There are already a lot of people in this press box. Must be a national TV game or something.
UMD tries in this game to get its first non-overtime home win over North Dakota since the 2008-2009 season (3-1 at the DECC).
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Basaraba
Herbert - Oleksuk - Brown
Flaherty - Hendrickson - Grun
DeLisle - Tardy - Krause
Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - Smith
Reiter - Crandall - Gaffy
UND
Nelson - Knight - Kristo
MacMillan - Rowney - Parks
Pattyn - Lamoureux - Gaarder
Senkbeil - Gleason - Dickin
Forbort - Blood
MacWilliam - Mattson
Simpson - Panzarella
Dell - Eidsness
Friday, February 10, 2012
Amsoil Arena Ready for Spotlight; Bulldogs Better Be Ready for Sioux
North Dakota. UND. The Fighting Sioux. As someone said this week, the Fighting Who (thought that one was funny).
No matter the name, it's shaping up to be a hell of a weekend at Amsoil Arena. The new building makes its national television debut Friday, as CBS Sports Network broadcasts the series opener. The crew of Ben Holden, Dave Starman, and Shireen Saski took in practices on Thursday, and seemed impressed by the building.
Now it's time to show them the building at its best. A sellout crowd will take in Friday and Saturday games, and UMD is taking the chance with the spotlight to honor its four previous Hobey Baker Award winners during Friday's first intermission.
On the ice, the Bulldogs better be ready. UMD was last Friday, scoring early in a 4-1 win over Alaska Anchorage. It wasn't an overwhelming effort by any means, but it was a good step in the right direction after a rough weekend against Michigan Tech. Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs gave up the first goal in the first 90 seconds of the game, and it took about half the game before it looked like UMD really had started to play its game.
A big issue Saturday was the ability of UMD to win faceoffs. UAA was 46 percent for the season on draws going into the series, but draws were 50/50, and it seemed the Bulldogs really struggled in that area Saturday.
"There were a lot of faceoff draws that were either to the right or left of the center, and we didn't win a lot of those battles," head coach Scott Sandelin said. "It's not just the center. It's the wings. Even when we win draws, it seems teams are on top of us. It's a lot of those little things."
North Dakota is a team that will make you pay for those faceoff problems. The Sioux use offensive zone draws to set up shot opportunities for their defensemen, led by workhorses Ben Blood and Andrew MacWilliam. If UMD doesn't close the gap and get out on those point guys, there is the potential for real trouble in front of the net.
Further, going back to UND's win over Wisconsin two weeks ago, the first goal was set up by one of these faceoff "ties" Sandelin is referring to. The puck is dropped and ends up a smidge to the right of UND center Carter Rowney. At least one and possibly two Wisconsin players have a chance to chip the puck away from the circle, but they're preoccupied. UND left wing Michael Parks one-times the puck toward Wisconsin goalie Joel Rumpel and finds a hole, giving his team a 1-0 lead.
These are the types of plays Sandelin is talking about. He likes to talk about getting his team to play "hard hockey," and it's not just the hitting part of the game he's referring to.
"It's winning those battles," he said. "Maybe you're not always going to make a play in those situations, but you're going to get to pucks. It's one of those things that's been missing. It's effort within the game, and we have to get committed to doing those things."
Another key this weekend will be how UMD tries to match up with North Dakota. The Sioux have a really good line, with Corban Knight centering Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson. It's the top line for a reason, and it's UND's three best offensive players. It's a matchup UMD has to win, especially being the home team (UMD gets the last change before faceoffs, meaning it can dictate what matchups it wants on the ice).
Blood and MacWilliam will be on the ice a lot, but they're not unbeatable (Blood is minus-nine this season). The top line is a plus-16 combined, so that might be a tougher nut to crack for UMD.
Look for Sandelin to try Jake Hendrickson's line against Knight's line at some point this weekend, though it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to match top line against top line -- something he's been known for doing in the past. It's Sandelin's choice, so the earlier he finds something he likes, the better off UMD will be this weekend.
This North Dakota team isn't as deep as it was last year, when the Fighting Sioux had serious scoring across all their lines en route to the Frozen Four. This team is well-coached, plays very hard, gets physical, and has a lot of high-end skill up front, even if it isn't as much as previous seasons. There's nothing here to suggest that North Dakota will make anything easy on UMD.
"We need to have the intensity level very high," Sandelin says. "We need to be on pucks. We need to have more offensive zone sustained time than we've had in the last three or four games. We've got to make good decisions coming up the rink, and make them go back and get pucks under pressure."
Sandelin wants to see his team forecheck with a lot of intensity. He wants pressure on UND's defensemen, no matter which pair is on the ice. He wants his team to take a step in the right direction this weekend, and do so emphatically and without a Saturday stumble.
The opponent won't make that very easy.
The environment will be great this weekend. Hopefully, the home team can make it special with its play.
Look for similar lines for UMD this weekend. What was in effect for Saturday's game in Anchorage still is the way things line up now.
Seidel - Connolly - Basaraba
Herbert - Oleksuk - Brown
Flaherty - Hendrickson - Grun
DeLisle - Tardy - Krause
The Bulldogs will be missing freshman forward Justin Crandall this weekend, out with an upper-body injury. Crandall isn't exactly pleased about having to miss the UND series, but he does expect to be available in Mankato next week. The test will come with whether or not he can get back out on the ice for practice early next week.
No matter the name, it's shaping up to be a hell of a weekend at Amsoil Arena. The new building makes its national television debut Friday, as CBS Sports Network broadcasts the series opener. The crew of Ben Holden, Dave Starman, and Shireen Saski took in practices on Thursday, and seemed impressed by the building.
Now it's time to show them the building at its best. A sellout crowd will take in Friday and Saturday games, and UMD is taking the chance with the spotlight to honor its four previous Hobey Baker Award winners during Friday's first intermission.
On the ice, the Bulldogs better be ready. UMD was last Friday, scoring early in a 4-1 win over Alaska Anchorage. It wasn't an overwhelming effort by any means, but it was a good step in the right direction after a rough weekend against Michigan Tech. Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs gave up the first goal in the first 90 seconds of the game, and it took about half the game before it looked like UMD really had started to play its game.
A big issue Saturday was the ability of UMD to win faceoffs. UAA was 46 percent for the season on draws going into the series, but draws were 50/50, and it seemed the Bulldogs really struggled in that area Saturday.
"There were a lot of faceoff draws that were either to the right or left of the center, and we didn't win a lot of those battles," head coach Scott Sandelin said. "It's not just the center. It's the wings. Even when we win draws, it seems teams are on top of us. It's a lot of those little things."
North Dakota is a team that will make you pay for those faceoff problems. The Sioux use offensive zone draws to set up shot opportunities for their defensemen, led by workhorses Ben Blood and Andrew MacWilliam. If UMD doesn't close the gap and get out on those point guys, there is the potential for real trouble in front of the net.
Further, going back to UND's win over Wisconsin two weeks ago, the first goal was set up by one of these faceoff "ties" Sandelin is referring to. The puck is dropped and ends up a smidge to the right of UND center Carter Rowney. At least one and possibly two Wisconsin players have a chance to chip the puck away from the circle, but they're preoccupied. UND left wing Michael Parks one-times the puck toward Wisconsin goalie Joel Rumpel and finds a hole, giving his team a 1-0 lead.
These are the types of plays Sandelin is talking about. He likes to talk about getting his team to play "hard hockey," and it's not just the hitting part of the game he's referring to.
"It's winning those battles," he said. "Maybe you're not always going to make a play in those situations, but you're going to get to pucks. It's one of those things that's been missing. It's effort within the game, and we have to get committed to doing those things."
Another key this weekend will be how UMD tries to match up with North Dakota. The Sioux have a really good line, with Corban Knight centering Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson. It's the top line for a reason, and it's UND's three best offensive players. It's a matchup UMD has to win, especially being the home team (UMD gets the last change before faceoffs, meaning it can dictate what matchups it wants on the ice).
Blood and MacWilliam will be on the ice a lot, but they're not unbeatable (Blood is minus-nine this season). The top line is a plus-16 combined, so that might be a tougher nut to crack for UMD.
Look for Sandelin to try Jake Hendrickson's line against Knight's line at some point this weekend, though it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to match top line against top line -- something he's been known for doing in the past. It's Sandelin's choice, so the earlier he finds something he likes, the better off UMD will be this weekend.
This North Dakota team isn't as deep as it was last year, when the Fighting Sioux had serious scoring across all their lines en route to the Frozen Four. This team is well-coached, plays very hard, gets physical, and has a lot of high-end skill up front, even if it isn't as much as previous seasons. There's nothing here to suggest that North Dakota will make anything easy on UMD.
"We need to have the intensity level very high," Sandelin says. "We need to be on pucks. We need to have more offensive zone sustained time than we've had in the last three or four games. We've got to make good decisions coming up the rink, and make them go back and get pucks under pressure."
Sandelin wants to see his team forecheck with a lot of intensity. He wants pressure on UND's defensemen, no matter which pair is on the ice. He wants his team to take a step in the right direction this weekend, and do so emphatically and without a Saturday stumble.
The opponent won't make that very easy.
The environment will be great this weekend. Hopefully, the home team can make it special with its play.
******
Look for similar lines for UMD this weekend. What was in effect for Saturday's game in Anchorage still is the way things line up now.
Seidel - Connolly - Basaraba
Herbert - Oleksuk - Brown
Flaherty - Hendrickson - Grun
DeLisle - Tardy - Krause
The Bulldogs will be missing freshman forward Justin Crandall this weekend, out with an upper-body injury. Crandall isn't exactly pleased about having to miss the UND series, but he does expect to be available in Mankato next week. The test will come with whether or not he can get back out on the ice for practice early next week.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
UMD Honors Its Past
The Hobey Baker Award was first given out in 1981.
Over that time, the UMD Bulldogs have produced four Hobey winners, a number not surpassed by any other school in the country. UMD might not have nine national championships, but the school sure has a pretty good track record of producing big-time players.
The four Hobey winners -- Tom Kurvers, Bill Watson, Chris Marinucci, and Junior Lessard -- were in town last July for the school's annual alumni weekend, at which time the current UMD players were presented with rings commemorating last year's national championship.
But the four have never been together at a UMD game before.
Until Friday.
During the first intermission of UMD's game against North Dakota, the four will be honored, with new banners going up.
Watson is pretty excited.
"They've been very gracious. This is more about our night at UMD, and honoring those guys. We're all looking forward to it."
Lessard was the last of the four to play professionally, up through last season.
"It's rare for us four to be together on a night," Watson said, "and it's nice to be doing it on a weekend where we're playing a series like this (North Dakota)."
With UMD senior captain Jack Connolly among the favorites for the Hobey Baker Award this season, the timing of this ceremony is certainly good. It should serve as an opportunity for fans to get excited about Connolly's candidacy, even though the center is mired in a bit of a scoring slump at this point.
For Watson, it's also a chance to look at his Hobey comrades and show them something they don't have.
That, of course, is an NCAA championship ring, something Watson earned while a part of the coaching staff last season. He's still on staff as a volunteer assistant, working regularly with the players and spending time at the end of practices playing in something dubbed the AHL, for Afternoon Hockey League.
Last year, it was Justin Fontaine and the non-related Connollys (Jack and Mike) plying their craft in the regular games, joined by a host of other players. Now, others get their shot, including Adam Krause and Joe Basaraba, among others, on Wednesday.
Friday night will be special for UMD fans. It's a chance to see a lot of the program's history and tradition in the building on the same night. Hopefully, it's also the start of a new streak of good play for the current Bulldogs.
Over that time, the UMD Bulldogs have produced four Hobey winners, a number not surpassed by any other school in the country. UMD might not have nine national championships, but the school sure has a pretty good track record of producing big-time players.
The four Hobey winners -- Tom Kurvers, Bill Watson, Chris Marinucci, and Junior Lessard -- were in town last July for the school's annual alumni weekend, at which time the current UMD players were presented with rings commemorating last year's national championship.
But the four have never been together at a UMD game before.
Until Friday.
During the first intermission of UMD's game against North Dakota, the four will be honored, with new banners going up.
Watson is pretty excited.
"They've been very gracious. This is more about our night at UMD, and honoring those guys. We're all looking forward to it."
Lessard was the last of the four to play professionally, up through last season.
"It's rare for us four to be together on a night," Watson said, "and it's nice to be doing it on a weekend where we're playing a series like this (North Dakota)."
With UMD senior captain Jack Connolly among the favorites for the Hobey Baker Award this season, the timing of this ceremony is certainly good. It should serve as an opportunity for fans to get excited about Connolly's candidacy, even though the center is mired in a bit of a scoring slump at this point.
For Watson, it's also a chance to look at his Hobey comrades and show them something they don't have.
That, of course, is an NCAA championship ring, something Watson earned while a part of the coaching staff last season. He's still on staff as a volunteer assistant, working regularly with the players and spending time at the end of practices playing in something dubbed the AHL, for Afternoon Hockey League.
Last year, it was Justin Fontaine and the non-related Connollys (Jack and Mike) plying their craft in the regular games, joined by a host of other players. Now, others get their shot, including Adam Krause and Joe Basaraba, among others, on Wednesday.
Friday night will be special for UMD fans. It's a chance to see a lot of the program's history and tradition in the building on the same night. Hopefully, it's also the start of a new streak of good play for the current Bulldogs.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Gearing Up For High School Playoffs
The boys' high school hockey season is winding down. Most Minnesota teams have two to four games left on their schedules, which will wrap up by next weekend at the latest.
There are three sections that feature area teams, and there's a good chance we'll have three area teams in the state tournament. However, there's a lot to decide before we get to that point, and things tend to change.
Section 7A
While it might seem Duluth Marshall is the obvious favorite, we've danced this dance before in the section.
Last year, Hibbing was not the No. 1 seed and was not the section favorite. Yet, there they were, giving Hermantown everything it could handle in the state semifinals. That came after the Bluejackets blasted favored Virginia/MIB 5-0 in the section final.
This team could do that again. Guys like Josh Bestul, Adam Johnson, and Mike Pechovnik were big parts of the team last year, and they will do it again this time around. Hibbing's team goaltending numbers aren't terribly impressive, but goaltending is obviously a big part of any team this time of year. A hot goalie at the right time can make a team into a champion, but a championship-caliber team is nothing without quality big-spot goaltending.
Marshall should be the top seed. The Hilltoppers had a bit of a down year last season, hovering around .500 but then giving Virginia a heck of a tussle in the section semifinal. Star Judd Peterson (St. Cloud State commit) averages nearly three points per game, and he leads a group of six players over 20 points on the season. Marshall plays tough defense and gets quality goaltending, so the Hilltoppers should be stout.
Virginia could be a factor, with Mark Krebsbach leading the offensive charge. But the Blue Devils don't have the quality depth they've had in the past. International Falls might be a darkhorse.
In the end, though, it appears we're looking at a Marshall/Hibbing section final at Amsoil Arena Feb. 29.
Section 5A
This looks too easy. Hermantown is 22-0, is outscoring its opponents 134-34, and has more depth than virtually anyone in Class A. It's also a very well-coached team, making it even more difficult to beat.
However, the Hawks know they will see challenges in the section tournament. Hermantown will be seeded first, but right behind them will be Rogers and St. Cloud Cathedral, teams that played the Hawks very tight during the regular season (2-1 games against both).
I don't see any other serious threats in the section tournament, as the rest of 5A lacks the talent and depth to match up against anyone in the top three. If there are upsets, they will be monumental, and they'll involve goalies standing on their heads in fluky 2-1 or 1-0 games.
(I have to give the nod here to Moose Lake, though I don't see the Rebels winning more than one game in the playoffs. Josh Cisar has 52 goals, and brother Tyler has 71 points. They're a great tandem, and it's a great story, even if the team doesn't have enough to go far.)
Section 7AA
This race is four or five teams deep, potentially. Duluth East is 21-1 and the favorite, and there's no question a Greyhounds team that hits on all cylinders will not be beaten by anyone in the section.
However, there's a line of teams that would like a shot. Grand Rapids is probably the second-best team in the section, but don't discount Andover. The Northwest Suburban team has some nice wins this season, including one over Cloquet/Esko/Carlton. These teams should be seeded second and third, with CEC seeded fourth or fifth, spots they will contend with Elk River for.
I tend to think this is a two-horse race, with East and Grand Rapids. The Thunderhawks, however, have been banged up all season long, and Monday's loss to Hibbing certainly opens the prospect that they will have to deal with being the third seed. It means a tougher first-round game, and it means being the visiting team on the scoreboard for the section semifinals, in all likelihood.
East has the scoring depth and defensemen to win, but it's fair to wonder about the Greyhounds' goaltending after that Minnetonka disaster, as well as a rather uneven performance Monday night against CEC.
If someone can protect their net and catch East on a day where its own net drive isn't as good as it can be, this team is no different than any other. It can be picked off.
There are three sections that feature area teams, and there's a good chance we'll have three area teams in the state tournament. However, there's a lot to decide before we get to that point, and things tend to change.
Section 7A
While it might seem Duluth Marshall is the obvious favorite, we've danced this dance before in the section.
Last year, Hibbing was not the No. 1 seed and was not the section favorite. Yet, there they were, giving Hermantown everything it could handle in the state semifinals. That came after the Bluejackets blasted favored Virginia/MIB 5-0 in the section final.
This team could do that again. Guys like Josh Bestul, Adam Johnson, and Mike Pechovnik were big parts of the team last year, and they will do it again this time around. Hibbing's team goaltending numbers aren't terribly impressive, but goaltending is obviously a big part of any team this time of year. A hot goalie at the right time can make a team into a champion, but a championship-caliber team is nothing without quality big-spot goaltending.
Marshall should be the top seed. The Hilltoppers had a bit of a down year last season, hovering around .500 but then giving Virginia a heck of a tussle in the section semifinal. Star Judd Peterson (St. Cloud State commit) averages nearly three points per game, and he leads a group of six players over 20 points on the season. Marshall plays tough defense and gets quality goaltending, so the Hilltoppers should be stout.
Virginia could be a factor, with Mark Krebsbach leading the offensive charge. But the Blue Devils don't have the quality depth they've had in the past. International Falls might be a darkhorse.
In the end, though, it appears we're looking at a Marshall/Hibbing section final at Amsoil Arena Feb. 29.
Section 5A
This looks too easy. Hermantown is 22-0, is outscoring its opponents 134-34, and has more depth than virtually anyone in Class A. It's also a very well-coached team, making it even more difficult to beat.
However, the Hawks know they will see challenges in the section tournament. Hermantown will be seeded first, but right behind them will be Rogers and St. Cloud Cathedral, teams that played the Hawks very tight during the regular season (2-1 games against both).
I don't see any other serious threats in the section tournament, as the rest of 5A lacks the talent and depth to match up against anyone in the top three. If there are upsets, they will be monumental, and they'll involve goalies standing on their heads in fluky 2-1 or 1-0 games.
(I have to give the nod here to Moose Lake, though I don't see the Rebels winning more than one game in the playoffs. Josh Cisar has 52 goals, and brother Tyler has 71 points. They're a great tandem, and it's a great story, even if the team doesn't have enough to go far.)
Section 7AA
This race is four or five teams deep, potentially. Duluth East is 21-1 and the favorite, and there's no question a Greyhounds team that hits on all cylinders will not be beaten by anyone in the section.
However, there's a line of teams that would like a shot. Grand Rapids is probably the second-best team in the section, but don't discount Andover. The Northwest Suburban team has some nice wins this season, including one over Cloquet/Esko/Carlton. These teams should be seeded second and third, with CEC seeded fourth or fifth, spots they will contend with Elk River for.
I tend to think this is a two-horse race, with East and Grand Rapids. The Thunderhawks, however, have been banged up all season long, and Monday's loss to Hibbing certainly opens the prospect that they will have to deal with being the third seed. It means a tougher first-round game, and it means being the visiting team on the scoreboard for the section semifinals, in all likelihood.
East has the scoring depth and defensemen to win, but it's fair to wonder about the Greyhounds' goaltending after that Minnetonka disaster, as well as a rather uneven performance Monday night against CEC.
If someone can protect their net and catch East on a day where its own net drive isn't as good as it can be, this team is no different than any other. It can be picked off.
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Game 28: UMD at Alaska-Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Couple tweaks to UMD's lines for the series finale, as the Bulldogs look for their first sweep here since 1996. Justin Crandall is scratched, and the top two lines look like they did before the Tech debacling last week.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Basaraba
Herbert - Oleksuk - Brown
Flaherty - Hendrickson - Grun
DeLisle - Tardy - Krause
Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - Johnson
Reiter - Crandall
UAA
Leinweber - Bailey - Bruijsten
Portwood - Naslund - Cameron
Scheid - Gellert - Crowell
Allen - Roy - Mellor
Docken - Gorham
Warner - Coldwell
Sproule - Karl
Gunderson - Kamal
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Basaraba
Herbert - Oleksuk - Brown
Flaherty - Hendrickson - Grun
DeLisle - Tardy - Krause
Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - Johnson
Reiter - Crandall
UAA
Leinweber - Bailey - Bruijsten
Portwood - Naslund - Cameron
Scheid - Gellert - Crowell
Allen - Roy - Mellor
Docken - Gorham
Warner - Coldwell
Sproule - Karl
Gunderson - Kamal
Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: UMD Shows Improvement in Win
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Before Friday's game, UMD head coach Scott Sandelin identified four areas he wanted to see his team improve in.
He noted that "battle level" was atop the list. The others -- execution, defensive zone play, and special teams -- partially relied on the first in order to see the necessary improvement.
Alaska Anchorage would be a great test for UMD's battle level. The Seawolves love to play the game along the wall, engaging in constant one-on-one and two-on-two puck battles. Win those battles, and create scoring chances. Lose them, and just get the puck on the wall to start battling again.
Friday night, UMD used a strong early forecheck to render that game plan fruitless in a 4-1 win over the Seawolves. Sophomore JT Brown had all four UMD goals, including one on his first shift just 2:30 into the game. The goal came after numerous clearing attempts by UAA failed, with Brown and Travis Oleksuk providing relentless pressure. Eventually, the puck came to Adam Krause left of the goal, and the freshman found a wide-open Brown in the slot.
Brown made it 2-0 later in the period, one-timing a puck by UAA goalie Chris Kamal after an Oleksuk faceoff win. He scored from a bad angle in the final minute of the period to make it 3-0 and complete the first natural hat trick by a Bulldog since Feb. 5 of last year (Mike Connolly vs. the Gophers).
The Bulldogs got a power play goal by Brown late in the second for his fourth goal of the game and answer UAA's only goal, which came on the power play.
UMD still has some issues with the penalty kill, especially when it loses faceoffs. That's how UAA scored its goal. The Bulldogs struggle with getting pressure up high on the kill, leaving people too much time and space. It's unlike previous UMD teams, really, and something that needs to be remedied, because a 78 percent penalty kill is not going to get the job done.
The power play looked really good, I thought. UMD tweaked it a bit, adding a fourth forward in Caleb Herbert and going with more of an umbrella look. The puck moved pretty well, and UMD had a more-than-respectable five shots in two power plays. It was a solid improvement after a scoreless drought that lasted 21 power plays.
UMD is just four for its last 35 power plays going back to Christmas. But things turned the right way on Friday in limited opportunities.
Brown had a special night. He's up to 15 goals and 36 points this season, and his plus-24 leads the country. He's a near-lock to leave after this season, but you can't really argue with the impact he's made, with 73 points in 69 career games.
Oleksuk celebrated his 23rd birthday with four assists.
UMD was pretty sound defensively, clearing pucks from the slot when necessary, and Kenny Reiter made a couple great saves among his 17 on the night.
It was a solid performance against a team that has now lost eight in a row. UMD needs to finish the job Saturday, completing its first sweep here since 1996. It's not a must in terms of the team's NCAA chances, but it is probably a must-win if UMD is serious about winning its first MacNaughton since 1993.
Elsewhere in the WCHA, St. Cloud State stomped Wisconsin 5-1. Ben Hanowski scored two goals, and Jared Festler had three points. There was also an interesting incident in the first period, as Wisconsin captain John Ramage got the boot for a hit on SCSU's Nick Oliver.
It was ruled contact to the head. At regular speed, it's hard to argue the call. On replay, it does look more like a clean hit, but it's not the kind of hit that officials are going to ignore in this day and age.
The head just didn't look like the principal point of contact to me. But again, you're going to see more and more officials err on the side of caution in these spots, as they should. It stinks for physical players like Ramage. There's little chance of being able to throw a clean hit in a situation like that, and Ramage can't just let the guy skate along. It's a part of the game we are all going to have to get used to.
With 20 seconds left, Brendan Woods was given a major and a game disqualification for a check from behind. I have not seen video of that hit, but Woods will not be eligible to play Saturday.
In Denver, Jaden Schwartz' power play goal in the first period was enough for Colorado College to beat Denver 2-0. The game included matching game DQs for fighting after CC's Aaron Harstad and Denver's Dustin Jackson. They will miss Saturday's game in Colorado Springs.
Matt Leitner's third period goal lifted Minnesota State past Michigan Tech 5-3. Also, Bemidji State and Nebraska Omaha played to a 1-1 draw.
He noted that "battle level" was atop the list. The others -- execution, defensive zone play, and special teams -- partially relied on the first in order to see the necessary improvement.
Alaska Anchorage would be a great test for UMD's battle level. The Seawolves love to play the game along the wall, engaging in constant one-on-one and two-on-two puck battles. Win those battles, and create scoring chances. Lose them, and just get the puck on the wall to start battling again.
Friday night, UMD used a strong early forecheck to render that game plan fruitless in a 4-1 win over the Seawolves. Sophomore JT Brown had all four UMD goals, including one on his first shift just 2:30 into the game. The goal came after numerous clearing attempts by UAA failed, with Brown and Travis Oleksuk providing relentless pressure. Eventually, the puck came to Adam Krause left of the goal, and the freshman found a wide-open Brown in the slot.
Brown made it 2-0 later in the period, one-timing a puck by UAA goalie Chris Kamal after an Oleksuk faceoff win. He scored from a bad angle in the final minute of the period to make it 3-0 and complete the first natural hat trick by a Bulldog since Feb. 5 of last year (Mike Connolly vs. the Gophers).
The Bulldogs got a power play goal by Brown late in the second for his fourth goal of the game and answer UAA's only goal, which came on the power play.
UMD still has some issues with the penalty kill, especially when it loses faceoffs. That's how UAA scored its goal. The Bulldogs struggle with getting pressure up high on the kill, leaving people too much time and space. It's unlike previous UMD teams, really, and something that needs to be remedied, because a 78 percent penalty kill is not going to get the job done.
The power play looked really good, I thought. UMD tweaked it a bit, adding a fourth forward in Caleb Herbert and going with more of an umbrella look. The puck moved pretty well, and UMD had a more-than-respectable five shots in two power plays. It was a solid improvement after a scoreless drought that lasted 21 power plays.
UMD is just four for its last 35 power plays going back to Christmas. But things turned the right way on Friday in limited opportunities.
Brown had a special night. He's up to 15 goals and 36 points this season, and his plus-24 leads the country. He's a near-lock to leave after this season, but you can't really argue with the impact he's made, with 73 points in 69 career games.
Oleksuk celebrated his 23rd birthday with four assists.
UMD was pretty sound defensively, clearing pucks from the slot when necessary, and Kenny Reiter made a couple great saves among his 17 on the night.
It was a solid performance against a team that has now lost eight in a row. UMD needs to finish the job Saturday, completing its first sweep here since 1996. It's not a must in terms of the team's NCAA chances, but it is probably a must-win if UMD is serious about winning its first MacNaughton since 1993.
******
Elsewhere in the WCHA, St. Cloud State stomped Wisconsin 5-1. Ben Hanowski scored two goals, and Jared Festler had three points. There was also an interesting incident in the first period, as Wisconsin captain John Ramage got the boot for a hit on SCSU's Nick Oliver.
It was ruled contact to the head. At regular speed, it's hard to argue the call. On replay, it does look more like a clean hit, but it's not the kind of hit that officials are going to ignore in this day and age.
The head just didn't look like the principal point of contact to me. But again, you're going to see more and more officials err on the side of caution in these spots, as they should. It stinks for physical players like Ramage. There's little chance of being able to throw a clean hit in a situation like that, and Ramage can't just let the guy skate along. It's a part of the game we are all going to have to get used to.
With 20 seconds left, Brendan Woods was given a major and a game disqualification for a check from behind. I have not seen video of that hit, but Woods will not be eligible to play Saturday.
In Denver, Jaden Schwartz' power play goal in the first period was enough for Colorado College to beat Denver 2-0. The game included matching game DQs for fighting after CC's Aaron Harstad and Denver's Dustin Jackson. They will miss Saturday's game in Colorado Springs.
Matt Leitner's third period goal lifted Minnesota State past Michigan Tech 5-3. Also, Bemidji State and Nebraska Omaha played to a 1-1 draw.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Game 27: UMD at Alaska Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Ready for a little late night hockey?
Well, late for most (all?) of you.
Here we go from Anchorage with the series opener.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Herbert
Basaraba - Oleksuk - Brown
Crandall (Justin) - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Krause - Tardy - Grun
Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - Johnson
Reiter - Crandall (Aaron)
UAA
Pustin - Gellert - Crowell
Naslund - Bailey - Bruijsten
Leinweber - Scheid - Cameron
Portwood - Roy - Pettitt
Docken - Gorham
Warner - Coldwell
Sproule - Currier
Kamal - Gunderson
Well, late for most (all?) of you.
Here we go from Anchorage with the series opener.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Connolly - Herbert
Basaraba - Oleksuk - Brown
Crandall (Justin) - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Krause - Tardy - Grun
Bergman - Lamb
Kishel - Casto
Olson - Johnson
Reiter - Crandall (Aaron)
UAA
Pustin - Gellert - Crowell
Naslund - Bailey - Bruijsten
Leinweber - Scheid - Cameron
Portwood - Roy - Pettitt
Docken - Gorham
Warner - Coldwell
Sproule - Currier
Kamal - Gunderson
WCHA Needs to Step Up When It Comes to Illegal Hits
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- In the wake of the hit that left Benilde-St. Margaret's hockey player Jack Jablonski paralyzed, hockey organizations started to look long and hard at the way they were policing the game.
Two prominent Minnesota groups -- the Minnesota State High School League and Minnesota Hockey -- quickly announced stiffer penalties for hits from behind and boarding fouls, along with contact to the head.
College hockey has not made a move, largely because hits from behind along the boards and hits where the principal point of contact is the head are already supposed to be major penalties. No need for rules changes there.
However, as I've written in the past, and will probably write again, there is very much the need for a change in how the rules are enforced.
(I should note here that I've noticed -- and so have other observers around the WCHA -- players doing a better job avoiding many of the situations that can lead to dangerous hits. Guys are pulling up instead of plastering opponents into the boards from behind. They're doing better at avoiding contact to the head. It's been generally good.)
Last weekend, there were multiple examples of hits that should have been major penalties, but were not. The three I am going to discuss are the only three I'm aware of. There might be others. There will likely be more.
Why am I bringing this up? The weekend after Jack's Pledge was launched, and UMD became the first WCHA team to get involved in it, there was an egregious hit from behind in the Minnesota-North Dakota game by UND's Danny Kristo. I wrote at the time that my strong feeling was that Kristo should face a suspension for the hit. I felt the WCHA erred in not issuing a suspension, given the aggressive nature of the hit, his follow-through after the hit, and the blow-up on his way to the locker room.
There were two hits from behind in the UMD-Michigan Tech series. The first, on Michigan Tech's Tanner Kero, was not called. The second, on UMD forward JT Brown, was called a minor penalty. The hit on Brown was pretty blatant, a shot to the back that took him head-first into the boards.
On Saturday, there was a pretty bad hit in the Wisconsin-North Dakota series. Badger freshman defenseman Jake McCabe cross-checked UND forward Brock Nelson in the head after Nelson collided with Wisconsin's John Ramage behind the net. Nelson was on the ice when McCabe leaned over and delivered a deliberate cross-check to the head area.
All three of the hits could have been majors. I did not have access to replays on either hit in the UMD series, so I'm going to lay off a little bit on those. But I DVRed the Wisconsin-North Dakota game as part of my normal preparation for an upcoming UMD opponent (the Bulldogs play UND next weekend). The McCabe hit -- called a two-minute minor for cross-checking -- was not handled properly by the game officials, and there really isn't much of an excuse. The puck was there, there was an official nearby (but not so close as to cause him to not have a good vantage point), and the hit was clearly to the head.
It's the kind of play we don't need in this game, especially in light of the Jablonski play.
Basically, the onus should not only be on the players to take this contact out of the sport. With increased visibility comes increased responsibility. There is a need for more effective and more consistent enforcement. Without that enforcement, we will never get the game where we need it to go.
While I applaud the efforts of so many people to clean up the game, there is still work to be done. Based on the track record of inconsistent enforcement, maybe it's time for a MSHSL-esque crackdown on illegal hits in the WCHA. It might be the only way to make the officials feel empowered enough to actually enforce existing rules on hits from behind and to the head.
Two prominent Minnesota groups -- the Minnesota State High School League and Minnesota Hockey -- quickly announced stiffer penalties for hits from behind and boarding fouls, along with contact to the head.
College hockey has not made a move, largely because hits from behind along the boards and hits where the principal point of contact is the head are already supposed to be major penalties. No need for rules changes there.
However, as I've written in the past, and will probably write again, there is very much the need for a change in how the rules are enforced.
(I should note here that I've noticed -- and so have other observers around the WCHA -- players doing a better job avoiding many of the situations that can lead to dangerous hits. Guys are pulling up instead of plastering opponents into the boards from behind. They're doing better at avoiding contact to the head. It's been generally good.)
Last weekend, there were multiple examples of hits that should have been major penalties, but were not. The three I am going to discuss are the only three I'm aware of. There might be others. There will likely be more.
Why am I bringing this up? The weekend after Jack's Pledge was launched, and UMD became the first WCHA team to get involved in it, there was an egregious hit from behind in the Minnesota-North Dakota game by UND's Danny Kristo. I wrote at the time that my strong feeling was that Kristo should face a suspension for the hit. I felt the WCHA erred in not issuing a suspension, given the aggressive nature of the hit, his follow-through after the hit, and the blow-up on his way to the locker room.
There were two hits from behind in the UMD-Michigan Tech series. The first, on Michigan Tech's Tanner Kero, was not called. The second, on UMD forward JT Brown, was called a minor penalty. The hit on Brown was pretty blatant, a shot to the back that took him head-first into the boards.
On Saturday, there was a pretty bad hit in the Wisconsin-North Dakota series. Badger freshman defenseman Jake McCabe cross-checked UND forward Brock Nelson in the head after Nelson collided with Wisconsin's John Ramage behind the net. Nelson was on the ice when McCabe leaned over and delivered a deliberate cross-check to the head area.
All three of the hits could have been majors. I did not have access to replays on either hit in the UMD series, so I'm going to lay off a little bit on those. But I DVRed the Wisconsin-North Dakota game as part of my normal preparation for an upcoming UMD opponent (the Bulldogs play UND next weekend). The McCabe hit -- called a two-minute minor for cross-checking -- was not handled properly by the game officials, and there really isn't much of an excuse. The puck was there, there was an official nearby (but not so close as to cause him to not have a good vantage point), and the hit was clearly to the head.
It's the kind of play we don't need in this game, especially in light of the Jablonski play.
Basically, the onus should not only be on the players to take this contact out of the sport. With increased visibility comes increased responsibility. There is a need for more effective and more consistent enforcement. Without that enforcement, we will never get the game where we need it to go.
While I applaud the efforts of so many people to clean up the game, there is still work to be done. Based on the track record of inconsistent enforcement, maybe it's time for a MSHSL-esque crackdown on illegal hits in the WCHA. It might be the only way to make the officials feel empowered enough to actually enforce existing rules on hits from behind and to the head.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
UMD Prepares for Desperate UAA
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Expectations were much higher than this.
Our good friend Jess Myers picked Alaska-Anchorage to earn a home ice position for the first round of the WCHA playoffs, something that hasn't happened once during UAA's time in the league.
I thought last year's finish was a real stretch in the right direction for UAA, one that could lead to bigger and better things this season. UAA beat Minnesota twice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs at Mariucci Arena, advancing to the second WCHA Final Five in school history. It was part of a 9-4 run near the end of the season before a loss to Colorado College in the Final Five.
It hasn't gone well, though.
UAA started this season 3-0-1, including championships in both their home tournament (Kendall Hockey Classic) and the tournament in Fairbanks (Brice Alaska Goal Rush). The Seawolves, though, have stumbled badly since, with separate losing streaks of six and seven games -- the seven-game skid is ongoing -- on the way to a 6-16-2 mark heading into this weekend's series here against Minnesota Duluth.
During the current losing streak, the Seawolves have scored 14 goals and only been shut out once. It's not the offense that's failing UAA right now, though it has to click at a better clip than 2.5 goals per game. Instead, defense and goaltending are the downfall. UAA has allowed 92 goals in 24 games, an average of 3.8 per game. Over the last seven, the total is 33, or nearly five goals per game. The team save percentage this season is a mediocre .865.
Once tough to handle in Anchorage, which is an insanely long flight for anyone in the league, especially compared to the other travel required, the Seawolves are a mere 2-7-1 at Sullivan Arena this season. UAA has lost five straight home games, and is 1-7 at home since the Kendall Hockey Classic in October.
When the blender -- or the league, I guess -- released the 2011-12 WCHA schedule, UAA had to think its chance to make hey would be in the second half of the season. The Seawolves are playing games three and four of a six-game homestand this weekend, and are in a stretch of eight out of the last ten WCHA games at home.
You read that correctly. UAA has played just six of its 18 league games this season at home. And you thought UMD's schedule was screwy (you'd be right on that).
Anyway, this is a key weekend for UMD, as we all know. The Bulldogs enter Friday having allowed nine straight goals, were probably lucky to get a point out of last weekend's home series with Michigan Tech, and haven't swept a series in Anchorage since 1996 (14-12-6 all-time in Anchorage, compared to 27-7-6 all-time against UAA in Duluth).
UMD needs four points here. Three is a minimum. Two is disappointing, especially if UMD doesn't deserve a better fate with its play. The Bulldogs had a tough day at practice Monday, with several players using Twitter to elude to a bag skate. If Tuesday's pace and intensity was any indication whatsoever, the message was clear. And received.
Standing and watching, it was tough not to wish that the Bulldogs could play a game Wednesday instead of waiting until Friday.
We'll see how a five-plus hour flight and a three-hour time change affects the Bulldogs' legs. It's not a terrible deal for athletes, because they're in such great shape to begin with. But it's a 7pm game that will feel like a 10pm game if you don't put in the work to adjust to the time change beforehand.
I've gotten used to making this trip over the years, but still have my moments, especially on the first full day spent in Alaska. I try to get around and do as much as I can to keep my brain engaged, because it's that down time that can really mess me up.
The start Friday will be a huge key. UAA is a team just grasping for any reason to think it can stay in a game. An early UMD goal and continued push might be enough to keep things positive for 60 minutes. But if UAA finds a way to score early, or even if the Seawolves get a big save early, this could be very interesting. The Seawolves have been outscored 33-17 and outshot 263-189 in first periods this season, so they haven't really been good at starting games.
One area UAA appears to have an edge is on special teams. The Seawolves are at 92 percent on the penalty kill since the holiday break, while UMD has scored just three times in 33 power play chances since Christmas, including no goals in 21 chances since the series at Western Michigan. Head coach Scott Sandelin insists he's not panicking, and he said last Saturday he wasn't ready to make any personnel changes on the power play. He said he felt the team had the right players on the ice, and it was simply a matter of execution.
UMD then got just two chances with the man advantage in that 5-0 disaster, and both came in the third period after it was already 5-0. Hard to judge based on those if they were getting any improved execution.
UMD has lost twice in the last 22 games. This is not panic time. But the Bulldogs need to play better from the outset, and that needs to start Friday night.
Here were the lines at practice this week:
Seidel - Connolly - Herbert
Basaraba - Oleksuk - Brown
Crandall (Justin) - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Krause - Tardy - Grun
I wouldn't expect any significant changes on defense. Tim Smith and Derik Johnson are the players from that "sixth defenseman" rotation on this trip. Dan DeLisle is the 13th forward.
No major line changes from Saturday. I'm intrigued by Herbert on Connolly's line, and hopefully we see some good shifts out of that group on Friday.
Our good friend Jess Myers picked Alaska-Anchorage to earn a home ice position for the first round of the WCHA playoffs, something that hasn't happened once during UAA's time in the league.
I thought last year's finish was a real stretch in the right direction for UAA, one that could lead to bigger and better things this season. UAA beat Minnesota twice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs at Mariucci Arena, advancing to the second WCHA Final Five in school history. It was part of a 9-4 run near the end of the season before a loss to Colorado College in the Final Five.
It hasn't gone well, though.
UAA started this season 3-0-1, including championships in both their home tournament (Kendall Hockey Classic) and the tournament in Fairbanks (Brice Alaska Goal Rush). The Seawolves, though, have stumbled badly since, with separate losing streaks of six and seven games -- the seven-game skid is ongoing -- on the way to a 6-16-2 mark heading into this weekend's series here against Minnesota Duluth.
During the current losing streak, the Seawolves have scored 14 goals and only been shut out once. It's not the offense that's failing UAA right now, though it has to click at a better clip than 2.5 goals per game. Instead, defense and goaltending are the downfall. UAA has allowed 92 goals in 24 games, an average of 3.8 per game. Over the last seven, the total is 33, or nearly five goals per game. The team save percentage this season is a mediocre .865.
Once tough to handle in Anchorage, which is an insanely long flight for anyone in the league, especially compared to the other travel required, the Seawolves are a mere 2-7-1 at Sullivan Arena this season. UAA has lost five straight home games, and is 1-7 at home since the Kendall Hockey Classic in October.
When the blender -- or the league, I guess -- released the 2011-12 WCHA schedule, UAA had to think its chance to make hey would be in the second half of the season. The Seawolves are playing games three and four of a six-game homestand this weekend, and are in a stretch of eight out of the last ten WCHA games at home.
You read that correctly. UAA has played just six of its 18 league games this season at home. And you thought UMD's schedule was screwy (you'd be right on that).
Anyway, this is a key weekend for UMD, as we all know. The Bulldogs enter Friday having allowed nine straight goals, were probably lucky to get a point out of last weekend's home series with Michigan Tech, and haven't swept a series in Anchorage since 1996 (14-12-6 all-time in Anchorage, compared to 27-7-6 all-time against UAA in Duluth).
UMD needs four points here. Three is a minimum. Two is disappointing, especially if UMD doesn't deserve a better fate with its play. The Bulldogs had a tough day at practice Monday, with several players using Twitter to elude to a bag skate. If Tuesday's pace and intensity was any indication whatsoever, the message was clear. And received.
Standing and watching, it was tough not to wish that the Bulldogs could play a game Wednesday instead of waiting until Friday.
We'll see how a five-plus hour flight and a three-hour time change affects the Bulldogs' legs. It's not a terrible deal for athletes, because they're in such great shape to begin with. But it's a 7pm game that will feel like a 10pm game if you don't put in the work to adjust to the time change beforehand.
I've gotten used to making this trip over the years, but still have my moments, especially on the first full day spent in Alaska. I try to get around and do as much as I can to keep my brain engaged, because it's that down time that can really mess me up.
The start Friday will be a huge key. UAA is a team just grasping for any reason to think it can stay in a game. An early UMD goal and continued push might be enough to keep things positive for 60 minutes. But if UAA finds a way to score early, or even if the Seawolves get a big save early, this could be very interesting. The Seawolves have been outscored 33-17 and outshot 263-189 in first periods this season, so they haven't really been good at starting games.
One area UAA appears to have an edge is on special teams. The Seawolves are at 92 percent on the penalty kill since the holiday break, while UMD has scored just three times in 33 power play chances since Christmas, including no goals in 21 chances since the series at Western Michigan. Head coach Scott Sandelin insists he's not panicking, and he said last Saturday he wasn't ready to make any personnel changes on the power play. He said he felt the team had the right players on the ice, and it was simply a matter of execution.
UMD then got just two chances with the man advantage in that 5-0 disaster, and both came in the third period after it was already 5-0. Hard to judge based on those if they were getting any improved execution.
UMD has lost twice in the last 22 games. This is not panic time. But the Bulldogs need to play better from the outset, and that needs to start Friday night.
******
Here were the lines at practice this week:
Seidel - Connolly - Herbert
Basaraba - Oleksuk - Brown
Crandall (Justin) - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Krause - Tardy - Grun
I wouldn't expect any significant changes on defense. Tim Smith and Derik Johnson are the players from that "sixth defenseman" rotation on this trip. Dan DeLisle is the 13th forward.
No major line changes from Saturday. I'm intrigued by Herbert on Connolly's line, and hopefully we see some good shifts out of that group on Friday.
Clock Issue Leads to NHL Controversy
Greetings from Anchorage. UMD-UAA coverage is on the way, with all of the usual stuff -- a preview piece, lines before both games, the ever-unpopular Saturday notes column, and more. In the meantime, check out what happened in Los Angeles Wednesday night.
Drew Doughty's goal in the final second gave the Kings a win over Columbus. At first glance, it appeared to be an incredible finish to a game that appeared destined for overtime.
However, it doesn't take long to figure out something was awry.
Of course, the biggest issue here is that the NHL is not acknowledging the obvious mistake -- or the potential that something nefarious may have happened.
Watch the clock stop with 1.8 seconds to go. For more than a second. Then watch Drew Doughty score the winner with 0.3 seconds left. Here's another look.
I get the bit here. Columbus isn't any good. Los Angeles kinda is.
But this is ridiculous. The league's failure to acknowledge the error and correct the correctable really stinks. I understand if they don't want to take the win away from the Kings, and why they maybe don't like the idea of replaying the ending of the game. But that's the right thing to do.
And if you're not going to do it, try using the many available platforms to explain what the hell happened.
Drew Doughty's goal in the final second gave the Kings a win over Columbus. At first glance, it appeared to be an incredible finish to a game that appeared destined for overtime.
However, it doesn't take long to figure out something was awry.
Of course, the biggest issue here is that the NHL is not acknowledging the obvious mistake -- or the potential that something nefarious may have happened.
Watch the clock stop with 1.8 seconds to go. For more than a second. Then watch Drew Doughty score the winner with 0.3 seconds left. Here's another look.
I get the bit here. Columbus isn't any good. Los Angeles kinda is.
But this is ridiculous. The league's failure to acknowledge the error and correct the correctable really stinks. I understand if they don't want to take the win away from the Kings, and why they maybe don't like the idea of replaying the ending of the game. But that's the right thing to do.
And if you're not going to do it, try using the many available platforms to explain what the hell happened.
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