We have our first official WCHA games this
weekend with MTU hosting UM in Houghton.
We also really get cracking with the “official” start of the season,
with a slew of non-conference and tournaments.
Maybe college hockey will gain a few more fans this season with the NHL
still not playing games, with their lock-out.
On a completely different tangent, I would like
to take this paragraph and say thanks to the Goon. Last week he and I went out to the “hunting
shack” (the “t” is silent in hunting by the way) bird hunting. We shot some nice ducks and some humungous
canadain geese. It was relaxing time
away from work and the big city (I think Fargo is getting big enough,
ugh). Thanks Goon! (Thanks to Dakota Dog too, for retrieving all
those birds.)
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………..
WCHA
Games
#1 Minnesota
@ Michigan Tech
Last weekend the Gophers stomped Michigan State
by scores of 5-1 and 7-1 in Minneapolis and last Thursday, the 11th,
the Huskies lost their opener to Upper Peninsula rival Northern Michigan, 4-2,
in Marquette.
Now that both teams have gotten legitimate
games under their belts, the first game jitters should be out of the way. These games also are the first of the last
WCHA season (well the WCHA as it currently is). Last December these teams played one series
in Minneapolis with the Huskies winning the opener 3-2 in OT and the Gophers
winning the closer 6-2. This time it’s
Tech has the home ice, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Huskies give
Minnesota all the can handle, with second year coach Pearson’s leading the
pack. Gophers 3-pts.
#13 Minnesota-Duluth
@ #9 Notre Dame (Thurs/Fri)
Last weekend the Bulldogs split with Ohio State
in Duluth with UMD winning the opener 6-2 and the Buckeyes getting even on
Saturday winning 3-2. Notre Dame beat
Maine 1-0 and then beat Nebraska-Omaha 3-2 in the IceBreaker in Kansas City.
Since this season is still in its infancy, I’m
not sure what to expect with the rankings teams have, but it the pollsters are
close, this should be a heckuva match-up.
I’m going to call it a split.
#19 Colorado
College @ Air Force (Fri)
Last weekend the Tigers swept Clarkson in
Colorado Springs by identical 5-4 scores and Air Force tied Alaska and
Alaska-Anchorage by identical scores of 3-3 in the Kendall Hockey Classic in
Anchorage.
This game is literally across town affair. Even though it is non-conference, it’s always
nice to win and have bragging rights around town. Tigers
Win.
#10 Massachusetts-Lowell
@ #7 Denver (Fri)
Last weekend the River Hawks tied Vermont 1-1 in
Lowell and the Pioneers were off last weekend.
With the Pioneers only having one “unofficial”
game under their belt, I’m not sure how this one will play out. But you know me; I got to go with the WCHA
while I can, Pioneers Win.
#10
Massachusetts-Lowell @ #19 Colorado College (Sat)
After playing the Pioneers on Friday, the River
Hawks travel down the road an hour or so to play the Tigers. I’m going with the higher ranked team in this
match-up, River Hawks Win.
Air
Force @ #7 Denver (Sat)
I’m going with the Pioneers in this match-up;
DU has just too much depth for the Falcons to match them. DU Wins
Rensselaer
@ Minnesota State
Last weekend the Engineers beat and tied Ferris
State, 3-1 and 2-2, and the Mavericks beat and tied the UAH Chargers, with
scores of 4-1 and 2-2 in Huntsville.
I don’t much about the Engineers, other than I
like their name J,
so just going with that I’m going to say a SPLIT
is on tap for this series.
Alabama-Huntsville
@ St. Could St.
Last weekend the Chargers lost and tied the
Minnesota State Mavericks and the Huskies were swept by the New Hampshire Wildcats in Durham.
Last season the Chargers managed to get 2 wins
all season and 1 tie, losing all the rest.
I’m not sure things are going to fair any better this year for the boys
down south. Huskies Sweep
#17 Northern
Michigan @ Nebraska-Omaha
Last weekend the Wildcats swept the Wisconsin
Badgers in Marquette by scores of 2-1 and 4-2 and the UNO Mavericks beat Army
5-1 and lost to Notre Dame 3-2 in the IceBreaker in Kansas City.
Those of you that are old enough remember the
days when NMU was in the WCHA, and UNO didn’t have a D1 program. The Mavericks will no doubt want to bounce
back after losing the championship game last weekend. This means trying to take out their
frustration this weekend on the visiting Wildcats. I think they will get a win, but not two, SPLIT.
#2 North
Dakota vs Alaska-Anchorage (Fri)
Last weekend NoDak beat the US U-18 team 6-4 in
Grand Forks and the Seawolves beat Canisius 2-0 and tied Air Force 3-3 in the
Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage.
This will be the first of three games between
these teams in a two weekend span, this one is non-conference game, and next
weekend they play a pair of WCHA games in Grand Forks. It is early and the flight up North is a long
one, but in the end, NoDak has just too talent for the Seawolves. NoDak
Wins
Merrimack
vs Alaska (Fri)
I’ll take the home team, Nanooks win.
#2 North
Dakota vs Alaska (Sat)
Last weekend the Nanooks tied Air Force 3-3 and
lost to Canisius 3-1 in the Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage.
The Nanooks (I like their jersey’s) will have
the home crowd advantage. It will give
them some inspiration, but that doesn’t win games, goals do. NoDak
Wins
Merrimack
vs Alaska-Anchorage (Sat)
Last weekend the Warriors lost to fellow Hockey
East foe Northeastern 4-2.
The Seawolves will not be heading south (not but
once, maybe twice, a year I can say that) empty this weekend, Seawolves Win
BYE
WEEK
Bemidji
St.Wisconsin
