Second Round: Former College Hockey Players in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs (5/21/2013)

Here is the list of NHL hockey players that are currently playing in the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs that have played college hockey (Division I & III).

The players are listed by their NHL team. These are players that have played in at least “one” Stanley Cup Playoff game during in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I have also listed their point totals as well.

 This list doesn’t include players from teams that have been eliminated. The list doesn’t include players that are currently injured, or on their teams roster, but haven’t played in the Stanley Cup Playoff games yet.  I will update the list as much as I can.

 Points Lead changes hands

 Former Vermont Catamout forward Patrick Sharp leads all former college hockey players with (6g-4a—10pts). In second place, Wisconsin Badgers forward Joe Pavelski, (4g-5a—9pts) is tied with former Gopher defenseman Paul Martin (2g-7a—9pts). In fourth place former Ferris State forward Chris Kunitz, (3g-4a—7pts) is tied with Notre Dame forward Erik Condra (1g-6a—7pts).

 The Wisconsin Badgers are well represented in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs; if my math is correct they have six players that are still currently playing in the second round of the SCP.

 If I have forgotten a player on this list feel free to drop me a line at hegoon48@gra.midco.net

 Boston Bruins (3)

Torey Krug, D, Michigan State, 2GP, (2g-1a—3pts)

Matt Bartkowski, D, Ohio State, 4GP, (1g-1a—2pts)

Richard Peverley, F, St. Lawrence University, 8GP, (1g-0a—1pts)

 Chicago Blackhawks (6)

Patrick Sharp, F, Vermont, 8GP, (6g-4a—10pts)

Duncan Keith, D, Michigan State, 8GP, (1g-5a—6pts)

Jonathon Toews, F, North Dakota, 8GP, (0g-3a—3pts)

Nick Leddy, D, Minnesota, 8GP, (0g-2a—2pts)

Victor Stalberg, F, Vermont, 6GP, (0G-1A—1pts)

Brandon Bollig, F, St. Lawrence, 3GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

 Detroit Red Wings (6)

Gustav Nyquist, F, Maine, 10GP, (2g-2a—4pts)

Brendan Smith, F, Wisconsin, 10GP, (2g-2a—4pts)

Justin Abdelkader, F, Michigan State, 8GP, (2g-1a—3pts)

Patrick Eaves, F, Boston College, 9GP, (0g-2a—1pts)

Danny Dekeyser, D, Western Michigan, 2GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

Jimmy Howard, G, Maine, 6-4, .923 SV%, 2.43 GAA

 LA Kings (4)

Dustin Penner, F, Maine, 9GP, (2g-1a—3pts)

Alec Martinez, D, Miami, 9Gp, (0g-2a—2tps)

Rob Scuderi, D, Boston College, 9GP, (0g-2a—2pts)

Jonathan Quick, UMass, 8GP, 6-3, .947 SV% 1.60 GAA

New York Rangers (6)

Carl Hagelin, F, Michigan, 9GP, (2g-3a—5pts)

Brian Boyle, F, Boston College, 8GP, (2g-1a—3pts)

Derek Stepan, F, Wisconsin, 9GP, (3g-0a—2pts)

Ryan McDonagh, D, Wisconsin, 9GP, (1g-1a—2pts)

Chris Kreider, F, Boston College, 5GP, (0g-1a—1pts)

Darroll Powe, F, Princeton, 3GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

Ottawa Senators (6)

Erik Condra, F, Notre Dame, 8GP, (1g-6a—7pts)

Kyle Turris, F, Wisconsin, 8GP, (4g-2a—6pts)

Cory Conacher, F, Canisius College 7GP, (3g-0a—3pts)

Colin Greening, F, Cornell, 8GP, (3g-0a—3pts)  

Eric Gryba, D, Boston University, 4Gp, (0g-0a—0pts)

Patrick Wiercioch, D, Denver, 1GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

 Pittsburgh Penguins (9)

Paul Martin, D, Minnesota, 9GP, (2g-7a—9pts)

Chris Kunitz, F, Ferris State, 9GP, (3g-5a—8pts)

Douglas Murray, D, Cornell, 9GP, (2g-1a—3pts)

Mark Eaton, D, Notre Dame, 5GP, (0g-2a—2pts)

Matt Niskanen, D, Duluth, 9GP, (0g-2a—2pts)

Craig Adams, F, Harvard, 7GP, (0g-1a—1pts)

Tanner Glass, F, Dartmouth, 5GP, (1g-0a—1pts)

Beau Bennett, F, Denver, 3GP, (1g-0a—1pts)

Brooks Orpik, D, Boston College, 6GP, (1g-0a—1pts)

San Jose Sharks (8)

Joe Pavelski, F, Wisconsin, 7GP, (4g-5a—9pts)

Dan Boyle, D, Miami, 7GP, (2g-3a—5pts)

Tommy Wingels, F, Miami, 7GP, (0g-2a—2pts)

Justin Braun, D, UMass, 7GP, (0g-1a—1pts)

Matt Irwin, D, UMass, 7GP, (0g-1a—1pts)

Tim Kennedy, F, Michigan State, 2GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

Adam Burish, F, Wisconsin, 4GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

T.J. Galiardi, F, Dartmouth, 7GP, (0g-0a—0pts)

Cross-posted @ the Hockey Writers Combine.

Wisconsin sophomore goalie Joel Rumpel throws his stick makes save

Wisconsin sophomore goalie Joel Rumpel made this miraculous save on the Huskies forward Jimmy Murray at the 02:05 mark of the first period that prevented the Huskies from taking an early 2-1 lead. From there the Huskies never did get the lead and the Badgers would win the game 4-1.

Some thought that Rumpel should have actually gotten a penalty for throwing his goalie stick.

After the game the sophomore goalie was asked if he has thrown his stick at the puck. “It was a weird play,” Rumpel said. “I made the first save and then went to come across the crease and the stick got knocked out of my hands and it squirted wide,” Rumpel said. Yeah, okay.

Related articles

• C.C. vs. UW: winner to the NCAA tourney (thehockeywriters.com)

College Hockey’s March Madness Continues: This weekend’s NCAA Division one television schedule (3/29 – 3/31)

Here is this weekend’s National College Hockey television schedule. The NCAA’s final 16 has been set, the national tourney starts this weekend. Starting on Friday afternoon, there is a full slate of college hockey on television again this weekend, if you have ESPNU.

In my opinion, this is most wonderful time of the year. It’s also very stressful. There is a finality, which surrounds the college hockey tourney. Seasons and careers end, with losses in the National tourney.

There are college players that will sit in the locker room with their jersey still on hours after a loss, and not want to take off their jersey, for the last time.   

This is also the time of year that fans have to worry if their favorite players with eligibility are going to sign in the offseason. A few high profile players have already signed professional deals in the last week.

Check your television guide for times in your local area. As with any schedule, channels will change and have in the past. There may also be games on in your local area that may not be on nationally. ESPNU is on (DirecTV 208 and Dish Network 141).

Even with the NHL ending it’s lockout and making it back to our television dials, there has is still been a lot of watchable college hockey on television. Some fans actually prefer College hockey to the NHL.

Day	Date	Match-up	Network	Time	DTV/Dish
Fri.	Mar. 29	UMN vs. Yale	ESPNU	1:00 p.m.	208 / 141
Fri.	Mar. 29	Mass Lowell vs. Wisconsin	ESPN3	3:30 p.m.	628 / 434
Fri.	Mar. 29	UND vs. Niagara	ESPNU	4:30 p.m.	208 / 141
Fri.	Mar. 29	Denver vs. New Hampshire	ESPNU	7:00 p.m.	208 / 141
Fri.	Mar. 29	Wisconsin vs. UMass Lowell	ESPNU	9:30 p.m. *	208
Sat.	Mar. 30	NCAA Midwest Regional	TBD	12:30 p.m.
Sat.	Mar. 30	NCAA West Reg. Final	ESPNU	3:00 p.m.	208 / 141
Sat.	Mar. 30	NCAA Midwest Regional	TBD	4:00 p.m.
Sat.	Mar. 30	Quinnipiac vs. Canisius	ESPN3	4:30 p.m.	628 / 434
Sat.	Mar. 30	NCAA Northeast Reg. Final	ESPNU	5:30 p.m.	208 / 141
Sat.	Mar. 30	Boston College vs. Union	ESPNU	8:00 p.m.	208 / 141
Sun.	Mar. 31	NCAA Midwest Reg. Final	ESPNU	3:00 p.m.	208 / 141
Sun.	Mar. 31	NCAA East Reg. Final	ESPNU	5:30 p.m.	208 / 141

Cross-posted at the Hockey Writers Combine.

Related articles

• College Hockey's March Madness: This weekend's NCAA Division one television schedule (3/21 - 3/24) (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Hockey: What Are We Doing Here? (insidehockey.com)
• College Hockey's March Madness Continues: This weekend's NCAA Division one television schedule (3/29 - 3/31) (thehockeywriters.com)

WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 22

Each week, I participate in a WCHA Web Media Poll that is put on by the Tech Hockey Guide with 11 other people that represent both the print media as well as the hockey blogosphere. This is the final WCHA Web Media Poll.

This week, again, positions 1 – 3 remain the same, as well as 7 – 12; the middle of the poll is again, all mixed up. Minnesota State after splitting with North Dakota dropped from fourth-to-sixth place. Wisconsin stayed at fifth place and Denver moved up to fourth place from sixth place.

Here’s a look at the results the Tech Hockey Guide WCHA Web Media Poll for Week 22:

Place	Team	pts	Previous	Record	High	Low
1.	Minnesota (6)	138	1	24-7-5	1	2
2.	St. Cloud State (6)	136	2	21-14-1	1	4
3.	North Dakota	120	3	19-10-7	3	3
4.	Denver	99	6	19-11-5	4	6
5.	Wisconsin	98	5	17-12-7	4	6
6.	Minnesota State	93	4	22-11-3	2	6
7.	Nebraska Omaha	60	7	18-16-2	7	10
8.	Colorado College	59	8	14-17-5	7	10
9.	Minnesota Duluth	57	9	14-17-5	7	9
10.	Michigan Tech	39	10	12-18-4	8	11
11.	Bemidji State	25	11	6-20-8	10	11
12.	Alaska Anchorage	12	12	4-23-7	12	12

Representing Name Publication Twitter

Alaska-Anchorage, Taylor Hall College Hockey News @thall907
Bemidji State, Troy Mills The Beaver Pond
Colorado College, Joe Paisley, Paisley Hockey @Paisleyhockey
Denver, Mike Chambers, Denver Post @MChambersDP
Michigan Tech, Tim Braun, Tech Hockey Guide @TBraunTHG
Minnesota, Dan Myers, Minnesota Hockey Magazine @1DanMyers
Minnesota Duluth, Bruce Ciskie, The Ciskie Blog @BruceCiskie
Minnesota State, Chris Dilks, Western College Hockey @ChrisDilks
Nebraska-Omaha, Matt Semisch, Radio Free Omaha @matthewsemisch
North Dakota, Eric Burton The Hockey Writers Combine and Goon’s World @goon48
St. Cloud State, Jeremy Larson, Husky Hockey Time @jclarson02
Wisconsin, Andy Johnson, Bucky’s 5th Quarter @andyjohnsonB5Q

Cross-posted at the Hockey Writes Combine.

Related articles

• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 21 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 20 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 19 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 18 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 17 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 16 (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 15 (thehockeywriters.com)

Wisconsin Badgers falling on tough times at the gate

English: Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey pregame huddle in a game against Boston University on October 8, 2010 at the 2010 Warrior Ice Breaker Tournament. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In years past, the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team have been the pace setter for attendance numbers in division I college hockey and in the WCHA.

They have the biggest building and they’ve packed it to the roof with rabid screaming fans. The Kohl Center used to be one of the most intimidating places to play in all of college hockey.

Now the Kohl center has become friendlier for the opposition teams.

This season, the Kohl season has been known more for the dwindling crowds and unimpressive showings by the home team. Currently, the Badgers have a 7-7-3 record on home ice.

The Badgers didn’t win a game at home until the December 13, 2012, when they beat lowly Huntsville 5-0.

On the road the Badgers have an impressive 6-2-4 record.

That reign as the national attendance leaders will come to an end this season, North Dakota leads the nation in attendance with 187,397 through 16 dates for an average of 11,712 per game.

If you have noticed, the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team is experiencing a decline in attendance numbers for couple of years now.  Andy Johnson from Bucky’s Fifth Quarter wrote an article about this recently.

If you watched the Badgers last two games on television, you would have noticed a lot of fans posing as empty red seats.  The Badgers aren’t packing them in like they used to.

Each year, since the 2009-10 season, the Wisconsin Badgers have been the leaders in attendance for Division I college hockey.  Since the 2010-11 season, those numbers have been in decline. There are some in the Wisconsin fan base that are already starting to point the finger. Some of the blame is landing on the shoulders of head coach Mike Eaves.

There could be some factors that are playing into this? You have to wonder, if the Badgers last series being on Sunday-Monday also figured into the poor showing, at least for this past week.  There was also a series against Huntsville earlier this season that only drew 17,011 for two games when the arena seats 15,209 for a hockey game according to the Kohl Center web site.

According to Andy Baggot of the Madison.com, there are going to be more of these odd ball non-traditional series on Sunday-Monday, but they’re certainly not going to be the norm.

Who is to blame for not the Badgers not filling the Kohl Center?

I suppose you “could” blame the economy, let’s face facts we are in an economic decline as a nation. People don’t have as much disposable income as they used to.

Barring a heroic late season run through the WCHA playoffs, culminating with a Broadmoor Trophy, the Wisconsin Badgers are probably going to miss the NCAA playoffs for the third season in a row and the fifth time in the last seven seasons. The Badgers put themselves in a tough spot starting the season off going 1-7-3 before going on an amazing run of 13-4-4.

Then there is the elephant sitting it the room. Maybe it’s the fact that no one really wants to watch the product on the ice. Not with that style of play.

But let’s be frank, who really wants to watch the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team play hockey? The casual hockey fan might not.

While I am not a fan of the team per-see, I am hardly a casual hockey fan, I tried to watch the Badgers play the other night and I found the product on the ice to be unwatchable. Honestly, I couldn’t watch them play; it was an absolutely brutal hockey game. I literally turned the game off and rented the movie Skyfall on DirecTV instead of watching college hockey. I have to admit, that doesn’t happen very often at my house. Hockey is on from the first week in October to the last face off of the Stanley Cup Finals.

I know some in Badger nation are going to be mad at me, but I am going to call it like it is.

If you want to watch a hockey team that is sound defensively, that is bookended by two great goaltenders the Wisconsin Badgers are your team.

Don’t count on the Badgers to score a lot of goals. This isn’t the 2005-06 team that won the National Championship that had two forwards with 50 or more points and two players that scored 20 or more goals. This is a team that is starved for offense, that’s going to try to slow things down and clog up the neutral zone.

The Badgers are ranked 50 out of 59 teams for offense nationally. In their 11 loses they have scored 17 goals that’s an average of 1.54 goals per game. In my opinion, the best way to beat the Badgers is to get an early lead because they’re offensively challenged.

Mike Eaves has been the Badgers head coach since the 2000-03 season and he has compiled a respectable record of 223-167-51 (.563) in eleven seasons at Wisconsin. But after eleven seasons, there are some in the Wisconsin fan base that would like to see Eaves shown the door.

During Eave’s tenure, Wisconsin hasn’t won a Broadmoor Trophy (1997- 1998) or a McNaughton Cup (1999-2000).  However, Eaves’ teams have done well in the national tourney, when they have gotten there, as the Badgers won an NCAA title in 2005-06 and were the Runner up in 2009-10.

If the Badgers don’t win some game next year, make the NCAA tourney and start playing a more exciting brand of hockey they’re going to risk alienating their fan base. That being said, I am thankful that I am not their audience, because If I had to watch their on ice product on a regular basis I would be frustrated and bored with it. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.

Here are the Badgers Attendance numbers for the last six seasons, incase you wanted to see the numbers.

17 games — 2012-13   171,966—10,116

20 games — 2011-12   235,458—11,773

22 games — 2010-11   290,970—13,226

21 games — 2009-10   316,014—15,048

22 games — 2008-09   303,261—13,785

18 games — 2007-08    242,184—13,455

Cross Posted at the Hockey Writers Combine. 

Related articles

• This weekend's NCAA Division one television schedule (3/01 -3/02) (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings: Week 20 (thehockeywriters.com)

(Video) Marvelous North Dakota Hockey

This is a nice video that was taken by Marv Leier, during last weekend's game between Wisconsin and North Dakota. Leier films the game footage for Midco from his perch between the players benches. I bet he could tell us a story or two about some of the things that he has seen and heard.

Wisconsin's Michael Mersch will not be suspended

I just got off of the phone with Greg Shepherd the head of WCHA officials and this is what I know. According to Shepherd, Badgers forward Michael Mersch came off of the bench on a line change and he would've had to enter the altercation in question to be suspended. In other words, Mersch will not be suspended by the WCHA.

So, after reading that, if you're still in disbelief like I am, you’re not alone. If Mersch had jumped off of the Wisconsin player’s bench and then entered the altercation in the Wisconsin end, Mersch would've then been suspended.

This doesn’t pass the smell test, even if you were in altered state of mind.

So, if you’re confused, you’re not alone. I guess the fact that Mersch jumped off of the bench challenged UND forward Steph Pattyn to a fight, while he was being escorted off of the ice by one of the officials.  In addition, it’s obvious by the video that Mersch came off of the Wisconsin players bench, while the previous play had been whistled dead; then took off his helmet. Apparently, this is not relevant in this case.

I don’t know many coaches that allow their hockey players to change lines during an altercation, take off their helmet, and then challenge an opponent to a fight, while said play is stopped. Usually they wait until the puck is dropped, and then challenge someone to a fight.

You’re not supposed to change lines during an altercation. I have to give the WCHA credit; they’re easy to get clarification from on incidents.

North Dakota and Wisconsin solve nothing in Grand Forks

Grand Forks, ND – All good things must come to an end. The Wisconsin Badgers and the University of North Dakota are going their separate ways after this season. The Wisconsin Badgers are going to the Big Ten, and UND is going to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

The two teams will not play next season, and will take a one year break before renewing the historic rivalry during the 2014-15 season.

Earlier this week, Badgers head coach Mike Eaves said that it was a priority that the two teams have a nonconference scheduling agreement in the future.

Whenever North Dakota and Wisconsin get together, it’s usually an entertaining, and intense affair.  Tonight was no different. Wisconsin Badgers head coach Mike Eaves thought tonight’s game was entertaining.

“We talk about solving riddles, that was a wild one,” Eaves said. “I don’t know how that riddle was going to be solved tonight. There was great energy in the building, lots of wild and crazy things going on, on the ice, entertaining game for the fans.”

North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol also thought tonight’s game was a hard fought game. “From start to finish it was a hard played 65 Minutes,” Hakstol said.

While there was more than enough action on the ice tonight to keep the fans interested, there was little in the way of goal scoring.

During the first period neither team would score, and both teams would each put seven shots on their opponent’s net.

The game would get more exciting in the second period. North Dakota would score at the 00:25 mark of the second period on power play with a goal from senior forward Danny Kristo. Wisconsin would score 13 second later at the 0:38 mark of the second period, with a goal from junior forward Michael Mersch.

Unfortunately, that was all of the scoring in the game, and UND would outshoot Wisconsin 11-9 in the second period.

The second period would end with a scrum. Players from both teams’ would end up paired off on the ice with UND’s Andrew MacWilliam and Jake McCabe locked in a heated battle that landed them both in the box with double minors for roughing and each were given a 10 minute misconduct as well.  When it was all sorted out, both teams were assessed 20 minutes in penalties.

In the third period, UND would get into penalty trouble as freshman Drake Caggiula was assessed a five minute major for checking from behind. Fortunately, UND would kill the major penalty, and Wisconsin wasn’t really able to generate any chances because of North Dakota’s tenacious penalty kill.

UND and Wisconsin would go to overtime where nothing was settled, and the game would end in a 2-2 tie.

From the fun fact department; for three overtimes periods in a row, UND has had a scoring chance to win the game, and hit the post. Breaking it down further, senior forward Danny Kristo has hit the pipe in overtime in two consecutive games, during the overtime period.

After the game, this is how Kristo saw it.

“Corban [Knight] made a great pass and the goalie was kind out of position," Kristo said. "I shot it a little too hard, and It might have hit the crossbar. It’s one that wish I had it back. I think I we hit three pipes tonight, that’s just the way it was."

UND did themselves no favors in the overtime period,  sophomore forward Mitch MacMillan took an untimely roughing penalty in front of the Badgers bench at the 01:23 mark of the overtime period. UND would kill that penalty and get a power play themselves at the 03:19 mark, but were unable to get anything past Wisconsin Badgers sophomore goalie Landon Peterson.

Having to kill the five minute major in the third period and the minor penalty in the overtime period put UND in a difficult position and Coach Hakstol agreed.

“That’s putting ourselves in a tough position,” Hakstol said. “The five minute major,  I saw it, it was a fast play. So, I don’t have an evaluation on that. Once you get to overtime you don’t need an extra push in there.  Get to the bench, and let your teammate go out there and get back in the play.”

North Dakota needs two points tomorrow night, if they want to secure an upper division for the WCHA playoffs.  The Green and White are winless in the last five games going 0-2-3.

The same two teams play again Saturday at 7:07 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Cross posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine...