shifts with puck possession, even when they weren't matched up against Providence's fourth line.
The Friars looked a bit like a team in transition in this game. Nate Leaman's teams at Union became progressively more and more difficult to play against, capped by last year's team that was outstanding. A good in-your-face, grinding, battle-for-every-puck-and-every-inch team that made life hell for its opponents. Coaching a different guy's recruits, you saw flashes of that style from the Friars, but it wasn't anything remotely close to 60 minutes of it.
UMD needs more of the same Saturday to finish off the sweep. It would be a very nice way to close out the first road trip of the season, and it would ensure some smiles on the trip home, despite the 4:00am Eastern wake-up call Sunday.
(Zombies!)
******
Some odd happenings around the WCHA Friday. In Bemidji, the Beavers beat Michigan Tech 6-5 in their home opener. BSU scored five straight after trailing 3-1 in the first. It started when the Beavers pulled Dan Bakala after he allowed three goals on four shots (yup, his save percentage on the night was .250).
Meanwhile, goaltending was also optional in St. Cloud, where St. Cloud State beat New Hampshire 7-5. The Huskies trailed early, but scored three second-period goals to take a 5-2 lead they wouldn't relinquish. It's St. Cloud State's second win of the season after a three-game losing streak.
Speaking of "optional goaltending," Wisconsin beat North Dakota 5-3 in a game where all the scoring happened in the first two periods. Neither starting goalie was sharp, but North Dakota was the only one to make a change, pulling Brad Eidsness after he allowed four goals on 18 shots.
Also Friday, Denver rallied past Minnesota State 4-2, and Minnesota improved to 5-0 with a 6-0 drubbing of Vermont.
******
The most bizarre happening was in Marquette, Mich., where Northern Michigan beat Michigan 5-3. During the second period, NMU's Andrew Cherniwchan got tangled up with Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick, and a fracas ensued.
(The only YouTube showing up at the moment is one of the crowd at Berry Events Center reacting to Hunwick getting ejected. It's great if you like cheering crowds and music, but it accomplishes nothing else. If I ever see a video of the incident online, I'll update.)
Hunwick ended up taking a major penalty for contact to the head, and a game misconduct. Adam Janecyk had to finish the game in goal for Michigan, allowing four NMU goals on 15 shots (Hunwick had a shutout going).
The senior goalie was apologetic via Twitter after the game.
******
Saturday's coverage starts at 5:30 from Providence, on 94X and the Bulldog Sports Radio Network (KQ 105.5, KQ 106.7). You can hear the game online at www.94xrocks.com.
Friday, August 26, 2011
WCHA Grows, CCHA Dies
The imminent end of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association is nothing to celebrate. Good people -- from commissioner Fred Pletsch all the way down through the league's media relations staff to its officials -- will be out of work with the league ceasing to exist after the 2011-12 season.
However, the events of Thursday, which saw the Western Collegiate Hockey Association formally invite the five teams left in the CCHA for the 2013 season, are events that should be saluted by the college hockey world as a positive step.
The WCHA's move dissolves a league that has developed its own tradition and played some great hockey, but it might go a long way toward saving a couple programs who were facing uncertain futures.
The programs involved are Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, and Western Michigan. Obviously, Western Michigan has been talked about as a candidate to join Notre Dame in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, but until the Irish make up their mind what league to join, WMU can't do anything.
Lake Superior State and Alaska were quick to accept the invite. They had been pushing to join the league, and so this was probably not a surprise. Assuming WMU and Notre Dame join the NCHC, and Bowling Green accepts the WCHA invite, you're looking at a ten-team league that seems to resemble something I recommended as the NCHC news was breaking.
Looking at the situation, I still think this is the solution that makes the most sense. Yes, the Minnesota teams would have to play two road series per season against Alaska teams. However, the league could probably figure out a way to do the scheduling so teams can just stay up there and play both series in back-to-back weekends, and at least one of them per year could do that while on break from school if you plan it right.
It limits the out-of-division travel, which limits flights for the Michigan schools and Bowling Green. Surely, there will be some assistance for the Minnesota teams that have to subsidize two flights to Alaska every season, whether that comes from UAA and UA(F) or from the league in general. No matter what, though, it seems the WCHA is at least setting up the possibility of a two-division league.
Something else is accomplished here ... you have a lot of these schools in situations where they've struggled on the ice lately. Ferris State had a pretty good team this past season, and they've had three winning seasons the last four years. But the Bulldogs haven't made the NCAAs since 2003, and they drew just 1,700 a game last season. Lake Superior State hasn't been very good in a while, and their attendance has sagged as a result. Bowling Green was looking at the end of their program a couple years ago. Michigan Tech has -- well, you know they haven't been good. That's well-documented around here.
The point? You've put them in a position where they can much more realistically compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Take out St. Cloud State, which has been very successful over the years, and you have nine schools that largely lack success in recent years. Alaska-Anchorage hasn't been in the NCAA Tournament since joining the WCHA, and its 16-18-3 record last season is the best the school has had since then. Alaska has one NCAA appearance (2010), and just seven winning seasons since Don Lucia left in 1993. Bemidji State has four NCAA trips and a Frozen Four appearance since going Division I, but only one of those four NCAA trips came without winning the CHA tournament, and that league was never good.
Ferris' 2003 NCAA appearance still stands as the only in school history. Bowling Green hasn't made it since 1990, when some guy named Jerry York was the coach. York left in 1994, and the Falcons have posted three winning seasons and nine 20-loss seasons, including six in a row. Lake Superior State hasn't "gone dancing" since 1996.
Michigan Tech's last NCAA appearance was in 1981, when new coach Mel Pearson was a senior. MTU has posted one winning season since 1993. Minnesota State has four winning seasons and one NCAA trip while a member of the WCHA; they joined in 1999. Northern Michigan has a .555 winning percentage since joining the CCHA in 1997, but the Wildcats have made just two NCAA appearances in that time.
For all these programs, there's at least the chance that improved odds of an NCAA bid will help them draw fans, keep them competitive for recruits, and help the bottom line. Unanswered questions remain about the actual league structure, as well as the postseason tournament.
But in the end, this was probably the best move for the future of all of college hockey. Now, we need to work on Alabama-Huntsville. I was worried about them two years ago, and that hasn't changed.
However, the events of Thursday, which saw the Western Collegiate Hockey Association formally invite the five teams left in the CCHA for the 2013 season, are events that should be saluted by the college hockey world as a positive step.
The WCHA's move dissolves a league that has developed its own tradition and played some great hockey, but it might go a long way toward saving a couple programs who were facing uncertain futures.
The programs involved are Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, and Western Michigan. Obviously, Western Michigan has been talked about as a candidate to join Notre Dame in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, but until the Irish make up their mind what league to join, WMU can't do anything.
Lake Superior State and Alaska were quick to accept the invite. They had been pushing to join the league, and so this was probably not a surprise. Assuming WMU and Notre Dame join the NCHC, and Bowling Green accepts the WCHA invite, you're looking at a ten-team league that seems to resemble something I recommended as the NCHC news was breaking.
Could the ten combine into one league? I don't see why not. Put the Alaska teams (Anchorage and Fairbanks), Bemidji State, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State in one division, then stick the upper Michigan teams (Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, and Northern Michigan) in a division with Bowling Green and Ferris State. Each team plays four games against divisional foes (two home, two away), and one series (home or away) against each team in the other division. 26 league games total. That's doable. Financially, though, this could be a nightmare. You'd have to have the league tournament on a campus site, or it won't draw. And if it's on a campus site, it won't draw the same kind of television interest it would if it were at a pre-determined site.
Looking at the situation, I still think this is the solution that makes the most sense. Yes, the Minnesota teams would have to play two road series per season against Alaska teams. However, the league could probably figure out a way to do the scheduling so teams can just stay up there and play both series in back-to-back weekends, and at least one of them per year could do that while on break from school if you plan it right.
It limits the out-of-division travel, which limits flights for the Michigan schools and Bowling Green. Surely, there will be some assistance for the Minnesota teams that have to subsidize two flights to Alaska every season, whether that comes from UAA and UA(F) or from the league in general. No matter what, though, it seems the WCHA is at least setting up the possibility of a two-division league.
Something else is accomplished here ... you have a lot of these schools in situations where they've struggled on the ice lately. Ferris State had a pretty good team this past season, and they've had three winning seasons the last four years. But the Bulldogs haven't made the NCAAs since 2003, and they drew just 1,700 a game last season. Lake Superior State hasn't been very good in a while, and their attendance has sagged as a result. Bowling Green was looking at the end of their program a couple years ago. Michigan Tech has -- well, you know they haven't been good. That's well-documented around here.
The point? You've put them in a position where they can much more realistically compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Take out St. Cloud State, which has been very successful over the years, and you have nine schools that largely lack success in recent years. Alaska-Anchorage hasn't been in the NCAA Tournament since joining the WCHA, and its 16-18-3 record last season is the best the school has had since then. Alaska has one NCAA appearance (2010), and just seven winning seasons since Don Lucia left in 1993. Bemidji State has four NCAA trips and a Frozen Four appearance since going Division I, but only one of those four NCAA trips came without winning the CHA tournament, and that league was never good.
Ferris' 2003 NCAA appearance still stands as the only in school history. Bowling Green hasn't made it since 1990, when some guy named Jerry York was the coach. York left in 1994, and the Falcons have posted three winning seasons and nine 20-loss seasons, including six in a row. Lake Superior State hasn't "gone dancing" since 1996.
Michigan Tech's last NCAA appearance was in 1981, when new coach Mel Pearson was a senior. MTU has posted one winning season since 1993. Minnesota State has four winning seasons and one NCAA trip while a member of the WCHA; they joined in 1999. Northern Michigan has a .555 winning percentage since joining the CCHA in 1997, but the Wildcats have made just two NCAA appearances in that time.
For all these programs, there's at least the chance that improved odds of an NCAA bid will help them draw fans, keep them competitive for recruits, and help the bottom line. Unanswered questions remain about the actual league structure, as well as the postseason tournament.
But in the end, this was probably the best move for the future of all of college hockey. Now, we need to work on Alabama-Huntsville. I was worried about them two years ago, and that hasn't changed.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
WCHA, CCHA Meet Again; Trent Palm Signs Pro Deal
Greetings ... we're inside of six weeks until the UMD hockey season opens with an exhibition game, and less than a month away from the first trip to the rink to check out captain's practices.
It all seems to happen so quickly.
Anyway, 2013 brings a lot of change to the college hockey landscape, as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Big Ten begin play, and the WCHA and CCHA cease to exist as we know them now.
With 12 schools currently in limbo -- for the sake of argument, I'll include Western Michigan but not Notre Dame on that list -- there is more change coming to the sport. It's just a matter of time, and a matter of "what."
11 of the affected schools -- minus Alabama-Huntsville -- met in Chicago Tuesday. The remnants of the WCHA and CCHA are at least discussing the possibility of a merger. According to a WCHA press release, the schools had an agenda at the meeting "that included sharing information about each other, engaging in productive discussions about the challenges that each institution and each conference face, and seeking common ground to work together for the betterment of the parties involved and of college hockey in general."
Obviously (at least it's obvious if you read this blog regularly), my concern here is that UAH was not included in these talks. It worries me a lot, because there appears to be no movement afoot to get the Chargers in a league. Hopefully, this will change, because it benefits no one to see this program go away.
Outside of that, there is little here that is negative. The 11 schools (assuming Western Michigan isn't actually tied to Notre Dame in any way) would do well to form a league. Find a way to deal with the travel costs, and all 11 will probably find a way to sustain themselves going forward.
Former UMD defenseman Trent Palm has signed a deal with the Chicago Express of the East Coast Hockey League. The Express are in their first season. Palm played 123 games at UMD, including 28 as a fifth-year senior. Surgery for hip and abdominal problems forced Palm to take a medical redshirt for the 2009-2010 season.
He saw special-teams time, even played forward for a bit, and was paired with Drew Olson for most of the Bulldogs' run through the playoffs and NCAA Tournament last season.
It all seems to happen so quickly.
Anyway, 2013 brings a lot of change to the college hockey landscape, as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Big Ten begin play, and the WCHA and CCHA cease to exist as we know them now.
With 12 schools currently in limbo -- for the sake of argument, I'll include Western Michigan but not Notre Dame on that list -- there is more change coming to the sport. It's just a matter of time, and a matter of "what."
11 of the affected schools -- minus Alabama-Huntsville -- met in Chicago Tuesday. The remnants of the WCHA and CCHA are at least discussing the possibility of a merger. According to a WCHA press release, the schools had an agenda at the meeting "that included sharing information about each other, engaging in productive discussions about the challenges that each institution and each conference face, and seeking common ground to work together for the betterment of the parties involved and of college hockey in general."
In issuing a joint statement, WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod and CCHA Commissioner Fred Pletsch said, “This was an important and productive meeting, for all involved parties. We asked everyone in attendance to be open, honest and frank in discussing their concerns, hopes and visions for the future of their respective programs. We recognize that where there is change there is also opportunity. We plan to continue our discussions in the future and to continue to explore all options.
“One crucial thing that came out of the joint meeting today was the word ‘commitment’. All of these institutions are totally committed to fielding the most competitive and successful programs possible and to provide the best possible experience for their student-athletes.”
Topics discussed in the joint meeting agenda included sharing of institutional and hockey program information (including financial, facilities, community support, staffing and travel), scheduling and championship scenarios, and membership and league affiliation (including league size, automatic qualifiers, etc).
In attendance at the joint meeting were administrators from the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bemidji State University, Bowling Green State University, Ferris State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Northern Michigan University, St. Cloud State University and Western Michigan University.
Obviously (at least it's obvious if you read this blog regularly), my concern here is that UAH was not included in these talks. It worries me a lot, because there appears to be no movement afoot to get the Chargers in a league. Hopefully, this will change, because it benefits no one to see this program go away.
Outside of that, there is little here that is negative. The 11 schools (assuming Western Michigan isn't actually tied to Notre Dame in any way) would do well to form a league. Find a way to deal with the travel costs, and all 11 will probably find a way to sustain themselves going forward.
******
Former UMD defenseman Trent Palm has signed a deal with the Chicago Express of the East Coast Hockey League. The Express are in their first season. Palm played 123 games at UMD, including 28 as a fifth-year senior. Surgery for hip and abdominal problems forced Palm to take a medical redshirt for the 2009-2010 season.
He saw special-teams time, even played forward for a bit, and was paired with Drew Olson for most of the Bulldogs' run through the playoffs and NCAA Tournament last season.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Don Lucia Shows Leadership
In 24 seasons as a head coach, Don Lucia has won a small number of games (555). He has two national titles to his credit, and is one of the more respectable people in a tough industry.
Lucia should carry some clout when he speaks, no matter what you think of Minnesota.
This week, we found out that he's willing to step up and be a leader when it comes to college hockey in Minnesota, not just college hockey at the University of Minnesota.
In comments published by the St. Cloud Times, Lucia says he'd like to see regular non-conference play with the Minnesota programs remaining in the WCHA -- Bemidji State, St. Cloud State, and Minnesota State -- as well as an annual tournament.
Even if Minnesota and Wisconsin still insist on playing 20 home games a year (that would mean 10 of the 14 non-conference games they play would need to be at home), there's no reason there can't be regular games against WCHA teams once they join the Big Ten. It would be very beneficial for the WCHA to find a way to come up with a scheduling arrangement with the CCHA, NCHC, and/or Big Ten. But in the end, Minnesota probably won't need one to do the right thing. It sounds like Lucia is intent on making it happen.
Good on Don Lucia.
I'm sure not trying to indict other coaches, but let's face it. Minnesota is different. People need to see the five programs having some sort of camaraderie with one another. They need to see some effort being made by Minnesota to help "the little guys," especially the three programs left in the WCHA while Minnesota and UMD move on to "bigger and better things."
UMD will bear some responsibility here, too. They can't just schedule Minnesota and be done with it. They need to also work with Bemidji, St. Cloud, and MSU to come up with an arrangement that helps all parties.
From my perspective, though, this is a good and appreciated move by Lucia. I stood firmly behind Lucia last season in the face of "Fire!" cries from Gopher fans everywhere. I have not backed down from those words one bit.
He's a class act, and he understands his program's role in this state. Give him credit for speaking out and taking a lead role during this time of incredible and historic change in college hockey.
The WCHA added Northern Michigan officially Wednesday, meaning they'll have the minimum of six teams required for an NCAA automatic bid. Now we'll see what the CCHA ends up doing, and if anyone has the heart enough to pick up Alabama-Huntsville. Hopefully that happens, because even with everything else going on, I still have more worries about UAH's future than anyone else.
I've had some people ask me about other programs' ability to schedule non-conference games.
Lucia should carry some clout when he speaks, no matter what you think of Minnesota.
This week, we found out that he's willing to step up and be a leader when it comes to college hockey in Minnesota, not just college hockey at the University of Minnesota.
In comments published by the St. Cloud Times, Lucia says he'd like to see regular non-conference play with the Minnesota programs remaining in the WCHA -- Bemidji State, St. Cloud State, and Minnesota State -- as well as an annual tournament.
Lucia said he has talked with Huskies coach Bob Motzko, Beavers coach Tom Serratore and Mavericks coach Troy Jutting about the Gophers playing games against their programs beginning in 2013-14, which is the first season that the Gophers and Wisconsin leave the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten Conference.
Lucia also said that he plans to talk with Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin about the same arrangement with the Bulldogs, who also leave the WCHA after the 2012-13 season and will join the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
“We have 14 nonleague games to work with and our goal is to play those (four) teams every year,” Lucia said. “It would be good for our program, all the other programs and for the state of Minnesota.
“I think it’s a win-win for everyone, for our fans and the proximity of playing each other. We should continue playing each other.”
Even if Minnesota and Wisconsin still insist on playing 20 home games a year (that would mean 10 of the 14 non-conference games they play would need to be at home), there's no reason there can't be regular games against WCHA teams once they join the Big Ten. It would be very beneficial for the WCHA to find a way to come up with a scheduling arrangement with the CCHA, NCHC, and/or Big Ten. But in the end, Minnesota probably won't need one to do the right thing. It sounds like Lucia is intent on making it happen.
Good on Don Lucia.
I'm sure not trying to indict other coaches, but let's face it. Minnesota is different. People need to see the five programs having some sort of camaraderie with one another. They need to see some effort being made by Minnesota to help "the little guys," especially the three programs left in the WCHA while Minnesota and UMD move on to "bigger and better things."
UMD will bear some responsibility here, too. They can't just schedule Minnesota and be done with it. They need to also work with Bemidji, St. Cloud, and MSU to come up with an arrangement that helps all parties.
From my perspective, though, this is a good and appreciated move by Lucia. I stood firmly behind Lucia last season in the face of "Fire!" cries from Gopher fans everywhere. I have not backed down from those words one bit.
He's a class act, and he understands his program's role in this state. Give him credit for speaking out and taking a lead role during this time of incredible and historic change in college hockey.
******
The WCHA added Northern Michigan officially Wednesday, meaning they'll have the minimum of six teams required for an NCAA automatic bid. Now we'll see what the CCHA ends up doing, and if anyone has the heart enough to pick up Alabama-Huntsville. Hopefully that happens, because even with everything else going on, I still have more worries about UAH's future than anyone else.
I've had some people ask me about other programs' ability to schedule non-conference games.
- As long as Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage are still around, they'll have few problems with scheduling. Each hosts an October tournament, and they make the trip to the other's event. The other two non-conference games they're allowed to play are against each other in a home-and-home.
- Lake Superior State and Michigan Tech are in a tough position. Perhaps there's some sort of deal that can be worked out with Northern Michigan where Tech and NMU regularly play Lake State, because that makes too much sense to not have it happen. Obviously, Tech and Northern will be playing each other as part of the WCHA schedule.
- Don't be surprised if UMD is making semi-regular visits to Houghton. I hope that's not just wishful thinking. I always complain about that trip, but I usually end up enjoying it.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
College Hockey Not Done Changing
I said it on Twitter last week, and I'll say it again now.
This is the craziest offseason in college hockey history.
Nuts. Bizonkers. Whatever word you want to use.
The sport is undergoing massive change to its landscape, with the recent announcements of the Big Ten and NCHC forming, combined with the impending move of at least Northern Michigan to the WCHA.
Now, it's the CCHA's turn to make a move to guarantee its survival as a league -- which is the best-case scenario for the sport.
College Hockey News reports that the first step towards that reality is set to happen.
While this is a good thing for college hockey, Atlantic Hockey commissioner Bob DeGregorio isn't terribly happy about the development.
Actually, he's pissed.
So, it's only a good thing for college hockey if it's good for Atlantic Hockey. Got it.
In all seriousness, I understand DeGregorio's frustrations. But the "every man for himself" ship sailed months ago, when Terry Pegula's donation to start the Penn State program started a chain reaction that led us to this moment. There's no pulling some rope to get the boat back in port now. It's gone.
(Actually, the argument could be made that this ship sailed the moment the CCHA decided not to take Alabama-Huntsville, because the world hasn't been the same since. But we'll stick with the Penn State program forming, because that's really what started things.)
We can either 1) lament the fact that a sport where commissioners and ADs were known for doing unselfish things to help the common good has gone all WWE Royal Rumble on the world, or 2) deal with the reality and do what can be done to preserve the programs that exist, many of which have great tradition and shouldn't be forced to go the way of the dodo bird because Bob DeGregorio doesn't want his league to lose any teams.
The sport will survive, and the teams that are playing it are committed to making it work. Even programs like Ferris State and Lake Superior State, which fall under the banner of "We should be at least a little worried about their futures," are being proactive and making sure they are out front in helping determine the CCHA's future.
It doesn't appear terribly likely that the WCHA and CCHA will merge at this point, as the CCHA appears focused on keeping a league together on its own.
As noted by CHN, the four Atlantic Hockey teams that could be moving aren't interested in moving if Alaska (Alaska-Fairbanks, as it's more commonly known) is still in the league.
Does that open the door for Alabama-Huntsville to also join the CCHA? (Doubtful.)
Does it open the door for Minnesota State-Moorhead to join UA(F) and make the WCHA eight teams?
Yeah, the landscape is still changing. Hopefully, it doesn't get any smaller while it continues to mold itself.
This is the craziest offseason in college hockey history.
Nuts. Bizonkers. Whatever word you want to use.
The sport is undergoing massive change to its landscape, with the recent announcements of the Big Ten and NCHC forming, combined with the impending move of at least Northern Michigan to the WCHA.
Now, it's the CCHA's turn to make a move to guarantee its survival as a league -- which is the best-case scenario for the sport.
College Hockey News reports that the first step towards that reality is set to happen.
CCHA officials will meet within the next two weeks with representatives of four Atlantic Hockey schools about a potential change in conferences in 2013-14.
Robert Morris, Niagara, Mercyhurst and Canisius are all actively exploring the possibility of switching from Atlantic Hockey to the CCHA. It is believed that the four would leave as a group, or not at all, though that is not set in stone.
All four schools have previously expressed interest in playing with 18 scholarships, the maximum allowed in Division I men's hockey. Atlantic Hockey, however, restricts its members to awarding 12 scholarships. A recent vote to increase that to 13 did not pass.
While this is a good thing for college hockey, Atlantic Hockey commissioner Bob DeGregorio isn't terribly happy about the development.
Actually, he's pissed.
"It's great we added a 59th program, but as I've been saying all along, what is the fallout?" DeGregorio said. "If we end up losing two to three programs, or destroying some good leagues, then we haven't done what's good for college hockey. It's funny, but when Robert Morris and Niagara were looking for a place to go, everyone called me and said, 'Bob, you gotta do a good thing for hockey.' Where is that now? Everyone is doing what's best for them and to hell with everyone else."
So, it's only a good thing for college hockey if it's good for Atlantic Hockey. Got it.
In all seriousness, I understand DeGregorio's frustrations. But the "every man for himself" ship sailed months ago, when Terry Pegula's donation to start the Penn State program started a chain reaction that led us to this moment. There's no pulling some rope to get the boat back in port now. It's gone.
(Actually, the argument could be made that this ship sailed the moment the CCHA decided not to take Alabama-Huntsville, because the world hasn't been the same since. But we'll stick with the Penn State program forming, because that's really what started things.)
We can either 1) lament the fact that a sport where commissioners and ADs were known for doing unselfish things to help the common good has gone all WWE Royal Rumble on the world, or 2) deal with the reality and do what can be done to preserve the programs that exist, many of which have great tradition and shouldn't be forced to go the way of the dodo bird because Bob DeGregorio doesn't want his league to lose any teams.
The sport will survive, and the teams that are playing it are committed to making it work. Even programs like Ferris State and Lake Superior State, which fall under the banner of "We should be at least a little worried about their futures," are being proactive and making sure they are out front in helping determine the CCHA's future.
It doesn't appear terribly likely that the WCHA and CCHA will merge at this point, as the CCHA appears focused on keeping a league together on its own.
As noted by CHN, the four Atlantic Hockey teams that could be moving aren't interested in moving if Alaska (Alaska-Fairbanks, as it's more commonly known) is still in the league.
Does that open the door for Alabama-Huntsville to also join the CCHA? (Doubtful.)
Does it open the door for Minnesota State-Moorhead to join UA(F) and make the WCHA eight teams?
Yeah, the landscape is still changing. Hopefully, it doesn't get any smaller while it continues to mold itself.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
National Collegiate Hockey Conference Has Work Ahead
I didn't spring for a plane ticket to Colorado Springs for Wednesday's big event unveiling the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
In retrospect, I couldn't be happier about not spending that kind of coin.
Wednesday's press conference was nothing more than a waste of time in my eyes, and I was merely calling in to the event from my desk here in Duluth. I can only imagine how angry I would have been had I taken the time and money to fly to Colorado Springs for what should have been a historic moment for these six programs.
More time was spent explaining the history of Penrose House -- and the Broadmoor -- than was spent explaining exactly why the hell this was happening.
I'm not saying that the history isn't significant, and I'm not saying that the history isn't worth mentioning.
But they buried the lead, and it almost felt like they did it for a reason.
The NCHC announcement felt disorganized, somewhat contrived, and completely out of haste. It didn't ring as a well-organized event, and it didn't sound like the six schools had spent much time coming up with a good story about why they decided to break off and form a league together.
(And this is someone who was joking with an official from one of the schools involved over the weekend about sending in a bill for "all the PR work I have been doing." I wasn't expecting the world Wednesday, but I was still sorely disappointed. That should tell you something.)
The question-and-answer session at the initial press conference was completely void of anything newsworthy or notable. You can argue that the six athletic directors and coaches all made themselves available to the media afterward, and you'd be correct. However, the way those sessions were organized -- three at a time -- made it tough for those of us intent on asking actual questions of those involved in the NCHC decision. We were left to try to pick between Ken Ralph and Bob Nielson, and then pick between Brian Faison and Trev Alberts.
For those of us dialing in on the phone, it was a hit-or-miss proposition just trying to hear what the principle people were saying. That only rendered our job more difficult.
If you were working on site, you were lucky in one way. You were in Colorado Springs -- a great city. But you couldn't roll your eyes at everything without potentially being seen. That was an advantage I had, and my eyes almost got stuck in the back of my head, as I heard people generically talk about core values and take veiled shots at those programs they were leaving behind.
North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison made it abundantly clear that his program intends to "be a good member" of the WCHA until the 2012-13 season ends, and the move officially takes place.
While Faison was unwilling to identify a "breaking point" when asked what made him finally decide to break away from the WCHA, there were a couple references by others to the formation of the Big Ten Conference, which was officially announced in March.
There was a lot of talk about competition -- from what I heard, it came up with UMD coach Scott Sandelin, Colorado College coach Scott Owens, Denver coach George Gwozdecky, and North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol. No one wanted to poke the remaining WCHA teams, but one couldn't help but look at the comments as being directed a bit in that direction.
Whether the NCHC feels it is breaking off the strength of a top-heavy league or not, that appears to be a potential reality. None of the coaches or athletic directors want to be part of a program going the way of the dodo bird, but none of them could guarantee that wouldn't happen.
Of course, it's out of their hands now.
This isn't meant as a rip. It's a reality. The NCHC didn't make a good first impression for itself. It reminded me of a scene in one of my favorite movies.
You might remember that after this impassioned, emotional, off-the-cuff speech, Jerry and Dorothy (and the fish) got in the elevator, and Dorothy asked Jerry if he would have a medical program (she is a single mom, for crying out loud!). Jerry had that flushed-out look that made us all understand that he didn't know what the hell he was doing, and that he would figure it out as they went along.
The NCHC has two years. Along with a medical program, they have to complete the process of incorporating, need a commissioner, a PR guy, a place to put their stuff, and a plan to move forward.
But you never get a second chance to make a first impression. For the most part, people weren't impressed Wednesday. It leaves the NCHC with plenty of work ahead.
In retrospect, I couldn't be happier about not spending that kind of coin.
Wednesday's press conference was nothing more than a waste of time in my eyes, and I was merely calling in to the event from my desk here in Duluth. I can only imagine how angry I would have been had I taken the time and money to fly to Colorado Springs for what should have been a historic moment for these six programs.
More time was spent explaining the history of Penrose House -- and the Broadmoor -- than was spent explaining exactly why the hell this was happening.
I'm not saying that the history isn't significant, and I'm not saying that the history isn't worth mentioning.
But they buried the lead, and it almost felt like they did it for a reason.
The NCHC announcement felt disorganized, somewhat contrived, and completely out of haste. It didn't ring as a well-organized event, and it didn't sound like the six schools had spent much time coming up with a good story about why they decided to break off and form a league together.
(And this is someone who was joking with an official from one of the schools involved over the weekend about sending in a bill for "all the PR work I have been doing." I wasn't expecting the world Wednesday, but I was still sorely disappointed. That should tell you something.)
The question-and-answer session at the initial press conference was completely void of anything newsworthy or notable. You can argue that the six athletic directors and coaches all made themselves available to the media afterward, and you'd be correct. However, the way those sessions were organized -- three at a time -- made it tough for those of us intent on asking actual questions of those involved in the NCHC decision. We were left to try to pick between Ken Ralph and Bob Nielson, and then pick between Brian Faison and Trev Alberts.
For those of us dialing in on the phone, it was a hit-or-miss proposition just trying to hear what the principle people were saying. That only rendered our job more difficult.
If you were working on site, you were lucky in one way. You were in Colorado Springs -- a great city. But you couldn't roll your eyes at everything without potentially being seen. That was an advantage I had, and my eyes almost got stuck in the back of my head, as I heard people generically talk about core values and take veiled shots at those programs they were leaving behind.
North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison made it abundantly clear that his program intends to "be a good member" of the WCHA until the 2012-13 season ends, and the move officially takes place.
While Faison was unwilling to identify a "breaking point" when asked what made him finally decide to break away from the WCHA, there were a couple references by others to the formation of the Big Ten Conference, which was officially announced in March.
There was a lot of talk about competition -- from what I heard, it came up with UMD coach Scott Sandelin, Colorado College coach Scott Owens, Denver coach George Gwozdecky, and North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol. No one wanted to poke the remaining WCHA teams, but one couldn't help but look at the comments as being directed a bit in that direction.
Whether the NCHC feels it is breaking off the strength of a top-heavy league or not, that appears to be a potential reality. None of the coaches or athletic directors want to be part of a program going the way of the dodo bird, but none of them could guarantee that wouldn't happen.
Of course, it's out of their hands now.
This isn't meant as a rip. It's a reality. The NCHC didn't make a good first impression for itself. It reminded me of a scene in one of my favorite movies.
You might remember that after this impassioned, emotional, off-the-cuff speech, Jerry and Dorothy (and the fish) got in the elevator, and Dorothy asked Jerry if he would have a medical program (she is a single mom, for crying out loud!). Jerry had that flushed-out look that made us all understand that he didn't know what the hell he was doing, and that he would figure it out as they went along.
The NCHC has two years. Along with a medical program, they have to complete the process of incorporating, need a commissioner, a PR guy, a place to put their stuff, and a plan to move forward.
But you never get a second chance to make a first impression. For the most part, people weren't impressed Wednesday. It leaves the NCHC with plenty of work ahead.
Monday, April 11, 2011
(Monday) Hockey Notes and Thoughts: This One Was Undoubtedly and Undeniably Earned
However, there was a reality expressed by Berenson at his postgame press conference, when he stated he thought UMD was the better team.
He wasn't as willing on Friday to say the same of his own team after its 2-0 upset of North Dakota. He said multiple times that he felt his team was fortunate to advance, and he felt North Dakota was a better team. They probably were, but Shawn Hunwick was a man in goal with 40 saves.
On Saturday, for the second time in a row at the Frozen Four, the Wolverines were not the better team.
This time around, they weren't fortunate enough to get a great goaltending performance or a fortunate bounce. They got the goaltending, but couldn't get the bounces to overcome a better team.
Some might say that the Yale and Michigan games went the way they did because UMD got fortunate breaks from whistle-happy officials. Of course, that's a pretty narrow-minded view of things, but it's your right to think that way if you do.
Reality dictates that there are different truths. Yale complained that the game was taken away from them with a five-minute major that was called eight seconds after a three-goal deficit was cut to two. But what they conveniently forgot was that Yale played nearly 15 minutes of five-on-five hockey in the third period, and mustered a grand total of four shots on goal.
As for Michigan, they had as many shot attempts (nine) in the third period as Mike Connolly had shots on goal in the game.
In overtime, UMD used their superior depth and skating ability to wear down the Wolverines. A couple of silly icings didn't help, and Berenson's decision not to use his timeout with Matt Rust's line stuck on the ice proved deadly for his team.
Was it a product of Michigan being too locked-in on matching up Rust's line with Jack Connolly's line? Was it a typical coach not wanting to burn a timeout when the game was starting to take the look of one that could last a while?
We'll probably never know.
No matter what, UMD deserves this. They were better than Michigan Saturday, outside of a stretch in the last part of the first period after the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead. They were good enough to beat Michigan, and would have been good enough to beat anyone else this tournament could have placed in front of them.
Simply, the Bulldogs were not going to be denied.
On this night, they didn't wait for a lucky bounce or a fluke bleeder goal to make it happen. They earned everything they got, and they showed why they set such high expectations for themselves when the season started.
******
If you're going to be in Duluth Wednesday night, you're invited (and encouraged) to stop by Amsoil Arena for the formal and official championship celebration. Doors at the arena will open at 5, with the proceedings getting underway at 6.
******
A few stats from the weekend:
- Thanks to that one-for-nine Saturday, UMD's power play "only" clicked at nine-for-32 in the NCAA Tournament. Bums.
- UMD's penalty kill was awesome throughout the tournament, but never better than at the Frozen Four. They went 23 for 26 in the tourney, but were nine for nine in the Frozen Four, holding Notre Dame and Michigan to a combined total of four shots on goal. Let that one sink in for a second.
- I complained (well, I brought the fact up) during the first intermission that UMD had won just 7 of 20 first-period faceoffs. They must have heard me. The Bulldogs went 44-25 on draws the rest of the game, with Travis Oleksuk going 17-8 over the final two-plus periods.
- The All-Tournament team included J.T. Brown and Kyle Schmidt up front, and Justin Faulk on defense. Michigan's Ben Winnett and Jon Merrill, along with goalie Shawn Hunwick, also made the team. Brown was the Most Outstanding Player.
- Tip of the cap to all the people in St. Paul who worked hard at the arena, most notably Dave Fischer, Mark Bedics, Paul Rovnak, and Wally Shaver, who put up with my deaf ears not hearing the officials' names on Saturday. Also, hats off to everyone at the Embassy Suites for making the four-night stay as comfortable and enjoyable as it was.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Frozen Four: Musical Interlude, Part Deux
ST. PAUL -- I think I've mentioned being superstitious in the past.
That hasn't changed.
It worked Thursday, so here are two more tunes to amp everyone up for what is to come in less than six hours.
Wow. Less than six hours.
Here is one of the Fabulous Mrs. Ciskie's favorites.
That hasn't changed.
It worked Thursday, so here are two more tunes to amp everyone up for what is to come in less than six hours.
Wow. Less than six hours.
Here is one of the Fabulous Mrs. Ciskie's favorites.
Friday, April 08, 2011
Frozen Four: Justin Fontaine Going Out in Style
As the Bulldogs prepare for what they know is their final game of the season -- Saturday in the NCAA final against Michigan here -- Fontaine is making his final push for a shot at professional hockey when it's all finished up.
Based on how he's played as of late, Fontaine is well-prepared for that opportunity, one that is virtually inevitable.
On his way toward becoming the first UMD player since Mike Peluso to average a point per game over a four-year career, Fontaine carries a career-high 11-game point streak into Saturday's championship game.
Thanks to that run of 19 points in 11 games, Fontaine has improved to 164 career points on 62 goals and 102 assists. That makes him the 14th Bulldog ever to accumulate 100 assists (Jack Connolly is getting close, too). He's one point away from tying Skeeter Moore for 15th on UMD's all-time scoring charts (165 points). If he truly has the game of his life, former All-American defenseman Curt Giles had 171 points. That might be asking a bit too much, though.
Even more incredible, Fontaine did all this after posting 12 points in his freshman season. His production since then has been off the charts, and a huge part of this program's resurgence.
Coach Scott Sandelin has been singing Fontaine's praises all season, making sure everyone remembers that he's not exactly a weak link in UMD's top line.
While Jack and Mike Connolly garner All-American nods, and both were named first-team All-WCHA, it's almost like Fontaine does indeed lurk in the shadows.
In his four years at UMD, he's become a reliable penalty-killer, is certainly a top goal-scorer, and is capable of playing effectively in all zones. He was a quality talent when he showed up, and he has used his 158 (soon to be 159) career games to improve all facets of his game, making him a top free-agent prospect once his season ends in around 24 hours.
While he's been prepping himself for the next level, Fontaine has also shown what it means to end a successful career in style. He gets one more chance on his sport's biggest stage to show how truly valuable a player he is, and it's best that you not bet against him doing just that when the chips are down.
Someone is going to score the biggest goal of his life Saturday at the XCel Energy Center. And there's no better candidate to look at than Justin Fontaine.
Frozen Four: Opportunity Knocks
On Saturday night, for the first time since 1984, UMD will play for the NCAA championship in men's hockey.
The Bulldogs' 4-3 win over Notre Dame Thursday at the XCel Energy Center puts them one win away from history, the kind that will forever define this class of players.
For seniors Mike Montgomery and Justin Fontaine, it's the moment they dreamed of when they turned down chances to play professionally to stay at UMD.
60 minutes Saturday night stands between this team and the biggest achievement of their hockey careers.
The Michigan Wolverines, of course, also stand in the way. It's quite the formidable opponent for UMD, especially when you look at the historical chasm between the two programs.
While UMD coach Scott Sandelin made it clear Friday that his program has tradition and plenty of pride, they don't have 24 Frozen Four appearances, nine NCAA titles, or a coach who will likely hit 800 wins if he sticks around next season.
"We have great respect for their program," Sandelin said of Michigan, coached by the legendary Red Berenson, who held court in the media room before Sandelin.
Berenson told stories from his playing career. "When I played -- and this was in the 1950s -- the WCHA was Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado College, and Denver. That was it," he noted, while mentioning that Wisconsin, a great program in their own right, didn't even exist when he played.
Berenson has been at Michigan -- his alma mater -- since 1984. He has never beaten UMD while with the Wolverines, not that he's had a lot of opportunity to do so, since Michigan has been in the CCHA for some time.
On this one night in St. Paul, a night where UMD will be the visiting team on the ice but the home team when it comes to crowd support, none of that matters. All that matters is which team can bring enough of that extra effort to skate around with the NCAA trophy.
It's going to be a fun battle of small goalies. In an era where goalies under six feet tall are almost dismissed as having any chance to succeed at a high level, the NCAA final features two small-stature goalies who keep coming up big for their respective teams.
For UMD, Kenny Reiter may have allowed a clunker in the opening minute, but he made some huge saves, including a stop on T.J. Tynan on a partial breakaway in the final minute of the first period.
Michigan senior Shawn Hunwick was not a top prospect coming out of the North American Hockey League, the same lesser-regarded junior league Reiter (along with UMD captain Mike Montgomery and senior Kyle Schmidt, to name two) played in. Hunwick showed up at Michigan and simply outplayed a guy who was thought to be a better candidate to be Michigan's No. 1 goalie in Bryan Hogan. At five-seven, Hunwick doesn't look imposing at all, but his athletic ability and smarts make him as dangerous as any goalie UMD will see.
Words cannot describe the excitement in the UMD fanbase as this game draws closer. Bulldog fans far and wide are searching for tickets for Saturday's final, the first for UMD in 27 years. Many recognize the opportunity that awaits this program, and they certainly understand how significant this moment is.
For a fan, that's all you can do at this point. I can't sit here and tell you that guys like Jack Connolly, Mike Connolly, and Justin Fontaine will own the night, just like I can't tell Michigan fans with certainty that Matt Rust, Carl Hagelin, or Chad Langlais will be the most important players in the game.
Like most big hockey games, this is likely to come down to things that we can't predict.
Who will get the bounces?
Which goalie will have a better game?
Who will benefit from the officiating "beans" more?
Who wins the special teams battle?
The answers to those questions will likely determine if Michigan skates with their tenth national championship, or if UMD gets their first.
Unfortunately, they're just not very easy questions to answer. It's kind of like a coin flip.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Game 41: UMD vs. Notre Dame (NCAA Frozen Four Semifinal No. 1)
ST. PAUL -- Bad wireless here in the press box, so I will just get the lines up for now. If time and wireless permit, I will throw a few notes on here before faceoff.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Connolly (Mike) - Connolly (Jack) - Fontaine
Schmidt - Oleksuk - Brown
Seidel - Hendrickson - Basaraba
Flaherty - Tardy - Grun
Faulk - Montgomery
Bergman - Lamb
Olson - Palm
Reiter - Crandall
Notre Dame
Lee - Sheahan - Maday
Costello - Ryan - Guentzel
Ridderwall - Tynan - Rust
Larson - Gerths - Voran
Lavin - Johns
Taker - Lorenz
Lind - Calabrese
Johnson - Summerhays - Rogers
(Summerhays is listed first on the line chart, but Johnson has been the regular starter. This is an assumption, just like it was for the Yale game.)
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Connolly (Mike) - Connolly (Jack) - Fontaine
Schmidt - Oleksuk - Brown
Seidel - Hendrickson - Basaraba
Flaherty - Tardy - Grun
Faulk - Montgomery
Bergman - Lamb
Olson - Palm
Reiter - Crandall
Notre Dame
Lee - Sheahan - Maday
Costello - Ryan - Guentzel
Ridderwall - Tynan - Rust
Larson - Gerths - Voran
Lavin - Johns
Taker - Lorenz
Lind - Calabrese
Johnson - Summerhays - Rogers
(Summerhays is listed first on the line chart, but Johnson has been the regular starter. This is an assumption, just like it was for the Yale game.)
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Frozen Four: Quotable, Part II
Michigan coach Red Berenson on being in Minnesota: “It is interesting that this senior class played their first ever college game in this building. We are proud to be here and we want to put our best foot forward in this tournament. Our program has been in this tournament since I have been here 11 times, only getting to the championship twice.”
Berenson on finding a way to slow down North Dakota: “We need to play our game, and if we let them do what they are good at, they will do it. We need to stay on the ice, be responsible with the puck and be ultra responsible without the puck. If you give this team out-numbered rushes and power-plays they will take you right out of the game."
Berenson on how Michigan can win the game: “Stranger things have happened. You need good goalkeeping, good penalty killing, good back checking, good play coming out of your zone and you need to be opportunistic. We know they are a better team, but we are going to come and play hard."
(Insert eye roll here. Berenson and Denver's George Gwozdecky clearly went to the same sand-bagging school. You'd think North Dakota was playing American International on Thursday.)
Forward Louie Caporusso on what is likely to be a hostile crowd Thursday: “North Dakota is going to have a lot of fans here, but we’re not concerned about the rink or who is coming, we are just concerned with how we are going to play. We have played in these types of atmospheres before; where the other team is bring a lot of noise. I don’t think it has affected us before. We like playing on the road, so if it’s a hostile atmosphere, so be it.”
Forward Carl Hagelin on the difference between this Michigan team and when he was a younger player there: “Maybe this year we are more of a team then we were our freshman year. Back then we had more of a core group of players scoring all the goals and this year we are better defensively and if we want to do better that’s what it’s going to come down to.”
Hagelin on thriving in anti-Michigan environments like what they expect Thursday: “Yeah I think it will help us. It doesn’t matter where we play we just have to focus on our task and that is to win the game tomorrow. Every guy on our team is excited and we know it’s going to be packed but we just have to play our game.”
North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol on trying to keep a relatively normal routine for his team: "I don’t know if you would call it absolutely routine, but obviously you try to keep everything that’s under your control into a fairly regular routine. Our guys have talked about it, enjoy the day, have a little bit of fun, but when it’s time to work, go to work and do our jobs. So far today our guys have done a good job on all of those things, and we’ll continue with our day.”
Hakstol on his senior class: “They’ve played such a huge role. They’re the leadership core of this group, which starts with our seven seniors. Our senior class is a great group of young men. They’re extremely resilient and they’ve stuck together over four years. One of the best compliments that I can pay to them is that they’re great teammates, they work hard and they have fun, and they do all those things together. That’s been a real strengthening bond for them and that’s trickled down to our entire hockey team in the locker room.”
Defenseman Chay Genoway on his return for a fifth year at UND: “It has been a great experience so far. Obviously last year was a tough one for me personally. Just to have the chance to do it over again has been pretty special. For this year’s senior class to take me and to have the opportunity to join their class has been a pretty cool thing. They are a group of six guys that are pretty tight knit. It has been a fun ride so far and hopefully we have a lot of memories to come.”
Forward Brad Malone on the key to their long unbeaten streak (UND hasn't lost since Jan. 28): “We focus at the task at hand. What is behind us is behind us. I don’t think that is what is pushing us. We are focused on tomorrow and getting a win and that is all that really matters.”
Frozen Four: Quotable, Part I
Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson, who won three national titles at Lake Superior State, including one in St. Paul: "I'm very fortunate to be part of six of these (Frozen Fours). It's a thrill for all of us, and I'm especially thrilled because of this group of kids."
Jackson on this year's team: "This group has been different than any team I have had in the Frozen Four. If there are any similarities it would be back to the Lake State team in 1988, or '92, when we had a really large freshman class. Even back then the freshman class was a little older."
Jackson on sophomore goalie Mike Johnson: "Mike is a character kid, one of the things he is going through is that he had never truly been a No. 1 goalie, and last year he was just thrown into it. He had top-five numbers in the country in the first half last year before fading out."
(Johnson has a .945 save percentage so far in the NCAA Tournament.)
Forward and Minnesota native Ryan Guentzel on getting back to the Frozen Four: "It's a great feeling. 2008 was a great experience for us, being able to play in the national championship was just a blast. Coming back to St. Paul, right by my home town, so looking forward to it."
Guentzel, a senior, on his advice to his team's freshmen: "The main thing I have been trying to get across to the freshmen is to enjoy the moment. You're not guaranteed to be in this situation every year. My freshman year we were in the Frozen Four, and obviously that has happened only one other time (this year)."
UMD coach Scott Sandelin on his program making the Frozen Four: “I think it’s a special time for our program, it’s our fourth time here in our program’s history. This group has had a goal to get here since last season. I’m extremely happy for these two seniors here (Justin Fontaine and Mike Montgomery) that came back and have led us to this point. It’s a great opportunity for them to finish their careers on a note that we all want and that’s winning two hockey games. I know our community is excited and everyone associated with our program is excited to be here, but there is certainly a lot of work to be done here.”
Sandelin on the week-plus of practice between regionals and this weekend: “I can tell you that the last week of practice has been extremely fun for us as coaches. We’ve had the players’ attention and focus. It’s a lot different than a weekend off in November or January. I was very pleased with how our guys came to the rink and practiced. They’re excited and they should be, but it was nice not having to get too mad.”
Sandelin on Notre Dame: "They have some good young players. They have a good mixture of young and old guys. In some ways their similar to our team, they like to play aggressively, they forecheck aggressively. So it’s going to be critical to get pucks out of the zone and to try and challenge them defensively. A lot of times, five on five is always tough as the year goes on, so special teams are going to be big. Even though their power play is at 16 percent, they do some different things that we’ll have to be aware of. Again, hopefully we can win the special teams game and chip one in here five on five. I think it’s going to be a great game, both teams like to get up and down."
Forward Justin Fontaine on returning for his senior year, when he could have turned pro at least once and possibly twice: “We’ve came up short the last two years. But had the edge to come back and be in our building. It was an exciting time to come back early August to come for our goal and that’s being here and that’s where we made it and it’s been a great ride.”
Goalie Kenny Reiter on the team's play -- and his own -- as of late: “I think we would have liked to play these games last weekend just to keep our momentum going coming off the regional. I am playing with confidence right now. I’m just trying to go out there and stick to the basics and I think that is what helped me play so well at the regional.”
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Frozen Four: Yes, This is Really Happening
The first thing that jumped out? The UMD Bulldogs were conducting a practice in April. It's not something that happens very often in college hockey, as only four teams in the country are able to boast the right to conduct an organized workout at this point in the calendar year.
It's something that can remind you of what exactly this team has accomplished so far, and what opportunity lies ahead.
Surreal as it may be, we'll be heading to St. Paul Wednesday, and our coverage from the 2011 NCAA Frozen Four will commence at that point.
Expect to see stuff Wednesday involving all four teams, as they will conduct press conferences and all that fun media availability stuff after practices. I'll be on hand, and will be filing Wednesday evening and early Thursday on the games.
(The players also get to sit through an NCAA anti-gambling presentation Wednesday. I'm sure they're excited.)
(Oh, and those practices Wednesday start with Notre Dame at 11am, and they're all open to the public. If you're in the neighborhood, come on out and watch.)
As usual, you'll see line charts for UMD and Notre Dame in the pregame. I'm also planning to post pregame notes on each game. We'll see how well that goes, as I expect to be doing a lot of visiting and BSing when I'm not on the air.
In the meantime, here are a few other notes on the UMD-Notre Dame game:
- Notre Dame sports four Minnesotans and three Sconnies on their roster, including former Edina star Anders Lee, perhaps the best NHL prospect on the Irish team. Woodbury native Ryan Guentzel is the son of current Nebraska-Omaha assistant coach Mike Guentzel. Brother Gabe plays defense at Colorado College, and will be a senior next year.
- Of course, UMD has 17 of the 28 Minnesota-born players who will compete at this week's Frozen Four. Among the State of Hockey natives are star forward Jack Connolly and top defensive pair Justin Faulk and Mike Montgomery.
- The U.S. Under-18 team is well-represented, too, thanks to two UMD players (Faulk and Trent Palm), five from Notre Dame (Patrick Gaul, Sam Calabrese, Bryan Rust, Sean Lorenz, and Stephen Johns), along with eight Michigan players (Chris Brown, Kevin Clare, Kevin Lynch, Jon Merrill, Luke Moffatt, Matt Rust, A.J. Treais, and David Wohlberg), and three (Mike Cichy, Derek Forbort, and Danny Kristo) from North Dakota.
- Yes, Notre Dame's Bryan Rust and Michigan's Matt Rust are related. The brothers have played once against each other, back on March 19 in the CCHA Tournament. During their only regular-season meeting in November, Bryan was injured and unable to play.
- Notre Dame goalie Mike Johnson is one of only six goalies in school history to win 20 or more games in a season. Jordan Pearce, who led Notre Dame to the 2008 Frozen Four, owns the school record with 30.
- Don't be surprised if Thursday's game is wide-open -- at least as much as you can expect at this stage of the season. Notre Dame averages 3.44 goals per game, and UMD 3.40. The Irish bring up the end of the top ten in the country, while UMD is 11th. In regional play, UMD beat the No. 1 offensive team (Yale) and the No. 7 team (Union), and allowed zero even-strength goals in doing it.
- Don't take penalties against UMD. The Bulldogs are at 31.1 percent over their last ten games, including opponents like Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha, Union, and Yale. That's not like someone hanging seven power play goals in a weekend against Sacred Heart.
- Mike Connolly (rumor has it he's pretty good) has scored 14 goals and 24 points in his last 15 games. Even if you take out his five-goal bonanza against the Gophers, he is at more than a point per game over that span. To add to that, Mike has 22 points and is a plus-13 in his 16 career playoff games.
- Justin Fontaine is closing it out in style for UMD, as the senior has points in a career-high ten straight.
- Only Miami's Andy Miele (115) and Maine's Gustav Nyquist (112) have more points over the last two years than Jack Connolly (107). Only one of the three is still playing college hockey, as Miele exhausted his eligibility and signed a free-agent deal with Phoenix, and Nyquist signed with the team that drafted him, the Red Wings.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Frozen Four: Smurf-tastic?
You can lift weights until you're buff, eat until you're puff, and you can learn how to play the game so you look like the stuff.
But there has yet to be a coach in any sport who could coach his player to be taller.
It's the biggest knock on UMD junior stars Jack and Mike Connolly*. It might be the only reason why Miami senior Andy Miele played his fourth year of college hockey, and has a shot at the Hobey Baker Award Friday.
(* - In case you didn't know this, they're not related!)
It's also the reason why Notre Dame freshman T.J. Tynan didn't get his name called at the NHL Draft. At five-eight and 156 pounds, Tynan is the leading scorer for the Fighting Irish, who battle the Connollys and UMD Thursday in the NCAA Frozen Four.
I haven't seen Tynan very much, but you can take the word of virtually everyone else. He's good, and the potential is there for him to be a great college hockey player.
"He is an extremely smart player," Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said. "He knows how to find open people. He knows how to get open. Those are God-given skills that he has that allow him to be creative and make plays. Probably the thing that makes him most effective is that he competes so hard. He's not afraid to get to the dirty areas in front of the net."
The traits of a great small player are often similar. They know how to find people, they know how to get open themselves, they compete their rear ends off.
You could use any of those terms to describe a Connolly. Or a Miele. Or a Cepis. Or a Roe. They're all quite similar.
None of them may have a great amount of success in professional hockey, but that shouldn't stop anyone from talking about them in college hockey, or enjoying the kind of performances they can provide.
There's reason to believe that a "taller" player -- like Notre Dame's Anders Lee or Calle Ridderwall or Mike Johnson, or UMD's Travis Oleksuk, Justin Fontaine, J.T. Brown, Justin Faulk, or Kenny Reiter -- will decide this game with a big play.
However, fans of the college game should have no trouble enjoying Thursday's tournament opener. While both teams have guys with (at least what we think are) solid pro futures, players like Tynan and the Connollys are what make the college game unique and often exciting.
That's not to say that the three "Smurfs" -- as they're probably going to be called by someone at some point -- can't play in the NHL. But not every smallish college hockey star turns into Martin St. Louis. He's quite the exception to the rule.
UMD is the home team Thursday, meaning they have the choice of matchups. With an unfamiliar opponent, it's likely that coach Scott Sandelin will try a few matchups out before he finds any he likes. Two keys to watch here are who he puts the Connolly line out with, and which line he tries to match against Jake Hendrickson's third line, which includes Mike Seidel and Joe Basaraba and has earned high marks lately for hard work and sound defensive zone play.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: One More Win To Go for UMD
Watching ESPN's NCAA hockey selection program on Sunday, you'd have thought UMD had some middling, pathetic power play that clicked at like 12 percent.
Nope. 22 percent.
Friday in Bridgeport, UMD made Union pay for a week's worth of hearing about the Dutchmen and their wonderful special teams. Union -- 31 percent on the power play this season -- put up a doughnut in nine power play chances, and UMD scored two man-advantage goals to win 2-0.
The Bulldogs prefer to play a skating game, not a muck-and-grind game. Union tends to lean more towards the muck-and-grind, though they certainly have some guys up front who like to move it move it.
In this game, UMD played more of a grinding style, killing penalties with hard work and a lot of good ol' "want to," blocking shots, paying the price to clear pucks, and winning a lot of one-on-one battles.
I've said all season long that, while this is not the preferred way for UMD to play, and it's obvious when you watch some of their skill guys, they are more capable than ever of grinding out victories. UMD teams of the past weren't as good at this, and it showed when they played teams like Alaska-Anchorage, Michigan Tech, and Bemidji State, who have the muck-and-grind style perfected when they're playing well.
Then UMD would go up against a more skating-oriented team like Denver, and they'd do well, no matter Denver's position in the college hockey pecking order relative to UMD.
With Friday's win, UMD has moved into the NCAA East Regional final Saturday night against No. 1 overall seed Yale, a 2-1 overtime winner over Air Force. UMD is 3-0 in NCAA Tournament openers under Scott Sandelin, who had nothing but praise for his players' effort after the game.
As he should. The Bulldogs rolled up their sleeves, fought off some tight officiating (it wasn't bad at all ... just tight), and won a game that most probably figured they wouldn't win, given the circumstances.
UMD's matchup with Yale Saturday night should prove very interesting. I didn't watch a lot of Yale this season, but did get a look at them in their win over Air Force Friday evening. It seems they want to play a style that will make UMD a bit more comfortable. The Bulldogs will have to be cognizant of a few things in the regional final.
- Take care of the puck. They only give you one. UMD was pretty smart, especially on penalty kills. They got in a bit of trouble at times by not taking the safe play on clearing attempts at even-strength, but that didn't happen often, because not much of the game was played five-on-five.
- Discipline. Yale might not be as good as Union on the power play, but you know the one about what happens when you keep playing with fire. UMD just can't afford to play the kind of game they played Friday. It might not doom them, but it certainly increases the odds that Yale will move on.
- Skate. Move the feet. Make sure the officials have no reason to call anything.
UMD hasn't made the Frozen Four since 2004. Experienced guys like Justin Fontaine, Kyle Schmidt, Mike Montgomery, and Mike Connolly led the way Friday with superb performances. Noticeably good were J.T. Brown, Wade Bergman, and Travis Oleksuk, who worked his butt off all day long.
They all need to do it again Saturday.
One more win, and a goal -- the Frozen Four -- will be reached.
******
Friday's opening NCAA games weren't completed without some controversy. Michigan "scored" the game-winning "goal" early in overtime to beat Nebraska-Omaha 3-2.
Take a look for yourself (via Goon).
I tempered my initial reaction on Twitter (twitter.com/bruceciskie if you aren't already a follower) for the simple reason that watching a small picture online isn't exactly the best way to judge what really happened in this world of 42-inch high definition televisions.
Since I'm watching online and not getting a great picture much of the time, I figured I'd allow others to help me out a bit. When those others only confirmed what I had already suspected, it became clear that what happened here was, as the great Gorilla Monsoon was prone to say, a miscarriage of justice.
For years, common sense has not been accepted as a standard to overturn a call on the ice. In the eyes of ECAC referees Harry Dumas and Chris McDonald, there was no need to use this years-old standard by which reviews are conducted. Instead, they adopted their own standard.
Since they were probably sure that the puck crossed the line, and everyone talked about Michigan getting screwed in overtime last year (though the difference between a quick whistle and a video review should not need to be explained), they called it a goal.
As the old commercial says, "probably" doesn't cut it.
Being 90 percent sure isn't good enough. Neither is 95. That's not the long-adopted standard, and it shouldn't be the standard. The standard is and should be 100 percent certainty. At some point, the officials have to be encouraged to make calls and trust what their eye tells them. Otherwise, why not just take the officials off the ice, out of the way, and let a video replay judge make all the calls after the plays are completed?
What happened to UNO was wrong, and it's unfortunate that such a well-played, entertaining game had to be ruined by such a dumb mistake by two officials who should know better.
******
How about those Tigers? UNO might have been jobbed out of the tournament, but there was no such luck knocking the WCHA's other team out Friday. Colorado College whacked No. 1 West Regional seed Boston College 8-4 in Friday's big stunner.
The Tigers struck twice on the power play and twice short-handed. They hung a touchdown on BC goalie John Muse, who had exactly zero losses in eight NCAA Tournament starts before Friday. What a way to go out ...
Colorado College plays Michigan for a spot in the Frozen Four Saturday night in St. Louis. It won't be a cakewalk by any means, but CC certainly has been playing well. If you don't believe me, ask Dave Hakstol, whose North Dakota team got by in a 4-3 thriller last Friday at the Final Five. Or ask Jerry York, who isn't used to seeing his teams give up eight goals in a game, especially in the NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers are for real. After a .500 season in the WCHA, Scott Owens appears to have his team peaking when it counts the most.
******
Here is a full capsule of Friday's results and Saturday's games. All times are Central.
FRIDAY
EAST REGIONAL
Bridgeport, Conn.
UMD 2, Union 0
Yale 2, Air Force 1, OT
WEST REGIONAL
St. Louis, Mo.
Michigan 3, Nebraska-Omaha 2, OT
Colorado College 8, Boston College 4
SATURDAY
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Green Bay, Wisc.
North Dakota vs. RPI, 12:30pm
Denver vs. Western Michigan, 4pm
NORTHEAST REGIONAL
Manchester, N.H.
Miami vs. New Hampshire, 3pm
Merrimack vs. Notre Dame, 6:30pm
EAST REGIONAL
Bridgeport, Conn.
Yale vs. UMD, 5:30pm
WEST REGIONAL
St. Louis, Mo.
Michigan vs. Colorado College, 8pm
We'll have the UMD game on 94X and the Bulldog Sports Network starting with a 5pm pregame show. You can hear the game at www.94xrocks.com.
ESPNU will have live coverage of the regional finals, as well as a couple of the Saturday afternoon games. They will also have all the games streamed live on ESPN3.com, whether they are televised live or not.
All games televised will be in high definition.
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