Coach Serratore just breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that his top player Matt Read is coming back next season for his senior year. Also, good news (or bad news, depending how you look at it) for WCHA fans will get to chance to see Matt Read play for the Beavers.
As collegiate hockey teams end their seasons each year, a list develops naming the players who decided to leave school early to sign professional contracts.
This year was no exception: Jordan Schroeder from Minnesota; Marc Cheverie, Patrick Wiercioch and Joe Colborne of Denver; and Zach Dalpe of Ohio State, to name a few, gave up collegiate eligibility to sign with the pros.
For most of Bemidji State’s 11-year history as a NCAA Division I program, the early departures were mainly high draft choices from the elite programs in the nation. Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan and the like routinely lost high-end players each year.
Bemidji State lost its first player to the pros last year as goalie Matt Dalton gave up his final two years of college eligibility to sign with the Boston Bruins organization. Dalton’s signing, however, was the result of spectacular stretch run to end the regular season and an amazing drive to the Frozen Four.
But this year, things were different. This time around there was a local connection; a player who was on everyone’s radar from Day 1 of the season.
At Bemidji State, speculation swirled around junior center Matt Read and whether he would return for his senior season. Professional scouts were in attendance at every game the Beavers played this year, evaluating Read, whom head coach Tom Serratore called the most sought-after junior year free agent in the nation.
Read, who became Bemidji State’s first NCAA Division I All-American on Friday, ended all the speculation this week.
“It was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Read said. “As of now, I’m coming back to Bemidji State to complete my degree and play my final year of college hockey. Something very monumental would have to happen for that to change.
“I turned down some good offers from National Hockey League teams. It all came down to should I play in the NHL now, or come back to BSU and get my degree. Right now, I think it’s the best thing to come back.”
[Bemidji Pioneer]
I was watching the B.C. and UW title game last night and it was eerily similar to the UND and B.C. game that took place on April 10th, 2008 during a NCAA Frozen Four Semifinal game where UND was spanked, thrashed or run over 6-1 by the freewheeling B.C. Eagles. Last night was no different; the Badgers were a step behind or left chasing the Eagles all night. While I am not using the ice as an excuse for why the Badgers lost, I would have like to see this game on a traditional venue and not in some sweaty football stadium. As I have said in the past I am not a fan of hockey games played outdoors or on nontraditional places. I have had enough of the Winter Classics; just give me more hockey and less gimmick.
As a fan of college hockey I was disappointed with the ice conditions at Ford Field, they had to know going into this game that this was going to be a problem. I am going to go ahead and call the ice conditions an EPIC fail for the NCAA. Sure the NC$$ will look at this as a win because they sold 37,000 seats for the championship game but the fans were cheated because of sloppy ice and that is unacceptable for a NCAA championship. I can't except horrible ice conditions, the NC$$ has to be better and demand perfection. The fans deserve it.
The person that decided that the Frozen Four should be in a football stadium should be slapped, let's not do that again. Pucks were bouncing all over the place and it affected the flow and quality of the game.
Questions going forward
First off I am not a fan of the two week break between the regional championship and the Frozen Four. Having to wait an extra week is a momentum killer and I would rather see the week off after the conference championships. Here is why I say that, the WCHA regular season is a meat grinder and the extra week off between the conference tourney and the NCAA playoffs would be more beneficial than the week off between the NCAA regional’s and the Frozen Four.
I don’t like having teams that back into the NCAA tourney waiting to play a team that played in their conference tourney the week before. Think about it, how many times have we seen a team that took a week off because they lost in their first round matchup win their first NCAA tourney game? Is it really fair that a team that was the loser of their conference tourney be rewarded with a week to rest up for their first round match up in the NCAA tourney?
I also don’t buy the argument that if the NCAA hockey tourney was on the same week as the Final Four it would cut into the basketball tourney attendance or whatever lame excuse the NC$$ uses for having the Frozen Four a week later. Hockey is a niche sport and you might be drawing from two different fan bases and demographics. I personally wouldn’t walk across the street to watch a free basketball game and I didn’t watch the Final Four. Butler who?
So what do we gleam from this weekend results? I don’t know if we figured out anything. Boston College proved yet again that they are the best team in college hockey, when they had to be. Boston College loaded up on little trolls speedsters under 5’9” and were able to break race through around the vaunted Wisconsin Defense. In the end Wisconsin's goaltending let them down, if Wisconsin had a weakness and there wasn't many, it was their goal tending duo of Scott Gudmandson (20-5-4, 2.33 GAA and SV % .913) and Brett Bennett (8-6-0, 2.82 GAA SV% .885) this was not a team that had a Brian Elliot to bail them out.
In retrospect I think this season college hockey was down compared to years past. While the WCHA was again the best conference all season long, the regular season again took a toll on the teams at the end of the season. The McNaughton Cup proved to be an anchor as the last three teams went 0-9 from the Final Five on. I am thinking that maybe they should send the cup back to Michigan Tech and let it sit in a display case on the scrap heap of history. Maybe teams will decline it from now on.
The Denver Pioneers lost another player as their all-star goalie Marc Cheverie will forgo his final year of college eligibility to sign a professional contract with the Florida Panthers.
Players leaving early in the WCHA
Denver Pioneers(3)
Joe Colborne, So, F, Boston Bruins
Patrick Wiercioch, So, D, Ottawa Senators
Marc Cheverie, Jr, G, Florida Panthers
Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves(2)
Lee Baldwin, Fr, D, New York Rangers
Bryce Christianson, Jr, G, Stockton (ECHL)
Minnesota Gophers(1)
Jordan Schroeder, So, F, Vancouver Canucks
Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs(1)
Rob Bordson, Jr, F, Anaheim Ducks
SUNRISE, FL – Florida Panthers General Manager Randy Sexton announced today that the club has agreed to terms on an entry level contract with G Marc Cheverie.
“We are very pleased to have reached a contract agreement with Marc,” said Sexton. “He is very talented prospect who we believe will have a bright future in our organization. He has gained tremendous experience while playing at the University of Denver and we look forward to his continued growth and development as a member of the Florida Panthers.”
Cheverie, 23, was recently selected as one of the top ten candidates for the 2010 Hockey Baker Award, honoring college hockey’s top player, after finishing the season as the national leader in wins (24), save percentage (.937) and shutouts (6). The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native posted a 24-4-3 overall mark while playing for the University of Denver this season, helping his team earn the No. 1 ranking in the Division I standings.
The four-time Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week claimed the WCHA goaltending title with a 2.05 goals against average in league play. Cheverie is the sixth Pioneer to earn league MVP honors, joining Jerry Walker (1961), Keith Magnuson (1968), Ron Grahame (1973), Dallas Gaume (1986) and Matt Carle (2006). Cheverie was also honored as the WCHA Player of the Year, College Hockey News Player of the Year and Inside College Hockey (INCH) Goaltender of the Year.
Cheverie was drafted by Florida in the seventh round (193rd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
This is one of the reasons I was not excited about having the Frozen Four in an indoor football stadium in April. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out tonight. The Badgers played Michigan at Camp Randall on February 6th 2010. I read reports about the ice there as well so the Badgers might have the advantage this weekend.
DETROIT — Perhaps the biggest challenge in staging the NCAA Frozen Four inside a gigantic football stadium revealed itself in a 36-hour span earlier this week.
Dan Craig, the ice quality guru for the NHL, left Ford Field Monday night knowing the in-house temperature was 55 degrees and the humidity was at 40 percent. In other words, just about perfect.
When the four teams — the University of Wisconsin, Boston College, Miami (Ohio) and Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology — showed up to practice on the temporary ice sheet Wednesday morning, the temperature was pushing 60 and the humidity was 62 percent.
“Humidity is not a friend,” Craig said.
That was evident during the four, one-hour practices. The ice was gooey and pucks bounced. The players weren’t impressed.
“It’s not the best ice,” RIT defenseman Dan Ringwald said after the first practice.
“It wasn’t great,” Miami winger Tommy Wingels said after the last practice.
So what will happen today when 30,000-plus fans show up?
“We know there’s a cold front moving in,” Craig said, “so I’ve been saying my prayers at night hoping it gets here a little quicker.”
Usually the Frozen Four is one of my favorite events in college hockey. This season I am having a hard time getting fired up for the Frozen Four. This season the Frozen Four is going to be played at a NFL venue, Ford Field. Color me unenthused. I would rather see the game at the Joe instead of Ford Field. Taking it further, I think playing a hockey game in a football field or outdoors on a baseball park or at a football stadium is a gimmick. That being said there is a good field of teams in the Frozen Four and I am going to be pulling for the Wisconsin Badgers 27-10-4 to bring home the hardware for the WCHA.
Matchups
NCAA Semifinal (1): The Wisconsin Badgers (27-10-4, 17-8-3 WCHA) face off against RIT Tigers (28-11-1, 22-5-1 Atlantic Hockey) RIT is this season's NCAA Division 1 Hockey version of Cinderella and their glass slipper will be shattered as the Wisconsin Badgers will advance to Saturday’s title game in convincing fashion. Game is Thursday on ESPN 2 at 4:00PM CT.
NCAA Semifinal (2): The Miami University RedHawks (29-7-7, 21-2-5-2 CCHA) face off in the second game against the Boston College Eagles (27-10-3, 16-8-3 Hockey East) This game is a rematch of the March 25th 2007 game where the Eagles shut out the Miami RedHawks 4-0 in Manchester, NH and the rematch of the March 30th 2008 game where the Eagles won in O.T. 4-3 in Worcester, MA. First off the game will not be a home game for the Eagles (Worcester or Manchester) and I predict the RedHawks will get sweet revenge on the Boston College Eagles, the RedHawks defensive style of play will slow down the speedy Eagles and win 3-1. Game is Thursday on ESPN 2 at 7:30 PM CT.
Links
Detroit Free Press; Detroiter Cameron Burt comes full circle to play for title
According to Guy Flaming from the Pipeline show, Vandy is close to getting his contract signed. It will be interesting to see how Chris VandeVelde does in the professional ranks.
The Pipeline Show has learned that the contract between the Edmonton Oilers and prospect Chris Vande Velde is to be settled on Sunday. The timing sounds a bit odd considering the holiday but since the deal was apparently very close to being inked on Tuesday evening, it's already a bit overdue.
The Springfield Falcons have just three games remaining on their schedule this season, the next coming on Friday night in Providence. In fact, the AHL club completes its Oilers affiliation next weekend with three games in three days finishing at home on Sunday against Manchester.
According to Stanley Cup of Chowder former DU Pioneer Joe Colborne had two points in his professional debute.
- Joe Colborne had 2 assists in his pro debut on Friday night for the Providence Bruins. The Baby B's beat the Worcester Sharks 3-1 .
Philadelphia and Toronto among the NHL teams with interest in Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens.
The talk of having an NHL franchise return to Winnipeg is not going away and keeps popping up in the Canadian media and blogspehere almost daily. I am telling the nay sayers that an NHL team returning to Winnipeg is a possibility.
In some ways, if the Coyotes do stay in Phoenix — and that’s still an if when you’re dealing with politicians and lease concessions until the transaction between the NHL and either Ice Edge or Jerry Reinsdorf is signed, sealed and delivered — it will only help Winnipeg’s chances in the long run.
How can it help Winnipeg’s chances, you rightfully ask?
That’s simple. Chipman and company are playing the game the way the NHL want it to be played.
That means no outlandish quotes in the press and no season ticket deposits being accepted before the NHL has rubber stamped a move.
Chipman has succeeded on that front, to the point the NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly went on record saying discussions have been held with Chipman and billionaire David Thomson for quite some time and that Winnipeg could be a viable market, should the need arise down the road.
There was always something about the prospect of the Coyotes returning to their birthplace that intrigued many in this city — and province, for that matter.
You know, the theory that this could right a past wrong.
[Winnipeg Sun]
For all of those people that think Dean Blais is going to ride into Minneapolis on a white horse and lead Minnesota to the Promised Land think again. Today the University of Omaha Nebraska just locked him up till the 2014-2015 season. That doesn't look like a coach that is looking to go some where else. [Audio of Trev on 1620 AM the Zone ]
We are thrilled by the progress the team made under Dean's leadership in his first season as head coach," said Alberts. "By extending his contract, we hope to bring further stability to the position and give Dean and his staff a better opportunity to put their mark on the program through recruiting and player development."
Blais led the Mavericks to a 20-16-6 record in 2009-10 including a record of 13-12-3-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, good for a sixth-place finish. It was the fourth 20-win season in UNO history and the first since the 2005-06 season. The Mavericks won the opening round of the CCHA playoffs with a 2-0 series win over Bowling Green before losing to Ferris State, 2-0, in the second-round series. Eleven UNO players had career years in 2009-10.
"The university is clearly committed to the success of the hockey program, and I am committed to the job we began here last season," said Blais. "My wife and I have come to enjoy Omaha and with this extension, I anticipate being able to finish my head coaching career here at UNO."
Blais is just the second head coach in UNO hockey history, following Mike Kemp who started the program in 1996 and became an associate athletic director at UNO in 2009. Blais is a two-time winner of the Spencer Penrose Memorial Award given to the top coach in Division I men's college hockey. The native of International Falls, Minn. guided the University of North Dakota to national championships in 1997 and 2000 and Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004. He was named the WCHA Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
In January of 2010, Blais guided the U.S. National Junior Team to a Gold Medal in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, just the second gold medal ever earned by the U.S. squad. During the 2008-09 season, Blais was named 2009 United States Hockey League Coach of the Year after guiding the expansion Fargo Force to the Clark Cup Finals, emblematic of playoff supremacy in the USHL.
Blais worked in the National Hockey League as an assistant coach and Director of Player Development for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2005-07.
Also today, UNO Chancellor John Christensen announced that Alberts has agreed in principle to a contract extension through the 2014-2015 academic year. Alberts was named to the position on April 29, 2009, succeeding David Miller. In addition to hiring Blais, Alberts is responsible for the move by the hockey team from the CCHA to the WCHA beginning with the 2010-2011 season.
"Trev has done an outstanding job in his relatively short time leading the athletic department," said Dr. Christensen. "He has defined a clear vision for UNO athletics and has worked proactively to achieve that goal.
"By extending his contract to run concurrently with Dean's, we have brought stability to the department and put both men in position to continue to build our hockey program." [Mav Puck] [Omaha.com]
It wouldn't surprise me one bit if Marc Cheverie left DU after the season he had this past season. At the current time Cheverie’s stock couldn't be higher and after his performance this season I would bet willing to bet that Florida doesn't want to risk losing him.
From what I’m hearing, DU has a better chance of losing junior goalie Marc Cheverie than sophomores Joe Colborne and Patrick Wiercioch. In fact, I’ve heard Cheverie will definitely forgo his final year of collegiate eligibility and sign with the Florida Panthers.
Colborne (drafted 16th overall by Boston in 2008) and Wiercioch (42nd by Ottawa in 2008) might not be physically ready for the challenges of the NHL, but Chevy is, and Florida – which drafted him in the seventh round in 2006 – must sign him now or risk losing him to free agency.
That means another 6-foot-3 goalie that prefers No. 1 on his sweater will succeed Chevy, or at least try to succeed Chevy in a platoon system with sophomore-to-be Adam Murray. In coach George Gwozdecky’s 16-year tenure at DU, Murray was the first 18-year-old goalie to join the program as a freshman. Sam Brittian will be the second. [Denver Post hockey blog]
Sean Backman has signed a professional contract with the Dallas Stars.
DALLAS—The Dallas Stars have signed former Yale forward Sean Backman to a one-year contract.
The 23-year-old Backman was a three-time all-Ivy League choice at Yale, where he was second on the team and 13th nationally with 21 goals last season. He scored 126 points in 122 games during his four-year Yale career.
Backman led Yale in scoring his first two seasons. He played with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League before playing for Yale. [Boston Globe]
With most of us still feeling the sting of yesterday’s loss I have started to reflect on this past season. There were a lot of up and downs this past season. The biggest downer was the loss our senior captain Chay Genoway to a dirty hit. There was the off season suspension of junior Matt Frattin and his subsequent reinstatement of the Fighting Sioux hockey team at the Christmas vacation break. The unimpressive 5-7-2 record through December and January. The sweep at home to the hands of the Denver Pioneers. That was a very bitter pill to for all of us to swallow, but it also woke up the Fighting Sioux team. That went 12-1 down the stretch (12-2 the last 14 games) to make the NCAA tourney. The UND Fighting Sioux went from 6th place to finishing with one point out of third place.
Season in Retrospect
As with end of every Fighting Sioux the season, there will be some fans that want to question the coaching methodologies of Fighting Sioux head hockey coach Dave Hakstol, most of us will try to put things into perspective, try this on for size, the Fighting Sioux coaching staff took a team of 13 sophomores and freshman and won the Broadmoor Trophy from the Thursday game of the final five.
Most of the teams playing in the Final Five had rosters loaded with juniors and seniors (Wisconsin 6 seniors and 8 juniors – Denver 6 Seniors and 10 juniors – SCSU 5 seniors and 9 juniors). UND had 6 juniors and 3 seniors, one senior Chay Genoway played in 9 games this year before his season was cut short by injury. I am not real good at math but that tells me the Fighting Sioux although young have better days ahead of them. DU, Wisconsin and SCSU are loosing some elite players this off season.
I was always told by Gophers fans that one method of measuring success for a season was if your team won a league playoff title. Well there you go... Some will say that I am trying to spread sunshine on a disaster. So be it, there is a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward to next season.
Think about this final thought, the UND Fighting Sioux lost an all American and potential Hobey Baker Memorial Award canidate, maybe final three in Chay Genoway from their line up and still won 25 games, I don't know about you but that is a pretty good coaching job in my opinion. Lastly, I will also miss the two seniors that have played their last game of their Fighting Sioux careers.
Here is the latest from Coming down the Pipe. I suppose that the Oiler will want to get Vandy into their system since his college career is over.
The upsets continue at the NCAA hockey tournament as UND fell to Yale 3-2. Meanwhile, RIT continues it's improbable run with a 6-2 pasting of Northeastern to earn a spot in the final four. Miami will meet Michigan tomorrow after both teams avoided upsets, while Boston College did the same.
The Fighting Sioux loss means that Chris VandeVelde's college career has come to and end, and should be on his way to Springfield to play out the string with the Falcons.
Meanwhile according to the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson, Jeff Petry isn't eligible to play in the NHL this season because his NHL contract doesn't start until next year. [the Pipe Line Show]
Here are the highlights from yesterday's game. I don’t know there wasn’t a lot to be happy about and it was a disappointing end to a pretty good season. I thought UND played good for 20 minutes and that is not a good recipe to advance in a one and done tourney.
What the UND Fighting Sioux didn’t do yesterday
The Fighting Sioux turned the puck over time after time in critical situations and you can’t do that against a speed team like Yale.
The Sioux failed to get pucks deep all game long and it cost them a few times. The Sioux didn't also get a chance to cycle the puck and set up in the offensive zone.
The Fighting Sioux defenders let the man go and the Yale players dance around in the slot all afternoon and that can’t happen if you want to win a hockey game.
The second and third goals were brutal and Brad Eidsness needs to be better and cover his short side post. Also, someone needs to work with him on not over playing pucks coming off the back wall.
Lastly, when the Fighting Sioux were going to go on a 5 on 3 and Jason Gregoire checks the Yale player from behind, that was a horrible move by Gregoire, it cost the Fighting Sioux a 5 on 3 power play and there was no reason to hit that guy from behind. Yeah I do think the Yale player dove.
Comments are on moderation
You might have noticed that comments have been put on moderation until further notice; a couple of trolls have ruined it for everyone. Some trolls have shown up to beat their chest after UND lost to Yale. Most of these trolls that are beating their chest are fans of teams that were eliminated long ago.
No matter how you slice it UND had a decent season, they won the Final Five from the Thursday play in game, a feat only accomplished one other time before, the year before by the UMD Bulldogs. The Fighting Sioux made the NCAA tourney a feat that six other teams in the WCHA didn't accomplish. We could have been a team that was hosting a regional that didn't make the tourney. UND almost got a number one seed after being in 6th place in the WCHA with about a month and a half to go in the season. The Fighting Sioux were one of the youngest teams in the WCHA this season so no matter how you slice it they will be a force to be reckoned with next year. I would say that the Fighting Sioux might have over achieved this year. Does it hurt that our team went out and had another epic fail in the first round to an ECAC team. Sure it does. Losing sucks, in any sport. It sucks even more if your team is from the University of New Hampshire and you are processing the loss to RIT this morning. Good for the Yale Bulldogs good for RIT.
I stand by anything that I have written on this blog or anyone of the others bloggers that write for this blog. I mean seriously some people need to get a grip. I don’t have to let you post objectionable stuff me or the other writers on this blog. Like Redwing77 said the other day this is a Fighting Sioux fan blog and it’s written for Fighting Sioux fans, there is no God given right to come on here and act like an ass.
Personally I still would love to see round two of the UND and Yale match up, I think 8/10 times the Sioux win that game. Good for Yale they won; congrats to them, however, they still are going to have a very tough time getting past Boston College today. Anything can happen in a one and done hockey tourney. Yale caught a rundown Fighting Sioux hockey team. Also, good for RIT, they finally won two out of conference match after going 0-6 during the regular season.
Mission statement: This blog is dedicated to UND Fighting Sioux hockey, the NHL, NCAA hockey, the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. I will write about the Fighting Sioux hockey from a UND fan perspective. It is what it is. There will be on moderation of comments until further notice. I will take it off moderation at a time of my choosing. I thank all of the people that read this blog and got a lot of positive feed back from fans that read this blog at the Final Five. I want to thank them for reading our blog.
The NCAA tourney is a one and done tourney, lose and your team goes home... BUZZ Kill - sure, that's the finality of the NCAA hockey tourney, the season for the 2009-2010 Fighting Sioux is over. There is no tomrrow. Thanks for the memories. Go Fighting Sioux...
“It hasn’t 100 percent sunk in yet that our season is done,” UND forward Jason Gregoire said. “When it’s one game and your done, it’s really frustrating to come out like that. It’s tough. A lot of guys know they are coming back, but for the seniors, it’s really unbelievable. I feel so much for them. It’s really a tough thing.”
Chris VandeVelde and Darcy Zajac played in their final game as members of the Sioux. UND’s only other senior, Chay Genoway, could apply for a medical redshirt. Genoway suffered a concussion in November and never returned the rest of the season. [Grand Forks Herald]
RWD's favorite college hockey beat writer Brad Schlossman has the lines up for this afternoon's game.
UND's lines
17 Jason Gregoire--29 Chris VandeVelde--26 Brett Hextall
19 Evan Trupp--Brad Malone--21 Matt Frattin
10 Corban Knight--11 Darcy Zajac--7 Danny Kristo
13 Brett Bruneteau--9 Mario Lamoureux--27 Carter Rowney
2 Andrew MacWilliam--24 Ben Blood
3 Derrick LaPoint--25 Jake Marto
15 Brent Davidson--4 Corey Fienhage
19 Denny Kearney--10 Kevin Limbert--14 Broc Little
29 Antoine Laganiere--8 Josh Balch--59 Chad Ziegler
9 Brian O'Neill--26 Mark Arcobello--17 Andrew Miller
44 Jeff Anderson--22 Brendan Mason--11 Charles Brockett
21 Colin Dueck--7 Mike Matczak
15 Tim Dignard--5 Nick Jaskowiak
25 Ryan Donald--2 Jimmy Martin
RIT 2 vs. Denver 1 --- The Denver Pioneers looked listless and uninspired and pathetic against the upstart RIT Tigers from the AHA. The Pioneers body language made them look as if they didn’t want to be there and they looked tight and frustrated all day. Going into the game Denver University was the heavy favorite against an undermanned opponent, some had suggested that there was no way DU would lose this game. RIT made the NCAA Division 1 hockey tourney in their 5th season of existence. this season by winning their league tourney.
Analysis: First off DU was a good team this past season and won the league with relative ease, congrats on a good season. That being said, I was on records as saying the DU pioneers were a one line team their top line of Rakhshani-Ruesgegger-Colborne and they had fourty five percent of the Pioneers offense you have got to have balance to win a NCAA title or at least advance to the Frozen Four. This season the Pioneers had no balance what so ever. Also DU won a lot of games when they had left their goaltender out to dry. It’s no mystery that the Pioneers relied heavily on their goaltender Marc Cheverie.
[Box Score]
New Hampshire 6 vs. Cornell 2 --- UNH and Cornell University had met earlier in the season and the Big Red ran the Wildcats out of their own building 5-2. Last night’s game was a totally different result as the UNH Wild cats made Cornell look like a bunch of pylons and the Big Red didn’t resemble the team that came into the game ranked 2nd defensively in the nation. Coming into the game Cornell hadn’t give up more than 5 goals the whole season.
Analysis: If you would have told me that UNH (University of No Hardware) would have won the game against Cornell I would have told you to put down the pipe. Coming into the game Cornell Senior goalie Ben Scrivens had and impressive record of 21-9-4 and a GAA of 1.87 and Save Percentage of .934 and had an impressive 19 shutouts for his career.
[Box Score]
NCAA West Regional
Vermont 2 vs. Wisconsin 3 --- This game was a bit of a snooze feast and the Badgers really poured it on in the second period but the UVM goalie Rob Madore kept the Catamounts from getting shelled and run out of the half empty building. If Wisconsin has a weakness this season it’s their goaltending and they were lucky that Scott Gudmandson’s questionable play didn’t cost them the game and he will have to be on his game tonight against the now 1-8 for the NCAA tourney the SCSU Huskies. Line for Line Wisconsin was the much better team and even when they went down by a goal you had a feeling they were going to pull it off.
Analysis: This past season I thought that Wisconsin was the better team in the WCHA; even when the Pioneers were wrapping up the regular season title. The Badgers have a very talented blue line that is stocked with first and second round draft choices. I don’t see any weaknesses in this team other than their two questionable goaltenders.
[Box Score]
Northern Michigan 3 vs. St. Cloud State 4 (2ot) --- If I had to bet money on this game I would have lost some money because the smart money said SCSU 0-8 for the NCAA tourney and now they are 1-8. I watched some of this game on delayed broadcast and listened to the overtime periods on the KVSC 88.1 yesterday.
Analysis: I am surprised that Bob Motzko keeps insisting on coming back with Mike Lee in net, from what I can see in my humble opinion that Dan Dunn is the better of the two goalies. I have watched Mike Lee play against the Fighting Sioux 3 times this season and he was God awful and gave up 14 goals in three games. I am just not getting the hype this season I have not been impressed with the freshman goalie. Is Lee a good goaltender? Well yeah, I think he has a lot of potential to be very good; but he is not a world beater. I thought Lee was unimpressive in the WJC tourney as well and had to be pulled from the WJC final.
This is good news for the WCHA after being shutout last season and having none of their teams make the Frozen Four the WCHA will have at least one representive at the NCAA Frozen Four this season in Detroit.
Bruce McLeod had a smile on his face in the lower level of the Xcel Energy Center late Friday night.
The WCHA commissioner had just seen St. Cloud State and Wisconsin advance to Saturday night’s West Regional final, meaning the league would have at least one team in the Frozen Four. North Dakota opens Northeast Regional play against Yale on Saturday; Denver was bounced from the tournament by RIT on Friday.
After the league failed to send a team to the Frozen Four last season, there was some pretty good reason for relief for McLeod, who confirmed that, yes, he would sleep better Friday night knowing that his league would have a team in Detroit. [USCHO.COM]
UND coach Dave Hakstol's features talented scorers, but the latest edition of the Sioux demonstrate a depth that makes them an especially strong contender for a trip to Detroit two weeks from now. In their remarkable run trough the WCHA Tournament, several different players score timely goals for the Sioux, meanwhile junior Evan Trupp scored three goals and assisted on three others in their three wins in the Final Five.
"On any given night it's going to be a different player that steps forward and makes a great play to help us win," UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "That's the kind of team we have, and it hasn't just been that way over the last few weeks - that's the way it's been all year. Any time we've had a chance to win, it's been with everybody playing well."
Title central. With a combined five conference championships, the East Regional is the beast of the NCAA Tournament.
DU is the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season champion. Second-seeded Cornell is the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoff champion. Third-seeded New Hampshire is Hockey East’s regular-season champion, and fourth-seeded RIT won the Atlantic Hockey Association regular-season and playoff titles.
No teams from other regionals combined to win as many conference championships
Sioux fan tournament prediction bias [Sioux Sports]
Yale has rotated goaltenders for much of the season, with 4 different netminders getting time in net. Senior Billy Blase (10 gp, 2.37, .901) will likely get the start against North Dakota, but don’t be surprised to see Freshman Nick Maricic (14 gp, 2.95, .888) as well.
Second-seeded North Dakota is bigger: Its top three goal scorers are 6 foot 2, 5 foot 11 and 5 foot 11. The Bulldogs are 5 foot 9, 5 foot 9 and 5 foot 8.
North Dakota is more experienced: It has been to the NCAA Tournament for eight consecutive years. The Elis are making their fourth trip in their program’s history.
And, of course, North Dakota is the favorite: The Las Vegas Hilton gives the Fighting Sioux 8-1 odds to win the entire NCAA Tournament. Yale? A distant 40-1.
The Bulldogs know all this, and they’re fine with it.
“They’re obviously the favorites,” left winger Denny Kearney ’11 said. “But we’re embracing the underdog title.”
Traditional Powers Headline NCAA Northeast Regional [Fan House]
Yale’s Allain seeks to lead his Bulldogs to NCAA win in hometown [Telegram]
Bitter much? Yawn! Virg Foss was a sports writer for over 30 years I think I am going to respect his word, he has earned that credibility. So what fan base do you think this genius come from?
GATZKE, Minn. —- Virg Foss’ Herald column, as inane and rambling as it is, could be excused as the rantings of someone who is losing it, except that there has been no change throughout Foss’ career.
UND’s last game of its three-game series with the University of Minnesota is a prime example. Hard-hitting, yes, many of which were good, clean hits. Many more were of the cheap, head-hunting variety. The hit by UND’s Matt Frattin, which both Foss and Herald staff writer Brad Schlossman seek to excuse, was just the worst of many.
Had this hit been delivered by a U of M player against UND, those writers, the UND coaching staff and other Herald sportswriters would have screamed to high heaven. They certainly would have demanded that the hitter be ejected from the game (he should have been), suspended for at least three games and quite probably boiled in oil and drawn and quartered.
Where is the writer’s righteous indignation now?
Be careful what you wish for, Mr Foss. We agree that the officiating should get much stricter. But your beloved UND would suffer more than any team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association from such a change.
I believe Foss missed his true calling. He chooses to see only what he wants to see and to remember only what he chooses to remember. In other words, he would have made a terrific politician.
By the way, given that a name change at UND now is long overdue, until permanent changes are made in the conduct of UND hockey, it would so appropriate to wear “UND Goons” jerseys.
Picture from Save UAH Hockey Last summer and last fall I wrote a few articles about UAH Chargers and their not being accepted to the CCHA. Since UAH has made the NCAA tourney I thought maybe I would bring up a few of the blog posts that I wrote last summer on the issue, Goon's World is a fan UAH and wants only the best for this program. I also think people have short memories or are revisionists when it comes to history and this should refresh people's memories. I have said it more than once that the reason they were snubbed were flimsy at best and stunk of elitism. Like I said before when UAH was rejected that I smelled bullshit and I still do. Ironically UAH begins the season with Notre Dame (which isn’t in the tourney ) and draws Miami University which is 0-3-0 against the CHA teams this season.
The CHA argument.
I was thinking about the CHA and its 11 years of existence. Unfortunately the CHA will disband after 11 seasons of play. With the CHA disbanding, BSU will head to the WCHA, Niagara University and Robert Morris University will head to the AHA, and the University of Alabama Huntsville will head to the independent ranks after being snubbed by the CCHA with what appears to be some flimsy reasoning.
To show the CCHA they made a horrible mistake, the Chargers went out and beat the Fighting Irish to open the season...
[Illegal Curve]
Here is another great article by Tim Schmitt of the Niagara Gazette. I think there are some really good points to this article. It’s funny that after almost one week we still really have only have on record UAF A.D. Forrest Karr comments about ‘some of the CCHA schools having concerns about UAH’s lack of commitment, location and wanting to shore up the other CCHA schools first’ Yeah! A week later it still sounds pretty weak to me and I know I am not alone.
Finally, I am not sure that college hockey is to this point though, when Schmitt says that "the NCAA needs to step in and reorganize the sport’s governing board and insist that the game is bigger than any one school’s financial well-being." While I do agree with that philosophy, I doubt the NCAA would ever step in and do that. For the most part the NC$$ kind of takes a laissez-faire approach when dealing with member schools. Nor would I want the NCAA to step in.
UAH officials stunned by CCHA decision [Click to read]
This was an article that I wrote last summer that refuted the driving/flying distance argument.
Flying driving to Omaha Nebraska? There isn't much of a difference in mileage. One could make the argument that UNO is a lot closer to the schools in the WCHA than the CCHA. I checked the mileage on a few of the distances of travel and this is what I came up with for distances to UAH. I don't buy that argument. That isn't the reason for not allowing UAH or it's not a very good one.
UM - UAH 651 miles
BGSU - UAH 585 miles
OSU - UAH 510 miles
MSU - UAH 672 miles
NMU - UAH 990 miles
ND - UAH 560 miles
LSSU - UAH 951 miles
NMU - UAH 657 miles
MU - UAH 442 miles
UAF - UAH 4137 miles
FSU - UAH 768 miles
Here is the distances from UNO to the various schools in the CCHA.
NMU - UNO 684 miles
UNO - MSU 672 miles
UNO - UM 692 miles
UNO - UMiami 707 miles
UNO - UAF 3270 miles
UNO - NMU 765 miles
UNO - FSU 684 Miles
UNO - ND 545 miles
UNO - OSU 781 miles
UNO - LSSU 903 miles
UNO - WMU 597 miles
[Goon's World - UAH travel distances]
