Last weekend the college hockey season
un-officially got underway, with a slate of exhibition games. None of the WCHA teams lost however there
were a couple of ties.
WCHA
STANDINGS 2012-2013
Team………………………W-L-T………Points
1. Minnesota………………0-0-0…..…….2. Minnesota-Duluth….…..0-0-0….……..
3. Denver…………..………0-0-0………...
4. North Dakota.………..…0-0-0….……
5. Colorado College ……..0-0-0……….
6. St. Cloud St………….…0-0-0………
7. Nebraska-Omaha………0-0-0……...
8. Michigan Tech………….0-0-0………
9. Bemidji State……..…….0-0-0.……...
10. Wisconsin…....………..0-0-0...…..…
11. Minnesota State………0-0-0...……..
12. Alaska-Anchorage…....0-0-0………..
Non
Conference Games
Clarkson
@ Colorado College
The Golden Knights (ECAC) invade the World
Arena this weekend for a pair of games against the Tigers. I’m sure the Knights hope they will be the
ones holding the Tigers under siege and not the other way around. The Tigers started out last season on a hot
streak and their fans are hoping for another fast start. Tigers Sweep.
Minnesota
State @ Alabama-Huntsville
The Mavericks hit the road to start the season and
they hit it with a lengthy trip. The
Chargers are the lone independent team (I know Penn State starts this year as
an independent, but I don’t count them since they are new.) in the college
hockey world; hopefully a nice conference will adopt them next season… Last year the Chargers had season to forget,
they went 2-28-1, in their games.
Mavericks Sweep.
Ohio
State @ Minnesota-Duluth
The Buckeyes from Columbus will make a trek to
scenic Duluth to start their last season as a CCHA team before moving to the
big ten conference. Last season OSU
finished the season 15-15-5, it doesn’t get any more even than that. The Bulldogs have been good at home in their
new arena and I expect them to add to their win total there this weekend. Bulldogs Sweep.Michigan State @ Minnesota
The Spartans come to Minneapolis, for a weekend series, to kick off their non conference schedule. Next year this will be a conference game as both teams will head to the new big ten hockey conference. With all the returning talent the Gophers have, you would expect them to win this series. Gophers Sweep.
St.
Could St. @ New Hampshire
Coach Motzko and his team of Huskies mush their
way across the country to New Hampshire to begin their 2012 campaign. Last year the Wildcats finished 11-14-2 in
Hockey East and 15-19-3 overall, so they were down a bit from normal, while the
Huskies finished 12-12-4 in the WCHA and 17-17-5 overall, they were even
stevens. I’m going to wimp out and call
this series a SPLIT.
Northern
Michigan @ Wisconsin
The Wildcats from Marquette head down south to
Madison to take on the Badgers. Last
season the boys from NMU finished 11-11-6-3 in the CCHA and 17-14-6 overall,
compared to the guys from UW who went 11-15-2 in the WCHA and 17-18-2
overall. I’m inclined to call this
series even based on last year’s numbers.
SPLIT.Exhibition Game
US
U-18 @ North Dakota
The USA development team travels to Grand Forks
this year to take on NoDak. The last
time they were in GF was back in December 2010, when the Sioux won 2-1 in that
game. UND will most likely be playing
everyone that is dressed to play, to get everyone some ice time and
experience. ND Wins. US U-18 @ Bemidji State University. BSU Wins.
IceBreaker
Tournament (Kansas City, Missouri)
Nebraska-Omaha
vs Army
The Mavericks could be considered the home team
in this contest, give their proximity to this tournament. Given that last season the Black Knights
finished 4-23-7 overall, I have to give the advantage to UNO in this tilt. Mavericks Win
Notre
Dame vs Maine
The Irish finish the 11-12 season with a
19-18-3 overall mark, and the Black Bears owned a 23-14-3 overall mark. I’m going with the Black Bears to chase off
the Irish. Maine Wins
Thus that gives me UM vs UNO for the
championship, I’ll take the Black Bears to win the tournament. Then that leaves ND vs Army, and I’ll take
the Irish in that game.
Kendall
Hockey Classic (hosted in Anchorage, Alaska)
Canisius
vs Alaska-Anchorage
The Golden Griffins from Buffalo, NY finished
last season with a 10-22-4 overall record.
The Seawolves finished the 11-12 campaign with a 9-25-2 record. I’ll pick the home team here. Seawolves Win
Air
Force vs Alaska
Last year the Falcons from Air Force won the
Atlantic Hockey regular season title with a 15-6-6 AH record and where 21-11-7
overall. The Nanooks from Fairbanks,
didn’t fare as well, going 8-16-4 in the CCHA and 12-20-4 overall. Falcons Win
Then the teams switch in this tournament –
Canisius
vs Alaska – I’ll take the Nanooks in this Saturday game.
Air
Force vs Alaska-Anchorage – I’ll take the Falcons in this game.
