Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!

Christmas break is upon us. Thus, we only have a few games on the schedule this weekend, and non next weekend and then some games/tournaments just before New Year’s.


WCHA STANDINGS

Team………………………W-L-T………Points
1. Minnesota………………11-3-0…..……22
2. Minnesota-Duluth……..10-2-2….…….22
3. Nebraska-Omaha………7-4-3……….. 17
4. Colorado College……… 7-5-0……….. 14
4. North Dakota……….…...7-7-0….……..14
6. Denver……………………5-4-3………..13
6. Michigan Tech…………. 6-7-1…….…..13
8. Bemidji State…………. 5-7-2……….. 12
9. St. Cloud St……………. 4-5-3……….. 11
10. Wisconsin……………..4-8-2…..…….10
11. Alaska-Anchorage…...3-10-1…………7
12. Minnesota State……… 2-9-1…………..5


WCHA Games

#7 Colorado College @ Minnesota State
Last weekend the Tigers split with the Seawolves in Colorado Springs and the Mavericks swept the UAH Chargers in Mankato.

The Tigers could leap frog UNO this weekend with a couple of wins on the road. Similarly for the Mavericks, they could move out of the basement with a sweep. The Mavericks will be looking to build off of last weekend’s success and head into Christmas on a high note. The Mavs are averaging almost 3 goals/game in league play, which gives them a chance to win games. The Tigers are 3-4-0 on the road in all games this year. I’m guessing each teams gets a little something in their stocking. SPLIT


#14 Denver @ # St. Cloud State
Last weekend the Pioneers split with the Beavers in Bemidji and the Huskies enjoyed a bye weekend in St. Cloud.

The Pioneers could vault all the way to third in the league this weekend, depending on how all the games turn out. However, they have a tough road trip to St. Cloud this weekend. The Huskies only have one blemish on their home record, they are 3-1-3 at the National Hockey Center, and DU is 2-4-1 on the road. The Huskies can also climb the standings this weekend with some points. SPLIT


NON-CONFERENCE

Alabama-Huntsville (1-17-1)@ Bemidji State (7-9-2)
Last weekend the Beavers split with the Pioneers in Bemidji and the Chargers were swept by the MSUM Mavericks in Mankato. The Charges only have one win on the season, which came against the UNO Mavericks a couple of weeks ago. BEAVERS SWEEP


Michigan Tech (9-8-1) @ Northern Michigan (8-7-3)
Last weekend the Huskies split with the Gophers in Minneapolis and the Wildcats got a road split at CCHA foe Lake Superior State.

I think we could call this series the Battle for Upper Michigan, or something to that effect. The Wildcats are an impressive 6-1-3 at home in Marquette this season and the Huskies are 3-5-0 away from Houghton. Gotta go with the WCHA in this tilt. HUSKIES WIN


EXHIBITION

Russian Red Stars @ #18 North Dakota
Last weekend the Sioux split with UNO Mavericks in Grand Forks and the Red Stars .
Since this game is not officially recognized by the NCAA, I’m un-officially pick the university formerly nicknamed the Sioux to win.


BYE WEEK
Alaska-Anchorage
Nebraska-Omaha
#2 Minnesota
#1 Minnesota-Duluth
Wisconsin Badgers

Sioux beat Huskies 3-1

Cross Posted at Inside Hockey. 
Grand Forks, ND – With the 4-0 loss the night before, the Fighting Sioux are off to their worst start since the 1989-90 season. The Fighting Sioux came into the game looking to right the ship, and get their first conference win of the season in the WCHA. No Fighting Sioux hockey team has ever started out the season 0-4 in WCHA play, and that statistic was not broken tonight as the they ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Saint Cloud State University Huskies.

After last night’s game, it would be an understatement to say that the Sioux was an unhappy group. Fighting Sioux forward Danny Kristo said, “I think everyone’s frustrated starting from the goalies on out, all the way to the coaching staff.” Tonight the Fighting Sioux took out some of those frustrations on the Saint Cloud State Huskies. The Fighting Sioux “finally” buried their offensive chances and got back on the winning track by beating the Huskies in a gutsy 3-1 win, to earn a split on the weekend with the Huskies.

With the win tonight, the Fighting Sioux improved their overall season record to 3-4-1, and a league record of 1-3-0. Fighting Sioux forward Corbin Knight lead the Sioux with a two-point night (1-1-2). After the game Corbin Knight had this to say about the win; “We knew were playing good hockey and we knew if we stuck with it, it would come sooner or later, we were lucky it came tonight.”

The game wasn’t much different from last night. Tonight’s contest started out as a tight checking affair. There weren’t a lot of offensive chances for either team, as the Sioux and the Huskies played to a 0-0 tie in the first period. The Fighting Sioux outshot the Huskies 10-3 in this period.

The Sioux finally broke through in the second period, with Husky forward Nic Dowd in the box for slashing. Mark MacMilllan put the Fighting Sioux on the board at the 1:13 mark of the second period. Blood took a shot on net from the top of the faceoff circle that MacMillan re-directed past Husky goalie Ryan Faragher, breaking an 80+ minute goalless streak by the Fighting Sioux.

The Sioux took a 2-0 lead with a nice goal from Corbin Knight at the 11:12 mark of the second period. Knight took a feed from Kristo and ripped a hard low shot off the right inside post.

The Huskies continued their undisciplined play, as defenseman Nick Jenson was sent off for tripping Ben Blood. The Fighting Sioux didn't waste time, making the Huskies pay when Brock Nelson scored a power play goal at the 12:40 mark of the second period. Assisting on Nelson’s power play goal was Roco Grimaldi and Corbin Knight. This was the first career point for the highly touted freshman Grimaldi.

The Huskies didn’t go away quietly into the night, as they cut the lead to two goals at the 19:24 mark of the Second period with a goal from Husky forward Ben Hanowski, his third of the season. Picking up assists on Hanowski’s goal were Nic Dowd and Kevin Gravel. That was all the scoring for the game, as Aaron Dell shut the door on the Huskies in the third period. The Sioux outshot the Huskies 26-21 for the game.

After the game, Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol was asked if this was on his team’s better defensive efforts of the year. To this he replied, “I think it was our most consistent sixty minute defensive effort. Part of what we did pretty well was remain...continue possession in the offensive zone.”

Box Score

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