WHKY: A letter to WCHA women's hockey

Dear WCHA Women’s Hockey,

We’ve been friends for several years now and it’s been wonderful watching some of the best and most dominant women’s hockey teams in the country under the umbrella of the WCHA. But this weekend’s Final Face-Off left me a little blue.

I spent my Saturday at the Ralph Engelstad Arena watching a two quality women’s hockey games, but I was still left wanting something a little more.  During intermission I wondered why there weren’t any intermission games. No videos before or after honoring previous winners or highlighting the successes or WCHA alumni, coaching staff or programs. How about highlighting the WCHA nominees for the Patty Kaz award? WCHA women’s hockey has so much to be proud of. Why not showcase it?

If you walked around the arena, it didn’t make you feel as if you were in a tournament atmosphere. I know these are little things that might cost a little money and time, but I think it’s worth creating a fan atmosphere.

Maybe the lack of fan engagement is a dollar and cents situation. And I get it, the Final Face-Off can’t be compared to the money or atmosphere of the WCHA Final Five, but the WCHA can do better for women’s hockey. It has to do better. You should strive to be like the Final Five of yester-year even if it seems like an impossible goal. In the same way you ask student-athletes to elevate their game on ice and in the classroom, I’m asking you to do the same for the fan experience.

I applaud the effort to offer the free youth clinic on Saturday morning. I can appreciate the fact that this was an excellent opportunity to advance girls’ hockey. I hope the attendees had an unforgettable experience.

An event such as the Final Face-Off has two opportunities: help grow girls’ hockey and increase and sustain the fan base. You have an exceptional product on the ice. Make the event unforgettable for fans, not just the players.

Sincerely,

Jackie – a WCHA women’s hockey fan

WHKY: North Dakota outlasts Ohio State in triple overtime

Grand Forks, N.D. -- Fans who attended North Dakota's Saturday afternoon game against Ohio State got more than their money's worth in a triple overtime game that ended allowing North Dakota an advancement to the WCHA Final Face-Off.

Saturday's score was more indicative of the play between the two teams more so than North Dakota's 5-2 Friday win.

The goals that drove the teams into overtime play happened in second period. North Dakota's Samantha Hanson broke the scoreless stalemate around halfway through the second. The Buckeyes were able to rally the tying goal with 38 seconds remaining in the period

After OSU's tying goal at the end of the second period. It would take another 63 minutes for North Dakota to complete the sweep and punch their ticket to play, at least, one more game at home. "It was a super grind; start to finish," head coach Brian Idalski said.

The game ended 3:17 seconds into triple overtime when Becca Kohler made a transition play that sent Megan Dufault up ice. Dufault passed the puck cutting through two OSU defense to Amy Menke who put it top shelf on UND's 41st shot on goal.

North Dakota will take a couple days off before they start preparing for the WCHA Final Face-Off that is being hosted at The Ralph on Saturday and Sunday. "The one thing we knew for sure we didn't want was to do was watch other teams play in our rink," Amy Menke said.

Taking a page out of the UND men's hockey program's playbook, the women's team is 22-2-2 sine mid-January.

North Dakota plans to take the next couple days off before preparing for face-off against the Wisconsin Badgers at 5:00 on Saturday, March 7. Tickets are available for the WCHA Final Face-Off at The Ralph box office and online.

Friday before the Storm Links

It's crunch time, the final push to the NCAA playoffs. Selection Sunday, the regionals... Some college hockey teams are fighting for their playoff lives. This is is the best time o the year.

UND vs. WMU, A Series Preview http://t.co/12v2VI0O0p pic.twitter.com/V9WR96FANc
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) February 20, 2015

NCHC Hockey: Officiating Has to Be Better http://t.co/QFZJ4W5DPf pic.twitter.com/8YOCdXQukO
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) February 18, 2015

@davidlukeramsey opines on #GoldPan series: http://t.co/xYCbBqq8KV #DUvsCC @csgazette @TheNCHC #collegehockey #NCAAHockey #NCHCHockey
— Joe Paisley (@Paisleyhockey) February 20, 2015

As part of #HWAA, today is #HockeyJerseyDay. Here's our favorite jerseys! Whose sweater are you sporting today? pic.twitter.com/HXqtqQXJDF
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) February 20, 2015

.@DUCoachMonty and the Pios are on the ice at Magness Arena for today's morning skate! #DUGameDay #DU1NATION #DUvsCC pic.twitter.com/pem6aI4rgz
— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) February 20, 2015

Andrew MacWilliam on the ice at morning skate after his first NHL recall. #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/gccpVpqveI
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) February 20, 2015

Details on MacWilliam's recall are available here → http://t.co/imCAlk0vzA #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/47lQGgMxDC
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) February 19, 2015

Includes F Luke Johnson. #Blackhawks RT @SBNCollegePuck: The second installment of our Top NHL Prospects list: #81-90 http://t.co/cgqmh4wC42
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) February 20, 2015

NCHC Hockey: Two Reviews, One Wrong, One Right

When the NCHC was formed, the league was going to do things better. That was one of the premises of breaking away from the WCHA schools. That status quo was no longer acceptable and needed to be changed.

One of the big selling points of hiring head of officials Don Adam was that the NCHC was going to work on training their on-ice officials. Almost two years into this new league, the NCHC is still plagued by many of the same issues that were front and center in the in the old WCHA. You have a great on-ice product that's officiated by sub-standard officials.

In my opinion, the NCHC has officials that shouldn't be reffing games at this level. This past weekend, NCHC officials Timm Walsh, Nick Krebsbach were absolutely brutal. Words can't explain what transpired. So, you have a video to watch.


First, you have a legitimate goal that should have counted. As you can see by watching the video, that the puck was clearly over the line.

There's no reason that goal shouldn't have counted. Watch the video, the puck was clearly over the line and in the net. The argument of the ref was going to blow the whistle, doesn't cut it in this instance.You have a puck that's not frozen and in play. If the refs were going to blow the whistle, there's no reason to spend five minutes reviewing the play. Right?

The second play, the puck is clearly not in the net and the refs take quite a bit of time to review the play.

WHKY: UND sweeps the Huskies under the rug and heads to Madison

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team picked up their first home sweep of the season over St. Cloud on Sunday.

The sweep didn't come easy. Although UND held the lead for the entire game, the Huskies outperformed themselves from their Saturday afternoon showing. UND was able to hold onto a 3-1 lead to cap off the weekend before heading to Madison, Wisconsin .

North Dakota goes into their Friday and Sunday series against WCHA top-ranked Wisconsin with a three-game unbeaten streak. In their first meeting this season UND settled for a tie and a loss.

The team hopes to ride their recent momentum into this weekend. "I think we have to score early and keep the lead, and play smart like we have been," jr., forward Becca Kohler said. "Now that we have a few games under our belt we're feeling more confident."

Head coach Brian Idalski said that he anticipates a high pace, high intensity series against the Badgers. North Dakota hopes to snap Wisconsin's 10 game unbeaten streak and five game shutout streak.

North Dakota will play Wisconsin Friday at 3:07 p.m. and Sunday at 2:07 p.m.. Web audio streaming can be heard here. For more information and game day notes visit UNDSports.com.

UND Women Fourth in WCHA Head Coaches' Preseason Poll

2014-15 WCHA Head Coaches’ Preseason Poll

Rk       Team (1st place votes)              Points

1          Minnesota (6)                               48

2          Wisconsin (2)                                 44

3          Minnesota Duluth                       34

4          North Dakota                                 33

5          Ohio State                                       26

6          Minnesota State                          17

7          Bemidji State                                 13

8          St. Cloud State                              9

(Note: coaches could not vote for their own teams in the poll and points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system)

Reading this poll, it would appear that UND is flying under the radar. 

Interesting Tweets about the NCHC TV Deal

@MiamiO_Fan Not sure where you got that, but that's not accurate. We'll be announcing TV next week
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) September 10, 2014

You have to love some of the fans from the NCHC. I wonder if there's a black helicopter landing in that fan's back yard. That being said, I really like the fact that the league engages the fans in a respectful and prompt manner. You can't say that about all of the leagues in college hockey.

@MiamiO_Fan Okay, he's just guessing. We'll have full TV schedule for release next week. Haven't announced anything yet...
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) September 10, 2014

@gmonteith Only road games not included are non-conference road games
— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) September 11, 2014

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NCAA Hockey: Six Part Must-See Non-Conference Series

Atlantic Hockey: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series http://t.co/oXAtQNjJFu
— NHLFantasyPlus (@NHLFantasyPlus) August 25, 2014

I just finished up six blog posts: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series. I am in the process of writing a 10 Must-See NCAA Hockey Series. It should come out this week. As we move towards the 2014-15 college hockey season, this has been the most uneventful off-season that I can remember. For those that are wondering, the NCHC CBSSN television schedule is going to come out sometime in the next six weeks.

Hockey East: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series - http://t.co/exzbOdnZOU #hockey #THW pic.twitter.com/ddqwDiGwCx
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) August 15, 2014

WCHA Hockey: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series - http://t.co/NFnkuFtXDE #NHL pic.twitter.com/5S7jQy2ivf
— THW Hockey (@HockeyLinks) August 13, 2014

Big Ten Hockey: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series http://t.co/PEJLOVDELc #THW
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) August 9, 2014

ECAC Hockey: Five Must-See Non-Conference Series http://t.co/uZTLyjpxSn #THW
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) August 7, 2014

\

#NHL #Hockey NCHC Hockey: Five Must See Non-Conference Series http://t.co/oa1IDdmeVj
— Hockey Fan (@HockeyFanLV) July 30, 2014

Minnesota Wild Development Camp Roster (College Hockey Connections)

#482705993 / gettyimages.com

The Minnesota Wild are holding their development camp on July 9-14. There will be a scrimmage on the 14th of July.

2014 MINNESOTA WILD DEVELOPMENT CAMP ROSTER

FORWARDS (College Hockey Connections)

40 Tyler Sheehy 5-10 185 Right 11/20/95 Burnsville, Minnesota Minnesota Big 10  

41 Alex Iafallo 6-0 176 Left 12/21/93 Eden, New York U. Minn. Duluth NCHC 

43 Mario Lucia 6-3 195 Left 8/25/93 Fairbanks, Alaska Notre Dame  Hockey East 

50 Vinni Lettieri 5-9 170 Right 2/6/95 Excelsior, Minnesota U. Minnesota Big 10 

52 Alex Tuch 6-3.5 218 Right 5/10/96 Baldwinsville, New York Boston College HE 

57 Adam Gilmour 6-4 192 Right 1/29/94 Albany, New York Boston College HE 

59 Eric Scheid 5-9 163 Left 5/5/92 Coon Rapids, Minnesota Penn State Big 10 

62 Avery Peterson 6-3 200 Left 6/20/95 Grand Rapids, Minnesota Nebraska-Omaha
70 Adam Phillips 6-0 195 Right 8/11/90 Farmington Hills, Michigan UMass- Amherst HE 

71 Brooks Bertsch 5-11 185 Right 5/10/90 Dubuque, Iowa St. Cloud State NCHC 

73 Tanner Kero 5-11 175 Left 7/24/92 Hancock, Michigan Michigan Tech WCHA 

79 Grant Opperman 6-0 185 Right 11/15/93 Wayzata, Minnesota Dartmouth ECAC 

DEFENSEMEN (With College Hockey Connections)

5 Christian Folin 6-3 210 Right 2/9/91 Gothenburg, Sweden UMass-Lowell HE 

44 Gustav Olofsson 6-4 191 Left 12/1/94 Boras, Sweden Colorado College NCHC

60 Carson Soucy 6-5 200 Left 7/27/94 Viking, Alberta U. Minn. Duluth NCHC

72 Hunter Warner 6-2 202 Right 9/21/95 Eden Prairie, Minnesota Minn. State Mankato 

75 Zach Palmquist 5-11 175 Left 12/9/90 South St. Paul, Minnesota Minn. State Mankato WCHA 

80 Louie Belpedio 5-10 190 Right 5/14/96 Skokie, Illinois Miami U. NCHC 

GOALTENDER
86 Michael Shibrowski 6-1 199 Left 11/15/90 Andover, Minnesota U. Minnesota Big 10

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UND Women's Hockey: UND Puts Four Players on All-WCHA Teams

2013-14 WCHA Women’s Award Winners

WCHA Player of the Year

Hannah Brandt, F, So., Minnesota (Vadnais Heights, MN)

WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year

Kelly Terry, F, Sr., Minnesota (Whitby, ON)

WCHA Defensive Player of the Year

Rachel Ramsey, D, Jr., Minnesota (Chanhassen, MN)

WCHA Rookie of the Year

Dani Cameranesi, F, Fr., Minnesota (Plymouth, MN)

WCHA Scoring Champion

Hannah Brandt, F, So., Minnesota (Vadnais Heights, MN)

WCHA Goaltending Champion

Ann-Renée Desbiens, G, Fr., Wisconsin (La Malbaie, QC)

WCHA Coach of the Year

Brad Frost, Minnesota

All-WCHA First Team

F - Hannah Brandt, So., Minnesota ((Vadnais Heights, MN). F - Kelly Terry, Sr., Minnesota (Whitby, ON). F - Michelle Karvinen, Sr., North Dakota (Rødovre, Denmark). D - Rachel Ramsey, Jr., Minnesota (Chanhassen, MN). D - Milica McMillen, So., Minnesota (St. Paul, MN). G - Alex Rigsby, Sr., Wisconsin (Delafield, WI).

All-WCHA Second Team

F - Brittany Ammerman, Sr., Wisconsin (River Vale, NJ). F - Sarah Davis, Sr., Minnesota (Paradise, NL). F - Rachael Bona, Jr., Minnesota (Coon Rapids, MN). D - Courtney Burke, So., Wisconsin (Albany, NY). D - Kari Schmitt, Jr., Ohio State (Canton, MI). G - Amanda Leveille, So., Minnesota (Kingston, ON).

All-WCHA Third Team

F - Josefine Jakobsen, Jr., North Dakota (Aalborg, Denmark). F - Jenna McParland, Jr., Minnesota Duluth (Schreiber, ON). F - Blayre Turnbull, Jr., Wisconsin (Stellarton, NS). D - Sara Schmitt, Jr., Ohio State (Canton, MI). D - Lara Stalder, Fr., Minnesota Duluth (Lucerne, Switzerland). G - Danielle Butters, Sr., Minnesota State (London, ON).

All-WCHA Rookie Team

F - Dani Cameranesi, Fr., Minnesota (Plymouth, MN). F - Sarah Nurse, Fr., Wisconsin (Hamilton, ON). F - Susanna Tapani, Fr., North Dakota (Laitala, Finland). D - Lara Stalder, Fr., Minnesota Duluth (Lucerne, Switzerland). D - Gracen Hirschy, Fr., North Dakota (Fort Wayne, IN). G - Ann-Renée Desbiens, Wisconsin (La Malbaie, QC). G - Brittni Mowat, Fr., Bemidji State (Glenboro, MB).

March 6, 2013/For Release at 8:00 pm CT

2013-14 WCHA All-Academic Team Honorees Announced

91 Student-Athletes Represent All Eight Member Institutions

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association today (March 6) announced that 91 student-athletes, representing all eight women’s member institutions, have earned WCHA All-Academic Team honors for 2013-14.

Criteria: To qualify for the WCHA All-Academic Team, student-athletes must have completed one year of eligibility at present institution, prior to the current academic year and have a GPA of at least 3.0 for the previous two semesters or three quarters.

Following, by team, are the 2013-14 WCHA All-Academic Team honorees: (*indicates repeat honoree)

University of North Dakota: *Shelby Amsley-Benzie, So. (Warroad, MN); *Kayla Berg, Sr. (Fargo, ND); Andrea Dalen, Jr. (Hønefoss, Norway); Meghan Dufault, So. (Winnipeg, MB); Tanja Eisenschmid, So. (Kaufbeuren, Germany); Johanna Fallman, Jr. (Luleå, Sweden); Samantha Hanson, So. (White Bear Lake, MN); *Josefine Jakobsen, Jr. (Aalborg, Denmark); *Leah Jensen, So. (East Grand Forks, ND); *Shannon Kaiser, So. (Crookston, MN); Michelle Karvinen, Sr. (Rødovre, Denmark); Samantha LaShomb, So. (Inver Grove Heights, MN); *Layla Marvin, So. (Warroad, MN); Marissa Salo, Fr. (Grand Rapids, MN); *Tori Williams, Jr. (The Pas, MB).

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• UND Hockey: Conference Title up for Grabs in Saint Cloud (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCAA Women's Hockey Morning Skate: 2014 WCHA and CHA Championships (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Women's Hockey: UND will host the 2015 WCHA Final Faceoff. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

UND Women's Hockey: UND will host the 2015 WCHA Final Faceoff.

Some good news for the UND Women's Hockey team and the Ralph Engelstad Arena. They will get to host the 2015 Final Faceoff. Under coach Brian Idalski, the UND women have advanced to the Final Faceoff four consecutive years in a row.

Martin also said North Dakota would host next year's Final Faceoff.... not sure if that was announced before or not. But it's gonna rotate.
— Jack Hittinger (@jackhitts) March 6, 2014

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• UND Women's Hockey: Making an Impact on the 2014 Sochi Games (thehockeywriters.com)

Women's Olympic Hockey: UND's Michelle Karvinen best woman's forward at the 2014 OIympics

#Sochi2014 women's ice hockey awards. Best Forward: @M3Karvinen. Congrats!
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 20, 2014

UND All-World forward Michelle Karvinen has won the Directorate Award as the best forward in the 2014 Women's Olympic Hockey. That's an awesome honor for Karvinen. Now, will she even make second team All-WCHA? I think she deserves to. Karvinen scored (5g-2a--7pts) during the 2014 Sochi games.

Related articles

• Women's Olympic Hockey: Missing You (hockeywilderness.com)

(Video) NCHC Frozen Faceoff 30 Second Spot

Nice video, I really like the way the NCHC is marketing the league.

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WCHA Plays of the Week - 01/15/2014

This weekend, UND plays Bemidji State and forward Brendan Harris is one of the BSU forwards to look out for. Harms has scored (5g-8a--13pts) in 24 games this season.

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Lambert on the NCHC....

This is what Ryan Lambert of Puck Daddy fame had to say about the NCHC on CHN. It would be interesting to see how many college hockey games that he has actually watched this season?

NCHC

Colorado College: This would have to be one hell of a “second-half surge.”
Denver: Yeah, 5-3 sounds just about right for a Denver win at UMass. I very much buy that as a reasonable result.

Miami: Riley Barber as captain of the US World Junior team seems like a no-brainer. One of the few returners, and he's very, very good. Given the amount of ice time he's been eating up for the RedHawks this year, he might never come off the ice in Sweden.

Minnesota-Duluth: The reason Justin Crandall isn't a goalie, and instead is the best forward on UMD this season, is that after his brother Aaron and his dad Jeff both played that position, his mom said he couldn't.

Nebraska-Omaha: I guess that yes, it is fair to say Jake Guentzel and Josh Arbcibald have been "key contributors" for the Mavs this season, given that the latter is a point-a-game player and the former is third on the team in assists as a freshman.

North Dakota: Oh a kid from Grand Forks committed to UND? Seems like that was a slam dunk. They've only been recruiting him his whole life.

St. Cloud: The St. Cloud Times gives the Huskies an “A” for the first half, which they say is “grading on a curve.” No need for a curve, they're just one of the best teams in the country.

Western Michigan: Lawson Arena got a scoreboard upgrade over the summer because NCHC rules mandated it, but apparently any talk about a new arena any time soon is just wishful thinking. “Lawson looks very nice,” said WMU athletic director Kathy Beauregard, stretching things a little.

So, we are to  believe that the National Collegiate Hockey Conference was built on entitlement, I find that statement interesting. So, only the Big Ten Hockey Conference was allowed to forward their interests. All others had to stand fast. Actually, if anything, the re-alignment allowed a team (UAH) to find a conference and this will allow for future expansion. I am not convinced that we're done moving teams around, just yet.

This seems not to have stopped the NCHC from trying to make itself more impressive, which is apparently the kind of thing we should have come to expect from a league built on entitlement more than anything else. When the Big Ten was announced, all the “prestige” programs, or whatever you want to call them, that were being left behind in the CCHA and WCHA simply decided that they couldn't be bothered slumming it against these other, lesser programs which were beneath their status and probably contempt, and thus was born the “National” Collegiate Hockey Conference, which is a curious name considering that on a geographical basis it ignores all the parts of the nation not between Ohio and Colorado.

That there was a fan vote to name the finals of the conference tournament is all good and well, and settling on the Frozen Faceoff (perhaps by design not more than a little evocative of “Frozen Four”) earlier this month, which beat out the NCHC Championship, is a little icky but not in the end that big of a deal.

Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

Here we are the last weekend of play, for most teams anyway, before the Christmas break.  The first half of the season seems to have flown by, before we know it, it will be 2014!

NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

St. Cloud St……………….6-1-1…………...19
Nebraska-Omaha…………5-2-1…………..17
North Dakota………………5-5-0……….….15
Denver…………………..…4-3-1…………..14
Colorado College……….. 2-5-3…….….….10
Miami………………………3-5-0….…….….9
Minnesota-Duluth…………2-2-0……….….6
Western Michigan………..2-2-0…………...6 

NCHC Games

Western Michigan @ # Minnesota-Duluth

Last weekend Broncos were swept (3-2, 3-2) by NoDak in Kalamazoo and the Bulldogs were swept (4-2, 5-1) by the Huskies in Duluth.

Both the Broncos and the Bulldogs are sitting at .500 in the league standings, so neither team has any reason to play desperate this weekend.  However, a sweep by one team would vault them up the standings.  Looking at overall records I have to give the nod to the home team this weekend.  BULLDOGS 3-pts

Non-Conference Games

#20 Denver (8-6-2) @ #18 Rensselaer (8-5-3)

Last weekend the Pioneers split (3-1W, 4-2L) with the RedHawks in Oxford and Engineers tied Quinnipiac (3-3ot) and beat Princeton (5-3) at home in Troy, NY.

The Engineers are playing well at home, with a 4-1-3 record at Houston Fieldhouse this season (NHL size).  The Pioneers are decent on the road with a 1-2-2 record away from Denver.  With these teams having almost identical records, I’m say they stay that way with each team getting a win.  SPLIT – RPI wins Friday, DU wins Saturday

#10 Union (10-3-2) @ #1 St. Cloud St. (11-1-2)

Last weekend the Huskies swept  (4-2, 5-1) the Bulldogs in Duluth and the Dutchmen beat Princeton (3-0) and Quinnipiac (6-4) at home in Schenectady, NY.

This should be a good series in St. Cloud with both teams ranked in the top 10.  The Huskies only loss this this season was to Miami.  The Dutchmen have only lost to Colgate, and dropped a series to Lake Superior State.  With that in mind, Union has had a softer schedule then the Huskies.  SCSU has too much talent and depth for the Dutchmen to handle over a weekend of play.  HUSKIES SWEEP 

Colorado College (2-10-3) @ #15 Wisconsin (6-5-1)

Last weekend the Tigers took 3-pts (4-2, 3-3ot) from the Mavericks in Colorado Springs and the Badgers

The Tigers went winless in the month of November, but have started off December on the right skate.  The Badgers are undefeated in Madison this year and with CC coming to town this weekend (and UAH next weekend), they might be able to keep that record intact until 2014.  I said might; I think CC will steal a game from the former WCHA rival.  SPLIT – CC wins Friday, UW wins Saturday 

Northern Michigan (6-8-2) @ North Dakota (7-7-2)

Last weekend the Wildcats were swept by Minnesota State (3-2, 3-0) in Mankato and NoDak swept the Broncos (3-2, 3-2) in Kalamazoo.

Has NoDak finally found their stride, it is closing in on Christmas and we all know they seem to win more games around and especially after Christmas.  If you are old enough you know that NMU was a WCHA member for many years and has a history with UND.  Thus the guys from Marquette are no strangers to the guys in Grand Forks.  The Wildcats are winless in their last four games and NoDak is on a three game winning streak.  I say they keep on their streaks.  NODAK SWEEP

Denver (8-6-2) @ Massachusetts (4-11-2) (Tuesday)

The Pioneers go a little farther East to Amherst, MA after their weekend in Troy, NY.
The Minutemen play at Colgate this weekend.

I’m going with the Pioneers here, just on a hunch, since this will be both teams third game in five days.

BYE

#12  Miami

#19  Nebraska-Omaha

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(Video) Brendan O'Donnell Slashing Penalty

At the 16:57 mark of the third period, Brendan O'Donnell was incorrectly assessed a two-minute minor penalty for slashing. You can see by the video that O'Donnell never should have been given a penalty. That was a blown call by Kevin Shea. Thank God it didn't cost UND the game. 

My six-year old child could tell you that this was a bad penalty. This was a blown call by the Hockey East officiating crew. In my opinion, I thought that Scott Hansen, Kevin Shea made some ticky-tacky calls all night long. Hate to say it, but I would rather have some of the officials that we have had in the WCHA. There's no excuse for this call. 

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Inside the NCHC - Episode 1 (11/6/13)

I have to say that I am impressed with the NCHC, so far to date. Their social media department is really impressive. I also heard the like-minded institution again, from Miami head coach Enrico Blasi. Thinking of which, historically, SCSU has been owned by Miami, so that should be a good series this coming weekend.

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Bowling Green Unhappy with Travel in WCHA?

Central Collegiate Hockey Association logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here's a rumor that's was floated by the BGSU Hockey beat writer.

First off, I see no way the members of the current NCHC would ever let Bruce McLeod run a league that they're part of.  So, if there was movement, it would be under the terms of the NCHC schools. Also, Western Michigan was offered an invitation to the WCHA, that they turned down. This was also the same school that was very interested in getting into the NCHC. So, to suggest that they would just up and leave the NCHC, I would question that was one, right away. That does sends up a big flag. Also, Miami has one of their own guys as Commissioners of the NCHC.  It will be interesting to see what else comes out of this. Remember BGSU is the only Division I school in the WCHA. Also, they were the last school to join the new WCHA. I see little chance of WMU and Miami leaving the NCHC to be in a league with BGSU.

CHANGES?: Bowling Green could be headed back to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Or at least the Falcons could be returning to some form of their old league.

Rumors are circulating throughout college hockey that the next round of realignment could be coming to the sport - even though the latest realignment just took effect this fall.

With the increased travel costs and leagues no longer geographically aligned, schools already are looking at even more realignment - and they're not waiting to see how the current setup works.

Depending on the rumor of the day, there's talk more league changing will take place in the next 3-5 years.

BG appears to be well on its way to contending for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship.

And the program is finally on a solid foundation financially, and has the backing of present school and athletics department administrators.

That puts the Falcon program in better position for next round of realignment.

The most popular rumor regarding BG and the other CCHA leftovers which joined the WCHA leftovers in a new WCHA has some or all of the CCHA schools getting back together.

They could be joined by former CCHA members Western Michigan and Miami of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference; or even Canisius, Mercyhurst, Niagara or Robert Morris of Atlantic Hockey.

BG, Miami and Western are members of the Mid-American Conference in all other sports. The four Atlantic Hockey Schools discussed CCHA membership in the past.

The other NCHC members are Denver, Colorado College, Miami, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota and St. Cloud.

The other members of the WCHA are CCHA leftovers Ferris State, Alaska, Lake Superior and Northern Michigan; WCHA leftovers Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech and Minnesota State; and former NCAA Division I independent Alabama-Huntsville

Now, in his weekly chat, SCSU Husky beat writer Mick Hatton did suggest that BSU and MSU-M could be added to the NCHC. Actually, I had heard a rumor similar to this more than once, from two different people, but that rumor has since died off. Brad Schlossman also said that he thinks that the league will add two teams in the next 3-5 years as well.

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• Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn) (ndgoon.blogspot.com)