Gopher Freshman Gabe Guertler Suspended Indefinitely for DWI Arrest

Well what do we have here? Looks like incoming University of Minnesota Gopher freshman forward Gabe Guertler has been suspended indefinitely for a DWI arrest. You can see the court on-line record here. You can bet that the Gophers coaching staff didn't want to deal with this issue this fall.

USCHO -- The team suspension will be reevaluated in November, a school statement released Sunday said. “While we are still gathering information at this time, we take this matter seriously and feel a suspension is warranted,” Gophers coach Don Lucia said in the statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation and will handle the matter internally.”

The former Fargo Force forward Guertler is the first player from Florida to commit to play hockey for the Minnesota Gophers. Guertler played two seasons for the Fargo Force of the USHL and scored (40g-39a—79 pts) in 117 regular season games.

Gabe Guertler's indefinite suspension announced on Sun. comes a day after the 18-year-old fr. forward was stopped by U of M police.
— Roman Augustoviz (@RomanStrib) September 1, 2013

Guertler was charged with driving while impaired, a misdemeanor. He will appear in court Oct. 11, same day U opens the season without him
— Roman Augustoviz (@RomanStrib) September 1, 2013

It's official - Steve Johnson named assistant coach at UNO

Former SCSU assistant coach and former Fighting Sioux All-American forward Steve Johnson has been named the assistant coach at the University of Omaha Nebraska Mavericks. This great personnel move by the UNO Mavericks because it gives them a great assistant coach and will only make the Mavericks better.

OMAHA, Neb. – University of Nebraska Omaha head hockey coach Dean Blais announced today that Steve Johnson has been named the team's new assistant coach. He replaces Mike Hastings who left UNO following the 2011-12 season to take the head coach position at Minnesota State.

“I'm very pleased to have a coach of Steve's caliber fill the void left by Mike Hastings' departure,” said Blais. “Steve has the ability to be a great recruiter for us, and his on-ice skills as a coach are very strong as shown by his work in both the United States Hockey League and at the college level. His knowledge and experience will make our team stronger. ”

Johnson spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at WCHA rival school St. Cloud State. Prior to that, he succeeded Blais as the head coach of the Fargo Force of the USHL where he coached for one season, leading the Force to the 2010 Clark Cup Finals.

Gothberg and Schmaltz make All-USHL First Team

Two UND Fighting Sioux incoming freshman recruits Zane Gothberg and Jordan Schmaltz have made the All-USHL first team.

All-USHL First Team

Zane Gothberg (G), Fargo Force

The goaltender from Thief River Falls, Minnesota posted a 26-16-4 record with USHL best .921 SV%. His 2.22 GAA was the second best mark in the League. Gothberg led the USHL with seven shutouts which shattered the Fargo Force season record held by Mike Lee (2008-09). The 19-year-old put together a nine-game winning streak from December 30th to January 21st, compiling a 1.43 GAA and .947 SV% with two shutouts over that stretch. Gothberg was the co-winner of the USHL Goaltender of the Year. He is a 2010 NHL Draft pick of the Boston Bruins and will play hockey next season at the University of North Dakota.

USHL stats - Zane Gothberg

Jordan Schmaltz (D), Green Bay Gamblers

The 18-year-old from Verona, Wisconsin tied for second in scoring among all USHL defensemen with 41 points (10g, 31a) in 55 regular season games. After starting the season with the Sioux City Musketeers, he was acquired by the Gamblers and put up 35 points (7g, 28a) and a plus-15 rating in 46 games. He added seven points (2g, 5a) and a plus-10 rating in 12 playoff games. Schmaltz is the first player since the 1994-95 season (Scott Swanson, Omaha Lancers) to be named All-USHL First Team in consecutive seasons. A top prospect for the 2012 NHL Draft, the defenseman is committed to the University of North Dakota.

USHL stats - Jordan Schmaltz

Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

How about a top ten list? I haven’t done one of those in while.

10 – 8-oz beers the Goon & Sioux 7 drank at the Fargo Force hockey game
9 – Unanswered goals the MTU Huskies scored last weekend in Duluth
8 – Teams that will be in NCHC in 2013
7 – Sioux 7’s number
6 – The number of teams in top and the bottom half of the league
5 – Points that separate 2nd from 7th place in the WCHA
4 – What Goon yells while golfing
3 – Teams that don’t have any ties in league games
2 – Teams that realistically have a chance to win the McNaughton Cup
1 – The position the Gophers occupy this week


WCHA STANDINGS

Team………………………W-L-T………Points
1. Minnesota………………15-5-0…..……30
2. Minnesota-Duluth……..11-4-3….…….25
3. Denver…………………..10-5-3………..23
4. Colorado College………11-7-0………..22
4. North Dakota……….…...11-9-0….…….22
6. Nebraska-Omaha…….…9-6-3………..21
7. Michigan Tech………….9-7-2…….…..20
8. St. Cloud St……………. 7-10-3……….17
9. Wisconsin……………....7-11-2…..…….16
10. Bemidji State….……….6-10-2…………14
11. Minnesota State………5-14-1…………11
12. Alaska-Anchorage…...3-16-1…………7


WCHA Games

Michigan Tech @ Minnesota State
Last weekend the Huskies took 3 points from the Bulldogs in Duluth and the Mavericks split with the Beavers in Bemidji.

These guys played each other back in early November, with the Huskies winning Friday’s game 1-0 and the Mavericks taking Saturday’s game 6-3. MTU is staying right in the middle of the pack and is eyeing a home ice playoff spot. A Huskies sweep this weekend would keep them in mix and leap them into the top half of the league. The Mavericks are ten points out of sixth place with eight games to go. Hate to say it, but it looks like they will be on the road in the first round of the playoffs (just an “early” prediction). Tech should be full of confidence after, shall we say, beating up on the number one team in the country last weekend. HUSKIES SWEEP

St. Cloud State @ Wisconsin
Last weekend the Huskies were swept by the Gophers in a home-and-home series and the Badgers were swept by North Dakota in Grand Forks.

Both teams are both reeling after last weekend and need points, if they want to keep their hopes alive for home ice in the first round. The Badgers need to find a way to put offensive pressure on the Huskies. SCSU has dropped their last three games and have gone 2-5-0 in their last 7 games. The Huskies need to get their sled back on their rails, before their bye weekend, next week. The Badgers also have next weekend off, so they too would like to go into that with their heads held high. SPLIT


#13 Denver vs #11 Colorado College
Last weekend the Pioneers swept the UAA Seawolves in Anchorage and the Tigers had had a weekend off to rest up and prepare for their arch-rivals.

Gold Pan Games 3 and 4, let’s look back and refresh our memories, game 1, Nov. 12, DU wins 5-4, game 2, Dec. 2, CC wins 4-3 OT. Friday’s game in Denver and Saturday’s is in Colorado Springs. Don’t look now, but the Pioneers have quietly put together a 5 game winning streak. Of course, some will say, they should have given the teams they have played (UAH, BSU, and UAA). Meanwhile the Tigers are 2-2-1 over their last 5 games. Not only be rivals, but that they are also separated by one point in the standings, just adds that much more to the mix. SPLIT


#1 Minnesota-Duluth @ Alaska-Anchorage
Last weekend Bulldogs got one point against the MTU Huskies in Duluth and the Seawolves were swept by the Pioneers in Anchorage.

After last weekends, blip on the UMD radar, they will be heading up to the Sullivan arena in Anchorage. The trip might give the Bulldogs they time they need to work things out, might… The Seawolves will no doubt be looking at tape this week and try to emulate the MTU Huskies. On paper this series weighs heavily in the Bulldogs favor, but that is paper, the games are played on ice. SPLIT


Bemidji State @ Nebraska-Omaha
Last weekend Beavers split with the MSUM Mavericks in Bemidji and the UNO Mavericks were off.

Back in mid-November these teams met in Bemidji with the Mavericks take three points back to Omaha. Last season the Beavers had UNO’s number, but it looks like the tide might be changing. The Beavers, as of late, are only scoring about twice a game, which is not good, if you want to win games. BSU needs to get the offensive attack going this weekend if they want to leave Omaha with some points. The Mavericks will no doubt try to punch some more holes in the Beavers dam, I mean defense. Perhaps BSU can have their goaltenders rustle up some points for the team this weekend. SPLIT


BYE WEEK
#2 Minnesota
#17 North Dakota

Tuesday Morning Links

Image via WikipediaFighting Sioux defensive recruit Jordan Schmaltz who is expected to go high in next summer's NHL entry draft, is Ryan Clark's, (the beat writer for the Fargo Force from the Fargo Forum), top defensive recruit to watch in the USHL this season.

Ryan S. Clarke Slightly Chilled --- 1. Jordan Schmaltz, Sioux City: Eh, he’s bum. Really, he’s actually the truth and might be the most high-profile player heading into the league this season. Schmaltz is arguably the USHL’s most gifted offensive defenseman and he certainly showed why last season. When Sioux City was looking to edge into the playoffs, Schmaltz went all T-800 series and basically said, “Come with me if you want to live” by scoring 12 points in his last 13 games. That includes a 10-game point streak he used to end the season. In all, Schmaltz scored 44 points (13 goals and 31 assists) in just 59 games. Very few players could control a game last season like Schmaltz and there’s a good chance that it could be that way this year. Some have wondered if the 6-2, 175-pound North Dakota will come out a bit more defensive-minded this year. If Schmaltz is able to do that along with having another electric year on offense, it could be an amazing season for the Wisconsin native.

This season could prove to be a big for former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie. Jeremy Ruthorford the Blues beat writer from St Louis Today interviewed former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie.

Now armed with a one-year, $2.35 contract extension, Oshie says he's healthy and ready to begin the 2011-12 season. Here's my conversation with T.J. Oshie...

JR: Congratulations on your contract. What was that process like for you?

TJO: "It was tough. The first time for me. I was kind of just sitting back, trying to take it all in ... take it slow. It came down to the wire (before the start of restricted free agency). They threw out a number that we were really comfortable with and felt like it was best for both sides."

JR: Some Blues fans were hoping that you would signing a long-term deal. Why only one year?

TJO: "It's a chance for me to prove that I can go away for a summer, have a good summer on my own, working out and training. I was doing all of (Blues strength coach Nelson Ayotte's) stuff, but I just wanted to prove to them after everything that happened (an unexcused absence at practice, leading to a two-game suspension), that I've matured and have grown up. I'm just ready to step in and hopefully play as good

There has been increasing chatter that there is a possibility that Notre Dame might be joining the Big Ten along with the University of Texas. This might also explain why the Fighting Irish have not joined the NCHC  or Hockey East. It also might explain why BGSU and WMU haven't accepted the WCHA's bid for membership as well. 

Larry Phillips;Telegraph-Forum ---- In the Internet community, when Purple Book Cat talks, folks listen. On Thursday, the anonymous PBC started a thread revealing at a Wednesday night meeting, Notre Dame and Texas jointly presented the Big Ten Conference a proposal for terms of entry into the league. Such terms came after lengthy discussions involving both schools over the past several months.

Interestingly, the top priority for both institutions was to get the Big Ten to back off its mandate of a 9-game conference schedule beginning later this decade and maintain the current 8-game slate. This would allow Texas and Notre Dame to continue traditional rivalries, with Oklahoma and USC, respectively.

Keaton Thompson update.

Here is the latest on Devils Lake defenseman Keaton Thompson from Ryan Clark for the Fargo Forum, uber awesome beat writer for the Fargo Force. A little bio on Keaton Thompson, he is a highly skilled defenseman that has stated that he would like to play for UND someday. Thompson just finished his freshman season at Devils Lake High School where he finished second in point on the Devils Lake with (9g-29pts-38pts)...

Keaton Thompson: Thompson sat out of Saturday’s game against the Indiana Ice and he was hanging out in the suites watching the game. Got a chance to speak with him and he said that he’s really enjoying his time with the Force. Latest on Thompson is that he’s waiting to find out of he will be invited to the National Team Development Program’s set up in Ann Arbor after coming back from tryouts a few weeks ago. He said the experience of trying out went well. The NTDP has only announced that seven players were invited to the camp and the remaining roster will not be announced for a while. Chances are Thompson has a very legit shot of making the camp given how many scouts and junior hockey insiders are big on his upside. Thompson has played 11 games this season, which means the Force will have his rights next season unless he does make the NTDP set up and decides to play with them.

Force to play in Grafton and Grand Forks, ND.

I just got this message from Whitney Baumgartner through my face book and this would be good news if wasn't for the fact that our friends in Fargo are fighting to save their city.

Due to the flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead area as well as surrounding areas, the Fargo Force games have been moved to Grafton Centennial Center in Grafton, ND on Friday night at 7:05 PM vs. the Tri-City Storm and Saturday's game to be played at Purpur Arena in Grand Forks, ND-tentative time to be at 7:45 PM.

Addresses for both arenas are listed in the updated event for this weekend. Due to the change of venues, the Pink the Rink event has been POSTPONED until Friday, April 3rd vs. the Omaha Lancers.