UND vs. UW Lines (NCAA Midwest Regional Semi Finals)

UND Forward lines

9 Drake Caggiula–16 Mark MacMillan–15 Michael Parks (A)

28 Stephane Pattyn(A) –19 Rocco Grimaldi–27 Luke Johnson21 Brendan O’Donnell –13 Connor Gaarder–11 Derek Rodwell

29 Bryn Chyzyk–17 Colten St. Clair – 22 Andrew Panzarella

North Dakota Defense Pairings

5 Nick Mattson–6 Paul LaDue
18 Dillon Simpson ©–24 Jordan Schmaltz
4 Keaton Thompson–2 Troy Stecher

UND Goalies

31 Zane Gothberg
33 Clarke Saunders

Out: 7-Wade Murphy (Fr., F), 20-Gage Ausmus (Fr., D), 25 Mitch MacMillan (Sr F), 26-Coltyn Sanderson (So., F), 30-Matt Hrynkiw (Fr., G)

Wisconsin Badgers Forward Lines

17 Nic Kerdiles – 9 Mark Zengerle – 7 Tyler Barnes

15 Morgan Zulinick – 14 Jefferson Dahl – 25 Michael Mersch

21 Grant Besse – 16 Joseph LaBate – 18 Sean Little

26 Brad Navin – 12 Keegan Meuer – 22 Jed Soleway

Wisconsin Badgers Defense Pairings

19 Jake McCabe – 24 Joe Faust

28 Kevin Schulze – 27 Frankie Simonelli

20 Eddie Wittchow – 5 Chase Drake

Badger Goalies

33 Joel Rumple

30 Landon Peterson

Wisconsin sophomore goalie Joel Rumpel throws his stick makes save

Wisconsin sophomore goalie Joel Rumpel made this miraculous save on the Huskies forward Jimmy Murray at the 02:05 mark of the first period that prevented the Huskies from taking an early 2-1 lead. From there the Huskies never did get the lead and the Badgers would win the game 4-1.

Some thought that Rumpel should have actually gotten a penalty for throwing his goalie stick.

After the game the sophomore goalie was asked if he has thrown his stick at the puck. “It was a weird play,” Rumpel said. “I made the first save and then went to come across the crease and the stick got knocked out of my hands and it squirted wide,” Rumpel said. Yeah, okay.

Related articles

• C.C. vs. UW: winner to the NCAA tourney (thehockeywriters.com)

Badgers defenseman John Ramage destroys Mavericks forward Teddy Blueger

“That’s contact to the head, that’s a no brainer,” FSN television analyst Kevin Gorg said on viewing the hit by  Wisconsin defenseman John Ramage on Minnesota State Maverick Teddy Blueger. The funny thing with Gorg, he’s supposed to know hockey, but every time he opens his mouth he removes all doubt. I haven’t seen many guys that get hit in the head grab their shoulder.

Look at the video, Teddy Blueger is holding his shoulder.

In the press box, we had the luxury of getting a few good looks at this hit, to me this appears to be another legal shoulder-to-shoulder hit that was called a major penalty. For those people that want to call penalties for hard hits, they're going to call foul, but hockey is a physical game. I don't think John Ramage who plays the game straight up should be penalized for being a physical player.

[Click to watch video]

Cross-posted at the Hockey Writers Combine. 

UND vs. UW lines game one

North Dakota Forward Lines

7 Danny Kristo (A) –10 Corban Knight (A) –19 Rocco Grimaldi

16 Mark MacMillan–27 Carter Rowney (A)–15 Michael Parks
8 Dan Senkbeil–28 Stephane Pattyn– Derek Rodwell

9 Drake Caggiula –13 Connor Gaarder– 17 Colten St. Clair

North Dakota Defense Pairings

2 Andrew MacWilliam (C) – 18 Dillon Simpson

4 Derek Forbort – 24 Jordan Schmaltz

Nick Mattson – 20 Joe Gleason

North Dakota Goalies

31 Zane Gothberg

33 Clarke Saunders

35 Tate Maris

Not in the lineup: 29 Bryn Chyzyk, 22 Andrew Panzarella, 25 Mitch MacMillan, 26 Coltyn Sanderson, 21 Brendan O’Donnell

WCHA Officials: Referees: Tom Sterns (8), Matt Ulwelling (23), Linesman: Andy Carton (92), Nathan Freeman (78).

Wisconsin Badgers Forward Lines

16 Joseph LaBate–9 Mark Zengerle–25 Michael Mersch
17 Nic Kerdiles–14 Jefferson Dahl–7 Tyler Barnes
20 Ryan Little (A)–21 Brendan Woods–18 Sean Little
26 Brad Navin–12 Keegan Meuer–8 Matt Pappe

Wisconsin Badgers Defense Parings

28 Kevin Schulze–55 John Ramage

19 Jake McCabe–27 Frankie Simonelli
5 Chase Drake–24 Joe Faust

Wisconsin Badgers Goalies

30 Landon Peterson

33 Joel Rumpel

Related articles

• UND: The Weekend Ahead (2/1-2/2) (thehockeywriters.com)
• Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn) (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings: Week 16 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Web Media Poll: Week 16 (thehockeywriters.com)

UND vs. UW game 4 lines

UND’s Forward lines

29 Brock Nelson–10 Corban Knight (A) –7 Danny Kristo
16 Mark MacMillan–27 Carter Rowney–15 Michael Parks
Stephane Pattyn 28 –9 Mario Lamoureux (C) – 13 Connor Gaarder
8 Dan Senkbeil–28 – Joe Gleason  – 14 Taylor Dickin

Defense Parings

18 Dillon Simpson–24 Ben Blood
2 Andrew MacWilliam (A) –5 Nick Mattson
22 Andrew Panzarella - 4 Derek Forbort


UND Goalies

31 Brad Eidsness
32 Aaron Dell


Out: Derrick Rodwell, Roco Grimaldi, Brendan O'Donnel

UND Players Stats

Tentative Badger Forward lines

21 Brendan Woods–9 Mark Zengerle–7 Tyler Barnes
20 Ryan Little–16 Joseph LaBate–25 Michael Mersch
8 Matt Paape–14 Jefferson Dahl–18 Sean Little
26 Brad Navin–12 Keegan Meuer–13 Gavin Hartzog

Badgers Defensive Paring 

27 Frankie Simonelli - 6 Justin Schultz (A)
19 Jake McCabe - 55 John Ramage (C)
4 Eric Springer - 24 Joe Faust

Badger Goalies   

33 Joel Rumpel
30 Landon Peterson

Referees: for tonight's game:  Jonathan Morrison, Tom Sterns
Linesemen: Nathan Freeman, Justin Hill

Television: UND Sports Network, MidcoSN3, FCS Pacific, DirecTV 623 (Sat.), FSN+.

Radio: The games can be heard at 96.1 the Fox and for Wisconsin Badger fans on 1310 WIBA AM locally
in Madison or for free online at BadgerSportsNetwork.com.

Internet:  Both games at UNDSports.com.

Related articles

• Series Notes: UND vs. UW (insidehockey.com)
• Birthday boy wins it for UND versus UW (insidehockey.com)

Wisconsin Player Stats

A few things...

In case you haven't seen this video, it's the Justin Schultz Highlight video that someone posted on Youtube. Schultz is one of the best defensemen in the country and would be my pick for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award if I had a vote. Schultz would probably be playing in the NHL right now if he had decided to for-go his junior year of eligibility.

You can bet that UND will be aware of Schultz whenever he's on the ice and will probably have someone checking him at all times. Obviously, it will be hard to shut down Schultz's offensive production, but you can bet that UND will put their best players on Schultz to slow him down. 

Speaking of Justin Schultz – the Junior Defenseman from the Wisconsin Badgers was named the Red Baron® WCHA Defensive Player of the Week this past week. Schultz scored (1g-4a—5pts) in helping his team beat the UAA Seawolves (4-0 W, 3-2 W) in Madison Wisconsin. Schultz is second on the Badgers in scoring with (12g-25a—37pts).

Coming into this weekend’s series the Wisconsin Badgers lead the all-time series against UND 86-62-11 (.575). UND has had some tough sledding as of late against the Badgers as they have only won three times in the last 10 games going an unimpressive 3-6-1.

It looks like this will probably be the top two forward lines for the Wisconsin Badgers and they have been together for four games; LW 16 Joseph LaBate (5g-13a—18pts)- C 9 Mark Zengerle (10g-28a—38pst) RW 7 Tyler Barnes (8g-12a—20pts) and from looking at the line sheets this appears to be the second line for the Badgers - LW 8 Matt Paape (4g-4a—8pts) - C 23 Derek Lee (4g-6a—10pts) - RW 25 Michael Mersch (8g-12—20tps)

Compare and contrast this was what the top line for UND has been most of the season; LW 29 Brock Nelson (17g-10a—27pts) - C 10 Corban Knight (8g-16a—24pts)- RW 7 Danny Kristo (12g-15a—27pts) and this was the second line last weekend LW 16 Mark MacMillan (4g-6a—10pts) - C 27 Carter Rowney (8g-7a—15pts) - RW 15 Michael Parks (4g-3a—7pts).

Who is hot for UND; freshman forward Michael Parks has points in four out of his last six games. Corbin Knight broke a five game scoreless streak by recording a (2g-1a—3 pts) in Saturday's game against Saint Cloud.

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings: 1/22/12 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - January 8 (insidehockey.com)