Drake Caggiula scores the NCHC's top goal of the week

After being carried of the ice on a stretcher the week before against the U-18 team. Drake Caggiula scores one of the dirtiest goals I have seen this season to date to become the top goal of the week. Caggiula's goal also ended up being named the play of the day on Fox Sports 1 on Friday night. That's a pretty big honor as well.

UND Hockey: Single-game Men’s and Women’s Hockey Tickets on Sale Aug. 15

The front entrance to Ralph Englested Arena in Grand Forks, ND. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For those wondering about single game tickets there is some good news for you. 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota Athletics Department announced today that single-game tickets for men’s and women’s hockey will go on sale on Thursday, Aug. 15 beginning at 10 a.m. Central.

Additionally, UND Champions Club members can participate in a pre-sale for men's hockey single-game tickets on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nearly 800 single-game seats are available for every men's hockey home game on the 2013-14 schedule, with additional seats available for exhibition games and holiday series. Single-game men’s hockey tickets cost $40 (adult) and $25 (youth) for Friday games and $45 (adult) and $25 (youth) for Saturday games. Exhibition games cost $29 (adult) and $19 (youth).

All single-game women’s hockey tickets cost $7 (adult) and $5 (youth).

Although men's hockey season tickets have once again sold out, fans can add their name to the season-ticket waiting list by joining the Champions Club and making a refundable $100 ticket deposit. Nearly 40 accounts remain on the waiting list. Over half of the accounts on the waiting list were offered season tickets this summer. Fans who are on the waiting list can participate in a pre-sale for single-game tickets on Tuesday Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Waiting list and Champions Club members will be e-mailed a passcode and instructions prior to the appropriate pre-sale date.

Tickets can be purchased at the UND Box Office at Ralph Engelstad Arena or via Ticketmaster.com.

For more information, contact either UND Champions Club Executive Club Director Mike Mannausau (701.777.4216, mikem@undfoundation.org) or Champions Club Associate Director Katie Horob (701.777.4078, katieh@undfoundation.org).

Single-game hockey tickets on sale Aug. 15 http://t.co/aewywqxq9C
— North Dakota WHockey (@UNDWHockey) August 12, 2013

Series ticket packages for first round of WCHA playoffs on sale Tuesday

Western Collegiate Hockey Association logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Series ticket packages for the University of North Dakota's Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) first-round playoff series will go on sale to the general public and UND students on Tuesday, March 6, at 10 a.m. Central.

Student tickets will be available online only at Ticketmaster.com. General public ticket packages can be purchased by calling 1-800-745-3000, logging on to Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UND Ticket Office at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The ticket office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

UND students will receive an e-mail with a keyword needed to purchase a series ticket package. Student ticket packages will be held for students until the student pre-sale ends on Thursday, March 7 at 5 p.m. All unsold student tickets will then be released to the general public at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 8. Students may purchase up to four reserved seating student tickets per UND student ID.

Series ticket packages are $40 for adults and $20 for students and youth.

Single-game WCHA first-round playoff tickets will go one sale on Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. Single-game tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and youth. Single-game tickets are subject to availability.

The first round of the WCHA playoffs take place March 15, 16 and 17 (if necessary). Game times are 7:37 p.m. on Friday and 7:07 on Saturday and Sunday. All times Central. UND's first-round opponent has not yet been determined.

UND clinched home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs with a 2-2 overtime tie Saturday night against Bemidji State. It is the 11^th straight year UND will host the first round, the longest active streak in the league.

BU Defenseman sophomore Alexx Privitera to sit versus Merimack

LINEUP UPDATE: On defense, sophomore Alexx Privitera will sit Friday vs. Merrimack for breaking an unspecified team rule.
— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) November 8, 2012

BU defenseman Alexx Privitera made mention to the fact during the post game scrum after Saturday night's game that there had been an incident between Privitera and a UND fan by the penalty box area during Friday's game and now Privitera will sit for their game against Merrimack on Friday night.

Apparently, BU Head coach Jack Parker is big on respect and doesn't hesitate to suspend a player for this type of thing. Last Friday, BU defenseman Ben Rosen sat out after the now famous tweet, where he tweeted upon arriving in Grand Forks, "Just landed in North Dakota...nothing out here but 4 points."

Related articles

• Game notes for UND vs. BU (11/2-11/3) (thehockeywriters.com)
• Terriers bite North Dakota back 4-2 (thehockeywriters.com)

Notes from the Wednesday's UND Men’s Hockey press conference

Originally posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine

This weekend UND plays their first WCHA series of the season against the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves at Ralph Englestad Arena, October 26th and 27th.

Senior forward Carter Rowney had to say about the team’s first trip of the season to Fairbanks Alaska.

“I think a lot of stepping stones this weekend,” Rowney said. “Playing shorthanded was definitely the biggest challenge probably up in Alaska. It definitely showed we can play with whoevers in the lineup – whoever is out of the lineup – we’re definitely able to compete out there and I think that’s huge – the depth in our lineup is huge and that’s the stepping stone we created on Friday night and Saturday night. I think it was a good weekend for us and we came together being on the road with the boys and a good weekend to get away.”

Carter Rowney on watching some of the young guys stepping up and scoring goals last weekend.

“Definitely, watching the game on Friday – watching some of those young guys play – a lot of them played unreal and played like veterans out there,” Rowney said. “Really good to see – a lot of them stepped up – to get comfortable real fast in games – they improved throughout the weekend I think that was something to look forward to and something for me as a senior to look down to say hey their working hard and it pushes me.”

Rowney on having a full lineup and having some of the younger on the roster players step up without the upper classmen in the lineup on Friday.

“I think it’s huge for our team,” Rowney said. “Because the more people push each other… its better – you know – coming every day to practice and having each person pushing one another – I think that’s only going to make our team improve.”

Head coach Dave Hakstol on what he learned about his team the first weekend.

“I like how we worked on Friday,” Hakstol said. “l like how we played. I thought we played a complete game. We played a tenacious game and went to the all of the hard areas and we had contributions from everybody. We backed off a little bit on Saturday and I don’t’ think we played with quite enough energy and most importantly our difference from Friday to Saturday, was going to those greasy areas offensively, I thought that was a big difference, so hopefully that is something we can be a little more consistent this weekend from Friday to Saturday.”

Coach Hakstol on playing in the last year of the current WCHA and opening their conference play at home against UAA.

We have talked about it a lot; you know right now – it’s one game and one day,” Hakstol said. You know the big picture of the last year and everything else, that’s been put in place and that’s with in the big picture. You know, the scene that we’re concerned about is one weekend against Alaska Anchorage that’s what we have to concentrate on. You know, we have seen it before – we know how competitive the league is – we know how competitive it will be and points in the first weekend of the season are just as critical as points on the last weekend, so we got to have a focused approach.”

Coach Hakstol on what kind of team UAA is and what we’re to expect from the UAA Seawolves.

“To be very honest with you, I don’t think Alaska Anchorage played very well last Friday night when we played against them,” Hakstol said.

“There was a completely different team that stepped on the ice against Merrimack [College] the following day – they played hard – they played hungry – they played gritty and I think that’s what we will see this weekend, a highly competitive team.”

Coach Hakstol on the status of injured forward Michael Parks this weekend.

“Same, no change there,” Hakstol said. “I said last week that it’s going to be a few weeks; that’s where he is at, it’s going to be a few weeks. That’s not a medical term, I realize, but that’s probably the best I can do for you, I don’t want to put a time frame on it, because I don’t know and I don’t think anybody truly does and it going to be a few weeks.”

UND junior goalie Clarke Saunders was asked about how it felt getting his first shutout of his career for UND in the first game of the season with UND.

“It feels pretty cool,” Saunders said. “I am just happy that the team got the win. Always nice to start the season likes that and I think that we’re all pretty happy.”

Saunders was asked about his expectations coming into UND as a transfer student.

“To earn a spot, Saunders said. “Just to play there was some tough competition coming in. Zane [Gothberg] and Tate [Maris] are both very good goalies, so just try to work as hard as I can, hopefully to play as much as I can.”

Saunders was asked if he is nervous about his first WCHA home series this weekend.

“A good nervous, Saunders said. “Probably more excited is the term that I would like to use. Obviously we had two exhibition games at the Ralph, but we’re really looking forward to the home opener and the sold out crowd and I am excited to see what that’s about and experience what it’s going to be like.”

Related articles

• Nine Men out, UND heads north to Alaska (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Squeaks Past USNDT U-18 Team (insidehockey.com)
• UND squeaks by USNDT U-18 team 6-4 (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND: The Weekend Ahead (10/19-10/20) (insidehockey.com)
• Game Notes for UND versus UAA 10/26-10/27 (thehockeywriters.com)

More on the Spitfires and the OHL.

Last Friday, we found out that the OHL has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the Windsor Spitfires. While the sanctions appear to have been unprecedented the GM of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds says that the Spitfires will be able to survive their punishment.

Jim Parker, Windsor Star --- One former OHL general manager feels the Spitfires will survive the unprecedented ruling.

“It sets the program back, but they are smart, good hockey guys and will navigate to have a competitive team,” said Dave Torrie, who was general manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for eight seasons. “Whether they can turn competitive into a championship, that will be the real challenge and it’ll be tough.”

Torrie said the loss of the draft picks, especially the first-round selections, will have an impact on the team’s on-ice product.

“The draft is the No. 1 fundamental way to build a team,” said Torrie, who is now an amateur scout for the Buffalo Sabres. “If you go back to Windsor’s two championships, they were built around two great drafts and to a point built them into an elite program.”

Windsor drafted Greg Nemisz seventh overall in 2006 and Taylor Hall second overall in 2007. Both went on to be first-round NHL picks and those drafts were augmented in later rounds with the addition of Adam Henrique, Mark Cundari, Matt Hackett, Eric Wellwood, Ryan Ellis, Jesse Blacker, Garrett Wilson, Andrew Yogan and Kenny Ryan.

“The thing that hinders is not having first-round picks and getting a Taylor Hall,” Torrie said. “The next three, four, five or six years, not having those picks will make it hard to build a championship team.”

So with the Windsor Spitfires getting sanctioned by the OHL – other teams in the OHL wonder who is next? Who is the hammer going to fall on next? NCAA fans are waiting to see how this plays out. I know that some in the UND hockey fans and a certain Michigan student newspaper are probably hoping that the Kitchener Rangers get a look as well.

Edit: According to Chris Dilks the Kitchener Rangers have been cleared in the Jacob Trouba case. Of course they have because no actual money ever changed hands and Trouba is going to honor his commitment to Michigan.

Patrick King, Sports Net --- The league’s policy has been made clear to member teams, but it had previously been viewed as somewhat similar to a soft salary cap. Teams were able to circumvent some rules and, as one source noted to Sportsnet.ca on Friday, "everybody was doing it."

Until the exact circumstances are known in regards to Windsor’s violations, every team is wondering if they could be facing similar sanctions. One source noted there were approximately a handful of other investigations ongoing and Friday’s ruling could simply be the tip of the iceberg.

It’s no secret there is a disparity between the haves and the have-not’s in junior hockey. It doesn’t always come down to drafting the best players because the best players aren’t always willing to play in every situation.

Apparently, the NCAA and College Hockey Incorporated are remaining quite about the recent revelations that took place in Windsor this past week. In my opinion, I don’t know if a comment is needed. I am also not sure what College Hockey Incorporated is supposed to do - I am sure they are watching the situation closely but there no need to make comments until this thing plays out. What are they going to say? See I told you so. Like the article linked above there may be a few more shoes to drop in this case.

Bob Duff, The Windsor Star --- As the hockey world still tries to wrap its collective psyche around the stunning punishment meted out Friday to the Windsor Spitfires by Ontario Hockey League commissioner Dave Branch for violations of the league’s recruitment and benefits policies, those in the U.S. college hockey fraternity, who for years have suggested that major junior clubs were skirting the rules in order to poach players bound for NCAA schools, are opting to take the high road.

The Spitfires were fined $400,000 and docked five draft picks – three first-round choices and two second-round selections between 2013-2017.

Perhaps in private, U.S. college hockey people are doing cartwheels of delight, but for public consumption, they’ve opted to hit the mute button.

“I think it’s best that we respectfully decline comment on this topic, rather say something that’ll get the rest of the OHL mad at us,” said Nate Ewell, executive director of College Hockey Inc., a marketing arm working with the NCAA and designed to educate kids on the merits of U.S. college hockey.

Even Paul Kelly, Ewell’s predecessor and a man who has been outspoken in his accusations that OHL teams were paying players under the table to skip out on their NCAA commitments, wasn’t about to take the bait.

“My past views on this subject are well known, but given my current role I am unable to comment further at this time,” said Kelly, who works as a partner with the law firm of Jackson Lewis LLP.

Not everyone is remaining silent on the matter – I posted a tweet last Friday from the UND hockey beat writer Brad Schlossman and If he posts something on twitter or on his blog I am going to tend to believe him. Here is a screen shot of the tweet in question that says Windsor offered UND incoming freshman Jordan Schmaltz was offered money to not go to UND – so it looks like the OHL got it right in this situation.

Check out this newspaper article from the Sault Star that is basically saying what others have been saying all along. It will be interesting to see if the OHL teams and leadership will go after this newspaper beat writer to find out who the anonymous player agent was.

Bill Montague, Sault Star --- Whether the league’s decision is upheld or not, Friday’s news is excellent news for the Soo Greyhounds and every other small-market team that simply cannot afford to pay players to play for them.

Will it stop the draft manipulation? I doubt it. Teams will still find ways to encourage players to tell other teams they are headed to the U.S., but they will definitely think twice about paying players and their parents off.

Agents will still take the leading role by brokering deals that ensure their clients get under-the-table payouts for playing in certain places. And, as one agent told me, teams will simply become more cautious and creative in their dealings. Another said it's his job to get the best deal for his clients and if that means accepting money from someone willing to dish it out, then so be it.

Still, the news can’t be anything but positive for teams like Sault Ste. Marie. Lets face it, the Soo Greyhounds, Erie Otters and Owen Sound Attack, to name a few, cannot afford to pay out the kind of money the bigger-market teams can dole out to acquire the rights to certain players.

Jason Blake's arm cut in game against Sharks

This isn't pretty and I hope that former Fighting Sioux forward Jason Blake isn't hurt too bad. Let's hope that Jason makes a speedy recovery and will be back in the Duck's line up soon.

Los Angeles Times --- Ducks forward Jason Blake was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange and was in need of sutures Friday night after suffering what was described as a severe cut on his left forearm late in the team’s 1-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center.

Blake, 38, was injured almost midway through the final period of the Ducks’ home opener. He was taken out of the arena on a special stretcher that allowed him to keep his arm upright as he was sitting, not lying on his back, a team spokesman said.