Image via WikipediaThis is some of the best news that I have seen all day. This means that people that have DirecTV and watch college sports and NHL hockey on Fox Sports Net or Fox College Sports will not have an interruption of their service and will still be able to watch their favorite teams games if they have DirecTV.Brian Stelter; New York Times blog --- Representatives for DirecTV and News Corporation said Monday evening that they had averted a looming blackout of regional sports networks, FX and other Fox-owned cable channels.
After warring in public for a week and a half, the two companies said they had come to a new contract agreement.
“We both know the past ten days have been challenging, but we’re pleased that both sides could eventually come together to ensure our viewers continue to enjoy Fox programming,” the companies said in a joint statement.
Both sides had been warning that many Fox-owned channels would be blacked out on DirecTV’s system beginning on Nov. 1 if a new contract agreement was not accepted. Such spats are usually resolved close to the self-imposed deadlines, but occasionally they do result in blackouts; Fox network programming was removed from Cablevision’s systems for two weeks last October.
Chuck Haga; Grand Forks Herald ---- Fighting Sioux nickname champions at Spirit Lake say they will make “a major announcement” Tuesday in their campaign to thwart retirement of the name and logo.
Members of the Committee for Understanding and Respect, acting with the blessing of the Spirit Lake Tribal Council, have scheduled a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Spirit Lake Tribal Headquarters in Fort Totten, N.D.
Frank Black Cloud, the designated spokesman for the committee, said today that members of the committee, their attorneys and perhaps a Tribal Council representative would make statements, but he could not comment on the nature of the announcement. A news release issued today by the group provided no other details.
Eunice Davidson, a leader of the effort to preserve the Fighting Sioux name at UND, also declined to comment.
In a statement released Oct. 13, the committee denounced remarks by UND President Robert Kelley and Grant Shaft, president of the State Board of Higher Education, both of whom have urged repeal of a state law ordering UND to retain the nickname.
Image by clydeorama via FlickrThis might be good news for the New Jersey Devils, Travis Zajac is a valued member of the New Jersey Devils and had been pretty durable up until this injury. In fact if you look at his Hockey Database page you will see that he has only missed two games in five season before this year. NJ.COM --- Travis Zajac, who has missed the entire season so far with a torn left Achilles' tendon, is at practice today, having flown into New Jersey over the weekend to tend to some "personal business'' he said. The Devils top center said he skated lightly for the first time on Thursday at home in Winnipeg and will skate again this week after he returns to Winnipeg.
Zajac, who suffered the injury during an off-ice training session over the summer, said he "definitely'' will play this season, but he has no idea when that might be. He said he doesn't have pain as much as tightness that restricts his movements. He said skating was actually easier than walking, because the skate boot provides more support than his normal shoes. He said now that he has skated, he anticipates being able to skate more often -- more than once a week.
Image via WikipediaAs always I include the INCH Power Rankings and I think you will find them amusing, Yale who has played two games against ECAC foes is ranked 5th. 6 ECAC teams in the two twenty power rankings. 
Why do Sioux fans continue to manufacture reasons to fuel the rivalry? There's this phantom incident, Wheeler insulting Finley's sister, the never seen Lucia spear and they also accused Bickel of "hiding behind a ref" a few years ago. I figure in a few years some idiot will recycle the spear and sister insult. Just embrace your goonery and stop trying to justify it.As you just read above, we will hear from Gopher fans how the Fighting Sioux are a bunch of classless Goons. If you believe the hype, it's almost like the Sioux are a bunch of knuckle dragging Neanderthals straight out of the movie Slap Shot.
Staff report, AOL.COM --- Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara returns to Montreal on Saturday night, still facing legal uncertainty regarding his on-ice hit of Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty last March.
Quebec’s director of criminal prosecutions says that no decision has been made on whether or not to bring Chara up on criminal charges regarding the hit.
Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara returns to Montreal on Saturday night, still facing legal uncertainty regarding his on-ice hit of Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty last March. (AP Photo)
“For the case of Mr. Chara, there are no developments for now and the case is under review,” Crown prosecutor Jean-Pascal Boucher said.
Chara’s hit on Pacioretty ended the Montreal forward’s season last year, breaking a vertebra. Chara was not suspended by the league and following public outcry, an investigation was opened by the Quebec director of criminal prosecutions.
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“That definitely helps to get the first couple of shots out of the way,” he said. “I think the way the guys played allowed me to see the puck when I needed to. Bad penalties aside, I think we really outplayed them.”Since Faraghers team was badly outshot 44-23 and out played that's not a very accurate statement. Let’s not forget to give credit where credit is due, Faragher had a very good night but that game could have been 8 or 9-3 in favor of the Fighting Sioux. The Sioux were all over the Huskies and couldn't get anything past the freshman goalie. If I was one of the leaders on the team that statement would be on the blackboard in the Fighting Sioux locker room.
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St. Cloud State at North Dakota
The Fighting Sioux broke with history last season by starting the year red-hot — and pretty much carrying that momentum all the way to the Frozen Four. UND is back to its old tricks this season, but with questionable play in net combined with missed man games from Rocco Grimaldi, climbing out of this hole will be significantly harder than in years past. UND can’t win the MacNaughton Cup in October, but they’ll certainly able to lose it. SCSU is the only team without a conference game played, so any points this weekend will be points in hand on everyone else.
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Brent C. Wagner; Journal Star.com --- Paul Ladue, a 19-year old defenseman, has shown he belongs with the Lincoln Stars after playing one season with Alexandria (Minn.) in the NAHL.Also it would appear that Fighting Sioux recruit Luke Johnson is currently out of the line up with an undisclosed injury.
He scored the game-winning goal in the Stars' 3-1 win against Indiana last week. The power-play goal, on a shot through traffic, was a memorable first USHL goal.
"That was exciting," Ladue said this week. "I always like playing those hyped-up teams. I feel like we're one of the best in the league if we play our best. It was fun upsetting them.
"I had a few chances the night before against Sioux Falls I should have put in, but to get that goal one game after was exciting and a huge relief."
Ladue is in the top six in scoring for the Stars (4-2) with one goal and two assists. He's one of the top defensemen on the power play, and has played in all six games.
*The Stars will be short-handed because of injuries for their game at Cedar Rapids (4-1-2) on Friday. Those injured include Luke Johnson, Brent Tate, Colton Saucerman and Dominik Shine.
BEAUTIFUL SPOT
"It is obviously a beautiful place, but we don’t have time to go on sightseeing trips," said Lucia, who was the Alaska Fairbanks head coach from 1987-93. "I enjoyed my week [vacation there] this summer fishing and getting around the state in July. I had a great time. But we get in Thursday afternoon, we play Friday and Saturday nights and come back Sunday morning. It is a quick trip,"
Lucia said the biggest problem playing games in Alaska is the three-hour time change. "You have the [six-hour] flight, but even that it is a direct flight for us. So it is not a big deal. The hard part for us is just the time change. ... The games are starting at 10 [p.m. CDT] and then you get up and your clock is a little bit off."
UAA IMPROVED
"Anchorage is a much better team" than in years past, Lucia said. "They had a great end of the year last year. Their program has been getting better every year. They have a very veteran team right now."
In the first round of the WCHA playoffs last March, the Seawolves beat the Gophers 4-3 and 2-0 and blocked 50 shots, four out of 10, over the weekend.
"You have to keep shooting [against them], that is No. 1," Lucia said. "We didn’t see anything different watching their video against [Nebraska] Omaha. They are going to lay down and block shots. That is just part of their identity, and so it is difficult to get pucks through."
Bob McCown; Sportsnet 590 --- "For Mr. Rychel to make some of the statements he made in his article [sic] that this player [Jordan Schmaltz] isn't exploring his options and needs to make a decision and we're going to better prepare him for the NHL more so than North Dakota is quite frankly, laughable." ... Frankly, if you go back to 2003, 2004, and compare North Dakota to Windsor Spitfires, what you will find is both programs have put 15 players into the National Hockey League over that time. But the Windsor Spitfires players in the National Hockey League have played half the number of games as have the players coming out of the University of North Dakota. The players coming out of North Dakota who include Zach Parise, Drew Stafford, Travis Zajac, Jonny Toews, Matt Greene, they've had three times the number of points ... the point is, to say North Dakota's not preparing players for the NHL, that's a joke." (Prime Time Sports)
Image via WikipediaEveryone's favorite blogger from USCHO is at it again. Here is the latest from Brian Sullivan, that first question that I asked, was someone hitting the Scotch while blogging? Seriously?But wait, there's more
The facts are also that it is surprisingly, even incredibly difficult to fill a 12-game non-conference schedule. AHA and Hockey East teams only have seven non-league slots each year. The WCHA and CCHA, six. While this may seem like a great opportunity to get nationwide exposure with games against far-flung foes, or to boost the ol' RPI in anticipation of the PairWise rankings, it's nowhere near that easy. For starters, the 14-point bucks - the real big game of the college hockey landscape - are limited in number: Boston College, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, Boston University, Maine, Notre Dame and New Hampshire draw very well and make regular appearances in the NCAA tournament. (Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Ferris State, and Western Michigan are on that cusp, but don't yet have the long-term cachet.) Everybody wants them on their schedule.
But who do they want to play? Each other, of course. North Dakota has undeniably little incentive to play Colgate, Brown, or St. Lawrence, home or away... at least until the Raiders, Bears or Saints start becoming regular fixtures in the Sweet 16. Even the powerhouses of neighboring Hockey East frequently feel that they are better served by making Western road trips than by visiting or hosting local ECAC squads.
Shanon Lampton; Madison County Record --- Portera said that the hockey team, which has been independent since the CHA conference folded, cannot continue to exist as without a conference affiliation. According Portera, he was told that it would cost $1.5 million to join a conference and this is money the university just doesn’t have.People wonder why some have so little respect for the people that run institutions of higher education, these highly educated people seem to lack reality or are so out of touch with the "real world". Some of these people have never had a real job in their life and yet have the power to affect so many people with their decisions.
Western Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner Bruce McLeod, disagrees. He said that the conference has no minimum budgetary requirements, and none were given to Portera. Portera also shared a concern that because of the distance from other conference schools UAH would be required to subsidize other teams’ travel expenses. McCleod again disagreed. He says Portera asked him about it and was told it was not a requirement.
Nathan Bowen, who played hockey at UAH from 1996-2000, and coached at the school, wants to know how the numbers break down, and why offers of help were turned away. “We haven’t been given a lot of information. Just give us the breakdown of the figures.” He and other hockey alums and supporters pledged almost $600,000 in funding to be disbursed over the next three years. He knows it is not enough but thinks, given time, they could get there. “I think we could ramp up to the figures we need.”
Image via WikipediaThis is the latest argument that has come up, some want to make the use of visor mandatory in the NHL, the AHL visors are already mandatory. Me personally, I think it should be up to the individual player, if they don't want to wear the visor them it should be up to them. Hockey News --- For most players, like sidelined Flyers forward Ian Laperriere, they simply haven't abandoned their outdated attitudes that wearing a shield means a player isn't tough. Facemasks aren't hip—and only the real macho players are willing to take the ice without them.
Some players once felt the same way about helmets and other protective gear. Now, keeping heads safe is mandatory. Eyes could be next.
The time could be near when visors are as much a part of the game as sticks and gloves.
"Sometimes you have to save the players from themselves," said Pierre McGuire, an NHL analyst for NBC and Versus.
Added Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault: "Visors should be mandatory."
Image via WikipediaSounds like UND and Wisconsin are going to continue to play after the move to their new leagues. This is good news because the Sioux and Badgers rivalry is one of the best in college hockey. Andy Baggot; Madison.COM --- The Fighting Sioux don't play here in 2012-13 and the schools head in different realignment directions in 2013-14. UW will make its home in the new Big Ten Conference and North Dakota will take up residence in the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference.The Windsor Spitfires of the OHL are hot on tail of highly coveted Fighting Sioux recruit Jordan Schmaltz. The Spitfires management and their head coach have not been shy in their pursuit of Schmaltz either. To be honest with you I am sick and tired of the OHL/CHL going after recruits that are already committed to college hockey programs, but there is nothing that the NCAA teams can do because Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol can't even comment on Jordan Schmaltz until he signs a letter of intent to go to UND. Personally, I wish the NCAA change their rules and allow a CHL player to play in the NCAA and then maybe the NCAA could give them a piece of their own medicine.
UW coach Mike Eaves said non-conference scheduling parameters are still being drawn up for the new Big Ten, so any non-conference discussions are on hold.
But there have already been discussions between the schools about committing to a series every year when the new leagues debut. That's how much the rivalry means to those involved.
Jim Parker, The Windsor Star --- For two years, the Spitfires have had their overtures rebuffed by Schmaltz and his family, who have son Nick Schmaltz eligible for the 2012 OHL Draft.Chris Peters of the United States of Hockey had a response to the Windsor Star article and according to Chris the Spitfires are smart in the way they are pursuing Schmaltz because they are taking it public and Hakstol really can't do anything but hope his prized recruit doesn't bolt on him to the Windsor Spitfires.
“It hasn’t been as pleasant as I had expected,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said. “I think he’s making a mistake in not exploring his options.”
At this point, the 18-year-old Schmaltz is playing his third season in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux City Musketeers in Iowa.
Next year, he’s scheduled to attend North Dakota University on a full-ride scholarship, but the Spitfires believe professional hockey will come calling long before he gets his degree.
“He won’t play four years of college hockey,” Rychel said.
Chris Peters; The United States of Hockey --- This piece allows Rychel to let everybody know Windsor wants Jordan Schmaltz and if Schmaltz doesn’t go to Windsor, he’s making a mistake. Whoever reads the piece is getting that as the takeaway.
There will be no rebuttal in public from North Dakota, and likely none from Schmaltz himself, and Rychel knows that. North Dakota Head Coach Dave Hakstol can’t say a word about Jordan Schmaltz publicly because Schmaltz has yet to sign a National Letter of Intent. So for now, there is one public voice on this issue, and it’s the voice Rychel most wants you to hear. His own.
This is not a criticism of Windsor. In fact, I think it might be quite smart. If Schmaltz elects not to go to Windsor, the team has already stated they think that’s a mistake. Then again, perhaps Schmaltz takes the challenge to heart and gives Windsor an extra look (assuming he’s not offended by the public nature of the challenge).
