Frozen Four: Johnson, Donato Present Challenges for Defenses

CHICAGO -- We already discussed some of the basic similarities that we'll see in the first national semifinal Friday night, when UMD battles Harvard.

As mentioned in that post, both teams have dynamic sophomore forwards, capable of scoring from almost literally anywhere.

For UMD, it's Hibbing native Adam Johnson. Senior Alex Iafallo has the team lead in goals with 19, but Johnson has scored some massive goals -- and some impressive ones -- this season. Case in point, his overtime winner in the NCAA West Regional final against Boston University.

AN OVERTIME WINNER TO GO TO THE #FROZENFOUR! pic.twitter.com/2zq2XFiPGh

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 26, 2017

Mentioned it at the time, but what an impressive play by Johnson, who naturally downplayed it to an extent.

“I took a one-timer and the shot got blocked," he said that night. "I was fortunate enough to get it back on the wall and I saw an opening. I just tried to fake a shot and get that guy to bite and shoot it by him. I found the corner and it was a good feeling.”

It's the kind of play Johnson has become quite adept at making. His shot -- and his ability to get that shot through to goaltenders -- has been a factor for UMD all season.

And when in doubt, Johnson has proven he has enough skill to score from behind the goal line, a trick he's successfully pulled off at least three times this season.

"Really quick feet," Iafallo said of his sometimes-linemate. "Very agile. He makes a lot of juice. Very good hands. He's been great for us. Especially on that power play, the last goal in overtime. Just simple things like that. He's very good at it."

It isn't so simple. Boston University coach David Quinn gave Iafallo credit on that play at first, for keeping the puck in the offensive zone with a strong pinch after BU won the faceoff and captain Doyle Somerby wrapped the puck around the wall. But Johnson's play -- firing the initial shot off Somerby, realizing he was stunned, and taking the puck right back at him -- was outstanding. UMD coach Scott Sandelin has preached a shoot-first mentality on the power play, and as of late the Bulldogs have turned a corner in that area.

Starting Feb. 3, UMD scored at least once on the man advantage over eight straight games. Since then, over 14 games total, the power play is 15-for-63 for a 23.8 percent clip that has lifted UMD's season total to an even 20 percent. Not the best season UMD has ever had on the power play, but it's gotten better and more productive and, more importantly, more dangerous. Johnson plays a huge role in that. With him and fellow sophomore Neal Pionk up top, teams have to respect the point shot, allowing more room to maneuver down low for guys like Iafallo, Dominic Toninato, and Joey Anderson.

Harvard sophomore Ryan Donato was a more highly-touted prospect heading into college, but he does a lot of the things Johnson does for UMD. The second-round pick of the Boston Bruins is the son of head coach Ted Donato, a former NHLer himself. Ryan Donato has a lethal shot, one that he's used to post a Crimson-leading (tied with senior Tyler Moy) 21 goals this season.

He can fly, an asset Johnson shares, and one Donato used to knife through the Air Force defense for a huge goal in the regional final win March 25. He also has a lethal shot and, like Johnson, can score from practically anywhere. He scored four goals against Union Feb. 10 and has 25 points in 23 games since the calendar flipped to 2017.

Overall, Sandelin is impressed with what Harvard brings to the table in this national semifinal.

"I think they're very balanced," he said. "Obviously, they've got some very talented forwards up front. Their top two lines especially. There's a lot of skill, a lot of deception. They're a puck-possession team. I've been impressed with their poise and composure."

That skill leads to a dangerous Harvard transition game, one that UMD can't feed into, not with turnovers and not with other mistakes, like slow or poorly-timed shift changes.

"Watching the tape," Sandelin said Wednesday, "I think a couple of their opponents had bad line changes, which led to some goals off rushes. We've got to have good rush coverage, making sure we're doing little things like that, making sure we're not changing at the wrong times. Those are mistakes that we just can't catch up."

******

The second game pits two old friends against one another. Denver coach Jim Montgomery got his start in this profession when he took a gig as a volunteer assistant at Notre Dame, working for Jeff Jackson.

Now, with Montgomery in his fourth year at DU, their paths cross on the sport's biggest stage.

"He's a great young coach," Jackson said of Montgomery. "He's got a great future ahead of him. He's got all the right aspects to being a great coach. I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him."

"For me, I'm happy," Montgomery said. "I think it shows that our relationship is special and that I learned from a great coach because he's here again for the sixth or seventh time in his career, and I've managed to get back here for the second year in a row.

"So whatever he taught me, I've been able to apply, and I think both teams play with a lot -- I guess the same way, and we don't beat ourselves, and we're hard to play against."

Jackson won three titles at Lake Superior State, but is seeking the first in Notre Dame history. Denver has seven titles, but none since 2005, when George Gwozdecky was still at the helm.

Monday Musings (on a Tuesday): Bulldogs Break Out Ties in South Bend

I bring two ties on every road trip. I know, I should probably bring more, but two games, two ties.

UMD brought two ties home on the bus from South Bend Saturday night/Sunday morning. The Bulldogs, arguably, should have won Friday before a 3-3 draw against Notre Dame. The Irish, arguably, should have won Saturday before a 3-3 tie.

T'was that kind of weekend.

It was an entertaining series, as most of us expected. Notre Dame has a reputation for being a bit on the boring side, but I've never agreed with that. The Irish have too much skill to consistently be branded that way. That's not to say Jeff Jackson doesn't want his kids to play defense. He does. It's saying he does turn the kids loose and lets them display their speed and skill, especially in the middle of the rink. These teams tend to play enjoyable, watchable, clean hockey against each other. It was the last of a four-series deal between the programs (two weekends in each city, with UMD also getting invited to last year's IceBreaker in South Bend), but hopefully they're able to work it out to play each other more in future seasons.

The Bulldogs weren't their crispest or best over the weekend, but yet UMD found a way to avoid losing either game. Friday night, the Bulldogs blew a 2-0 lead, thanks in large part to an anemic power play that struggled with faceoffs, zone entries, and general possession. Saturday's tie came despite a power play that struggled some more, though it did unquestionably show improvement on faceoffs, zone entries, and possession.

UMD never was good enough to put a lot of pressure on a Notre Dame defensive corps that I thought was a bit vulnerable going in. I didn't think there was enough net drive by the Bulldogs, and while they still generated gobs of pressure, there were at least a half-dozen quality rebound opportunities that ended up being harmlessly cleared away because no one in a maroon sweater was crashing down low.

Speed was a big advantage I expected UMD to exploit, especially at forward. While Tony Cameranesi's line -- with Austin Farley and Karson Kuhlman -- made more than a few plays by using their speed, there wasn't of that on the weekend.

Honestly, when you read this, you probably think UMD lost a game. The fact that didn't happen is a credit -- in large part -- to a couple entities: The penalty kill, and Kasimir Kaskisuo.

Kas' save percentage actually went down on the weekend, but don't be fooled. He was superb, especially on the penalty kill in Friday's game. And don't be fooled by the knuckle puck that he let squeak by him from Notre Dame freshman Dylan Malmquist in the first period Saturday. He bounced back from that to put in another strong effort.

The kill allowed two goals in 11 power plays on the weekend, but was actually better than even that number would indicate. UMD outshot Notre Dame on its power plays Saturday, with five short-handed shots compared to four power-play shots for the Irish. At one point, I got to use the "Who's on the power play?" line everyone loves so much, especially when it's your team executing a penalty kill well enough to make it a valid line.

******

And what can we say about Cameranesi? The guy plays with reckless abandon, to the point that I'm almost concerned about the risks he takes. But good luck getting him to slow down. This is how Tony Cameranesi plays, and when his team needed him most. the senior really cranked up the jets and used his speed to score a huge goal in Saturday's game.

We call that "leadership" around here.

Cameranesi scored later in the second Saturday to cut the lead to 3-2, then set up Neal Pionk's first career goal that tied things up in the third. He's one guy who constantly was using his speed to make plays, and it showed. That line -- Cameranesi, Farley, and Kuhlman -- was UMD's best down the stretch last year, and it's been the most consistent so far.

******

UMD hosts UMass-Lowell this weekend. Arrive early Friday to watch the school retire the No. 1 worn by goalie Glenn "Chico" Resch, who will hopefully join us on the radio Friday night. That ceremony was scheduled for the first intermission, but has been moved to pregame, so keep that in mind if you have tickets for Friday.

Lowell is a very good defensive team, one that's allowed only five goals in five games (3-0-2 record). The RiverHawks tied Merrimack 1-1 in both games of a home-and-home series over the weekend to kick off their Hockey East schedule.

It's a good challenge for UMD, trying to score goals against a team that simply doesn't give up much. UML was outshot 58-33 by Merrimack, but got two ties out of it.

UMD has outshot its opponents 116-71 at even strength over the last four games. Keep that up, and hopefully we'll see good results this weekend.

Game 5: UMD at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For UMD, this game is a chance to win a season series. As junior Dominic Toninato said this week, "every game counts."

Yeah, it's early, but the bottom line is you want to rack up season series wins so the PairWise likes you in March. You know, the only time it matters one iota.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Johnson - Toninato - Iafallo
Farley - Cameranesi - Kuhlman
Osterberg - Thomas - Young (Austyn)
Young (Blake) - Decowski - Sampair

Pionk - Welinski
Soucy - Raskob
Corrin - McCormack

Kaskisuo - McNeely - Deery

ND
DiPauli - Hurley - Bjork
Lucia - Fogarty - Herr
Malmquist - Evans - Oglevie
Wegwerth - Cook - Ostlie

Gilbert - Wade
Nardella - Ryan
Ripley - Gross

Katunar - Stasack - Petersen

Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: Blown Opportunities Doom UMD to Tie

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- What was a golden opportunity to put Friday's game away turned into a nightmarish power play for UMD.

A failed five-on-three, followed by clunky five-on-four time, then another failed five-on-three, followed by a short-handed goal.

That short-handed goal got Notre Dame back in what was a 2-0 game, and the Irish eventually picked up a 3-3 tie against the fifth-ranked Bulldogs.

In the end, UMD will be stuck lamenting seven power plays missed, including a pair of two-man advantages that totaled over a minute each. Yes, the Bulldogs hit a pair of pipes and had a few good looks on those power plays, but they got nothing by Notre Dame goalie Cal Petersen and were outscored 2-0 on special teams.

Iffy special teams play is certainly one way to lose. UMD didn't lose, however, because it kept throwing pucks at Petersen and eventually got one in the third on an Austyn Young rebound. The Bulldogs couldn't hold 2-0 and 3-2 leads, but surely will take a tie on a night where there were a few things not clicking.

UMD had some uncharacteristic turnovers, but handled Notre Dame's forecheck pretty well and generally had the better of the play. Problem: The night was full of special teams play.

On the power play, UMD lost faceoffs too routinely, especially on the five-on-threes in the second period. There was too much time spent chasing the puck down, and Notre Dame did a good job pressuring the visitors in the neutral zone, which caused turnovers and slowed up rush opportunities.

Generally, faceoffs can be overrated. They can be terrifically random at times, and puck possession so often changes within a few seconds of puck drop that you can't put too much stock into it. UMD has been really good lately at regaining possession within seconds of a faceoff loss. In those cases, the stat is almost completely meaningless, because it contributes nothing to the overall flow of play.

However, losing faceoffs is a bad way to do business when you have an extra player on the ice. It usually means the loss of 15-20 seconds or more of power play time, just like every other time a team clears while short-handed. It also ratchets up the pressure on all five guys to be clean out of their zone and through neutral, so they can set up and get something going while there's still time.

They don't parse the power play faceoffs out for us, so unless you go look at the official play-by-play, it's hard to get an accurate read. And as much of a nerd as I am, I'm not doing that.

UMD had 12 shots in seven power plays, and the Bulldogs outshot the Irish at even strength 28-13. I'll take my chances with the way UMD has controlled play at even strength this season, outshooting opponents 103-65 in four games, an average of 26-16 per game at even strength. With Kasimir Kaskisuo playing the way he is, that will win UMD a lot of games.

What am I saying here? The faceoff number (.445 in four games) is ugly. But even if it doesn't vastly improve over time, the shot totals -- which translate to scoring chances -- are what matter most. And while the power play is important, odds are we aren't going to see too many games like this one. More often than not, power plays will settle into the 3-5 per game range. Games like Friday will be the outliers, not the norm.

I'm not saying it's a great tie. I'm saying it's a tie. Lessons can be learned, and improvements made. It's still way too early in the season to go into a panic because of a tie on the road. Especially one that so easily could have gone the other way.

******

Asked the Twitterverse for some questions, and figured I'd answer them here. For those who missed out -- it was late notice -- I'll be doing this at various times throughout the season, usually on road trips where my time constraints are minimal. If you don't follow me on Twitter @BruceCiskie, you miss out on a chance to get your question answered. You also miss out on a chance to read some really bad jokes and stream of consciousness tweets

@biddco: "Your thoughts on face-offs. Was UMD poor at face-offs last year?"

Yes, UMD had a bad year in the circle last year, finishing in the botton 15 nationally. Despite that, the Bulldogs outshot most opponents and were a very good five-on-five team. If that trend continues, I'll live with the faceoff struggles. Just know that I believe at least some of the power play problems can be traced to losing faceoffs. It isn't always a huge deal, but it can contribute.

@campbench: "Is whoever had that 5 min penalty suspended for Saturday?"

That was Notre Dame's Andy Ryan, ejected for a blatant elbow to the head of UMD freshman Adam Johnson. The hit happened after Johnson released the puck on a soft corner dump-in during a UMD power play. While Johnson was eligible to be checked and Ryan could have finished him cleanly, Johnson took what appeared to my admittedly biased eye to be a blatant elbow right to the head. Easy call for the officials, and they got it right.

Is it suspension worthy? Well, in a different league, UMD's Carson Soucy got a game for a shoulder near the head of Bemidji State's Leo Fitzgerald. Like Johnson, Fitzgerald didn't appear to be injured and didn't miss a shift. However, what makes that case supremely different is that Fitzgerald was in no way eligible to be checked. Johnson was. The hit on Johnson was more flagrant, but will Hockey East see it as suspension-worthy? Without knowing much about the league's supplemental discipline policy or history, I'd guess Ryan will not be suspended.

@TeddyThighs (I won't ask if you don't): "Waiting for Adam Johnson seemed like forever, your thoughts so far? I am impressed, he has speed, hands, and a great shot IMO."

Extremely impressed. Clearly a kid who knows what it takes to compete at this level, and I'm told he's worked extensively on his skating. His hands are first-rate, and he can absolutely shoot the puck. He's been so extremely close to his first goal, and once he gets the first one, I believe they'll come in bunches.

Feels like he committed in 1995, but he's totally worth the wait. Doesn't look out of place at all on the top line, and in fact has enhanced it, something we talk with Dominic Toninato about during the first intermission of Saturday's broadcast.

@theboust: "What is it going to take to stay off the penalty kill?"

Wish I had the answer. I don't know that it's risen to the level of a problem yet. We saw UMD take a couple stupid majors (justified calls, but not the smartest actions leading to the penalties) in Bemidji, but I'd argue more than a couple calls that have gone against UMD in the last two games have been of the "ehhhhhhhh" variety. In other words, arguably soft calls at a time of the year where there are a lot of soft calls.

I don't think it's "Move along, nothing to see here," only because we saw it be a problem at times last year, and we don't want that to happen again. However, I'm reserving judgment for the time being. I do think UMD needs to do a better job of avoiding the avoidable penalties, and there were a couple on Friday night. Neal Pionk's penalty was absolutely necessary. A couple of the other stick fouls were not.

******

In other action involving the NCHC, it was another good night for the league, which continues to make a killing non-conference.

Freshman Jack Roslovic's second-period goal held up for Miami in a 1-0 win at St. Lawrence. Ryan McKay made 26 saves for the shutout win. Johnny Simonson and Bryn Chyzyk scored for North Dakota, as it won 2-0 at Vermont. Third goalie Matt Hrynkiw started and got his first collegiate shutout with 27 saves.

Omaha opened Baxter Arena by punting Air Force 4-2. Freshman Steven Spinner scored twice, and goalie Kirk Thompson made 28 saves as the Mavericks improved to 5-0.

It wasn't all rosey for the NCHC. Clarkson got a late power-play goal and then an empty-netter to ice a 4-2 win over Western Michigan. Quinnipiac scored four goals in the second -- the first goals allowed by Charlie Lindgren since he was a Bantam -- and the Bobcats beat St. Cloud State 5-2. Former Duluth Marshall star Judd Peterson had both goals for SCSU. Also, Boston College shut out Colorado College 3-0 in Colorado Springs.

Game 4: UMD at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Off and running from South Bend, where No. 5 UMD opens a key non-conference series against Notre Dame.

Sorry for short blog, but lines were late and I'm still stunned after spending way too much money at the campus store. It is Notre Dame, after all.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Johnson - Toninato - Iafallo
Farley - Cameranesi - Kuhlman
Osterberg - Thomas - Young (Austyn)
Sampair - Decowski - Spurrell

Pionk - Welinski
Soucy - Raskob
Corrin - Molenaar

Kaskisuo - McNeely - Deery

ND
DiPauli - Hurley - Bjork
Lucia - Fogarty - Herr
Wegwerth - Evans - Ostlie
Malmquist - Oglevie - Jenkins

Ripley - Ryan
Gilbert - Gross
Nardella - Wade

Katunar - Stasack - Petersen

Avoiding Letdown Key for UMD in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Let there be no doubt, UMD fans. The players and coaches heard you loud and clear Saturday night.

"It was fricken awesome," said junior center Dominic Toninato.

Head coach Scott Sandelin talked multiple times this week about how great the crowd was Saturday. The record gathering of 7,569 at Amsoil Arena saw UMD topple Minnesota 3-0. Not only did it finish off a weekend sweep of the archrival Gophers, but it also clinched a sixth straight win over Minnesota, something UMD has never done before.

Now, however, a different challenge awaits the Bulldogs as they prepare for a weekend non-conference series against Notre Dame.

How do you avoid a letdown?

You can talk all you want about the importance of every game, as Sandelin did when I asked him about a letdown. Of course, he also admitted that was a great question, because no one truly knows if it'll happen until the players hit the ice Friday and Saturday at the b-e-a-utiful Compton Family Ice Arena on campus.

Reality is that every game is really important. The six NCHC teams that made the NCAA Tournament last spring had a combined non-conference record of 42-17-4, and that isn't an accident. UMD went 8-4 out of conference last year, and that success played as big a role in the team being locked into the NCAA Tournament entering the conference playoffs despite a meh fifth-place finish in league.

"It's big, it's huge for the PairWise. I know it's early, but every game counts," Toninato said.

He's right. Something I've preached -- probably to the point people are sick of hearing it -- is that I believe these non-conference games almost carry more weight than league games do. UMD doesn't play teams like Providence, Boston College, Boston University, and other top Eastern schools. A good way to flip close comparisons toward UMD would be for the Bulldogs to do well the next two weekends, playing Hockey East opponents Notre Dame and UMass-Lowell. Do well in these series, then hopefully the Irish and RiverHawks pick off some quality opponents themselves (they will). Come selection time, it will benefit UMD. Lose these games, and the chance exists the Bulldogs will lose comparisons to other top Hockey East teams because of it.

So, back to the original question: How do you avoid a letdown? Notre Dame draws well here, averaging nearly 4,500 a game last year. There should be a good atmosphere.

But these aren't the Gophers. And this arena won't be jumping like the home rink was Saturday.

"We have to stick to our game," Toninato said. "We have to compete. We have to win those 50/50 puck battles. We have to be disciplined."

Usually, when a team goes on the road and faces a tough opponent (which Notre Dame undeniably is), it's not a bad thing to get out of the first period scoreless. Obviously, you want to score and have the lead, but 0-0 isn't the end of the world. As an example, I felt UMD took the best punch Minnesota had in the first period at Mariucci Arena last Friday. 0-0 game, and UMD led in shots. That isn't bad.

In a game like this one on Friday, I'd look for something good to happen for the visitors early. Could be a goal, but it could also be a big hit, a big save, or a successful penalty kill. Could be something even less significant than that. Just enough to galvanize the bench a bit and get guys emotionally into what's in front of them.

If UMD comes out Friday and, as Toninato said, wins races and/or battles, and maintains its discipline early, it could very well be a good night, and a good weekend.

******

I've never formally met Mario Lucia. Talked to him briefly at a press conference before the Ice Breaker last year, and enjoyed listening to him address reporters.

But I like him.

Lucia is one of six seniors on the Notre Dame roster. However, no one would have batted an eye if he wasn't one of them. Lucia could have turned pro after last season, and signed with the Minnesota Wild (drafted in 2011). Instead of taking his 49 goals and accepting paychecks, Lucia came back.

Edina's Steven Fogarty, who had a hat trick in Notre Dame's 7-4 season-opening win over Penn State last Friday, is the Irish captain for a second straight year. But Lucia is the biggest name and probably the top player. He entered the season with 86 career points, 40 more than fellow senior Sam Herr, who was the next highest career scorer, and 43 more than Fogarty.

Lucia showed some real maturity in explaining his decision to the South Bend Tribune earlier this month.

“It came down to: What’s the best opportunity? I could have gone and played in the minors for the whole year. The Minnesota Wild have a great team this year. They only have a couple new guys who made their roster.

“Coming back here, being a leader, playing an important role – I wouldn’t know what my role would be there. I felt (coming back) was best for my development.”

Obviously, we want two wins this weekend. But I see parallels between Lucia and UMD captain Andy Welinski, who is back because he wants to become a better player and lead his team to a championships. These stories are good for college hockey, and they're better stories if Lucia (and Welinski, for that matter) go on to succeed in pro hockey after spending four years in college.

******

Fogarty, Lucia, and Herr are the leaders of an interesting Notre Dame team. The Irish have six seniors, many of whom have been impactful players. Despite that experience, Notre Dame is the fifth-youngest team in Division I, according to College Hockey, Inc. The Irish six freshmen and nine sophomores, and their average age is just a shade under 21. Only Boston College, Boston University, Michigan, and Wisconsin are younger.

There's talent. Lucia isn't over 50 career goals by accident. Blueliners Jordan Gross and Dennis Gilbert can make some noise, as can Andy Ryan, who had two goals last Friday at Penn State. Sophomore goalie Cal Peterson had his struggles last weekend, especially in the Saturday loss, but he was good in earning the No. 1 job as a freshman.

Notre Dame has developed a reputation of being a more defensive-oriented team over the years, but this group appears more able to open things up. Jeff Jackson is a heck of a hockey coach, and he'll adapt to the talent on hand and do what fits best.

"They do some things that could cause you some problems if you aren't aware of what's going on," Sandelin said this week. I do see Notre Dame being more aggressive offensively as I watch back the Penn State games. We'll see how that develops this weekend. I see UMD being the faster team, so if the feet are moving and UMD is smart with the puck, opportunity should present itself to make plays.

******

If you're inclined to listen to the radio, thanks as always. 4:30 Central time pregame Friday, 5pm Saturday.

If you're more of a TV type, Friday's game is on the American Sports Network and will be available on NESN Plus and CSN Chicago Plus, for those who have access to regional sports networks. Saturday will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network and streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra.

LISTEN TO THE RADIO.

Monday Musings: Bulldogs Sweep Overmatched Gophers

No single stat probably shows the shifting of tides in the Minnesota-UMD men's hockey rivalry than this:

Before Scott Sandelin arrived at UMD in 2000, the Bulldogs were 56-111-11 against Minnesota, a pretty terrible .346 winning percentage.

After Saturday's 3-0 win over the Gophers, UMD is 23-23-6 against their longtime I-35 rivals under Sandelin. That'd be .500, and a vast improvement over previous years.

Included in that are the two longest winning streaks UMD has ever had against Minnesota. The current six-game run is a record. It broke the old mark of five, set by the Bulldogs between 2003 and 2004.

So not only is Sandelin now .500 against UMD's biggest rival (sorry, St. Cloud State and North Dakota), but his teams are responsible for the two longest winning streaks against Minnesota in program history.

Sandelin will tell you it's not about him, and he's not wrong. But the players he's recruited and the style he coaches have combined to make UMD more consistently competitive against the Gophers than they've ever been before.

Saturday was another masterful performance, as the Bulldogs outshot the Gophers 17-2 (!) over the first 20 minutes of a 3-0 win. Now, this Minnesota team does not have the look of a serious national contender (yet). The Gophers are too young in key spots, especially center, to make a lot of noise when you look at the level of talent and experience that others possess.

Doesn't matter. UMD needed to see its best players step up. Check. UMD needed to play more consistently. Check. UMD needed its penalty kill to rise up. Check.

******

Two things really stood out to me on the wekend. Sandelin made it abundantly clear he wanted to see more out of his best players. He wasn't going to identify them, but outside of the first period, Dominic Toninato had a rough game against Bemidji, and Tony Cameranesi's line had its struggles.

Both lines were outstanding in both games against Minnesota. Toninato scored twice, including one of the better individual efforts you'll ever see to clinch Friday's win 32 seconds after Minnesota had cut a 2-0 lead in half. The UMD junior scored on this third shot. He simply followed the initial shot to the net and found himself in position for a rebound. Gophers goalie Eric Schierhorn fought that off, but Toninato's third shot found the net from a sharp angle to give UMD a 3-1 lead.

FS North analyst Ben Clymer said it was an example of why Toninato has a chance to play in the NHL, and he talked about the leadership you see from a player when he does something like that in a time of need. To me, it's a sign of something everyone involved with the team has talked about. Leadership doesn't just come from captains. In fact, as Austin Farley told me last week, guys who don't wear letters will step up -- both in the room and on the ice -- and show that leadership and make the team better by doing it.

Toninato's wicked wrister got UMD on the board first Saturday, a great shot into a tight spot over Schierhorn's shoulder that cranked the crowd up to another level. It wasn't as early as his opening minute goal last year at home against Minnesota, but it had the same effect on the crowd and the bench.

Karson Kuhlman was great Saturday, Jared Thomas was strong all weekend, and the Bulldogs saw the kind of effort that will take them places. I still want to see this team bear down more on its scoring chances, but no question the weekend was a huge positive and a giant step in the right direction.

Defensively, I have no complaints. Andy Welinski is off to a great start. Neal Pionk was better Friday than he was Saturday, but I expected him to struggle a little going from big ice to small. You can still see his poise, even when he might not be playing his best. Carson Soucy came off suspension Saturday and was superb. I thought Willie Corrin had a nice weekend, and Nick McCormack played well in Soucy's spot Friday. The blue line is deep and talented, and I'm excited to watch the group develop.

So UMD's best players were their best players. And the penalty kill was great all weekend. Going eight for eight against the high-end skill the Gophers possess is a superb start to the season. The kill has allowed 26 shots in three games and 12 power plays, but not many of them have been of the "Grade-A" variety. When they have been great chances, Kaskisuo has shut the door (like on Hudson Fasching and Justin Kloos in the second period Saturday, preserving the 3-0 lead).

Penalty killing, goaltending, and top-flight players stepping up. Sounds like a formula for long-term success.

******

Now, the challenge may be to avoid a letdown. Notre Dame will host UMD Friday and Saturday at the beautiful Compton Family Ice Arena. The Fighting Irish are off a .500 season, but loaded with more experience this year. I'll talk to coach Jeff Jackson later this week, but I have to think he was about ready to throw a party when Mario Lucia decided to come back for his senior year.

Notre Dame is experienced, but did have to replace leading scorers Vince Hinostroza (left early for pro hockey) and Robbie Russo (graduated). Lucia and captain Steven Fogarty -- both Minnesota kids (eight Minnesota kids on the roster, including four from Edina) -- had four points each in a split against Penn State over the weekend.

Lucia is especially talented and dangerous, but Fogarty is an underrated player who will have a big season. Should be a very good test for the Bulldogs, who aren't lacking in experience or depth.

After freshmen Billy Exell and Parker Mackay made their debuts against Minnesota, forward Blake Young is the only skater who hasn't gotten in a game yet. I'd expect that to happen this weekend, and I'd also be surprised if senior goalie Matt McNeely didn't get a game in before conference play starts in Omaha Nov. 6.

Game 2: UMD vs Notre Dame (Ice Breaker)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Off and running with the Ice Breaker championship game between Minnesota and RPI. As is custom in tournaments, the third place game will follow.

Such is life when you're the host.

Notre Dame was upset by RPI 3-2 Friday, while UMD fell to No. 1 Minnesota 4-3.

Obviously an important game for both teams, but also both teams need to get more players in the lineup. So changes for both that we might not have seen otherwise.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Iafallo - Toninato - Krause
Osterberg - Cameranesi - Kuhlman
Farley - Decowski - Crandall
Sampair - Spurrell - Young (Austyn)

Soucy - Welinski
Johnson - Raskob
McCormack - Kotyk

McNeely - Kaskisuo - Fons

ND
DiPauli - Fogarty - Schneider
Lucia - Hinostroza - Herr
Bjork - Hurley - Evans
Thomas - Cook - Wuthrich

Billitier - Russo
Ripley - Ryan
Johnson - Gross

Katunar - Stasack - Petersen

Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: Irish Eyes Smile After Non-Conference Win

Yes, I had to go there.

This will be a quick blog. I have errands this morning and a hockey practice to run this afternoon. But Friday was so interesting that I couldn't ignore it completely.

Not often that you see two ejections in a game, with neither of them being for a hit from behind nor contact to the head.

Instead, UMD junior Caleb Herbert was booted late in the first period after being found guilty of spearing Notre Dame center T.J. Tynan in his happy place. Officials used video review to confirm the guilty party on the call. That is within the confines of NCAA video replay protocol, which allows officials to call a penalty and then use video review to confirm the player who committed the infraction. In this case, a linesman made the call, and a referee looked quickly at the video to make sure they had the right player.

But the truly bizarre happened in the third period.

UMD junior co-captain Adam Krause was checked into the Notre Dame goal crease. On his way out of the crease, Irish goalie Steven Summerhays grabbed Krause by the facemask -- from behind -- and pulled him back. After the ensuing skirmish, the officials convened. They sent Andy Ryan of Notre Dame and a loudly protesting Krause to the box for matching roughing calls (conveniently missing the cross-check that sent Krause flying into the crease to start with). They then ejected Summerhays for facemasking.

You read that correctly. A goalie got ejected. Not for fighting or for a hit to the head. No, for facemasking.

Freshman Kevin Catunar came in, and he played pretty well. In my opinion, UMD didn't do enough to test the glove of the 6-5 youngster, and his pads cover a lot of space since he's 77 inches tall and everything.

But this wasn't a bad effort by UMD at all. I'm sure the Bulldogs would like to get a good chunk of the second period back, and they have to find a way to stay out of the box against these guys. But five on five, UMD proved it can play with one of the best teams in the land.

Notre Dame is legit, people. Among the skaters are eight seniors who have seen virtually everything there is to see -- last night proved you never have seen everything. And Jeff Jackson knows he can play those eight seniors in any situation he wants. Tynan (two assists) has a bit of "rat" to him. He's a smart, crafty, two-way player who might be better on the penalty kill than he is offensively. David Gerths, Bryan Rust, Shayne Taker, and many others have talent and loads of experience playing high-end Division I hockey.

What am I saying? Notre Dame has everything Notre Dame needs to make it to Philadelphia next April. And it's probably going to take an upset or a rash of injuries to prevent it.

That team that has everything got plenty of fits from a young UMD team that needs to grow on the blueline, and it needed some bounces to win 3-2 on Friday. It's a good sign for UMD, no question. The Bulldogs have some very talented pieces of their own.

Cal Decowski had a great night, I thought, after Herbert was ejected. Unlike the Tech home game where Dominic Toninato was ejected and it seemed it took the air out of everyone, it seemed that some guys tried to take advantage of the extra ice time available with Herbert out. Decowski and Krause were two examples of that. Andy Welinski struggled early, but got better with the puck in the last 40 minutes, and he threw a couple nice hits in the defensive zone. Freshman Carson Soucy continues to show himself as a heck of a find by the UMD coaching staff, but he had more struggles Friday than he had in the first four games.

For now, they have to solve the blue line. Notre Dame did a very good job of putting pressure on the defensemen, and doing so forced too many turnovers by the home team. UMD has to deal with those puck management problems on Saturday to avoid a sweep. I'd expect a little bit of jumbling of personnel, though nothing major with the lines or pairings. Remember, UMD only has 14 forwards and eight eligible defensemen (they have nine rostered, but St. Scholastica transfer Brenden Kotyk can't play this season per NCAA rules). It's a long season, and the guys who sat out last night have to be kept fresh so they're available in case of injury.

******

The NCHC went 2-4 in non-conference play Friday. St. Cloud State (at Colgate) and Denver (vs Niagara) both won, while Colorado College (at Clarkson), Miami (at Providence), Omaha (vs Cornell), and UMD all lost.

Game 5: Notre Dame at UMD

I ran into Notre Dame's video and other things guru, Nick Siergiej, a former UMD staffer, on my way into the rink. After sharing our complaints about the officiating (of course) so far this season, we agreed that games like this are usually a lot of fun.

This job is usually fun, mind you, but these types of games are much more fun. Notre Dame and UMD have produced some quality hockey in the last five meetings, going back to the 2011 Frozen Four. These are two programs that are compatible, as I like to say, and this is a rivalry that should continue.

(It will. UMD is in South Bend both for the IceBreaker next year and a two-game series in 2015-16.)

Anyway, on to the opener of this series. Hopefully it isn't a penalty-filled clunker that ends 3-2 with a goal off someone's rear end.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Farley - Cameranesi - Basaraba
Osterberg - Herbert - Crandall (Justin)
Iafallo - Toninato - Young
Sampair - Decowski - Krause

Soucy - Welinski
Smith - Raskob
Johnson - McManus

Crandall (Aaron) - McNeely - Fons

ND
Costello - Fogarty - Rust
Lucia - Tynan - Wuthrich
Herr - Gerths - Voran
DiPauli - Hinostroza - Schneider

Taker - Johns
Lind - Russo
Johnson - Ryan

Summerhays - Rogers - Katunar

UMD Faces Latest in Long Series of Non-Conference Tests

I'm not a fan of hyperbole, but look at UMD's non-conference schedule:

vs Michigan Tech
vs Notre Dame
at Ohio State
at Minnesota
vs Minnesota State and either Minnesota or St. Cloud State (North Star College Cup)

There aren't a lot of programs which can boast an out-of-league schedule this difficult. It'll be good for a young Bulldog team.

That said, the best of these tests probably comes this weekend, when Notre Dame visits Amsoil Arena.

Last week, UMD rebounded from a 3-1 loss to Colorado College to pick up a dominant 5-1 win on Saturday in Colorado Springs. You could see a bit of a turnaround in the Bulldogs' game in the third period Friday, even though it ended up not being enough.

"We weren't real happy with that effort (Friday), and that's unacceptable," junior forward Justin Crandall said this week. "We knew what we needed to do Saturday."

To be perfectly blunt, UMD kicked the crap out of Colorado College Saturday, in a way I haven't seen a UMD team do to anyone on the road in my eight-plus years doing this. That game was never close in terms of puck possession, scoring chances, or offensive zone time. UMD had 71 shot attempts to 36, 44 shots on goal to 14, and outshot CC 59-20 over the last four periods of the two-game series.

"I think it was our best 60 minutes for sure," head coach Scott Sandelin said. "Our guys controlled the play. I thought they played very hungry to win the game."

Wins like that are fun, even when followed by 4:30am wakeup calls and 5:30am bus rides through the Colorado mountains.

But now the Bulldogs have to follow that strong performance with more of the same. And there will be significant resistance this weekend.

Notre Dame is in town for a pair of games starting Friday. The teams have split weekend series the last two years. The Fighting Irish are 4-0 and ranked second in both national polls, having outscored foes 17-5 so far this season. They are eight-for-40 on the power play.

(You read that right. 40 power plays in two games.)

Notre Dame has experience up and down its lineup. Its leading scorer through four games is a freshman who plays on the fourth line (in fairness, Vince Hinostroza has seen power play minutes and contributed there). Robbie Russo is one of the best defensemen in the country, and Steven Summerhays has a .946 save percentage through four starts.

"They have a lot of seniors," Sandelin said. "There aren't a lot of new faces in their lineup, so they've got a lot of experience."

Traditionally, Notre Dame is a pretty difficult team to play against. In addition to Russo, there are big bangers like Shayne Taker and Kevin Lind back there. Sophomore Andy Ryan has shown promise, too.

Russo is the key to Notre Dame's lethal power play unit. He quarterbacks the top group, and he loves to have the puck. A big key for UMD will be to deny him good looks and force someone else to carry the load. It's much easier said than done, since Russo will go just about anywhere on the ice to get the puck on his stick.

UMD can attack this team with speed, and I'd expect that to be a big advantage for the Bulldogs if they're ultimately successful this weekend.

Staying out of the box would be good, too. I'm actually somewhat confident that Notre Dame wouldn't mind some five-on-five hockey after seeing 40 power plays and 24 penalty kills over 240 minutes of hockey.

Notre Dame's numbers are gaudy, but the Irish have yet to trail this season. Not even for a second. Maybe UMD can rattle the proverbial cages and get a lead at some point. Again, I'm somewhat confident that Jeff Jackson won't think it's the worst thing to happen if his team falls behind. Over 34 games, it's inevitable. Might as well see how the crew responds.

These are UMD's last home games until December, so I'm expecting good and enthusiastic crowds for what should be a very good, fast-paced series.

Game 4: UMD at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the second straight weekend to start the season, it's UMD trying to pull off a sweep in Game 2 of a series.

Didn't go so well last time, and if you talk to UMD coach Scott Sandelin about it, he seems to think it was largely a self-inflicted defeat. Not mistakes so much, mind you, but just not a crisp performance, and certainly not play that was up to Friday's standards.

The Bulldogs played a smart, patient game to win here Thursday, and more of the same is likely going to be needed. UMD would be wise to avoid the kind of defensive zone time it was stuck in for much of the last 25 minutes of the series opener, because Notre Dame is too dangerous to have that kind of puck possession on a consistent basis.

(On a side note, I'm really happy we toured the campus Thursday, because it's been pouring most of Friday afternoon. I had a chance to hit the College Football Hall of Fame earlier in the day, but got back to the hotel before the first of the freak monsoons hit.)

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Crandall (Justin) - Herbert - Seidel
Danberg - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Young - Camaranesi - Basaraba
DeLisle - Decowski - Krause

Bergman - Casto
Olson - Welinski
Smith - McManus

Crandall (Aaron) - Fons

Notre Dame
DiPauli - Tynan - Rust
Schneider - Lee - Wuthrich
Larson - Gerths - Nugent
Costello - Fogarty - Voran

Taker - Calabrese
Russo - Johns
Johnson (Eric) - Ryan

Summerhays - Rogers - Johnson (Mike)

(Friday?) Hockey Notes and Thoughts: UMD Grinds Out Road Win

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Sometimes, you have to win ugly. For starters, it beats the hell out of losing pretty, or losing any other way. It also counts just the same as any other kind of win does.

UMD did that on Thursday night, grinding out a tough 3-1 win over Notre Dame.

Bulldog head coach Scott Sandelin noted -- and most observers would have to agree -- that UMD had a few passengers in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Ohio State. In other words, there were players that weren't pulling their weight.

It's not brought up here as a method of calling anyone out, either. Sandelin isn't going to do that publicly, especially after Game 2. And we're not going to do it here.

Instead, it's brought up to point out that it didn't really happen on Thursday.

At some point, every one of the 18 skaters UMD used in its lineup made a contribution worth noting, with the most accolades going to the fourth forward line, the top four defensemen, and freshman goalie Matt McNeely.

The fourth line -- centered by freshman Cal Decowski -- contributed the eventual game-winning goal right after a penalty ended midway through the second period. Decowski threaded a pass to senior Dan DeLisle, who burst off the bench after Wade Bergman got out of the box and went across the ice to get to the bench. DeLisle skated in all alone and beat Notre Dame goalie Steven Summerhays high for a 2-0 lead. Decowski scored his first collegiate goal late in the first period on a five-on-three.

Their linemate, sophomore Adam Krause, didn't get on the scoresheet, but he was a factor, especially on the penalty kill, which allowed one goal in six chances.

UMD's top four defensemen -- Wade Bergman, Chris Casto, Drew Olson, and Andy Welinski -- were very good in this game. Notre Dame has some strength up front, with guys like Anders Lee, TJ Tynan, Bryan Rust, and others perfectly capable of making life difficult on defensemen. The top four played a lot of minutes, moved their feet, moved the puck, were physical, and did a great job clearing bodies from the front of the net so McNeely could see the puck.

And when McNeely saw the puck, he generally made the saves. The rookie from Burnsville, who played for the US Under 18 National Team before spending last season with Cedar Rapids of the USHL. He made a nice glove save on defenseman Robbie Russo in the first period, and he looked to be strong positionally. He fought traffic to make some saves, and it seemed that his rebound control got better as he got more comfortable in the game.

McNeely admitted to Kevin Pates he was nervous before the game, but credited his teammates.

“I knew what I had to do and my teammates sacrificed their bodies on defense. They blocked a lot of shots and let me see a lot of shots. Notre Dame didn’t get that many high-quality chances.”

It wasn't perfect, pretty, or anything resembling. But Sandelin asked his team to play a patient game, and avoid the mistakes that come when you try to do too much. Generally, he got that. The pace wasn't what last Friday's win over Ohio State was. That was okay, though. Notre Dame's structured style of play rewards opponents that avoid mistakes, and UMD did just that.

Sometimes, the simple game is the better game, and Thursday was a great example of that.

Getting another win out of Friday's game might require some adjustments. The Bulldogs gave up too much offensive zone time in the last 25 minutes of Thursday's game. Doing that again with this kind of dangerous offensive talent on the other side of the rink could be problematic.

One thing is clear, however, in the early going: This UMD team, while remarkably different from last year's, still looks to have plenty of ability in all zones, and there's no reason to think it can't compete on a nightly basis, regardless of the opponent.

******

Touchdown Jesus, overlooking Notre Dame Stadium on this gorgeous campus.

Had a chance to tour the Notre Dame campus Thursday with UMD Faculty Athletic Representative Al Mensinger. You can feel the history of the place virtually everywhere you walk. Touchdown Jesus is just one piece of that. Located on top of the campus library overlooking the football stadium, which is south of this spot, it's one of the central pieces of the historic area.

It was my first time on this campus. I've always heard people talk about having a visit to Notre Dame on their proverbial bucket lists. Only now do I understand why.

Between the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the library, the football stadium (which we didn't tour), the new arena, and so much more, you can spend hours just checking out the history of this grand university.

The Compton Family Ice Arena isn't quite as nice as our new building, but with a pricetag at nearly $40 million cheaper, it shouldn't be. I didn't tour the home team's facilities, but I was told by multiple people that the locker room area the Fighting Irish occupy is incredibly nice. UMD's spot wasn't bad, either, for that matter.

The press box is spacious and well-planned, too, and the arena has the typically awesome scoreboard.

For those UMD fans coming in Friday for the second game, and then Saturday's football game, they should enjoy what they see.

******

The UMD football team hosts Homecoming Saturday against Bemidji State. While the Bulldogs try to go to 7-1, there is a fundraiser going on for one of their own affected by lymphoma. Here are the details from UMD Sports Information Director Bob Nygaard.

As part of this Saturday's Homecoming football clash with Bemidji State University, the University of Minnesota Duluth will be raising funds for junior defensive end Jordan Bauman, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for Stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Proceeds from the sale of specially-designed rally towels --  as well as 20 percent of sales from the UMD Stores, Cold Stone Creamery and Famous Dave's concession stands at James S. Malosky Stadium -- will go to the Jordan Bauman Benefit Fund and the Tackle Cancer Foundation.

Bauman, a two-time letterman and a 2011 starter with the Bulldogs, was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma during his junior year at Stratford High School and underwent eight months of treatment.  At a checkup this this past August,  just prior to the start of UMD's preseason camp, he learned that the cancer had returned.

Our best wishes are with Jordan for a speedy recovery. Please consider a donation if you are attending Saturday's game.

Game 3: UMD at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Thursday nigh hockey?

It's weird. I keep thinking it's Friday.

Either way, hockey is near.

Thursday was "Tour The Awesome Notre Dame Campus" day for me. Check twitter.com/bruceciskie for pictures.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Crandall (Justin) - Herbert - Seidel
Danberg - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Farley - Camaranesi - Basaraba
DeLisle - Decowski - Krause

Bergman - Casto
Olson - Welinski
Johnson - McManus

McNeely - Crandall (Aaron)

Notre Dame
Costello - Lee - Schneider
DiPauli - Tynan - Rust
Larson - Gerths - Voran
Herr - Fogarty - Wuthrich

Russo - Johns
Taker - Calabrese
Lind - Beers

Summerhays - Rogers - Johnson

Bulldogs Make First Roadie of Season

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Last weekend wasn't bad.

It's tough to get a real gauge of what we saw from UMD last week against Ohio State, but I keep going back to this sentiment.

I saw a lot more things I liked than things I didn't like, and it has to be considered a good starting point for this Bulldog team that was chalk full of uncertainty entering the season.

With all that being said, however, UMD has to show some improvement this week.

A Thursday-Friday series at Notre Dame is going to provide an impressive test at this point in the 2012-13 schedule.

The Fighting Irish are a formidable foe, or at least it seems that way on paper. No one saw Notre Dame missing the NCAA Tournament last season, especially after starting 13-6-3, with wins over UMD, Western Michigan, Boston College, and Ferris State. No one saw that 6-12 finish coming. No one saw this team averaging a scant 1.78 goals per game over that 18-game limp to the finish line.

The Fighting Irish failed to meet expectations last season, but that doesn't mean the same thing will happen this time around. ND got off to a good start last week, beating Maine 1-0 and then Nebraska Omaha 3-2 at the Ice Breaker Tournament in Kansas City. That doesn't solve the goal-scoring issue that popped up last season, but it does show that coach Jeff Jackson has the kind of defense and goaltending to contend, even if Notre Dame doesn't score a ton of goals.

Goalie Steven Summerhays has 50 saves on 52 shots in two games, and he gets to play behind guys like big Steven Johns, Shayne Taker, and Kevin Lind, and the mobile Robbie Russo and Sam Calabrese. There is a nice mixture of size, experience, mobility, and puck skill in this group, and it's one that could give fits to UMD's top forwards.

It's up to guys like center Caleb Herbert and winger Mike Seidel to use their skill and experience to make plays against a solid defensive group, then make those plays count against a quality goaltender. For UMD to win either of these games, it's going to take the kind of jump the Bulldogs displayed in Friday's win over Ohio State. A sluggish start like what UMD had on Saturday night in an eventual 3-2 loss could doom the visitors very early in either game against Notre Dame.

Of course, if TJ Tynan, Anders Lee, Bryan Rust, Austin Wuthrich, and others start filling the net, the Irish will be as tough to defend as they are to score on.

No matter what happens this weekend, remember that it's early. A lot of people get into a bit of a tizzy over the Pairwise, but it's rare that single games make a significant impact, and when they do, it's only because other losses during the season allowed it to happen.

As an example, everyone liked to point to UMD's loss to Vermont in a holiday tournament in the 2009-2010 season as a reason why the Bulldogs missed the NCAA Tournament that year. What they forget about are late-season losses to Alaska-Anchorage, Minnesota, and Michigan Tech, all of which missed the NCAAs.

Yeah, reversing the Vermont loss would have changed things. But it wasn't the only loss like that.

Similarly, the Ohio State loss won't cost UMD a spot in the national tournament. A loss this week to Notre Dame won't, either.

There's plenty of hockey to be played, and this should be a fun series between two quality teams. The result matters, but it doesn't matter as much as many people will try to make it sound. We can grip about the PWR in March. For now, it's hockey season, and it's not like the NHL is playing or something. Enjoy!

******

Don't expect a lot of changes for UMD, including in goal, where I think Aaron Crandall will start at least Thursday's game. It's too early for big shifts in the lineup, though I'd like to see more of sophomore defenseman Derik Johnson and freshman center Cal Decowski, based on how they played on Saturday night.

Johnson played a smart, mature game, and he was very good with the puck. Decowski was a factor in all zones, and I thought he was the most consistent center UMD had in the lineup Saturday, outside of maybe Jake Hendrickson.

Since this is a non-conference trip, UMD did travel all players, so the ability is there to make changes from one night to the next if Scott Sandelin decides to. Indications are that won't happen, but at least the coach has options if there are injuries or ineffective players on Thursday night.

UMD will play the series, then travel back to Duluth by bus after Friday's game. Even with going through Chicago at night when traffic shouldn't be bad, this is probably going to be a trip that last 10 or 11 hours.

******

Elsewhere in the WCHA, there is one conference series. Unbeatable, unstoppable, unflappable, completely invincible Minnesota heads to Houghton for probably the last time. Michigan Tech should be able to put up a better fight than Michigan State did last week, largely because of its strong and experienced blue line and the smaller-than-Mariucci ice sheet at the Mac.

All other action is non-conference. Alabama-Huntsville travels to St. Cloud State, RPI is at Minnesota State, Lake Superior State takes on Bemidji State, Northern Michigan is at Nebraska Omaha, North Dakota and Alaska Anchorage play at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush in Fairbanks, Denver hosts UMass-Lowell Friday and Air Force Saturday, and Colorado College plays at Air Force Friday before hosting Lowell on Saturday. Wisconsin has the weekend off before opening WCHA play at UMD next weekend.

Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: See, Polls Don't Matter

If you're new to the blog, this is a column that will appear virtually every Saturday during the college hockey season. We'll cover interesting things that have happened during the weekend, or are about to happen, with a focus on the WCHA.

As is common, especially early in the season, the two Division I men's hockey national polls couldn't agree on a No. 1 team. U.S. College Hockey Online thought it was Notre Dame. USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine liked Miami.

Monday, both will try again.

Friday night, Miami was upset at home by unranked Bemidji State. Without looking too carefully, I'd venture it was the biggest shocker of the first night of the season. Nothing against Bemidji, but the Beavers were picked in the bottom half of the WCHA preseason polls, and they weren't even close to a home-ice spot in either poll. Meanwhile, Miami has been to two Frozen Fours recently, was a favorite to make it back last year before running into New Hampshire, and has a strong team returning this year.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, fell to defending national champion UMD 4-3 last night at a loud Amsoil Arena. The Bulldogs were No. 8 in one poll, and No. 10 in the other, despite having a high number of first-place votes in both surveys. UMD was clearly one of the more polarizing teams in those polls, with voters not sure what to do with a team that won the title, but lost a lot of key players off that team.

Friday, UMD showed that it's a good possibility it won't spend much time rebuilding, and instead could reload and be a contender again this season.

The Bulldogs gave Mike Seidel (left wing) and J.T. Brown (right wing) the first shot at replacing departed top-line stars Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine. If Scott Sandelin didn't hit a home run with that line, he certainly hit a scorching double into the gap.

Seidel isn't the skater Connolly and Brown are, but he makes up for it with tremendous tenacity and a nose for the back of the net. He scored UMD's first goal, off a bit of a goofy bounce and a great setup by Brown. He threw a couple great hits and certainly held his own.

Brown, meanwhile, made a case for being the best player on the ice.

(And in a game with a two-time All American in Connolly, last year's HCA Rookie of the Year in Notre Dame's T.J. Tynan, one of the top young forwards in the nation in Anders Lee, and a top defenseman like Sean Lorenz, that's saying a lot.)

He just seems to play the game at a different speed than everyone else. As Kraig Karakas noted during the broadcast, there's the old addage "If he's even, he's leavin'." But in the case of a guy like Brown, he can go from being a step behind you to "leavin'" in a heartbeat. His speed and high-end skill -- exactly how the hell did this guy not get drafted, NHL ... really? -- will suit him well wherever he plays the game, and it could lead to some huge things at UMD this season.

Notre Dame has some great players, especially Tynan and Lee. But UMD did a good job slowing that line (with Bryan Rust at right wing) down over the last two periods. The Bulldogs have the speed in their lineup to make Tynan -- who didn't exactly get slower during the offseason -- maybe a bit less of a factor.

I think the Irish really missed junior center Riley Sheahan in the lineup. He sat out Friday with what I was told was an injury, though its nature was not disclosed. He gives them a defensively-responsible center with serious offensive upside when healthy, and it weakens the team's secondary lines when he isn't out there.

Heading into Saturday, I know Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson talked after the game about his team's effort being good. But they'll be better. I guarantee it.

******

Wisconsin was the only WCHA team to lose Friday, falling 3-2 in overtime to Northern Michigan. That's not much of a surprise, as I figure the Badgers will be a group that improves a lot as the season goes on, making them quite the dangerous foe in February and March.

Alaska-Anchorage tied Clarkson 4-4 in Anchorage, while St. Cloud State beat Alaska 4-1 in the other game at the Kendall Hockey Classic. Good win for the Huskies, who were decisively outshot (24-15), but got a good game out of Mike Lee in goal. Where have we heard that one before?

Minnesota pounded Sacred Heart 9-0. No surprise there, as SHU is a bottom-feeder in Atlantic Hockey, and probably shouldn't be more than target practice for the Gopher forwards.

North Dakota got two Brock Nelson goals to rally past Air Force 4-3 in Grand Forks. Don't mess with the Serratores. UND plays Boston College for the Ice Breaker title Saturday night, and while it should be a good game, it probably won't be as entertaining as watching a Serratore brother try to take down the Sioux.

Mel Pearson got a win in his Michigan Tech debut, as the Huskies rallied past American International 4-3. Jordan Baker scored the winner in the final minute after MTU scored three straight goals to erase a 3-0 deficit and draw even. Anyone who follows this league is likely happy for Tech. As I've said before, there are a lot of good people connected to that program, and there are a lot of good people in Houghton who continue to support it. For all of them, Friday had to be quite an enjoyable night, something that hasn't happened often in that town lately.

******

Saturday's broadcast time is 6:30 on 94X, KQ 105.5 (Grand Rapids), and KQ 106.7 (Babbitt/Ely). You can hear the games on the internet, too. Go to www.94rocks.com for more information.

Game 1: Notre Dame at UMD

The lid lifts on the (real) college hockey season on this gorgeous Friday in Duluth.

Can't we put the kids on rollerblades, open the roof, and play outdoors?

(On second thought, it looks like rain. Let's just keep it the way it is.)

(Some thoughts for the new UMD arena in 35 years.)

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Brown
Hendrickson - Oleksuk - Basaraba
Danberg - Tardy - Flaherty
DeLisle - Herbert - Grun

Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - McManus

Reiter - Crandall - Gaffy

Notre Dame
Larson - Maday - Voran
Lee - Tynan - Rust
Costello - Gerths - Schneider
Nugent - Gaul - Peterson

Taker - Calabrese
Lind - Johns
Russo - Lorenz

Summerhays - Johnson

(Listed that way on chart, but we expect Johnson to start until told otherwise.)

And So It Begins ...

It still hasn't been six months. Even once it's been six months (Sunday), it will still be a special moment not easily forgotten.

With that being said, it's actually time to move on, and the onus is on a bunch of young men to lead that process along.

While UMD fans continue to enjoy the school's first men's hockey national championship, the players have no choice but to watch the banner make its way into the rafters at Amsoil Arena, and then move on to the next task.

Many coaches in many sports have talked about taking on the mentality of not defending a championship, but instead of developing a new identity for a new team. This is no different. Instead, it's a bit ironic.

You have one team (UMD) working to develop its own identity. You have a series of opponents, starting with Notre Dame Friday, looking for a chance to pick off the defending champions. Weird, isn't it?

The Bulldogs have lost a large part of last year's team, but you all know that. You know Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine are preparing to start the season in the AHL, and you know that Justin Faulk is making his NHL debut Friday.

However, it's no longer about that. It's about the guys who are here. The guys who will try to steer this ship to Florida.

Two-time All American Jack Connolly, off a 59-point season, loses his linemates from so much of last season. He starts anew Friday with J.T. Brown, the freshman star from a year ago who was Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Four. Brown will work the right wing, while junior Mike Seidel plays on the left. Seidel hasn't scored a goal in Duluth since his freshman season (all eight last year were either road or neutral sites), but he has proven he can put the puck in the net, and there's no doubt playing with Connolly will give him ample opportunity to do that.

Heading into the opener, look for Travis Oleksuk to center Jake Henrickson and Joe Basaraba, which is a great opportunity for two younger guys to play with an experienced senior and continue their development.

Notre Dame is formidable. Up front, guys like T.J. Tynan, Anders Lee, Bryan Rust, Nick Larson, Riley Sheahan, Billy Maday, and others will present UMD with scoring threats across all four lines. Reigning CCHA Defensive Defenseman of the Year Sean Lorenz (plus-32) is back, as is honorable mention All-CCHA defenseman Sam Calabrese. Top youngster Robbie Russo joins the blue line this year, and it should tell you how good they are that Russo may struggle at times to get the kind of minutes a prospect of his caliber should be getting.

Wisconsinite Mike Johnson is back in goal. UMD got to him a bit in the Frozen Four, but Johnson was MVP of the Northeast Regional after beating Merrimack and New Hampshire.

Notre Dame has great players, a super coach, and recruits that many schools would jump at. They're preseason No. 1 for a reason, and this is a formidable challenge.

It's not insurmountable. UMD needs to continue developing the home ice advantage at Amsoil Arena, and getting at least one win this weekend is a big part of that process.

The banner is nice, but it guarantees this Bulldog team nothing, outside of a season of great efforts from opponents.

(Monday) Hockey Notes and Thoughts: This One Was Undoubtedly and Undeniably Earned

The officiating may have made Red Berenson crabby after the game -- though it also could have been the reality of another tough Frozen Four loss for his great program.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.)