Captain Scores a lot - Mikko Koivu

Mikko Koivu with the puck that he used to become the new #mnwild all-time leading scorer! pic.twitter.com/cbjjk8WIRx
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 19, 2014

Congrats to the Wild Captain for becoming the All-Time leading scorer for the Minnesota Wild

UND Hockey: About 2000 Tickets Remain for this Weekend's Playoff Series against C.C.

Today, I talked to UND Sports Information Director Jayson Hajdu at the Wednesday media day, and there's about 2000 tickets remaining for this weekend's NCHC first round playoff series against the Colorado College Tigers. 

If UND can get 12000 fans for each game, this weekend, they will pass the Minnesota Golden Gophers for top "average" home attendance in NCAA division I hockey. Currently, Minnesota is leading the NCAA in attendance with 231,057 and UND is sitting in second the NCAA in attendance with 218,436. UND will pass Minnesota in total attendance with the second game this weekend.

Tickets remain available for this weekend. UND trails only Minnesota nationally in home attendance. Are you gonna stand for this, UND fans?
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) March 11, 2014

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UND Hockey: SJHovey Nails it...

Like I have mentioned on Twitter, Last March, I started a tongue in cheek post on Sioux Sports. The title of the thread "Time to Fire Hakstol". The thread in question has kept growing, by the day. For those that don't red Sioux Sports, SJHovey is one of the more level headed posters from Sioux Sports and he absolutely nails it... Check it out.  I feel the same way, I wouldn't trade out situation at UND either. 

I ask this question, in all seriousness, to those who think that the program has fallen on hard times, below our standards, or that it's time to start thinking about coaching changes.

Look back over the past 9 seasons (I'm excluding the present season primarily because we don't know how it will turn out).  If you could magically substitute the performance of another college hockey program for our own, would you?  Whose?

UND is 235-119-37 over that span, with no losing seasons, 2 regular season crowns, 4 conference tourney titles, appearances in all 9 NCAA tournaments, but admittedly no national titles.

So who do you wish we were, over Hak's tenure, if not our own performance?

BC?  Obviously.  3 national titles, 3 regular season titles, 6 conference tourney championships, appearances in 8 of 9 NCAA tournaments and a 238-97-33 record.

But now who?

Michigan?  The supposed greatest college hockey program of all time?  No national titles, 3 regular season titles, 3 conference tourney titles, 8 of 9 NCAA tourney appearances (and one losing season), with a win/loss record virtually identical to ours at 237-116-25.  I'm not trading.  That's the same car I'm driving without the 1 missed tourney.

How about Miami?  3 regular season titles, 1 conference tourney title, 8 of 9 NCAA appearances, but no national titles and a record no better than ours at 222-107-39.  No thanks.

Minnesota?  No national titles.  4 regular season titles but 1 conference tourney title.  Only 6 of 9 in NCAA appearances with one losing season and a considerably worse record at 210-120-39.  Plus, you're Minnesota.  Forget it.

How about last year's champs, Yale.  They have the almighty national title.  But 2 regular season titles, 2 conference titles and only 4 NCAA appearances out of 9 seasons, to go along with 3 losing seasons and a pedestrian 153-129-24 record.  I don't make that swap.

Duluth won a title, too.  But not a single regular season title, one tournament title and made the NCAA's a paltry 3 of the 9 seasons, with 5 losing seasons and a barely .500 record of 161-149-47.  Go ahead if you want to be a Bulldog.

How about Michigan St. and their national title?  Zero regular season titles.  1 conference tourney title.  3 losing seasons.  Only 4 NCAA appearances in the 9 years and a very average 173-150-42 record.

So far I'm not impressed.

So what about Wisconsin, BU or Denver?

Lot of baggage with Wisconsin.  They have that title real early in the stretch of these 9 seasons, but no regular season titles, one very unexpected conference tourney title, 5 of 9 on NCAA appearances, a couple of sub-.500 seasons and a 196-133-39 record a long way behind UND.  It might be for some of you, but not me.

BU?  One great season with a national title.   A couple of HE crowns to go with a couple of HE tourney titles.  But they only made the tournament half the time and their overall record is still a long way behind UND, at 204-117-39.

Denver?  For me this would be a maybe.  2 regular season crowns, 2 Broadmoors and appearances in 7 of the 9 NCAA tournaments.  Pretty good record at 220-115-33.  A bit of a toss up, but I might be persuaded to take that record for these past 9 seasons, understanding that the title did come at the very beginning of the run and there has been a generally downward progression.

Anybody that I missed?

So, of course I would love to have BC's record the past 9 years.  Who wouldn't?  Denver's?  Maybe, although I don't like the direction they're going.  Who else would you rather be?

Unless someone else has some good answers, I'm not sure I'd be jumping ship right about now. 

(Video) UND 3 UMD 0

"It was a good road win tonight," head coach Dave Hakstol said. I have to agree, UMD is a good hockey team and they mirror the UND hockey team. With the win, UND moves into a tie with SCSU, who lost 4-3 to Miami tonight. UND is 6-2-1 when their games are available on DirecTV.

Best records since Nov. 30: 1. BC (17-0-1); 2. UND (13-2-1); 3. Union (15-3-2); 4. Minnesota (11-2-4); 5. Wisconsin (13-5-1).
— Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) February 22, 2014

UND vs. UMD game one lines

UND Forward lines

9 Drake Caggiula–16 Mark MacMillan–15 Michael Parks (A)
28 Stephane Pattyn (A)–19 Rocco Grimaldi–27 Luke Johnson
21 Brendan O’Donnell–13 Connor Gaarder–11 Derek Rodwell
25 Mitch MacMillan–29 Bryn Chyzyk–17 Colten St. Clair

North Dakota Defense Pairings

5 Nick Mattson–6 Paul LaDue
18 Dillon Simpson ©–24 Jordan Schmaltz
4 Keaton Thompson–2 Troy Stecher

UND Goalies

31 Zane Gothberg
33 Clarke Saunders

Out: Murphy, Ausmus, Panzarella, Sanderson, Hrynkiw || Referees: Brad Shepherd, Tom Sterns || Linesmen: Sterling Egan, Sam Shikowsky
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) February 21, 2014

Minnesota Duluth’s lines

11 Austin Farley–21 Caleb Herbert–18 Joe Basaraba
14 Alex Iafallo–17 Dominic Toninato–26 Adam Krause
8 Kyle Osterberg–13 Tony Cameranesi–25 Justin Crandall
19 Max Tardy–27 Cal Decowski–23 Austyn Young

Minnesota Duluth Defense Pairings

4 Carson Soucy–7 Andy Welinski
6 Derik Johnson–15 Willie Raskob
5 Willie Corrin–3 Dan Molenaar

Minnesota Duluth Goalies

1 Aaron Crandall
36 Matt McNeely
30 Alex Fons

TV tonight: FOX Sports North PLUS, DirecTV 652-1 (HD), DirecTV 652 (SD), DISH Network 9515 (HD), DISH Network 445 (SD).
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) February 22, 2014

Webcasts of BOTH games can be purchased at http://t.co/5IOx9PHt2K.
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) February 22, 2014

Related articles

• UND vs UND: Series preview (hockeywilderness.com)

(Video) MSU vs. UMN Joe Cox Shootout no-goal

So, the moral of the story just is -- just kick the net off  -- if you feel like the opposition is going to score on you in the shootout. Right? I have to say, that the officiating in the NCHC, for the most part has been pretty good, except for the second game of the DU vs. UND series.

That being said, it seems like the B1G has been getting some brutal officiating this season. Thoughts? I guess we could say that the shootout is a work in progress.

From SBN College Hockey: Spartans head coach Tom Anastos said to SB Nation's Nate Wells after the game that the referees told him "the net was not in its place when the puck crossed the line." So, the ref spends 4+ minutes reviewing a video and that's the explanation the coach gets. Wow!

Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

This weekend is a light schedule for this time of year, but hey, it is what it is…

NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T-SW………Points

North Dakota………………8-6-0-0……….….24
Denver…………………..…7-5-2-1…………..24
St. Cloud St……………….7-3-2-0…………...23
Nebraska-Omaha…………6-4-2-1…………..21
Western Michigan………..6-5-1-1…………...20
Minnesota-Duluth…………5-6-1-1……….….17
Miami………………………4-9-1-1….…….….14
Colorado College……….. 3-8-3-1…….….….13

NCHC Games

#5 SCSU @ Nebraska-Omaha

Last weekend the Huskies lost to Minnesota (4-1) in St. Paul and beat Minnesota State (6-4) in the North Star College Cup in St. Paul. The Mavericks were off last weekend. 

The Huskies are road warriors this season, crushing their opponents, in their own house, owning an away record of 9-1-0.  The Mavericks are 5-7-0 this year at home in the CenturyLink Center.  The Mavericks are still within sniffing distance of the dawgs. If they get swept at home, they still be in decent shape at five hundred.  HUSKIES SWEEP

Minnesota-Duluth @ #20 Western Michigan

Last weekend the Bulldogs Beat Minnesota State (5-4ot) and tied Minnesota (4-4) in the North Star College Cup in St. Paul. The Broncos were off last weekend. 

The Bulldogs looked good offensively last weekend in St. Paul, but defensively there is still room for improvement.  UMD has been decent on the road going 6-4-0 in road games, and after last weekend 1-0-1 at neutral sites.  The Bulldogs last four games have gone to overtime.  The Broncos are 5-4-1 at home in Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo (did mention how fun it is to say Kalamazoo).  I did ever mention that the head coach of WMU, Andy Murray, use to coach the LA Kings, and his son, Brady played for the Fighting Sioux?  These teams played a series in Duluth back in mid-December, with WMU winning the opener and UMD winning the closer.  I think the visitors win the first game again before the home team settles the score.  SPLIT

Bye Week

Colorado College
#16 Denver
Miami
#17 North Dakota

(Picture) North Star College Cup

I hate to say this, but we want the NCHC teams in the North Star Cup to win this weekend. So, this weekend we should cheer for the Huskies and the Bulldogs. Shall we say that the tourney has gone to the dogs.

Session 1

Friday, Jan. 24
Game #1: Minnesota State-Mankato vs. Minnesota Duluth - 4 p.m.
Game #2: St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota - 7 p.m.

Session 2

Saturday, Jan. 25
Game #3: Consolation Game - 4 p.m.
Game #4: Championship Game - 7 p.m.

Related articles

• Some NCHC Stats (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• NCHC Hockey: Breaking Down the Numbers Half Way Point (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCHC Hockey: No Second Thoughts or Regrets (thehockeywriters.com)

USCHO POLL: UND 18TH

Write text here...

Related articles

• UND Hockey: The Weekend in Review (thehockeywriters.com)

Minnesota has a visitor tonight

USA! USA! Coming to tonight's game? We'll have a special visitor so be sure to get to Mariucci early #HDM2014 pic.twitter.com/TenfM9NuiY
— Gopher Hockey (@GopherHockey) January 18, 2014

The Bald Eagle is one of the most awesome sites in the world.

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• Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars: Hockey Day in Minnesota game preview (hockeywilderness.com)
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Hockey City Classic: tOSU jersey

Buckeyes are throwing back to uniforms of the early '60s for the @HkyCityClassic vs Minnesota Friday. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Eec0lsnApz
— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) January 13, 2014

Wow! talk about ugly jerseys this one takes the cake. Yuck!

USA Hockey Development: Stupid is as Stupid does.

@GF_Ballerz American developement is a joke,all the top players are coming from CHL and Sweden. Why do you think americans come to Canada ?
— Tyler Vincent (@TV_Muscle) January 9, 2014

USA Hockey and US college hockey is so bad that it developed 30 plus for the 2014 Olympic games. From College Hockey INC.

Country/Player Pos. Current Team NCAA Team

Austria

Brian Lebler F EHC Linz (AUT) Michigan Thomas Pock D KAC Klagenfurt (AUT)Massachusetts
Mattias Trattnig D Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) Maine
Thomas Vanek F NY Islanders (NHL)Minnesota

Canada
Duncan Keith D Chicago (NHL) Michigan State
Chris Kunitz F Pittsburgh (NHL)Ferris State
Patrick Sharp F Chicago (NHL) Vermont
Jonathan Toews F Chicago (NHL) North Dakota

Latvia
Ralfs Freibergs D Bowling Green

Sweden
Carl Hagelin F NY Rangers (NHL)Michigan

United States
Jimmy Howard G Detroit (NHL) Maine
Ryan Miller G Buffalo (NHL) Michigan State
Jonathan Quick G Los Angeles (NHL)Massachusetts
Justin Faulk D Carolina (NHL) Minnesota Duluth
Paul Martin D Pittsburgh (NHL)Minnesota
Ryan McDonagh D NY Rangers (NHL)Wisconsin
Brooks Orpik D Pittsburgh (NHL)Boston College
Kevin Shattenkirk D St. Louis (NHL)Boston University
Ryan Suter D Minnesota (NHL) Wisconsin
David Backes F St. Louis (NHL) Minnesota State
Ryan Kesler F Vancouver (NHL) Ohio State
Phil Kessel F Toronto (NHL) Minnesota
T.J. Oshie F St. Louis (NHL) North Dakota
Max Pacioretty F Montreal (NHL) Michigan
Zach Parise F Minnesota (NHL) North Dakota
Joe Pavelski F San Jose (NHL) Wisconsin Paul Stastny F Colorado (NHL) Denver
Derek Stepan F NY Rangers (NHL)Wisconsin
James van Riemsdyk F Toronto (NHL)New Hampshire
Blake Wheeler F Winnipeg (NHL) Minnesota

UND Hockey: Is there an outdoor game on the horizon?

This tweet hit Twitter yesterday. It's a great idea. It would be fun to have an outdoor hockey game between UND and UMN. Honestly, outdoor games are for the most part a nice spectacle, to be enjoyed by hockey fans. The Winter Classic was a decent game to watch yesterday.

Some fans think they’re a gimmick. I am on the fence with these things. Seriously, how many of these things are we going to have? I think this year we have hit the over saturation point. What do we have, like 20+ outdoor games this year? At last count, there were something like 23 of them. I might have missed a couple.

Don't plan to wait until 2019. RT@MikeRed22: UND and Minnesota. Target Field. 2019. Make it happen Mr. President.
— Dave St. Peter (@TwinsPrez) January 1, 2014

Related articles

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USA Hockey: Team USA releases their Olympic roster

Here’s the Team USA Olympic Roster, there's a few head-scratchers on this roster. I am surprised that Bobby Ryan, Jason Pominville and Keith Yandle were left off of the team. The question is, who would/should have been left off of the team to make room for these three guys? I am sure we all have our own suggestions. 

Goalies (3)

Ryan Miller/Buffalo Sabres – Michigan State

Jonathan Quick/Los Angeles Kings – UMass Amherst  

Jimmy Howard/Detroit Red Wings – Maine

Defensemen (8)

Brooks Orpik/Pittsburgh Penguins – Boston College
Ryan Suter/Minnesota Wild – Wisconsin
John Carlson/Washington Capitals – London Knights
Justin Faulk/Carolina Hurricanes – Minnesota Duluth
Cam Fowler/Anaheim Ducks – Windsor Spitfires
Paul Martin/Pittsburgh Penguins – Minnesota
Ryan McDonagh/New York Rangers – Wisconsin

Kevin Shattenkirk/St. Louis Blues – Boston University

 Forwards (14)

David Backes/St. Louis Blues – Minnesota State
Dustin Brown/Los Angeles Kings -- Guelph Storm
Ryan Callahan/New York Rangers -- Guelph Storm
Patrick Kane/Chicago Blackhawks --  London Knights
Ryan Kesler/Vancouver Canucks – Ohio State
Phil Kessel/Toronto Maple Leafs – Minnesota

Zach Parise/Minnesota Wild – North Dakota
Joe Pavelski/San Jose Sharks – Wisconsin
Paul Stastny/Colorado Avalanche – Denver
T.J. Oshie/St. Louis Blues – North Dakota
Max Pacioretty/Montreal Canadiens – Michigan
Derek Stepan/New York Rangers – Wisconsin
James van Riemsdyk/Toronto Maple Leafs – New Hampshire
Blake Wheeler/Winnipeg Jets – Minnesota

USA Women's Hockey: Here’s the USA Women’s Team Roster

Today, the roster for the USA Women's Olympic team was announced during the second period of the Winter Classic. Here's the roster. Here's the players that are going to Sochi, Russia

Goalies
Jessie Vetter — Wisconsin

Molly Schaus — Boston College
Brianne McLaughlin — Robert Morris University

Defensemen
Kacey Bellamy — New Hampshire
Gigi Marvin — Minnesota
Megan Bozek – Minnesota
Michelle Picard – Harvard
Josephine Pucci – Harvard
Anne Schleper – Minnesota
Lee Stecklein – Minnesota

Forwards
Julie Chu — Harvard

Meghan Duggan — Wisconsin
Hilary Knight — Wisconsin

Jocelyne Lamoureux — North Dakota
Monique Lamoureux — North Dakota
Kelli Stack — Boston College
Alex Carpenter –Boston College
Kendall Coyne – Northeastern
Brianna Decker – Wisconsin
Lyndsey Fry – Harvard
Amanda Kessel – Minnesota 

Related articles

• USA Wins Fourth Straight Against Canada (hockeywilderness.com)
• Fists Fly Again on the Road To Sochi for U.S. and Canadian Women (thehockeywriters.com)
• Womens Hockey: USA beats Canada at the Ralph (insidehockey.com)

Shocked Gopher fan...

Way too funny, I can't believe she was shocked.

Poor Minnesotan friends... RT @CapCareyWDT: “@sportingnews: Welcome to Internet fame, Shocked Minnesota fan pic.twitter.com/AGXKm9vPJX”
— Joshua Kummins (@JoshuaKummins) December 28, 2013

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Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

Here we are the last weekend of play, for most teams anyway, before the Christmas break.  The first half of the season seems to have flown by, before we know it, it will be 2014!

NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

St. Cloud St……………….6-1-1…………...19
Nebraska-Omaha…………5-2-1…………..17
North Dakota………………5-5-0……….….15
Denver…………………..…4-3-1…………..14
Colorado College……….. 2-5-3…….….….10
Miami………………………3-5-0….…….….9
Minnesota-Duluth…………2-2-0……….….6
Western Michigan………..2-2-0…………...6 

NCHC Games

Western Michigan @ # Minnesota-Duluth

Last weekend Broncos were swept (3-2, 3-2) by NoDak in Kalamazoo and the Bulldogs were swept (4-2, 5-1) by the Huskies in Duluth.

Both the Broncos and the Bulldogs are sitting at .500 in the league standings, so neither team has any reason to play desperate this weekend.  However, a sweep by one team would vault them up the standings.  Looking at overall records I have to give the nod to the home team this weekend.  BULLDOGS 3-pts

Non-Conference Games

#20 Denver (8-6-2) @ #18 Rensselaer (8-5-3)

Last weekend the Pioneers split (3-1W, 4-2L) with the RedHawks in Oxford and Engineers tied Quinnipiac (3-3ot) and beat Princeton (5-3) at home in Troy, NY.

The Engineers are playing well at home, with a 4-1-3 record at Houston Fieldhouse this season (NHL size).  The Pioneers are decent on the road with a 1-2-2 record away from Denver.  With these teams having almost identical records, I’m say they stay that way with each team getting a win.  SPLIT – RPI wins Friday, DU wins Saturday

#10 Union (10-3-2) @ #1 St. Cloud St. (11-1-2)

Last weekend the Huskies swept  (4-2, 5-1) the Bulldogs in Duluth and the Dutchmen beat Princeton (3-0) and Quinnipiac (6-4) at home in Schenectady, NY.

This should be a good series in St. Cloud with both teams ranked in the top 10.  The Huskies only loss this this season was to Miami.  The Dutchmen have only lost to Colgate, and dropped a series to Lake Superior State.  With that in mind, Union has had a softer schedule then the Huskies.  SCSU has too much talent and depth for the Dutchmen to handle over a weekend of play.  HUSKIES SWEEP 

Colorado College (2-10-3) @ #15 Wisconsin (6-5-1)

Last weekend the Tigers took 3-pts (4-2, 3-3ot) from the Mavericks in Colorado Springs and the Badgers

The Tigers went winless in the month of November, but have started off December on the right skate.  The Badgers are undefeated in Madison this year and with CC coming to town this weekend (and UAH next weekend), they might be able to keep that record intact until 2014.  I said might; I think CC will steal a game from the former WCHA rival.  SPLIT – CC wins Friday, UW wins Saturday 

Northern Michigan (6-8-2) @ North Dakota (7-7-2)

Last weekend the Wildcats were swept by Minnesota State (3-2, 3-0) in Mankato and NoDak swept the Broncos (3-2, 3-2) in Kalamazoo.

Has NoDak finally found their stride, it is closing in on Christmas and we all know they seem to win more games around and especially after Christmas.  If you are old enough you know that NMU was a WCHA member for many years and has a history with UND.  Thus the guys from Marquette are no strangers to the guys in Grand Forks.  The Wildcats are winless in their last four games and NoDak is on a three game winning streak.  I say they keep on their streaks.  NODAK SWEEP

Denver (8-6-2) @ Massachusetts (4-11-2) (Tuesday)

The Pioneers go a little farther East to Amherst, MA after their weekend in Troy, NY.
The Minutemen play at Colgate this weekend.

I’m going with the Pioneers here, just on a hunch, since this will be both teams third game in five days.

BYE

#12  Miami

#19  Nebraska-Omaha

Related articles

• Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn) (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• NCHC Hockey: Breaking Down the Numbers (thehockeywriters.com)
• Minnesota Gophers vs. Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs: Series Preview (hockeywilderness.com)
• NCAA Hockey: There Has to Be a Better Way (thehockeywriters.com)

A Couple of Nice College Hockey Goals

Former Grafton North Dakota product and current Air Force Academy Cadet forward Chad Demers, scores the game-tying goal against Bentley on a nice rebound. That's goal number seven on the year for Demers. Demers is a junior and spent last summer training at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.



Gophers forward Seth Ambroz scores the game winning goal with 26-seconds left in the game to give Minnesota the victory. That's also goal number seven on the year for Ambroz.

Minnesota Vikings Humor?

I couldn't resist, it would actually be funny, if I wasn't a Minnesota Vikings fan/apologist. They absolutely suck, they're horrible. First Leslie Frasier should be fired and sent packing. Blow the team up.

Zach Parise goal versus Chicago

s/t Fell0096 Minnesota Wild Forward Zach Parise scores his sixth goal of the season to give the Minnesota Wild a 1-0 lead in the first period of tonight's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.