Weekend Match Ups (Sioux 7)

This weekend will be the first weekend in which everyone is playing a WCHA schedule.
The early season will tell us how is going to be a contender and who are the pretenders. Some teams already need to get wins this season for instance the UW-MSUM series, both went winless in WCHA play last weekend. So with that lets look at the WCHA standings and this weekends tilts.


WCHA STANDINGS
...........................GP... W-L-T
1 Minnesota-Duluth.......2... 2-0-0
2 Colorado College........2... 1-0-1
2 North Dakota............2... 1-0-1
4 Minnesota...............2... 0-1-1
4 Wisconsin...............2... 0-1-1
6 Alaska-Anchorage......0... 0-0-0
6 Denver...................0... 0-0-0
6 Michigan Tech..........0... 0-0-0
6 St. Cloud State.........0... 0-0-0
6 Minnesota State........2... 0-2-0


#4 Denver(0-0-0) @ #11 Minnesota(0-1-1)

The Pioneers shut-out Ohio St and then got shut-out last weekend, splitting their series in Columbus. The Gophers received one point last weekend by salvaging a tie against UND in Grand Forks.

The Pioneers lose Joe Colborne to a broken finger for what appears to be couple of weeks, since he had to have surgery on it. All of us here at GOONS WORLD wish Joe a speedy recovery. Minnesota can ill afford an effort like last Friday and risk falling into an early season hole. The Gophers have a tough schedule to open the season, UND, DU, UAA, and UW. Then after Christmas break they spend much of that time on the road. Denver is fortunate that they have depth up front, losing Colborne is big, but they have others that can pick up the slack. DU's offense will look to avenge their being shut-out by putting up some goals this weekend. The Gophers gave up 43 and 34 shots on goal last weekend and will need to lower those numbers this weekend. The Gophers top weapon, Schoeder didn't get a point last weekend, so UM definitely wants him to get his game going this weekend. You can't afford to be giving up 30+ or 40+ shots a game in the WCHA, that's flirting with disaster.
DENVER takes 3-pts


Michigan Tech(0-0-0) @ #19 Colorado College(1-0-1)
The Tigers took a big bite out of Bucky Badger's behind last weekend. In the Badgers defense, those where their first games of the season. The Huskies from Houghton were off last weekend and should be ready to rumble in the Rockies this week.

Both teams were picked to finish in the bottom of the standings this year. This series could serve as proof if they end up splitting and setting both on the path of mediocrity. However, if one team gets a sweep that will definitely help them in the this years early standings. Last season CC won the series 3-0-1 against MTU, but this is a new season.
SPLIT


#18 Minnesota-Duluth(2-0-0) @ St. Cloud State(0-0-0)
The Bulldogs started the season strong with a sweep of the Mavericks at the DECC. Meanwhile a couple of hours south of Duluth in St. Cloud the Huskies took three points from the Union Dutchmen(ECAC) in a pair of non-conference games.

Duluth will be out to prove they can win without Stalock in net, and last weekend wasn't a fluke. St. Cloud will being looking to get their top scorers rolling this weekend. Look for Roe and Lasch to put up some offensive numbers this weekend, as both were held in check last weekend (Roe 1g, Lasch 1g, 1a). Last year the teams split their series 2-2-0. This should be a good series and don't expect a blow out by either team. After looking at some of last weekends numbers, expect to see some offense in these dog fights. I'm going a puppy a piece, SPLIT.


#2 North Dakota(1-0-1) @ Alaska-Anchorage(0-0-0)
The Sioux ran their home winning streak to 16 games (13-0-3) by taking three points from the Gophers. The Seawolves beat Rensselaer on Friday and lost to Robert Morris on Saturday in the Alaska Gold Rush Tournament.

UAA has got the toughest schedule to start the WCHA seasons, UND, @UM, DU, and @UW. Makes my wonder what UAA did to deserve a schedule like that to start the season, probably just bad luck. Coach Shyiak and the Seawolves will look to make his own luck, with hard work and determination, over those four weeks. UAA will be a battle hardened team by mid November with that schedule. Last year the Sioux sweep the Seawolves in Anchorage, and the teams split in Grand Forks. Even with 10 freshmen in the line up the Sioux have good depth through all four lines. The Seawolves will try to use their size to their advantage, but with an Olympic size sheet of ice it doesn't help their style of play. The faster, quicker Sioux will need to move their feet, that should result in UAA taking a few penalties, and UND power plays. The Seawolves will most likely play a more defensive style game and keep the scoring chances low. I'm going with a Sioux Sweep in this series.


#17 Wisconsin(0-1-1) @ Minnesota State(0-2-0)
The Badgers have now played two games this season and will continue to build off of last weekends series against Colorado College, after getting only one point at home. The Mavericks lost both games last week to UMD at the DECC, but will be looking to get in the W column this weekend.

With UW and MSUM going win-less last weekend in league play both teams will be looking to get some valuable league points this weekends. Playing four league games and coming away with only one or two points is putting yourself in peril to start the season. Last year MSUM took 3-pts at home against UW and UW swept MSUM in Madison. The Badgers gave up only one goal on Saturday, on a 5-3 power play. I think it's safe to say UW has it's defensive game intact from last year. UW might have last seasons problem too, they only scored one goal themselves on Saturday. MSUM put up two goals each night last weekend, but gave up five and three goals. It looks to be a good series between these two teams this weekend, which makes it like all the WCHA series, tough to pick a winner. With that, they are both winners, SPLIT.