After a decent start Friday, UMD ended up falling 2-0 at home to Wisconsin.
As expected, the lineup is a tad bit different for Saturday's rematch. The Bulldogs can ill afford to drop two straight at home to open the conference season for a second straight year, and they can ill afford to keep playing the way they played for a good chunk of Friday.
If this setup doesn't work, I'm sure the coaches won't hesitate to tinker with things during their off week.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Seidel - Camaranesi - Basaraba
Crandall (Justin) - Decowski - Herbert
Danberg - Hendrickson - Flaherty
Farley - Tardy - Krause
Olson - Welinski
Bergman - McManus
Johnson - Casto
McNeely - Crandall (Aaron) - Fons
UW
LaBate - Zengerle - Barnes
Paape - Meuer - Mersch
Little (Ryan) - Dahl - Little (Sean)
Navin - Woods - Zulinick
Wittchow - Ramage
Schulze - Faust
McCabe - Simonelli
Rumpel - Peterson
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Saturday Hockey Notes and Thoughts: Badgers Keep it Simple to Beat UMD
Friday night looked like the home opener against Ohio State for a little bit, minus the frantic goal-scoring.
The game between UMD and Wisconsin started with a great pace. Both teams were flying up and down the rink, and there were scoring chances to be had. Wisconsin had a couple good opportunities blocked, and UMD was able to generate a superb flurry that started on a shot by defenseman Tim Smith.
However, unlike the home opener, UMD couldn't score. And unlike the home opener, the pace settled down quickly, which was a distinct advantage for the visitors.
Wisconsin took control of the first period, began dominating the shot chart, and eventually scored on a scramble play in front. Basically, UMD freshman goalie Matt McNeely couldn't control the initial shot, then couldn't contort himself to cover the puck. Meanwhile, UMD's skaters couldn't locate the puck and had trouble tying up UW players as they jammed at the loose biscuit. Eventually, Badger forward Tyler Barnes jammed it home for a 1-0 lead.
At one point, shots were 14-6 in Wisconsin's favor. The first period was all sorts of ugly, and even a late run of shots for UMD didn't lead to many grade-A chances.
Looking at the shot charts, the second period was particularly ugly for UMD. There just wasn't any ability shown to get to the net and pressure UW goalie Joel Rumpel. Meanwhile, Mark Zengerle -- who is good, but that shouldn't be news to anyone -- ripped a low wrister for a power-play goal late in the period for a 2-0 lead.
At times in the second, 1-0 felt like 5-0 with the way the game was going. The Bulldogs just didn't have anything generated, despite having some energy and working pretty hard in the defensive zone. When the period ended, each of UMD's six shots on goal appeared to be from at least 30 feet away, outside of a bad-angle shot from Justin Crandall and a chance in the slot from Austin Farley, both during the Bulldogs' lone power play chance of the stanza.
A five-minute third period power play allowed UMD to get a lot of shots, but many of them (13 in the period) were blocked. The Bulldogs got some momentum and got some pucks to the net, but Rumpel stood tall and stopped 29 in the game.
The story of UMD's struggles could be told in the faceoff circle. Wisconsin won 28 of 54, including 15 of 23 in the third period. Zengerle was dominant, winning 19 of 26. His teammates combined to go 9-19 on 26 draws. On the UMD side, freshmen Cal Decowski and Tony Camaranesi -- who were on the ice virtually every time the Bulldogs had a decent scoring chance, it seemed -- were picked on in the circle a bit. The two won seven of 26 draws (even though the numbers match up, not all of these were against Zengerle). UMD's other draw-takers were much more successful, going 19-9.
The Bulldogs have to find a way to win more draws, especially in the third period. After going 8-15 last night, UMD is 12-33 on 45 third-period faceoffs over the last two home games.
A lot of this is inexperience. Camaranesi and Decowski are quality young centers, and they simply have to learn what they can get away with when taking a draw. It's a process, and until they get it figured out, they will take some lumps on draws.
What we saw in the third period was UMD start to move the feet more consistently, creating turnovers and scoring chances. The next part of that equation is playing that way for 60 minutes, as well as getting more bodies and pressure to the front of the net. To beat the Badgers on Saturday, the Bulldogs have to break through the proverbial picket fence UW had in front of Rumpel, especially after taking the lead.
As for lineup changes, don't ask. We saw Decowski centering Caleb Herbert and Justin Crandall late, and I think that might be a preview of the top line in Saturday's game. But I just don't know. Camaranesi should be in the top six, too, but I'm not sure who he'll have with him.
Defensively, too many guys are playing average-ish in my view right now. UMD has eight defensemen who can play, as Scott Sandelin noted in our pregame interview Friday. I don't know if there's any way that the two who didn't play Friday -- Luke McManus and Derik Johnson -- sit again Saturday. This group is capable of being better than it's shown so far, and part of this process early in the season is figuring out who can play with who.
A couple things that happened in the third period bothered the hell out of me, for different reasons.
One of the keys to Friday's game, we surmised, was going to be discipline. UMD is averaging way too many penalty minutes per game, and it's affecting the team's ability to play effectively. In the third period, Adam Krause of UMD and Sean Little of UW took matching minors. It was a 2-0 game at the time, and the Bulldogs were very frustrated with the way things were going. The normally mild-mannered -- dare I say "nice"? -- Krause took a ten-minute misconduct to go along with the minor.
We like to say that it's the little things. Whatever Krause did or said, he knows he's not allowed to do or say. Part of playing well is keeping your composure, and Krause lost his long enough to cause UMD to play with a shortened bench for 12 minutes. It's the second straight week that a UMD player has taken a ten-minute misconduct during a game.
Doesn't sound like much, but continuing to pile up misconducts -- either of the ten-minute or game variety, since both count as ten-minute penalties in the book -- is a hell of a good way to brand your team as undisciplined. Officials notice these things, and they don't give a lot of breaks to teams they think aren't disciplined.
In the final seconds, UW captain John Ramage appeared to slew-foot Camaranesi while the two chased for a loose puck. There aren't many plays in hockey more dangerous than the slew-foot, which happens when a player sweeps the leg of an opponent out from behind, causing the opponent to fall on his back. It can lead to head injuries in a lot of cases. I wrote about one in December of last year, when former UMD defenseman Matt Niskanen was slew-footed by Boston riot-starter Brad Marchand.
In this case, Ramage -- a smart and physical player who deserves all the ice time he gets and is in his second year as UW captain -- would have been better served tying Camaranesi up along the boards and letting other players battle for the puck. The game was over at that point, and there's just no need for such a dangerous move.
Ramage was then called for a contact to the head minor at 20:00, which must have been related to the scrum that happened after the apparent slew-foot.
Also in the third period, UW's Morgan Zulinick was thrown out for a hit from behind on UMD's Dan DeLisle, who went down in a heap near the Wisconsin penalty box. Since the officials jumped in right away, there was not really a chance for anyone from the Bulldogs to retaliate, which probably saved UMD more penalty minutes. DeLisle returned to the game.
Elsewhere, Denver beat Michigan Tech 5-1. Nick Shore and David Makowski each had two points, and Sam Brittain made 27 saves. Tech goalie Pheonix Copley -- who frustrated the Gophers last week -- allowed four goals on 15 shots before sitting down in favor of Jamie Phillips.
Ben Hanowski had two goals and Drew LeBlanc had four points in St. Cloud State's 5-1 win over Minnesota State. Danny Kristo had three assists as North Dakota won at home over Alaska Anchorage, 4-1. Zane Gothberg became the first Thief River Falls native to start in goal for UND since some guy named Ralph Engelstad. You might have heard of him.
Nebraska Omaha blew a 3-1 lead and had to settle for a 3-3 tie against Bemidji State. The Beavers are now 6-1-4 against UNO since the teams joined the WCHA.
In non-conference play, Cornell beat Colorado College 2-0 in Ithaca, N.Y. In an exhibition game, Minnesota had to score two goals in the second period for a 2-2 draw with the U.S. Under 18 Team. The Gophers play Canisius Sunday afternoon.
The game between UMD and Wisconsin started with a great pace. Both teams were flying up and down the rink, and there were scoring chances to be had. Wisconsin had a couple good opportunities blocked, and UMD was able to generate a superb flurry that started on a shot by defenseman Tim Smith.
However, unlike the home opener, UMD couldn't score. And unlike the home opener, the pace settled down quickly, which was a distinct advantage for the visitors.
Wisconsin took control of the first period, began dominating the shot chart, and eventually scored on a scramble play in front. Basically, UMD freshman goalie Matt McNeely couldn't control the initial shot, then couldn't contort himself to cover the puck. Meanwhile, UMD's skaters couldn't locate the puck and had trouble tying up UW players as they jammed at the loose biscuit. Eventually, Badger forward Tyler Barnes jammed it home for a 1-0 lead.
At one point, shots were 14-6 in Wisconsin's favor. The first period was all sorts of ugly, and even a late run of shots for UMD didn't lead to many grade-A chances.
Looking at the shot charts, the second period was particularly ugly for UMD. There just wasn't any ability shown to get to the net and pressure UW goalie Joel Rumpel. Meanwhile, Mark Zengerle -- who is good, but that shouldn't be news to anyone -- ripped a low wrister for a power-play goal late in the period for a 2-0 lead.
At times in the second, 1-0 felt like 5-0 with the way the game was going. The Bulldogs just didn't have anything generated, despite having some energy and working pretty hard in the defensive zone. When the period ended, each of UMD's six shots on goal appeared to be from at least 30 feet away, outside of a bad-angle shot from Justin Crandall and a chance in the slot from Austin Farley, both during the Bulldogs' lone power play chance of the stanza.
A five-minute third period power play allowed UMD to get a lot of shots, but many of them (13 in the period) were blocked. The Bulldogs got some momentum and got some pucks to the net, but Rumpel stood tall and stopped 29 in the game.
The story of UMD's struggles could be told in the faceoff circle. Wisconsin won 28 of 54, including 15 of 23 in the third period. Zengerle was dominant, winning 19 of 26. His teammates combined to go 9-19 on 26 draws. On the UMD side, freshmen Cal Decowski and Tony Camaranesi -- who were on the ice virtually every time the Bulldogs had a decent scoring chance, it seemed -- were picked on in the circle a bit. The two won seven of 26 draws (even though the numbers match up, not all of these were against Zengerle). UMD's other draw-takers were much more successful, going 19-9.
The Bulldogs have to find a way to win more draws, especially in the third period. After going 8-15 last night, UMD is 12-33 on 45 third-period faceoffs over the last two home games.
A lot of this is inexperience. Camaranesi and Decowski are quality young centers, and they simply have to learn what they can get away with when taking a draw. It's a process, and until they get it figured out, they will take some lumps on draws.
What we saw in the third period was UMD start to move the feet more consistently, creating turnovers and scoring chances. The next part of that equation is playing that way for 60 minutes, as well as getting more bodies and pressure to the front of the net. To beat the Badgers on Saturday, the Bulldogs have to break through the proverbial picket fence UW had in front of Rumpel, especially after taking the lead.
As for lineup changes, don't ask. We saw Decowski centering Caleb Herbert and Justin Crandall late, and I think that might be a preview of the top line in Saturday's game. But I just don't know. Camaranesi should be in the top six, too, but I'm not sure who he'll have with him.
Defensively, too many guys are playing average-ish in my view right now. UMD has eight defensemen who can play, as Scott Sandelin noted in our pregame interview Friday. I don't know if there's any way that the two who didn't play Friday -- Luke McManus and Derik Johnson -- sit again Saturday. This group is capable of being better than it's shown so far, and part of this process early in the season is figuring out who can play with who.
******
A couple things that happened in the third period bothered the hell out of me, for different reasons.
One of the keys to Friday's game, we surmised, was going to be discipline. UMD is averaging way too many penalty minutes per game, and it's affecting the team's ability to play effectively. In the third period, Adam Krause of UMD and Sean Little of UW took matching minors. It was a 2-0 game at the time, and the Bulldogs were very frustrated with the way things were going. The normally mild-mannered -- dare I say "nice"? -- Krause took a ten-minute misconduct to go along with the minor.
We like to say that it's the little things. Whatever Krause did or said, he knows he's not allowed to do or say. Part of playing well is keeping your composure, and Krause lost his long enough to cause UMD to play with a shortened bench for 12 minutes. It's the second straight week that a UMD player has taken a ten-minute misconduct during a game.
Doesn't sound like much, but continuing to pile up misconducts -- either of the ten-minute or game variety, since both count as ten-minute penalties in the book -- is a hell of a good way to brand your team as undisciplined. Officials notice these things, and they don't give a lot of breaks to teams they think aren't disciplined.
In the final seconds, UW captain John Ramage appeared to slew-foot Camaranesi while the two chased for a loose puck. There aren't many plays in hockey more dangerous than the slew-foot, which happens when a player sweeps the leg of an opponent out from behind, causing the opponent to fall on his back. It can lead to head injuries in a lot of cases. I wrote about one in December of last year, when former UMD defenseman Matt Niskanen was slew-footed by Boston riot-starter Brad Marchand.
In this case, Ramage -- a smart and physical player who deserves all the ice time he gets and is in his second year as UW captain -- would have been better served tying Camaranesi up along the boards and letting other players battle for the puck. The game was over at that point, and there's just no need for such a dangerous move.
Ramage was then called for a contact to the head minor at 20:00, which must have been related to the scrum that happened after the apparent slew-foot.
Also in the third period, UW's Morgan Zulinick was thrown out for a hit from behind on UMD's Dan DeLisle, who went down in a heap near the Wisconsin penalty box. Since the officials jumped in right away, there was not really a chance for anyone from the Bulldogs to retaliate, which probably saved UMD more penalty minutes. DeLisle returned to the game.
******
Elsewhere, Denver beat Michigan Tech 5-1. Nick Shore and David Makowski each had two points, and Sam Brittain made 27 saves. Tech goalie Pheonix Copley -- who frustrated the Gophers last week -- allowed four goals on 15 shots before sitting down in favor of Jamie Phillips.
Ben Hanowski had two goals and Drew LeBlanc had four points in St. Cloud State's 5-1 win over Minnesota State. Danny Kristo had three assists as North Dakota won at home over Alaska Anchorage, 4-1. Zane Gothberg became the first Thief River Falls native to start in goal for UND since some guy named Ralph Engelstad. You might have heard of him.
Nebraska Omaha blew a 3-1 lead and had to settle for a 3-3 tie against Bemidji State. The Beavers are now 6-1-4 against UNO since the teams joined the WCHA.
In non-conference play, Cornell beat Colorado College 2-0 in Ithaca, N.Y. In an exhibition game, Minnesota had to score two goals in the second period for a 2-2 draw with the U.S. Under 18 Team. The Gophers play Canisius Sunday afternoon.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Game 5: Wisconsin at UMD
Someone asked me on Friday if I'm going to miss the UMD-Wisconsin rivalry.
A bit, I guess.
In my seven-plus years of calling games, it hasn't been that nasty (outside of Patrick Johnson breaking Jason Garrison's leg a few years ago, and then John Ramage trying to behead Chad Huttel at the end of a bad night -- for UMD -- a couple years back at the DECC). These two teams aren't as compatible in terms of on-ice style as UMD and Denver are, but they usually can put a decent contest together.
More than the games, I'll miss the ready-made excuse to drive to Madison, which is a great town. And between the TV guys, radio guys, and newspaper guys, UW has one of the nicest media contingents in college hockey.
Before UMD and Wisconsin bid each other farewell until -- well, who knows when? -- let's enjoy this weekend's series.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Crandall (Justin) - Herbert - Seidel
Farley - Camaranesi - Basaraba
Young - Hendrickson - Flaherty
DeLisle - Decowski - Krause
Olson - Welinski
Bergman - Corrin
Smith - Casto
McNeely - Crandall (Aaron) - Fons
UW
LaBate - Zengerle - Barnes
Little (Ryan) - Dahl - Little (Sean)
Paape - Zulinick - Mersch
Navin - Woods - Meuer
Wittchow - Ramage
Schulze - Faust
McCabe - Simonelli
Rumpel - Peterson
For UMD, senior captain Cody Danberg (upper body) is out for at least Friday's game. Indications are that the injury isn't terribly serious, and he will be available for the team's next weekend series, two weeks from now in Omaha.
A bit, I guess.
In my seven-plus years of calling games, it hasn't been that nasty (outside of Patrick Johnson breaking Jason Garrison's leg a few years ago, and then John Ramage trying to behead Chad Huttel at the end of a bad night -- for UMD -- a couple years back at the DECC). These two teams aren't as compatible in terms of on-ice style as UMD and Denver are, but they usually can put a decent contest together.
More than the games, I'll miss the ready-made excuse to drive to Madison, which is a great town. And between the TV guys, radio guys, and newspaper guys, UW has one of the nicest media contingents in college hockey.
Before UMD and Wisconsin bid each other farewell until -- well, who knows when? -- let's enjoy this weekend's series.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD
Crandall (Justin) - Herbert - Seidel
Farley - Camaranesi - Basaraba
Young - Hendrickson - Flaherty
DeLisle - Decowski - Krause
Olson - Welinski
Bergman - Corrin
Smith - Casto
McNeely - Crandall (Aaron) - Fons
UW
LaBate - Zengerle - Barnes
Little (Ryan) - Dahl - Little (Sean)
Paape - Zulinick - Mersch
Navin - Woods - Meuer
Wittchow - Ramage
Schulze - Faust
McCabe - Simonelli
Rumpel - Peterson
For UMD, senior captain Cody Danberg (upper body) is out for at least Friday's game. Indications are that the injury isn't terribly serious, and he will be available for the team's next weekend series, two weeks from now in Omaha.
UMD Tries to Badger Visitors in Final WCHA Opener
History will be made at the end of this, the final of 48 seasons for UMD in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The 2-2 Bulldogs host the 0-2 Wisconsin Badgers this weekend at Amsoil Arena, opening the last league schedule before many longtime WCHA members go their separate ways.
Outside of a ceremony commemorating the 1992-93 UMD team that won the school's last MacNaughton Cup championship, there is little time for looking back for a Bulldog team that is looking to get points to kick off the WCHA season.
UMD is in a similar position to Wisconsin. The Bulldogs possess a number of young players who will likely become key parts of the team over the coming months, and this is probably a really good time for an opponent to face UMD for the only time this season. For Wisconsin, however, the problem is that this exact same thing can be said about the Badgers.
UMD coach Scott Sandelin expects similar hockey to what UMD faced last weekend in South Bend, with a team that likes to forecheck and play with speed.
He also hopes his team continues to improve at both ends of the rink.
"We want to be a hard team to play against," Sandelin says, "and we know we have to take better care of the puck than we did last week."
Turnovers doomed UMD in a 4-1 loss to Notre Dame last Friday, and while Sandelin liked a lot of what he saw from his team, he knows the turnovers are going to be a factor if the problem doesn't get fixed.
******
The Badgers got to sit around last week and think about opening weekend, when they went to Green Bay and lost two games to Northern Michigan. It's an odd time for a bye week, but after a disappointing performance, it might not have been the worst thing in the world for UW.
"It allowed us to do some things in practice that we saw in the games, so you can look at that as a good thing," 11th-year head coach Mike Eaves said this week. "But do we need to play games now? The proof will be in the pudding when we play this weekend (in Duluth). We feel like we controlled the things we could. We tried to design practices with tempo. From a planning point, we think we did it well."
Wisconsin struggled last year, finishing 10th in the league despite a late-season surge. The Badgers lost their first-round playoff series to Denver when the Pioneers scored in overtime of the deciding third game.
Losing an All-American defenseman and Hobey Baker finalist like Justin Schultz is going to hurt any team, but Eaves likes the depth he has on the blue line, and he understands that no single player can replace Schultz.
"You do it by committee," Eaves noted. "You don't replace a Justin. You have people share the responsibility, and you try to get that gap closed."
Junior center Mark Zengerle and wingers Tyler Barnes and Michael Mersch have plenty of talent and experience, but there's no doubt that UW will miss having promising freshman Nic Kerdiles in the lineup.
Caught in an NCAA eligibility flap, Kerdiles was initially suspended for the entire 2012-13 season, but the former U.S Under 18 star had his suspension reduced to 30 percent of the Badgers' season after a UW appeal.
After committing to Wisconsin at the age of 15, Kerdiles (really) wanted to be a Badger. Eaves is appreciative of the youngster's maturity and loyalty.
"Through this whole thing, what stands out his how mature he is," Eaves said. "There were moments he was truly disappointed, but he was able to step back, see the big picture, and make the decisions he made."
******
The Bulldogs are nearly at full strength for the weekend, with only senior forward Cody Danberg (upper body) out of the lineup Friday (he could play Saturday). That's a hell of an opportunity for freshman Austyn Young, who made his college debut last week and will play in Danberg's spot in this series.
Other lines will stay the same, though there are some areas where Sandelin might consider changes in the near future. That means freshman Austin Farley is back on a line with junior Joe Basaraba and freshman Tony Camaranesi. Farley was a healthy scratch last Friday.
I've been consistently wrong on the goaltending situation so far this season. I thought Aaron Crandall and Matt McNeely would both play against Ohio State, but only Crandall did (I got this right after watching Friday's game, but was wrong heading into the weekend). I thought Crandall would start the opener against Notre Dame, and out came McNeely to play well.
Of course, "being wrong" hasn't stopped me from trying in the past, and it won't stop me now.
I think McNeely starts Friday, and no decision will be made for Saturday until after the coaches see how McNeely plays first. It'll mark his first game in Duluth since he played in an exhibition game against UMD while with the U.S. Under 18 National Team in January 2011.
******
Speaking of the Under 18s, they are at Minnesota Friday. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton forward Karson Kuhlman has confirmed via Twitter that he will play for Team USA. Kuhlman has committed to play at UMD. Kerdiles -- suspended from Wisconsin until Nov. 30 -- has also received clearance to play in that game.
The Gophers then host mighty Canisius on Sunday afternoon. The other non-conference action this weekend pits Colorado College against Cornell.
In league play, Minnesota State plays at St. Cloud State. The Mavericks are off to a good start, and this is the first look at two possibly improved teams in conference play. Michigan Tech visits Denver for what should be a pretty good series. Also, Alaska Anchorage travels to North Dakota. The Seawolves couldn't beat a seriously-shorthanded UND team last week in Fairbanks, so the odds look daunting in Grand Forks this weekend. The other league series pits Bemidji State against Nebraska Omaha. The history here is interesting. Despite being consistently ahead of BSU in the league standings over the first two years of WCHA membership, UNO is 1-6-3 head-to-head. Go figure.
UMD-Wisconsin coverage starts at 6:30 on 94X (94.1 FM in the Twin Ports, 104.3 FM elsewhere), as well as the Bulldog Sports Radio Network (KBAJ 105.5 FM Deer River/Grand Rapids and KAOD 106.7 FM Babbitt/Ely). You can hear the game via the internet either here or here. Both streams are free.
In addition, you can hear games on your mobile device by simply downloading the free Red Rock Radio App, available for iPhone and Android devices. Listen to 94X on that to hear the game.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
UMD Hockey Commemorates 1993 MacNaughton Cup Team's 20th Anniversary
This weekend marks another opportunity for the UMD men's hockey program to celebrate its rich history.
20 years ago, Duluth was invigorated by the Bulldogs, as veteran coach Mike Sertich and locally-raised star Derek Plante led UMD to its second -- and most recent -- MacNaughton Cup championship.
The legendary trophy awarded to the WCHA regular-season champion has been handed out annually since 1960, counting a three-year run in the early 1980s where the trophy went to the CCHA regular-season champion.
(Michigan Tech brought the Cup with it to the CCHA in 1981, as it is the trophy's trustee and has been since 1951.)
UMD has put some great teams on the ice, including a run of back-to-back Frozen Four appearances under Sertich in the 80s, and two Frozen Four trips under current coach Scott Sandelin, whose teams have posted four straight 20-win seasons.
Despite that, no UMD team has won the Cup since Plante and his crew did it 20 years ago.
"It's hard to go back and think that it's been 20 years, it's gone by so fast," Plante said this week. "The memories of that team are very vivid. We had a lot of great friendships from that team; some of my best friends were on that team."
The 1992-93 Bulldogs went 21-9-2 in WCHA play, finishing 27-11-2 overall. The team set a school record for home winning percentage, going a marvelous 17-1 at the DECC.
Plante played in 37 games as a senior, scoring 36 goals and totaling 92 points. Junior forward Chris Marinucci -- a Grand Rapids product -- had 35 goals and 77 points in 40 games.
Neither player was from Duluth, but the Twin Ports really gravitated toward the pair as they became stars at UMD.
"It was quite gratifying because it heightened the enthusiasm throughout Northern Minnesota," said Sertich, who coached at UMD from 1982-2000 and won a school-record 335 games in his career. "People identified with them and it enhanced the fan base throughout the Arrowhead region. Marty Olson, Jon Rohloff, (and) Rusty Fitzgerald were also part of that element."
Defenseman Brett Hauer contributed 10 goals and 56 points, and goalies Taras Lendzyk and Jerome Butler practically split the action (Lendzyk played in 60 more minutes over the course of the season).
Plante would end up being named the WCHA Player of the Year, Hauer the Student-Athlete of the Year, and Sertich won Coach of the Year for a fourth time.
"Derek's senior year was utterly fantastic," Sertich said. "He and Greg Johnson (North Dakota) were the two best players in the country. (Maine's Paul) Kariya won the Hobey, but I still don't believe that he was the best."
(Marinucci would win the Hobey Baker Award as a UMD senior in 1994, after a 30-goal senior season.)
One of Plante's vivid memories of that season is celebrating the league championship with thousands of fans at the DECC after UMD clinched the title. For many teams, the MacNaughton Cup is nothing more than a photo opportunity, but this UMD group accepted the trophy and then acted like it had won something, since it had.
"I think every time you achieve something, you should enjoy it," Plante said. "I think if your team is confident in itself and believe you've earned it, then why wouldn't you touch it and raise it?"
A number of players off that 1992-93 team went on to pro careers. Among them were Hauer, who played pro until the end of the 2007-2008 season, including stops in Russia and Switzerland, along with the IHL and AHL. He played 37 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders. Fitzgerald played in the IHL and UHL, along with a stint in Germany, and also played in 25 games for the Penguins between 1994 and 1995. Rohloff had a nice professional career that included 150 NHL games, all with the Bruins.
But the best pro career -- not surprisingly -- belonged to Plante. He scored 96 goals in 450 NHL games, won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, and provided one of the iconic moments in Buffalo Sabres history during a 1997 series against Ottawa. We'll let legendary Sabres VOX Rick Jeanneret take it from here:
"Derek proved to all that there was a place for the small guy," a clearly appreciative Sertich says. "His heart was a helluva lot bigger that most "big" guys, and his will and determination were unparallelled."
Some two dozen players and staff from the 1992-93 Bulldogs will be on hand for Saturday's first-intermission recognition.
The weekend series against the Badgers opens UMD's final season of WCHA membership, meaning this group has one last chance to win the coveted trophy for a third time in school history.
20 years ago, Duluth was invigorated by the Bulldogs, as veteran coach Mike Sertich and locally-raised star Derek Plante led UMD to its second -- and most recent -- MacNaughton Cup championship.
The legendary trophy awarded to the WCHA regular-season champion has been handed out annually since 1960, counting a three-year run in the early 1980s where the trophy went to the CCHA regular-season champion.
(Michigan Tech brought the Cup with it to the CCHA in 1981, as it is the trophy's trustee and has been since 1951.)
UMD has put some great teams on the ice, including a run of back-to-back Frozen Four appearances under Sertich in the 80s, and two Frozen Four trips under current coach Scott Sandelin, whose teams have posted four straight 20-win seasons.
Despite that, no UMD team has won the Cup since Plante and his crew did it 20 years ago.
"It's hard to go back and think that it's been 20 years, it's gone by so fast," Plante said this week. "The memories of that team are very vivid. We had a lot of great friendships from that team; some of my best friends were on that team."
The 1992-93 Bulldogs went 21-9-2 in WCHA play, finishing 27-11-2 overall. The team set a school record for home winning percentage, going a marvelous 17-1 at the DECC.
Plante played in 37 games as a senior, scoring 36 goals and totaling 92 points. Junior forward Chris Marinucci -- a Grand Rapids product -- had 35 goals and 77 points in 40 games.
Neither player was from Duluth, but the Twin Ports really gravitated toward the pair as they became stars at UMD.
"It was quite gratifying because it heightened the enthusiasm throughout Northern Minnesota," said Sertich, who coached at UMD from 1982-2000 and won a school-record 335 games in his career. "People identified with them and it enhanced the fan base throughout the Arrowhead region. Marty Olson, Jon Rohloff, (and) Rusty Fitzgerald were also part of that element."
Defenseman Brett Hauer contributed 10 goals and 56 points, and goalies Taras Lendzyk and Jerome Butler practically split the action (Lendzyk played in 60 more minutes over the course of the season).
Plante would end up being named the WCHA Player of the Year, Hauer the Student-Athlete of the Year, and Sertich won Coach of the Year for a fourth time.
"Derek's senior year was utterly fantastic," Sertich said. "He and Greg Johnson (North Dakota) were the two best players in the country. (Maine's Paul) Kariya won the Hobey, but I still don't believe that he was the best."
(Marinucci would win the Hobey Baker Award as a UMD senior in 1994, after a 30-goal senior season.)
One of Plante's vivid memories of that season is celebrating the league championship with thousands of fans at the DECC after UMD clinched the title. For many teams, the MacNaughton Cup is nothing more than a photo opportunity, but this UMD group accepted the trophy and then acted like it had won something, since it had.
"I think every time you achieve something, you should enjoy it," Plante said. "I think if your team is confident in itself and believe you've earned it, then why wouldn't you touch it and raise it?"
A number of players off that 1992-93 team went on to pro careers. Among them were Hauer, who played pro until the end of the 2007-2008 season, including stops in Russia and Switzerland, along with the IHL and AHL. He played 37 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders. Fitzgerald played in the IHL and UHL, along with a stint in Germany, and also played in 25 games for the Penguins between 1994 and 1995. Rohloff had a nice professional career that included 150 NHL games, all with the Bruins.
But the best pro career -- not surprisingly -- belonged to Plante. He scored 96 goals in 450 NHL games, won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, and provided one of the iconic moments in Buffalo Sabres history during a 1997 series against Ottawa. We'll let legendary Sabres VOX Rick Jeanneret take it from here:
"Derek proved to all that there was a place for the small guy," a clearly appreciative Sertich says. "His heart was a helluva lot bigger that most "big" guys, and his will and determination were unparallelled."
Some two dozen players and staff from the 1992-93 Bulldogs will be on hand for Saturday's first-intermission recognition.
The weekend series against the Badgers opens UMD's final season of WCHA membership, meaning this group has one last chance to win the coveted trophy for a third time in school history.
Monday, October 22, 2012
BlogPoll Ballot: October 22
Here is this week's ballot:
Movement aplenty, it seems. I think it's justified.
The Ciskie Blog Ballot - Week 8
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama Crimson Tide | -- |
| 2 | Kansas St. Wildcats |  3 |
| 3 | Oregon Ducks |  -1 |
| 4 | Florida Gators | -1 |
| 5 | LSU Tigers | 1 |
| 6 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | -2 |
| 7 | Florida St. Seminoles | -- |
| 8 | Oregon St. Beavers | 3 |
| 9 | Oklahoma Sooners | 1 |
| 10 | USC Trojans | 2 |
| 11 | Georgia Bulldogs | 4 |
| 12 | Ohio St. Buckeyes | -4 |
| 13 | Mississippi St. Bulldogs | 1 |
| 14 | Louisville Cardinals | 2 |
| 15 | South Carolina Gamecocks | -6 |
| 16 | Clemson Tigers | 5 |
| 17 | Ohio Bobcats | -- |
| 18 | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | -- |
| 19 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 1 |
| 20 | Stanford Cardinal | -1 |
| 21 | Wisconsin Badgers | 4 |
| 22 | Boise St. Broncos | 2 |
| 23 | Northern Illinois Huskies | -- |
| 24 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | -- |
| 25 | Texas A&M Aggies | -2 |
| Dropouts: West Virginia Mountaineers, TCU Horned Frogs | ||
SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »
Movement aplenty, it seems. I think it's justified.
- I hope there's room on the K-State bandwagon. Watching them tear apart West Virginia was damn impressive. The fact Oregon and Florida sit behind KSU is not a shot at either of them. The Wildcats were that good this past week, and deserve this bump.
- Florida looked good in beating up South Carolina, too. The Gators are obviously a serious threat.
- Cue the "Alabama vs. Florida in the SEC Championship" and the "That's The Real National Title Game" hype. Meanwhile, Oregon and Kansas State just lie in the weeds.
- Louisville and Rutgers are still unbeaten. No, I don't think it matters in the big picture, unfortunately.
- Notre Dame did not impress against a BYU team I don't think is terrible, but also shouldn't be able to stay this close in South Bend.
- I hate to rate Wisconsin this high, but I really like what I've been seeing.
Friday, October 19, 2012
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)
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)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
(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.
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.
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.
Our best wishes are with Jordan for a speedy recovery. Please consider a donation if you are attending Saturday's game.
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
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
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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.
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.
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