WCHA Issues One-Game Suspension to Wisconsin’s Little

The WCHA has suspended Ryan Little for this hit. In looking at the video, this is the type of hit that the NCAA is trying to eliminate and I have no issue with this suspension. I also can see why some from Badger Nation might be a little ornery as well.

In fact, Wisconsin has been on the wrong end of some really bad calls this season and I am going to let Andy Johnson of Bucky's Fifth Quarter explain the latest bad call against the Badgers.

While Khaira was certainly deserving of a penalty, the refs should have penalized him for a five minute major and ejected him from the contest. Video reviews clearly showed Khaira grabbing UW sophomore defenseman Jake McCabe from behind by the facemask and dropping him to the ice like it was a WWE wrestling match.

Jujhar Khaira was whistled for holding with 4:09 left to play in the third period. Wisconsin's Tyler Barnes would go on to score on the man advantage to tie things up at one.

While I applaud the WCHA for getting it right in this instance, there have been many instances where the league’s officials have been wrong as well.

If I have to use one word to explain the officiating on the ice in the WCHA this season I would use the term “brutal.”

Inconsistency has been plagued WCHA officials in recent times, causing many fans in attendance to scoff when the WCHA on ice officials skate on to the ice. We never know what they’re going to call or what they’re not going to call.

MADISON, Wis. – The men’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association today announced a one-game suspension to University of Wisconsin hockey player Ryan Little as a result of his actions in the December 8 game against Michigan Tech University.

Little’s suspension was determined after a review by the league office of an illegal check with 1:24 remaining in the overtime session and comes under the WCHA’s Supplementary Discipline Policy and Procedures.

Little will be required to serve the one-game suspension in Wisconsin’s next regularly scheduled contest on Thursday, December 13 vs Alabama-Huntsville.

Related articles

• Former Gophers Andy Brink's thought's on college hockey and the WCHA (thehockeywriters.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings: 12/09/12 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 9 (thehockeywriters.com)

Kerdiles to appeal suspension

According to Andy Johnson of Bucky's Fifth Quarter the NCAA will hear the appeal of the suspension of Nic Kerdiles next week on October 18th, 2012. Wisconsin officials are confirming the same thing.

If you haven't heard, Wisconsin's appeal of a one-year suspension by the NCAA of freshman Nic Kerdiles will be heard next Thursday, Oct 18th
— Andy Johnson (@AndyJohnsonB5Q) October 12, 2012

Wisconsin officials confirm NCAA will not hear Nic Kerdiles appeal this week. No specific timetable for when NCAA will act.
— Andy Baggot (@AndyBaggotWSJ) October 11, 2012

Related articles

• Wisconsin freshman Nic Kerdiles suspended for one year by the NCAA (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin freshman Nic Kerdiles suspended for one year by the NCAA (thehockeywriters.com)
• Nic Kerdiles suspended, NCAA still doesn't get it (sbnation.com)
• NCAA Officially Rules Kerdiles Ineligible for Season, Wisconsin Appealing [Updated] (unitedstatesofhockey.com)
• UW Frosh Kerdiles Faces Eligibility Issues, Social Media to Blame? [Updated] (unitedstatesofhockey.com)

UND and Wisconsin to keep playing each other in hockey - unless UND keeps Fighting Sioux Nickname

Image via Wikipedia

Chuck Schwartz from Bucky's 5th Quarter is reporting that University of North Dakota will continue to play University of Wisconsin if the Nickname debacle is settled by the 2014-2015 season. I have no reason to doubt this information because Chuck is a reliable source of information.

Chuck Schwartz, Bucky's 5th Quarter ---  Wisconsin also has a scheduling agreement to play North Dakota when the teams split from the WCHA. The teams would not play in the first year of the new conferences. The four year agreement between the schools would start for the 2014-15 season, with rotating series between Madison and Grand Forks every other year.

The agreement with North Dakota currently hinges on the status of their Fighting Sioux nickname. The school resumed using the nickname recently, which once again puts them in hot water with the NCAA. Wisconsin, along with many other schools won't play North Dakota unless they retire the nickname.

Assuming North Dakota works out their nickname issues, it seems likely that the Badgers will continue to play Denver and North Dakota one series per year for the foreseeable future