Eastern Michigan thumbs nose at NCAA?

A friend of mine pinged me on twitter with this story this past Friday.

I was going to comment on this earlier but I was busy this weekend with other things, One has to wonder if Eastern Michigan University is pushing back against the NCAA - it's also interesting that they would go back to a logo that they have already retired. It will be interesting to see how the NCAA responds to this move by EMU.

You have to wonder if EMU is basically saying we don’t care what kind of repercussions the NCAA will throw at us for violating the NCAA policy on nicknames and logos... The NCAA has said that it deems Native American logos and imagery to hostile and abusive and the NCAA bans all Native American imagery at NCAA championship events - unless that college has approval from the Tribe that the logo is representing.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — When the Eastern Michigan University football team takes the field for its home opener this weekend, members of the school marching band will be sporting uniforms emblazoned with two of EMU's former logos, including one the school dropped 21 years ago amid criticism it was demeaning to Native Americans.

The Ypsilanti school will still be the Eagles — the nickname and mascot it adopted in 1991 when ditched the Hurons nickname. But EMU added its Hurons and Normalites logos to the uniforms band members will be sporting for Saturday's game against Illinois State, in the hopes that doing so will foster greater unity among its current and former students, including some who never got over the 1991 change.

"We still have Normalites who went to Michigan State Normal and are alive and wear their Normalite logo with pride," school President Susan Martin said, referring to period from the school's 1849 founding as Michigan State Normal College until 1929, when two students won a school contest by proposing "Hurons" as the new mascot. "We have many, many Hurons who are still Hurons in their heart to this day. And, of course, we have been the Eagles for 20 years.

"It's showing respect to the past but embracing the fact that we are all together under the block E and love Eastern," she told The Detroit News .

Critics contend that it's racist and demeaning for schools to use American Indian nicknames and mascots, and for years, the NCAA has been pushing schools to abandon them, threatening sanctions against schools that don't comply or don't get the blessing of the tribe whose name they're using.

@goon48"@ap_top25: Eastern Michigan brings back Indian logo, despite criticism apne.ws/RTQSoZ #emu #mac #und"
— Adam Pietruszewski (@adampiet) September 7, 2012

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• EMU brings back Indian logo, despite criticism

Monday Links...

UND's NCHC rival the SCSU Huskies are making improvements to the National Hockey Center. Here is the link to the construction camera... [Click to Link] You can go back and see what they have changed.

Michigan Defenseman John Merrill is not going to go the professional route and will return to Michigan for his junior season. [The Michigan Daily]

Wisconsin Badgers defenseman John Ramage was at the Calgary Flames Development Camp this summer and this video was on the Flames official web page. John is the son of Former NHL great Rob Ramage that also played for the Calgary Flames..

Here is the video of former SCSU Huskies David Eddy who was also at the Calgary Flames development Camp as well.



Kim from Runs on Duncan had this observations of Joe Gleason...

Observations - Joe Gleason really showed off his wheels today. He led some rushes into the offensive zone and got back to backcheck quickly. He was pretty impressive today in his overall game.

The Michigan Daily stands by their man.

I am very happy to learn that the Michigan Daily is standing behind their man Matt Slovin, who has not backed off his story one bit, even with a threat of a law suit staring him in the face, he did not blink.

Honestly, I have to admire a person like that, Slovin will probably go down in history as the guy that stood up to the mighty Kitchener Rangers.

A statement from The Michigan Daily regarding the situation involving the Kitchener Rangers:

On June 28 The Michigan Daily published an article on its website that said hockey player Jacob Trouba was considering an offer to play for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. The article was updated to include further developments on July 2, July 3 and July 4. The Rangers and the Trouba family have denied the offer, and the Rangers have threatened legal action. The Daily stands behind the story and the reporter, Matt Slovin. The Daily will respond to threats of legal action in an appropriate fashion. [The Michigan Daily]

More from the Kitchener Rangers suing the Michigan Daily

Personally, I think it’s funny that the all mighty Kitchener Rangers of the OHL are suing the University of Michigan student newspaper – in Canada no doubt. Like Chris Peters of the United States of Hockey said on twitter yesterday this is probably all optics for now. I agree with Peters' assessment. I am not sure how a Canadian court is going to get "The Michigan Daily" to comply with their rulings if they found liable?

Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo Sports --- The long, bitter and ongoing feud between the Canadian Hockey League and NCAA hockey took an interesting twist when the Kitchener Rangers announced they had made good on a previous threat to sue The Michigan Daily.

According to Kitchener’s chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski, the Ontario Hockey League team has filed a statement of claim in a Kitchener, Ont., court against The Daily – the University of Michigan’s student newspaper – and to reporter Matt Slovin. The issued claim is expected to be served on Wednesday morning.

The lawsuit stems from a report the newspaper published last Tuesday, which quoted an anonymous OHL source, who alleged the Rangers had offered standout defenceman Jacob Trouba, a Wolverines commit, $200,000 in lieu of an education package to play for Kitchener this season. Such a payment would contravene the OHL’s rules in regards to impermissible benefits.

Ryder Gilliland, the lawyer representing the Rangers in their suit, said the team is seeking $1 million in damages – $500,000 in general damages and another $500,000 in punitive damages. Once the official claim is processed, the newspaper and Slovin have 40 days in which to defend that claim because they are located in the United States.

“We’re actually not making any comment at this time,” said Jacob Axelrad, the editor-in-chief of The Daily.

Although I am not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination – I think it’s going to be very hard to prove liable in this case. This also isn’t the first time that the Rangers have been accused of shenanigans either.

Three years ago Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson accused the Rangers of trying to pay off blueliner Cam Fowler, who was slated to play for Jackson's squad. [RANGERS REPORT]

I don’t recall the Rangers suing Jeff Jackson. So does that mean that they don’t dispute the Jackson claims? As of right now the story is still on "the Michigan Daily web site.

Kitchener Rangers sue the Michigan Daily

The Kitchener Rangers have sued the University of Michigan’s student newspaper the Michigan Daily and reporter Matt Slovin for his story that Michigan recruit Jacob Trouba was offered 200,000.00 by the Kitchener Rangers to break his commitment to the University of Michigan and play for the Kitchener Rangers who drafted him.

By QMI Agency --- The Kitchener Rangers of the OHL have taken legal action against a University of Michigan student newspaper and one of its reporters for publishing a story that alleged the team offered defenceman Jacob Trouba $200,000 to play for it.

A story that appeared in The Michigan Daily last week alleged that the Rangers tried to coax Trouba, a first-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets last month, out of a deal to play for the Michigan Wolverines.

This story is getting more interesting by the minute – here is a story from the Record that says the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL are suing the Michigan Daily for $1 million dollars in damages for the story that Matt Slovin wrote on Michigan recruit Jacob Trouba and him being offered 200,000.00 to play for the Rangers.

You can also read more about this developing story here and here.

Jacob Trouba will attend the University of Michigan

The big story to emerge the past couple of days was that Jacob Trouba was offered 200,000.00 to de-commit from the University of Michigan and play for the Kitchener Rangers who drafted him in the third round of the OHL's 2010 draft. The story cause quite a stir and has since been refuted by Trouba’s family.

Matt Slovin, The Michigan Daily --- "Statement from the Trouba family: 'We have the utmost respect for the Kitchener Rangers and those that choose the CHL as an option ... but Jacob will be attending the University of Michigan next fall as a student athlete.'

Good for the Michigan Wolverines that they aren’t going to lose their 22nd recruit to the CHL, but I get the feeling that more is going to emerge from this story eventually.

Is another college prospect being poached by an OHL team?

I wonder if college hockey teams will reconsider taking blue chip athletes from the USNDT it appears that another players from the Under 18 team is considering de-committing from his college commitment and going to the OHL. It appears that this college recruits might have some financial incentive to join said OHL team.

Matt Slovin, Michigan Daily --- An Ontario Hockey League source told The Michigan Daily on Thursday that Jacob Trouba may not be as set on coming to Ann Arbor in the fall as he has stated publicly. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, placed the chances that Trouba, the ninth pick by Winnipeg in this year's NHL Entry Draft, honors his commitment to Michigan at “50/50.”

Trouba's OHL rights belong to the Kitchener Rangers who drafted him in the third round of the OHL's 2010 draft.

Regardless of where Trouba ends up, Kitchener or Michigan, the source says the defenseman will spend two years before progressing to the NHL, where he will be an “elite player.”

Monday night, a different OHL source informed the Daily that Kitchener has presented the Trouba family with a “huge offer” that remains on the table. The source added that he “believes it will happen.”

In place of an education package, the source said Trouba could be compensated to about $200,000.

Prior to last week's NHL Draft, the original source said the odds were stacked heavily in Kitchener's favor. But Trouba's promise that he will be playing for Michigan this season makes it a coin flip.

Based on this Daily Michigan article there is no way that the Michigan Wolverines can match the Kitchener Rangers generous offer – if they did Michigan would end up on NCAA sanctions.

According to The Wolverine, this is would be the 22nd player that the Michigan Wolverines have lost since 2000. This past week the Wolverines lost defenseman Connor Carrick to the Plymouth Whalers. According to Carrick, “it wasn’t about the money.” Yeah, I am sure all of us believe him after reading that the Kitchener Rangers have offered Jacob Trouba $200,000.00 one has to wonder what kind of money he was offered as well.

Since the Matt Slovin article came out Kitchener Rangers president Craig Campbell posted on his twitter page that the Trouba article is, "Utterly false."

Just for the record – OHL teams paying money under the table to incoming recruits is also not legal.

Wait, what? Do you really want to go there?

I am not sure why the guy that has the TYT blog wants to start a fight with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux fan base? I am sure that most of you have probably never seen it because no one reads his blog any ways.

Then again, I suppose if you want to generate interest and hits and lot of traffic to your blog – infuriating one of the more passionate fan bases in all of college hockey probably doesn’t hurt – it will bring more traffic to your blog.

ND vote lets school scrap Fighting Sioux nickname (Yahoo!)

I'm. So. Pumped. And no, it has nothing to do with my opinion of Native American mascots, the NCAA's rule on them or the larger social and political issues involved. I just hate North Dakota, so things that make them sad make me happy, simple as that. All of that said, this is The Story That Will Never Die (TM), so I'm not throwing the party until what's apparently a minority of the state's residents are unsuccessful in their next avenue of appeal, an attempt at a constitutional amendment.

Apparently Dean Blais' comments about the selection of the Target Center has also gotten ire of the TYT blog as well.

Two can play at that game, Deano. If North Dakota's out of the NCHC tournament, you're left with a choice of: a) two branch campuses, b) two MAC schools (and I love the MAC as a current student at a member school), c) two schools 900+ miles away and d) St. Cloud State in e) a facility that's almost universally seen as second-rate for hockey compared to the Big Ten's Xcel Energy Center. So good luck with that. The Big Ten, without Minnesota, still offers three all-time top ten men's hockey programs and five schools with universal brand recognition. And (including Minnesota again) the main campuses of two NCHC schools, although Nebraska doesn't sponsor hockey yet.

Actually, it is worth pointing out that the Big Ten's entire tournament will be played in St. Paul (or Detroit, in alternating years). In other words, Minnesota will have at least one game at the Xcel Energy Center every single year. North Dakota, on the other hand, will have to get through a best-of-three campus site first round to make it to Minny. They probably will most of the time, but hey, no guarantees when you've recruited the eight best hockey programs in the country into one conference.

Quick break while I finish laughing from typing that last sentence...

While the TYT is half right – the games that UMN plays in are going to be the highest attended games of the B1G tourney – that’s a no brainer – the problem is that other games will not be as highly attended as the days of the old WCHA tourney. That’s reality! No longer will you have SCSU, UND, UMD fans coming to the games at the Xcel energy center.

The aforementioned teams will be replaced by PSU, OSU, MSU and Michigan. OSU hockey fans don’t attend games in their own building what makes you think that they are going to attend games in Minnesota or Detroit for that matter?

Thge lingering question is – are Michigan and Michigan State fans going to attend the B1G tourney in St. Paul every other season? Here is the attendance numbers of the last two games that Michigan was involved in during last season’s CCHA tourney 10,421 (Michigan vs. WMU) and 7823 (BGSU vs. Michigan). If Michigan isn’t going to stuff the Joe Louis arena full of their fans when they are playing what makes people think that Michigan and Michgan State are going to travel to St. Paul when they are only guaranteed only one game?

Going forward It will be interesting to see how many people actually attend the B1G, NCHC and WCHA conference tourneys.

To the person that suggested that OSU and Michigan State being a big draw I wouldn't count on it - here are the OSU numbers for the last two season.

2011-12 14th Ohio State 16 Attendance 82,854 Average 5,178 17,500 29.6%
2010-11 18th Ohio State 17 Attendance 65,093 Average 3,829 17,500 21.9%

UCONN to Hockey East

Hockey East Association logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It would appear that the Huskies of the University of Connecticut will probably be leaving the AHA and moving to Hockey East, it has been thrown around a bit the past couple of months. One of the interesting things that I found in this article was that Hockey East actually wanted to add the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Miami University Redhawks. It almost appears that the UCONN Huskies were the third choice of Hockey East. 

Allen Lessels, New Hampshire Union Leader --- Talks between Hockey East and UConn officials have heated up in recent months and both sides have been studying the feasibility of teaming up. While no formal invitation has been extended to the Huskies yet, it's clear that — barring any last-minute hitches — it's only a matter of time before one will be.

“Right now, we're looking very closely at UConn,” said Marty Scarano, the director of athletics at UNH. “I think it's safe to say that it's very close to being consummated.”

Hockey East started out as a seven-team league for the 1984-85 season and added Merrimack for the 1989-90 season, Massachusetts (1994-95) and Vermont brought it to 10 teams in 2006-07.

A major overhaul of the college hockey landscape — including the creation of Big 10 hockey for 2013-14 that will include Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin — led to Notre Dame coming to Hockey East.

“Once we made the move to 11, we had to make the move to 12,” Scarano said. “We knew that. We had talked to Notre Dame and Miami of Ohio and when Miami elected not to join us, we had to cast our attention elsewhere.”

So with an extra spot in AHA Hockey - there's an open slot as well in the WCHA - does one of these two  conferences step up and offer the University of Alabama Huntsville Chargers a spot in their conference? The Chargers still need a conference to call home. I get the feeling that all of the movement we have seen the last two summers might not entirely be over yet. Or is it?  

Related articles

• UCONN exploring move to Hockey East

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• UCONN exploring move to Hockey East

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• Hockey East Focusing On Recruiting UConn To Join Conference

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• Hockey East Commissioner Says Conference Is Targeting University of Connecticut in Expansion

  ---

The question that begs to be asked?

 

That is a good question; what the hell is going on in Ann Arbor, Michigan? The US NTDP is becoming a great  breeding ground for high end CHL players. I don't think that was the intentions when the US NTDP was formed in 1996. Here are a couple of tweets from Brad Schlossman's twitter feed.

Woe's... (by Sioux 7)

Horrible and pathetic, that is the best way I can describe the attendance at the NCAA regional’s last weekend. I watched about half of the games and noticed a significant amount of seats with no bodies in them. Ugh. These teams play a long season and these kids work hard to achieve success in athletics as well as their academics. And “fans” of these great schools, don’t or can’t attend their biggest game(s) of the year. Before I completely go off, let me share a few of the attendance numbers with you,

Union v UMass-Lowell -----------------– East Final – 5,238
Ferris State v Cornell –-------------- Midwest Final – 3,108
Minn-Duluth v Boston College –-- Northeast Final – 4,470
North Dakota v Minnesota –------------------- West--10,974

That’s a TOTAL of 23,880 fans that watched a regional final. I’m stunned, again at the lack of attendance at these fine arenas. I wonder what causes this, is it a lack of interest? Are fans watching basketball instead of hockey (I hope that isn’t the case)? Are the college kids broke, because they spent all their (or Mom and Dad’s) money on spring break a week or two ago? Is it a combination of things?

Looking at the numbers for conference tournament championship games and we have the following info:

Atlantic ----– Air Force v RIT ------–---- 2,433
ECAC –----- Union v Harvard –---------- 4,131
CCHA –----- Michigan v W. Mich ----– 10,421
Hockey East --–---- BC v Maine –------ 13,079
WCHA –----- N.Dakota v Denver –---- 16,838

That’s a TOTAL of 46,902 fans watching conference championship games. More fans attend conference tournament games than NCAA regionals.

I have an idea that would/should boost attendance at NCAA regionals. How about we don’t pick regional locations years in advance, but we have the top seeds host them? That would have meant last weekend that BC (7,549 – 96%), Union (2,009 – 90%), Michigan (5,997 – 90%), and UND (11,155 – 96%), would have hosted the games at their home rinks. The numbers behind each team was their average home attendance and percent capacity this season.

I know, many will say that by doing that the top seeds have an unfair advantage. I say they’re right, but it is also gives them that reward of earning a top seed. I also firmly believe that attendance would improve. Honestly, attendance couldn’t get any worse, could it?

Related articles

• Woe's... (by Sioux 7) (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• NCAA West Regional Capsules (insidehockey.com)
• Playing around with the numbers - NCAA Hockey Tourney Selection (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• NCAA Midwest Regional Capsules (insidehockey.com)
• NCAA Northeast Regional Capsules (insidehockey.com)
• NCAA East Regional Capsules (insidehockey.com)

George Gwozdecky on Jason Zucker

Denver hockey head coach George Gwozdecky  addressed the media after the Denver and Michigan Tech quarter final game and fields a question from Bruce Brothers of the Pioneer Press at the 4:15 mark of the video about the possibility of Zucker leaving  for the professional ranks.

“I will tell you one thing Bruce [Brothers]; Gwozdecky said, "I have never, ever in my 30 plus years and my 18 years at Denver. I have never ever talked to anyone that regretting staying another year. But I have certainly talked to a lot of guys that said that they regret leaving early and so there is never anything wrong with leaving if you’re ready.  There is never anything wrong with staying, to be able to get one more extra year to be able to give yourself a better chance to be able play at the top level.  What that decision for Jason or for any of our guys, is hard to say right now.”

Related articles

• Denver slips past Michigan Tech (insidehockey.com)
• Thursday at the Final Five (insidehockey.com)

A Miami Redhawks goal or not?

I just finished watching the Miami and Michigan game on my DVR and wow what a game. Also, if you think WCHA officials are bad, you should go back and watch game if you have it at your disposal, the officials Keith Sergott and Brian Hill were brutal in this game, but they did appear to get this call right. Check out the video at the 02:00 minute mark. That was close.

Redskin Warriors --- There are two things you’ll notice after the 2:00 minute mark of the highlight video posted above. First of all, take a look at the goal/no-goal that Rico was rather furious about. From just about every vantage point I’ve seen – on the replays in the arena (I’m amazed the arena staff kept replaying it on the video boards) and afterwards on the DVR – the puck doesn’t appear to cross the line.

That being said, when the NCHC starts it's league play they have to decide if they want to use WCHA and CCHA officials. There are so many poor officials in both of those leagues that I would caution the NCHC leadership to think long and hard before they decide to use these officials. There needs to be some transparency, the refs need to ref the game the way its meant to be officiated.

INCH Power Rankings

1. Minnesota
2. Minnesota Duluth
3. Boston University
4. Union
5. UMass Lowell
6. Merrimack
7. Michigan
8. Ferris State
9. Boston College
10. Colorado College
11. Notre Dame
12. Maine
13. Denver
14. Cornell
15. North Dakota 
16. Colgate
17. Miami
18. Harvard
19. Michigan State
20. Western Michigan


Dropped out: Ohio State, Nebraska-Omaha
Bubble-licious: Air Force, Lake Superior State, Ohio State

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because I find them amusing, especially ranking UNION in fourth place, if you look at the PairWise Rankings you will see that they are ranked 10^th, I think fourth is a big stretch.

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - Super Bowl Sunday (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings (2/2/12) (insidehockey.com)
• Goon's WCHA Power Rankings 1/29/2012 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

INCH Power Rankings

1. Minnesota Duluth
2. Minnesota
3. Merrimack
4. Boston College
5. Notre Dame
6. Union
7. Ohio State
8. Boston University
9. Cornell
10. Colorado College
11. Western Michigan
12. Denver
13. Michigan
14. UMass Lowell
15. Nebraska-Omaha
16. North Dakota 1 Despite losing three of four to Minnesota in the regular season, the North Dakotans beat the Gophers Friday to keep their rivals to the east from earning a four-game season series sweep for the first time since 1991-92. 12-9-2 (8-8-0 WCHA) LAST WEEK: W vs. Minnesota, 2-1; L vs. Minnesota, 6-2. THIS WEEK: at St. Cloud State, at St. Cloud State
17. Ferris State
18. Colgate
19. Miami
20. Quinnipiac

Dropped out: Northeastern
Bubble-licious: Lake Superior State, Maine

The weekly Inside College Hockey Power Rankings are out and UND is ranked 16th week.

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - January 15 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - January 8 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - December 12 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - December 5 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 28 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 21 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 13 (insidehockey.com)

One last dance with an old friend.

There has been a lot of discussion about this weekend's series between the Gophers and the Fighting Sioux/UND Hockey team. This was the last regular season series at the REA between UND and UMN. It's only fitting that the series would end in split and a near line brawl between the two teams.

The arena was really electric this weekend and it was very loud at the Ralph on Friday night, especially during the third period.

After Friday's game the Ralph Englestad Arena lobby was still buzzing at about 10:30 pm and as I left the arena after the post game press conference, I thought this is what we are going to miss. One of the best rivalries in college hockey.

I can't see OSU vs. UMN or PSU vs. UMN matching this series in intensity, there is no way. Sure Michigan and Minnesota will be a good rivalry game and I am sure that Miami and UND will have some epic battles, but this is where it's at.

So in a season and a half we are going to no longer be able to see this historic series at the Ralph Englestad Arena again. FireHelmetGuy#26 post on Gopher Puck Live nails it.

As for Ben Blood going nuts this weekend, I would be willing to bet that he probably regrets that move today as he looks back on that incident.  Not the smartest move on Blood's part and it didn't portray him in a very positive light. We are all human beings and we all make mistakes. The near brawl at the end of the game also put a damper on an other wise great series. Here is the quote from head coach Dave Hakstol from Brad's gamer.

The last time UND and Minnesota skated off the Ralph Engelstad Arena ice as Western Collegiate Hockey Association rivals, they were unable to make it through the handshake line without a scuffle breaking out.

UND coach Dave Hakstol said he didn’t like that, nor did he like his team’s energy during a 6-2 loss to the rival Gophers in front of 11,964 in Ralph Engelstad Arena. [Grand Forks Herald]

That being said, I am not going to throw Ben Blood under the bus, what good would it do? Blood screwed up and broke a rule and violated tradition. Blood pulled someone out of the hand shake line after the game was over.

I got the impression that some wanted me to eviscerate Blood on my blog because he made a bad decision, he did. I don't think we are going to see Ben Blood do that again, and I am sure most of us would not like to see that again. Finally, there is an old saying, Let Him Who is Without Sin Cast the First Stone.

s/t to Puck Daddy for the Link today as Blood's post game reaction when viral around the hockey world.

Related articles

• UMN runs past UND 6-2 (mvn.com)
• College Hockey fan behavior. (mvn.com)
• A battle between two states; Minnesota vs. North Dakota? (mvn.com)
• North Dakota edges Minnesota (insidehockey.com)
• Fighting Sioux 1930-2012 R.I.P. (mvn.com)
• UND vs. UMN series notes (mvn.com)
• North Dakota vs. Minnesota Series Notes (insidehockey.com)
• Minnesota pastes North Dakota (insidehockey.com)

Goon's Weekly Picks 12/29 - 12/31

Thu 12/29/11
Michigan State vs Michigan Tech 4:06 p.m. ET GLI (Detroit, MI)
Western Michigan at St. Cloud State 7:07 p.m. CT (TV-Charter)

Fri 12/30/11
Michigan/B.C. vs Michigan Tech 4:06/7:36 p.m. ET GLI(TV-Champ:FCSa)
Niagara at Minnesota 7:07 p.m. CT Mariucci Classic (Minneapolis, MN)
Western Michigan at St. Cloud State 7:07 p.m. CT (TV-Charter)
Bowling Green at Bemidji State 7:37 p.m. CT (TV-LPT)
Harvard at North Dakota 7:37 p.m. CT (TV-FSSN,FCSc)
Quinnipiac at Nebraska Omaha 7:37 p.m. CT
USA Under-18 Team at Minnesota State 7:37 p.m. CT Exhibition
Air Force at Colorado College 7:37 p.m. MT
Union at Denver 7:37 p.m. MT

Sat 12/31/11
Quinnipiac at Nebraska Omaha 2:07 p.m. CT
Norestrn/Princeton at Minnesota 6:07 p.m. CT Mariucci 3rd/Champ
Denver at Air Force 6:05 p.m. MT
Bowling Green at Bemidji State 7:07 p.m. CT (TV-LPT)
Harvard at North Dakota 7:07 p.m. CT (TV-FSSN,FCSc)
USA Under-18 Team at Wisconsin 8:07 p.m. CT Exhibition
Union at Colorado College 7:07 p.m. MT


Michigan State vs Michigan Tech - MSU Win
Western Michigan at St. Cloud State - Split
Minnesota vs.  Niagara - UMN Win
Bowling Green at Bemidji State - BSU Sweep
Harvard at North Dakota - UND Sweep
Quinnipiac at Nebraska Omaha - Split
Air Force at Colorado College - C.C. Win
Union at Denver - DU Win
USA Under-18 Team at Minnesota State - MSU Win
Michigan/B.C. vs Michigan Tech  - Michigan/B.C. Win
USA Under-18 Team at Wisconsin - Badgers Win
Princeton/Northeastern vs. Minnesota - UMN Win
Denver at Air Force - DU Win
Union at Colorado College - C.C. Win

Last Week 6-1 Record for the season 67-48

RADIO: 96.1 The Fox • WEBCAST: http://www.undsports.com/
TV: Fighting Sioux Sports Network, Fox College Sports Central, MidcoSN3,
DirecTV 617 (Friday), DirecTV 623 (Saturday)

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - December 12 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - December 5 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 21 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 28 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 13 (insidehockey.com)

INCH Power Rankings

1. Minnesota Duluth
2. Minnesota
3. Merrimack
4. Boston College
5. Ohio State
6. Colgate
7. Notre Dame
8. Colorado College
9. Western Michigan
10. Union
11. Boston University
12. Ferris State
13. Cornell
14. Denver
15. UMass Lowell
16.Michigan State
17. Lake Superior State
18. Nebraska-Omaha
19. North Dakota
20. Northeastern
Dropped out: Yale, Providence
Bubble-licious: Air Force, Michigan Tech, Michigan, Providence

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because I find them interesting. I don't see anything that sticks out in this week's power rankings. 

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - December 5 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 28 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 21 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 13 (insidehockey.com)

INCH Power Rankings

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because I find them to be interesting and they make me scratch my head in disbelief. B.C. is pounded on Friday night and they come back to get the win on Saturday night but still are third in the power rankings.

1. Minnesota
2. Minnesota Duluth
3. Boston College
4. Merrimack
5. Colorado College
6. Notre Dame
7. Ohio State
8. Colgate
9. Western Michigan
10. Union
11. Ferris State
12. Denver
13. Boston University
14. Cornell
15. Michigan State
16. UMass Lowell
17. Yale
18. Lake Superior State
19. Providence
20. North Dakota

Dropped out: Miami, Michigan Tech, Nebraska-Omaha

Bubble-licious: Air Force, Michigan Tech, Nebraska-Omaha

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - December 5 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 28 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 21 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 13 (insidehockey.com)

INCH Power Rankings

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because they are ussually good for a chuckle or two. I find this week's just as amusing as some of the other additions of the INCH Power Rankings. Really 4 ECAC teams in the top 20? 

1. Merrimack
2. Notre Dame
3. Boston College
4. Minnesota
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Colorado College
7. Ferris State
8. Ohio State
9. Union
10. Colgate
11. Denver
12. Yale
13. Western Michigan
14. Lake Superior State
15. Boston University
16. Miami
17. Cornell
18. Michigan State
19. Michigan Tech
20. Nebraska-Omaha

Dropped out: Michigan
Bubble-licious: Clarkson, UMass Lowell, Michigan

Related articles

• College Hockey Power Rankings: Merrimack Remains on Top (bleacherreport.com)
• You: College Hockey Power Rankings: Minnesota Claims Top Spot (bleacherreport.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 21 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - November 13 (insidehockey.com)
• Series Preview: Sioux vs. Tigers (insidehockey.com)