NCAA Hockey: USA Today Poll; UND 6th

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll
				2012-13
		2011-12		Final
Rk.	School (1st place)	Record	Pts.	Rank
1	Massachusetts-Lowell (20)	28-11-2	484	3
2	Miami (9)	25-12-5	444	6
3	Wisconsin (1)	22-13-7	364	13
4	Boston College	22-12-4	359	8
5	Minnesota	26-9-5	347	5
6	North Dakota	22-13-7	300	7
7	Notre Dame	25-13-3	285	9
8	Yale (4)	22-12-3	269	1
9	St. Cloud State	25-16-1	230	4
10	Michigan	18-19-3	197	NR
11	Quinnipiac	30-8-5	135	2
12	Union	22-13-5	124	10
13	New Hampshire	20-12-7	116	11
14	Minnesota State	24-14-3	110	12
15	Providence	17-14-7	103	NR

Sunday Pontifications: What ails you

Follow today's action live with @wobby and #Vikings fans at http://t.co/uCv2SRCT2V pic.twitter.com/1QfeCrGbWF
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2013

Thoughts on the UND Football team getting run out of the building 55-17 by the Montana Griz. Vikings defense looks brutal today as well. Is it time for a change? Does UND football need to fire the head coach?  UND nation is not happy today after UND's loss last night.

“@UNDfootball: Watch the highlights of UND's Saturday night loss to Montana" Was there a contractual obligation to tweet this?
— Josh DeMorrett (@joshdemorrett) September 15, 2013

Hockey Buzz: Is Thomas Vanek Minnesota Bound?

Minnesota Wild (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I found this article over on Hockey Buzz. I wonder if this unconfirmed rumor is an e3 or an e5? Look, I like many Wild fans would like to see this happen, but you have to consider the source. If the news pertains to the Wild and it doesn’t come from Michael Russo, I am going to be skeptical.

Josh Rimer, Hockey Buzz -- Last night a solid source informed me that If Thomas Vanek is moved prior to the Trade Deadline, his destination of choice would be Minnesota Wild. Fitting since he played for the Gophers in 2004, Vanek has had his off-season home in Minneapolis and trains in Edina, Minnesota. His wife is from Minnesota and he has always wanted to play in Minny, especially having good friend Jason Pominville there increases his desire to be there.

Related articles

• Reiterating the Case for Thomas Vanek to the Wild (hockeywilderness.com)
• Feeling Minnesota: Why not Phil Kessel? (hockeywilderness.com)
• Vanek Keeping Options Open Entering Camp (wkbw.com)
• Rumors: Vanek hasn't asked Sabres for a trade (cbssports.com)

Breakaway Academy pioneers hockey-focused schooling in Chaska

KMSP-TV

Here’s a nice story about my brother-in-law Andy Brink and the school where he’s the hockey coach.

CHASKA, Minn. (KMSP) - Education has evolved over the past few decades with charter schools and others that focus intensively on music, theater and the arts -- but a new school in Chaska may be the first to cater to the hockey set.

The middle school students who spoke with FOX 9 News about the new school did so with enthusiasm, and their parents say the focus on hockey has their kids are highly-motivated to learn.

Even though it's not unusual for kids to hit the ice after school this time of year, there are a lot of questions being directed toward a teaching institution that puts a priority on a single sport.

"We're a private school, licensed teachers, small classroom sizes combined with specific hockey training," explained coach and co-founder Andy Brink. "There's nothing else like it in the Twin Cities."

Combining hockey with academics has been a five-year vision for Brink, and practice is a part of the daily school curriculum at the new Breakaway Academy in Chaska -- but that doesn't mean students get a pass on grades if they have skill on the ice.

In case anyone is interested, here’s the link to Breakaway Academy and Breakaway Hockey...

Gophers Freshman Gabe Guertler arrested for DUI on a Moped

Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Minnesota Gophers hockey team is going to have to ban Mopeds for their athletes. You can bet, that Gopher head coach Don Lucia didn’t want to deal with this issue to start the season. Our friends to the south, at the NDSU, in the football program, could learn a lesson from the Gophers Hockey program on how to deal with off of the field issues.

Jason Gonzalez, Star Tribune – Hennepin County public records show that [Gabe] Guertler was arrested early Saturday morning by the University of Minnesota Police Department and charged with drunken driving. He was released later that morning. He is scheduled to make a court appearance on Oct. 11.

He faces up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

A university representative confirmed that Guertler was driving a moped when he was pulled over.

No other details about the incident were immediately available. University police said more details should be available after the holiday weekend

For those that were asking for a link, here’s the links to this story...

Western College Hockey: Minnesota Freshman Gabe Guertler Suspended Following DWI Arrest

CBS Minnesota: Gopher Hockey Player Suspended After DWI

Arrest Nation: University of Minnesota Forward Gabe Guertler Arrested

The College Daily: Freshman University of Minnesota Hockey Player Arrested For DWI

USCHO: Minnesota Suspends Guertler indefinitely: incoming freshman faces DWI charge

Bring me the news: Lucia suspends incoming freshman Guertler indefinitely

Sunday Evening Dustin Brown Humor

#Gatorade to make new water bottle specifically for Dustin Brown. pic.twitter.com/xB5r0YaDCe
— Wild About Minnesota (@WildAboutMinny) August 5, 2013

I couldn't resist, it was a funny picture. At least he's not elbowing someone.

Related articles

• Steve Rosenbloom on the Boychuk hit (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Hockey News: Dustin Brown Extension; The ESPY'S (thehockeywriters.com)

Hockey: Pain is Temporary

Amen..... pic.twitter.com/7n92hYQQ42
— HockeyPerks® (@HockeyPerks) July 22, 2013

This is so true!

Related articles

• UND hockey to play UBC in January 2014 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Time to name the #MNCollegeHockey Tourney (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Predicting who wins the Inaugural 2014 B1G Title: Good Question

@THNRyanKennedy How dare you suggest that anyone other than the Minnesota Gophers win the inaugural B1G 2014 title. #sarcasm.
— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) July 19, 2013

That is a very good question. It does bring up an interesting conversation, who is the favorite to win the 2014 Big Ten Hockey Conference Title. I would have to say that Wisconsin, based on who they return, would be one of the favorites. I think that Minnesota lost way too much high-end talent to make much of a impact next season.

. @THNRyanKennedy says Wisconsin looks like a safe bet to win B1G title right now. I’ll take Minnesota as a safer bet at this point.
— Andrew Weiss (@WeissFC) July 19, 2013

Check out the O'Gara Blog Zane Gothberg mention

Boston Bruins logo (1955–1995). Secondary logo, used on black jersey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yale defenseman Rob O'Gara from the 2013 National Champion Bulldogs is doing a blog for the Boston Bruins official NHL site. Apparently, O'Gara is also buddies with Zane Gothberg who's also attending this week's Boston Bruins Development Camp.

Boston Bruins -- I’m really excited for this year’s development camp, this is my third year attending. Last year was different from the first year and I think I’ll have more confidence this year but I’m sure this year will be different than last. It’s going to be a fun week with great competition and it’s a great group of guys. As you go along, you start knowing the names and seeing who you are going to play with. Like Ryan Fitzgerald, I played with him back on the U18 Junior Bruins before we started our prep year seasons. I haven’t seen him in a while so I’m excited to say hi and it’s going fun week.



I’m also looking forward to playing with Zane Gothberg again during the week. We hit it off the last couple years and he’s one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met. We both played in the final 8 in our regional, him in North Dakota, he said hi before our Minnesota game. It was good to see him and you know, it was a little friendly competition and even though I didn’t score against him, we got the best of them. My friend Frank DiChiara from Long Island played with Matt Benning this year, I’ve known him since I was really young. Benning was at camp last year and as a D-man, there are only eight of us here, so we have to bond and stick together.

Minnesota Wild fans react to the Matt Cooke Signing...

The Wild signed Matt Cooke. Bye. pic.twitter.com/kGuVseF62o
— Abby (@ybba2215) July 5, 2013

Minnesota Wild Won't Earn Any New Fans By Signing Matt Cooke - Rant Sports http://t.co/eDMaOi42xY
— Minnesota Wild 24x7 (@MinWild24x7) July 7, 2013

Since initial shock I have decided to give matt cooke a chance...plz surprise us wild fans, we cud use some positivity right now
— Tyler Martin (@wildgeorge12) July 7, 2013

Sick of this Wild franchise. Fans have nothing to be excited about. Matt Cooke?? I have absolutely zero interest in this bum.
— mleegwater (@mleegwater) July 7, 2013

Still extremely upset about Matt Cooke😣
— Rachel Herbert (@dustyherb) July 7, 2013

@braja57 @Russostrib From Pens' HR and a Matt Cooke superfan. Good guy off the ice? Sure. The point is, he played the wrong way for years.
— Jordan Hansen (@JordanBHansen) July 7, 2013

There is way too much emotion flying around over Matt Cooke. Try using common sense folks.
— Giles Ferrell (@gilesferrell) July 7, 2013

If you are comparing Heatley, Cooke and Clutterbuck or any two thereof, just stop. Don't care what your personal feelings of each are. Stop.
— Jeremy (@knowsknothing) July 7, 2013

Updated Free Agent Signings.

Jul 6	Summers, Chris	D	Phoenix	Phoenix	$550K	1	$550K
Jul 6	McNeill, Patrick	D	Washington	Columbus	n/a	1	n/a
Jul 6	Roy, Derek	C	Vancouver	St. Louis	$4M	1	$4M
Jul 6	Jones, Ryan	RW	Edmonton	Edmonton	n/a	1	n/a
Jul 6	Pardy, Adam	D	Buffalo	Winnipeg	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 6	Santorelli, Mike	C	Winnipeg	Vancouver	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul 6	Samson, Jerome	RW	Carolina	Winnipeg	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul 6	Gordon, Andrew	RW	Vancouver	Winnipeg	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul 6	Sulzer, Alexander	D	Buffalo	Buffalo	n/a	1	n/a
Jul 5	Khabibulin, Nikolai	G	Edmonton	Chicago	$2M	1	$2M
Jul 5	Johnson, Chad	G	Phoenix	Boston	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 5	Cooke, Matt	LW	Pittsburgh	Minnesota	$7.5M	3	$2.5M
Jul 5	Iginla, Jarome	RW	Pittsburgh	Boston	$6M	1	$6M
Jul 5	Bolduc, Alexandre	C	Phoenix	St. Louis	$550K	1	$550K
Jul 5	Mancari, Mark	RW	Buffalo	St. Louis	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 5	Pouliot, Benoit	LW	Tampa Bay	NY Rangers	$1.3M	1	$1.3M
Jul 5	Ryder, Michael	RW	Montreal	New Jersey	$7M	2	$3.5M
Jul 5	Lapierre, Maxim	C	Vancouver	St. Louis	$2.2M	2	$1.1M
Jul 5	Koivu, Saku	C	Anaheim	Anaheim	$2.5M	1	$2.5M
Jul 5	Adams, Craig	C	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	$1.4M	2	$700K
Jul 5	Olesz, Rostislav	C	Chicago	New Jersey	$1M	1	$1M
Jul 5	Desbiens, Guillaume	RW	Vancouver	Colorado	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 5	Wyman, J.T.	RW	Tampa Bay	Colorado	$750K	1	$750K
Jul 5	Holden, Nick	D	Columbus	Colorado	$1.2M	2	$600K
Jul 5	Hamilton, Ryan	LW	Toronto	Edmonton	$1.2M	2	$600K
Jul 5	Johnson, Aaron	D	Boston	NY Rangers	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 5	Brennan, T.J.	D	Nashville	Toronto	$600K	1	$600K
Jul 5	Richardson, Brad	RW	Los Angeles	Vancouver	$2.3M	2	$1.15M
Jul 5	Schultz, Jeff	D	Washington	Los Angeles	$700K	1	$700K
Jul 5	Weber, Yannick	D	Montreal	Vancouver	$650K	1	$650K