February's First Games (Sioux 7)

Here are the current standings.


1 Denver...................12-6-2...26
2 North Dakota...........11-6-3...25
3 Wisconsin...............11-7-2...24
4 Minnesota................9-6-3...21
4 Colorado College........9-8-3...21
4 Minnesota-Duluth.......8-7-5...21
7 Minnesota State........9-11-2...20
8 St. Cloud State.........9-10-1...19
9 Alaska-Anchorage........6-10-4..16
10 Michigan Tech.......1-14-5....7

* Games played MSUM 22, UM 18, and everyone else 20.


#16 Wisconsin at #9 Minnesota
The Badgers invade Mariucci arena this weekend in round two of the border battle. The first round in Madison this year saw the Gophers take 3-pts. But, the Gophers are a different team now, and so are the Badgers. Currently UW hold a 3-pt edge over UM in the standings, except UM has two games in hand UW. That means the Badgers need at least a split this weekend to try and stay "comfortably" ahead of the Gophers. UM is 2-4-0 in their last six games and 5-5-0 in their last ten, UW is 4-2-0 in their last six games and 5-4-1 and their last ten. With a sweep UW could be a top the WCHA come Saturday night, get swept and they could slip as far as 6th place. I'm going to go with UW on Friday, and UM on Saturday night.


#6 Denver at #17 Minnesota-Duluth
This is a very important series for both teams, DU trying to stay a top the WCHA, and UMD is trying to knock them off the top. The first meetings this season in Denver resulted in a Pioneers sweep. The Bulldogs really want to return the favor this weekend to the Pioneers. If UMD sweeps DU they would be only 1-pt behind DU in the standings and really help their chances of locking up a home ice playoff spot. Duluth goalie Alex Stalock has gotten 2 shut-outs in the past 4-games. DU suffered a loss to UAA last Saturday, giving up a short-handed goal late in the 3rd to tie it, and then lost in OT. The Bulldogs are tough at home, garnering a 9-1-3 record at the DECC, and DU is a respectable 4-4-1 away from Magness Arena. The Bulldogs are the hotter team right now and DU is struggling a bit (3-3-2 in the last 8-games). If Duluth wins on Friday, will DU official hit the panic button. Can UMD score more than 1 goal per game, than they did last week at UW. I'm thinking this could turn into a goalie duel one evening, and a shoot out the next. SPLIT.


#18 Colorado College at Michigan Tech
The Tigers are trying sink their claws into a top five finish and the Huskies are tying to save some face and get their second league win. The Huskies of MTU are usually tough to beat in Houghton, especially during the Winter Carnival, which is this weekend. CC is 1-3-1 in their last 5-games, not good going into the stretch run. The early season match-up, back in October led to a Tiger sweep in Colorado Springs. MTU is 0-2-3 in their last 5-games, and have only scored 31 goals in 20 league games this season, that is 1.55 gpg, which is why they haven't won to many games. The last few Winter Carnivals MTU has gotten at least 1-pt, and here is too that streak continuing. Tigers on Friday, Huskies on Saturday.


St. Cloud State at Alaska-Anchorage
Normally you think a late season match-up between the 8th and 9th place teams would not mean much, but this year both teams still have a chance to get home ice in the playoffs. SCSU has the better chance being only 2-pts behind the three 4th place teams. A Huskies sweep would throw them into the dog fight (couldn't help myself) for home ice and put the Seawolves further behind the pack :) Both teams got splits last weekend against the number two and one place teams in the conference. That shows how strong the WCHA is from top to bottom. It is the standard long trip to Alaska, or is it, there are rumbling in them mountains, as there might be a volcanic eruption... The Seawolves are hoping for an eruption in goals this weekend, as they are 2-2-2 in their last 6-games, and SCSU is 2-3-1. I don't see either team sweeping, so here is to a SPLIT.


#13 North Dakota and MSU-Mankato are on a bye week.

You have got to be kidding me.

Dan Meyer from this is the WCHA has a great blog post this week taking issue with what Don Luica has said in a Goal Gophers blog. Meyer is basically saying you can't excuse the unexcusable, yet there is fans that are still trying to.

Star Tribune Minnesota beat writer Roman Augustoviz made note on his blog the other day of Don Lucia's opinion on the melee Friday night in Mankato between Gophers defenseman Brian Schack and Minnesota State defenseman Channing Boe.

“That’s not the way we like to play,” Lucia said. “But in some of our kids’ defense, Brian Schack included — and I’ve said it, at some point, we got to protect our own players, too. Brian did that and that’s to his credit."

With all due respect coach, give me a break.

Lets review the situation here. It's about midway through the third period and the Mavericks are leading by four goals. They're playing at home. Whether Jay Barriball turns his back into Boe is questionable. I happen to think he did. So does former Minnesota head coach Doug Woog, who said so while watching a replay during the FSN broadcast.

Here is a comment that has to be one of the silliest things I have read in a long time. You can't make this stuff up folks, this is hilarious.

Anonymous Skippy said; This face to face crap is that, crap. here are facts.

1. Boe hit Barriball by the near end bench in relation where the melee took place.
2.Schack is a defenseman.
3. Boe was skating into the zone towards the puck.
4. The combination of 2 and 3 leads to the fact that Schack would be behind Boe, much as Boe was beind Barribal when he drove him into the boards.
5. In your world Schack should have:
a. skated around Boe until he looked at him.
b. asked him to go
c. dropped the gloves
d. waited for Boe to agree
e. then beat the ever loving shit out of Boe with his helmet off and if he gets knocked out and hits his head and god knows what..its ok. It was done within the "code"

BS. UND fans and all fans see everything from different colored glasses. To say if you punch a guy out when he is looking at you and has his helmet off is appropriate vs what Schack did? your an idiot. I think Schacks actions are suspension worthy. I don't hide behind some BS code or face to face crap. It doesn't matter, it doesn't belong in hockey period. But, a gopher did it and we all love to hate the gophers. So we jump on this as if our teams have never done this. Guys attack guys from behind all the time. Its not right, its not more wrong when a guy from a team we root against or not for does it.

Grow up people. This isn't a Minnesota issue, its a WCHA issue and yes, Minnesota has been involved in 2 series with this crap, with 2 teams MSUM and UND who when they play each other pull the same crap. Its a league issue, let's attack the real issue, the officiating and the league. Lucia has the pull to make changes. Lets get behind the changes for the betterment of the league. Mr. Lucia...no comment might be a wise choice until your steroid treatment program is completed.

First; there was a penalty called on the play so you would take five minute power play, there is no need to start a melee at that moment. If you play by the code you learn to pick the right time in a game to right a wrong. There is no reason per the code to immediately exact your revenge for the checking from behind play.

Second; if Schack the hack had gone by the code he could have skated up to Boe and challenged him to a fight face to face not perform some chicken shit move by jumping him from behind and pounding Boe’s helmetless head on the ice while you’re still wearing your helmet and gloves, that is 5x worse than the checking from behind call that you’re responding to.

Third; Or Schack the hack could have told Boe you and I are going in the next game so better be ready, ala Buress and Kaip. The problem we have seen this season is the Gopher hockey players need to become familiar with the code. So yeah face to face is how you settle things like me, not from behind like a bunch of pansies. So the answers to the the Anonymous skippy's question (5) a, b, c, d, would be yes.

If Lucia had the power to change the way games are called in the WCHA Don Luica wouldn’t be making these asinine statements in the media and on television. We all know the Refs in the WCHA are lacking in the quality department, but all teams have to play with the same refs. Maybe some of the Gopher hockey players should make themselves familiar with "the Code".

INCH Chat.

Here is the latest from the INCH Chat: Not much to report.

Victor Crowell, Green Bridge, NJ: Denver split last weekend against the lower division opponent Alaska/Anchorage team. How do you see the Pioneers finishing this season and in the playoffs ? Do you think Patrick Mullen can follow in the footprints of the great Joe and Bryan Mullen ? Way to go for the Seawolf walk-ons !

Jess Myers: Following a legendary relative is always tough, so let's not put undue pressure on the latest in the Mullen hockey line. As for the Pioneers, their coach says that they're about where he expected them to be, meaning they may have overachieved early in the year and the recent near-.500 play is about what should be expected. With that said, Denver and Wisconsin are the only two teams in the league that can win the MacNaughton Cup without help, which is not a bad place to be on the first weekend of February.
----------------------------------
Ryan (Grand Forks, ND): What do you think about the Schack incident last weekend? I felt it was right up there with the Michigan/Michigan State incident and deserved more consequences. Thanks!

Jess Myers: It was ugly all around, and we need to see a stop not only to what Schack did, but to what led up to it as well. Minnesota State's Channing Boe is lost for the season as a result, prompting many to call for further disciplinary action, but at this point I don't see any forthcoming.
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Tim Thomas with the save of the year.

Ok, so I am biased I am a Boston Bruins fan but this is my nomination for the save of the year in the NHL. Check out this sick save by former Vermont Catamount Tim Thomas.

NHLPA head wants to kill staged fights in the NHL.

Thanks to Mike a reader of this blog who sent me this article from ESPN. The other night I was watching a NHL hockey game with my wife when two random goons/tough guys dropped the gloves and broke into a boxing routine. Why wife told me, “This is stupid because these two guys don't even look mad at each other, how can they just fight each other”. I tried to explain the code and the role that fighting has in professional hockey, but I am not sure the random staged fights fall under the code. My also said she likes the fights that happen as a result of a heated emotional play and not some staged bought.

I have to admit that I love watching Derek Boogaard who has played in 187 games scored 2 goals 10 assists and has an eye popping 423 penalty minutes pummel some random thug from the Ducks or the Av’s but I can see Kelly’s point. I also believe it is a slippery slope that the NHL doesn’t want to go down. If you take fighting out of hockey they you run the risk of increasing stick fouls and no way to police the agitators that skate around taking liberties with the games elite players.

TORONTO -- The head of the NHL Players' Association believes it is time to consider a rule mandating helmet use during fights and to examine the role of one-dimensional enforcers in the game.

While a "clear majority" of players want fighting to remain a part of hockey, Paul Kelly feels his constituency is open to restrictions on the process.

"A couple that we've talked about that ought to be looked at anyway is, do you consider a rule whereby players need to keep a helmet on during the course of a fight, and perhaps require officials to step in if a helmet comes off during a fight," Kelly said Wednesday before the Conn Smythe Celebrities Dinner and Auction.

"If it's true that when guys get hurled to the ice or tripped to the ice and bang their skull on the ice is where the real danger comes from, then maybe we can protect against that. It's certainly something worth looking at," the union chief added.

Kelly acknowledged the role fighting has in policing the tenor of play but added that so-called "staged fights" between two players with skill sets limited to throwing punches may no longer have a place in the game. The potential damage that strong men who stand well over 6 feet on skates and weigh more than 250 pounds can inflict might now make such bouts too dangerous.

"If it's a staged fight between two superheavyweights that perhaps arranged it a day before the game, I'm not so sure those are the fights that we need to continue to have in the sport," Kelly said. "And if they're the most dangerous fights, we ought to take a good, hard look at those.
-------------(snip)--------------
Instead, Kelly argued that fights arising "out of the spontaneity of the game, the adrenaline of the game, the emotion and the need to protect a teammate or yourself from an unclean hit" were a natural part of hockey and were a required element of the sport.

He went on to say that Wayne Gretzky would have played "several hundred" fewer games in his career if he didn't have Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley as teammates

Don't look for the NHL to ban fighting anytime soon even the commissioner of the NHL isn't for it.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman likened the fighting study to how the league approached the successful revamping of officiating standards coming out of the lockout in terms of its scope.

He warned, however, that banning fighting from the game altogether is a non-starter.
"I don't think there's any appetite to abolish fighting from the game," Bettman said.

Check out Drew Stafford's goal.

I was watching this game last night on the NHL network and this nice goal by Drew Stafford. Not quite the Johnny Toews goal but pretty goal none the less.

Merrimack Warriors coming to the REA.

Mike McMahon from the Warriorrinkrat.com and of the Bruins Hockey Blog has given me a heads up about a rumor that the Merrimack Warriors of the Hockey East are going to be opening the 2009-2010 season at the REA.

A look at the numbers.

Here are the national stats for penalty minutes, take a look at the WCHA teams. Well, well, well, look who is number two over all nationally. It isn't the big bad Sioux.

Penalty Minutes:-----------Games---PIM----PIM/G
2 Minnesota------------------24-----518------21.6
4 Minnesota State------------29-----597-----20.6
6 Alaska Anchorage----------24-----478------19.9
7 Wisconsin------------------28-----557------19.9
13 North Dakota-------------30-----571------19.0
17 Minnesota Duluth---------28-----507-----18.1
18 Denver--------------------27-----486------18.0
31 Colorado College----------28-----453-----16.2
32 St. Cloud State------------28-----442-----15.8
45 Michigan Tech------------28-----394-----14.1

This post is in response to a point that Archie brought up with week. It would appear that Doug and the Rug need to check their stats. UND was right the top spot for PIMS nationally last season is down around the middle of the pack for the WCHA this season.

Another example of the brainwash was last weekend druing FSN broadcast. They put up a graphic showing the Top 3 penalized teams in the WCHA and MN and Mankato were just behind Wisconsin for the top 3. Woog then says,"Whoa, wait a minute, i can't believe North Dakota isn't in there, we might have to check those stats again."

Gee I wonder who Lucia is talking about?

It would appear that Gophers hack Brian Schack has gotten away with his act of thuggery and will only receive the one game disqualification that he was awarded last Friday night. I have yet been able to find any press release or announcement that states any additional punishment or sanction by the league office. It wouldn't surprise me one bit, Gophers coach Don Lucia has been pleading his case all week in the media about how the refs aren't protecting the players, yada, yada, yada.

For those that don't read the Star and Tribune check out the latest nugget from Roman Augustoviz now we are going to blame the ugliness towards the Gophers on the arenas that serve alcohol in their arenas? Huh? WTF is that? Let me guess; tDon is talking about Mankato and North Dakota? Lets try this on for size; it is the attitude your program displays towards the rest of the league. Its the in your face attitude of FSN announcers and the various off handed shots your assistant coach makes in his pre-game comments.

This is why the various fan bases around the league hate your team. It's the pompous holier than though, elitist attitude that your bring with you when you travel on the road. The Gophers hockey program oozes arogance and it showing more this year than others when the Gophers prima Donna's are getting it handed to them on a nightly basis. Who are you going to blame this week when the Badgers slap your butt around Marriucci? Word of advice to the Badgers players you better look out for Flynn and Schack they like to jump the oppostion from behind.

RIVALRY GOOD WITH BADGERS

Lucia said the Gophers have a healthy rivalry with Wisconsin. “Some of the others ones, and I won’t mention names or anything like that, are a little bit more ugly as far as fan treatment and everything else,” Lucia said. “I never felt that way with Wisconsin. Our games have been much more disciplined over the years than maybe years ago.

“I never felt when I go to Kohl Center – I think the fans react in a real positive manner. Ya, once in a while, when you come off the ice, you get a little [grief] from a student. But that’s OK. That’s all fun. But I never felt when I go there, it is over the top and that’s me as a college coach. I have no issue with fans cheering their team and getting involved. I don’t particularly like the vulgarity. ‘F the Gopher’ chant that we hear.

“And I think, to be honest, and I spoke [Monday] about it [to WCHA officials]. I’m probably being more candid, maybe it is the steroids I took this morning than normal. I think as a league – my own personal opinion is, I am not sure if alcohol is served at some of the venues is a real positive in our league.

(Lucia is taking weekly IV steriod treatments for a nerve problem which causes numbness on the left side of his face.)

“I am a purist,” Lucia said. “I don’ have an issue if it is served in club rooms or in suites or in a beer garden. But I have an issue and, I think it lends to problems, when you got guys sitting with beer after beer sitting right behind the visitors’ bench. Nothing good can happen.

“And we have venues that you can literally sit and have cocktails all game long whether it’s hard booze, wine or beer. I think that is where some of the ugliness gets. As a league, I think we have to take a look at that.”

Oshie's goal. (get the puck on net)

Former Sioux and current St Louis Blue T.J. Oshie proved that there is no such thing as a bad shot on goal as he scored a greasy goal against the Red Wings. If you standing in front of the goal with the puck and there is no other move, shoot the puck.

Conboy signs with Hamilton

Former MSU Spartans player Andrew Conboy has signed a contract to play professional hockey with the Hamilton Bulldogs, who is Montreals top farm team. Conboy will be remembered for this act of thuggery on Michigan player Steve Kampfer. I would be willing to bet that we will see no more acts of thuggery like this in the AHL.

HAMILTON, ON - Hamilton Bulldogs General Manager Julien BriseBois announced today that the club has signed left wing Andrew Conboy to an American Hockey League contract for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season. As per club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Conboy, 20, played for the Michigan State Spartans for 21 games this season accumulating five points (three goals, two assists) while leading the team in penalty minutes with 76. In 2007-2008, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound left winger won the Clark Cup with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. The native of Rosemount, Minnesota ranked fifth on the team in points with 38 (17 goals, 21 assists) and second on the team in penalty minutes with 188. Conboy was drafted by Montreal in the 5th round, 142nd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Conboy will be ineligble to play for the Bulldogs until Wednesday, February 11th when the 'Dogs travel to Hershey to battle the Bears.

Lucia says Schack crossed the line.

Check out the latest article from the UMN hockey blogger. Wow, no kidding! Those are some really profound words, by the Minnesota Coach, “Schack crossed the line, but.” But what? Schack crossed the line and violated the hockey code and should pay for it, like you do when you play in the NHL. I want to see more than an extra game from the league office. Also, if college hockey is a non-fighting league (except for rare occasions) then Schack is not an enforcer, he is a thug. You can't tell me Schack has half the honor Derek Boogaard has. You would never see Boogaard would never perform a heinous act like this.

Seriously, I have to agree with Coach Lucia, because he is right, the league officials are not protecting the players in the WCHA. A lot of us have been saying this for years and all we heard is the refs are doing a good job. I am going to say bravo sierra, and see I told you so. Yeah, you can’t tell me this after all of the incidents I have witnessed this season and last season that the refs are doing a good job. They can’t even call he games per the NCAA mandate. I think it is indicative of the leadership of the WCHA and the buck stops with the two guys at the top. The status quo is no longer good enough, heck the status quo doesn't even meet the standards for a house league in Canada.

Why is it that every other league in the country can get it right? Thanks to the FCS, NHL network and CBS College Sports I watch NCAA division one hockey game from the other leagues (ECAC, Hockey East, AHA, CCHA) and rarely do you see happen what goes on in the WCHA. I can’t think of the last time I have seen an incident like this in the ECAC. Do you think Paul Stewart would let this crap go on if he was the head of officials in the WCHA? Todd Anderson would be out job after the UND and DU series. The two officials I think should be removed from officating are Todd Anderson and Don Adam both of these guys should have been fired by the WCHA years ago. Don Adam should have been fired after the Final Five game between DU and UND when he watched Sioux player get carried off the ice on a stretcher and only call a two minute penalty.

One of majors — and the game misconduct — was on sophomore defenseman Channing Boe of MSU for checking from behind on the Gophers’ Jay Barriball in the eighth minute of the third period.

Seconds later the Gophers’ enforcer, Brian Schack, was jumping on Boe’s back and wrestling him to the ice. A scrum ensued, Boe’s helmet came off, and Schack kept slugging Boe, who was on all fours, pretty much defenseless on the ice, until the officials finally got Schack off.

Somehow during the scrum, one of Boe’s ankles was broken. He is out for the rest of the season.

“That’s not the way we like to play,” Lucia said, “but in some of our kids’ defense, Brian Schack included — and I’ve said it, at some point, we got to protect our own players, too. Brian did that and that’s to his credit.

----------(snip)----------
Doug Spencer, the WCHA’s associate commissioner for public relations, said the league usually spends Mondays reviewing any controversial incidents that happen over the weekend and typically announces added punishment, if any, on Tuesdays.

Asked whether Boe’s season-ending injury makes it more likely Schack will receive an additonal penalty, Spencer implied no. “From what I heard,” Spencer said, “there was a big pileup. Somebody’s knee [or ankle in Boe’s case] can get bent in those.”

I expect Schack to get an added penalty from this incident. He started a fight, tried to beat a player who couldn’t defend himself and who wasn’t wearing a helmet.

I know there is code in hockey: Defend your teammates. But the Schack-Boe fight wasn’t a fair fight. Boe had no chance.

----------(snip)----------
What do you think the WCHA will do in this situation? Several hockey blog sites are going crazy, comparing Schack to Todd Bertuzzi, who in 2004 assaulted Steve Moore in an NHL game, calling Schack every name possible.

Don Cherry is not a fan of Clutterbuck.

For the most part I love Don Cherry, he is kind of the Rush Limbaugh of the NHL. I am not sure that I agree with Cherry in this instance. The big story to come out of Saturday night was that Don Cherry isn't a fan of Wild player Cal Clutterbuck (Cherry on Cal 4:00 in) because he fights with his visor on. You will see in the fight video that Clutterbuck asks Yandel to remove his helmet off but Keith Yandle refuses. Just for the record Wild tough guy Derek Boogaard said he doesn't take his helmet off during a fight. In defense of Cherry's argument there is supposed to be a two minute penalty for fighting with a shield on.

Here is the story from Mike Russo.

"If you look at the incidents, first time I asked [Yandle] to take our helmets off, and he said, 'No,'" said Clutterbuck, his assertion backed by replays. "I'm not going to be the only guy to fight and take my helmet off. The second time against White, he jumped me from behind. So what does he want from me? I mean, what do you want me to do? Really."

Clutterbuck noted that, on Friday, he fought Edmonton's Steve Staios. "He had a visor on, too. We both did. [Cherry] didn't show that. I don't know why. ... It upsets you. He's a part of the Canadian media. He's based out of Toronto and he's in Leafs Nation, so with the whole thing with White, he's biased. I think what he does for the game in Canada, he's an icon, but I'm going to have to disagree with him on what he says."

Leahy not impressed with Bruins announcers.

Sean Leahy of Puck Daddy isn't impressed with the announcers from NESN during the call of this fight. Personally, being a Bruins fan I think it is funny. I also like how Jack Edwards makes fun of the God awful hideous jerseys that Montreal is wearing.

I suppose if you're not a Bruins fans I could see how maybe the former Bruins player and UNH star Andy Brickley and Jack Edwards might be grating on your nerves. I think this broadcast team is better than Fred Cusack and Derek Sanderson aka "the Turk" from days past. I find the guys from the Anaheim Ducks to be the worse. In college Hockey a lot of Fighting Sioux fans feel the same way about the Wooger and the Rug from the Gophers broadcast crew on FSN.

Puck Daddy's favorite homer announcer, Jack Edwards of New England's NESN, was at it again yesterday during the Boston-Montreal matinee when Shawn Thornton and Alex Henry squared off just over a minute into the game.

While the Canadiens were wearing throwback jersey's that Edwards called "your grandfathers pajamas," he added another memorable call to his illustrious homer-announcing career:

More on the Schack hit.

Check out what Bruce Ciskie from the Fan House had to say on the Brian Schack incident. I have to say that I agree with this assessment. A six to eight game suspension would be about right in this incident. Todd Bertuzzi missed the rest of the 2004 season and the playoffs for his gutless act. However, I doubt the league will have the balls to make this kind of a decsion.

Schack received a fighting major and game disqualification, meaning
he won't play when the two teams meet at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis tonight.
What happens to him beyond that will be up to Lucia and/or McLeod, and we should
know that sometime next week.I'm not as upset about this as I was the attack on
Steve Kampfer last week.

Schack didn't attack Boe from behind, and Boe knew he had it coming after throwing an illegal hit on a smaller Minnesota player. However, Schack has to be in for at least a six to eight game suspension.

As I said last week, I am reluctant to blame these kinds of attacks on the lack of fighting in college hockey. I don't think allowing players to drop the gloves without risking a game disqualification would necessarily solve much of anything. Players have to figure out, though, that violent, uncontrolled rage is not justified by any kind of hit, whether it be a legal or illegal hit.

Check out Shane Frederick's take on the incident.

Monday Ranking

USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll
February 2, 2009
1 Boston University (33) 19-5-1 983 2
2 Notre Dame (17) 20-4-3 967 1
3 Northeastern 17-6-2 826 3
4 Michigan 19-9-0 781 8
5 Cornell 14-3-4 751 4
6 Denver 16-8-3 741 7
7 Vermont 14-6-4 724 6
8 Miami 16-8-4 664 10
9 Minnesota 12-7-5 608 5
10 Princeton 15-6-0 548 9
11 New Hampshire 12-8-4 466 13
12 Boston College 11-8-4 410 11
13 North Dakota 16-11-3 399 12
14 Yale 15-5-1 360 18
15 Ohio State 17-8-3 319 14
16 Wisconsin 14-11-3 237 15
17 Minnesota-Duluth 14-8-6 229 16
18 Colorado College 13-9-6 194 17
19 Dartmouth 11-7-3 77 20
20 St. Lawrence 14-10-2 56 NR
Others Receiving Votes: St. Cloud State 53, Minnesota State 47,
RIT 21, Alaska 15, Air Force 11, Nebraska-Omaha 7, Massachusetts 4, Mass.-Lowell 1, Niagara 1.

USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
Feb. 2, 2009
Rank School (first-place votes)
1. Boston University (27) 19-5-1
2. Notre Dame (7) 20-4-3
3. Northeastern 17-6-2
4. Michigan 19-9-0
5. Cornell 14-3-4
6. Miami (Ohio) 16-8-4
7. Vermont 14-6-4
8. Denver 16-8-3
9. Minnesota 12-7-5
10. Princeton 15-6-0
11. New Hampshire 12-8-4
12. Boston College 11-8-4
13. North Dakota 16-11-3
14. Yale 15-5-2
15. Ohio State 17-8-3
Others receiving votes: Colorado College, 21; University of Wisconsin, 17; University of Minnesota Duluth, 11; St. Lawrence University, 6; Rochester Institute of Technology, 3; Minnesota State University, 2.

INCH Power Rankings

1. Boston University
2. Notre Dame
4. Northeastern
5. Vermont
6. Denver
7. Cornell
8. Miami
9. Princeton
10. North Dakota
11. Minnesota
12. New Hampshire
13. Ohio State
14. Boston College
15. Wisconsin
16. Yale
17. Colorado College
18. Minnesota Duluth
19. St. Lawrence
20. RIT
Dropped out: Air Force
Bubble-licious: St. Cloud State, Alaska, Dartmouth

I am actually surprised that UND moved up one from last week after being shut out on Friday night. I am remotely shocked that Minnesota stayed at 9th in the polls after being swept by the Mavericks this weekend.

Check out this ugly jersey.

I was watching the Bruins beat the Habs 3-1 today and I couldn't get over how ugly the Montreal Canadians Jerseys were. I never seen anything like this before, these are God awful.

Apparently these eye sores are the "barber pole" retro jerseys and socks featuring the distinctive look of narrow red, white and blue horizontal bands used by the team in 1912-13.

Weekend Round-up (Sioux 7)

Well, it was splitsville for everyone playing this weekend except MSUM which sweep the Gophers for the first time, EVER! Congratulations Mavericks!

Are the Gophers now the BAD BOYS of the WCHA? 2 players were give 5-minute majors and ejected from Saturdays game only minutes apart, and another 5-minute major the night before. They got 14 penalties and 42-minutes on Fri, and 10 for 42-minutes on Saturday. And Lucia's comments that they may need to get some players to protect their top talents since the league isn't, whoo hoo, what will happen with that...

I'm got a couple of the series right this weekend, splits. Of course, all that really does is leave us with a pile of teams in the hunt for home ice, with a 3-way tie for 5th place, and the 6th and 7th place teams only 1 and 2 pts behind, yikes!

Maybe this upcoming weekend the title race and home ice pictures might get cleared up a little, maybe...

Scores from 1-31-2009,

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Atlantic Hockey
Bentley 4 at Army 1
Air Force 2 at Mercyhurst 3 ot
Holy Cross 4 at Connecticut 1
Sacred Heart 1 at Canisius 5

CCHA
Michigan State 2 at Lake Superior 4
Nebraska-Omaha 1 at Ferris State 1 ot: Ferris State Wins
Shootout
Bowling Green 2 at Miami 3
Notre Dame 3 at Michigan 2
Northern Michigan 4 at Western Michigan 3
Ohio State 6 at Alaska 2

CHA
Bemidji State 5 at Robert Morris 1
Niagara 5 at Alabama-Huntsville 5 ot

Analysis
BSU sweeps Bob Morris. Niagara takes 3 of 4 points from Huntsville.

ECAC
Princeton 5 at Brown 1
Colgate 2 at St. Lawrence 4
Union 2 at Dartmouth 2 ot
Quinnipiac 0 at Yale 3
Cornell 0 at Clarkson 0 ot

Hockey East
Merrimack 3 at Providence 5

WCHA
Minnesota-Duluth 1 at Wisconsin 0
Alaska-Anchorage 3 at Denver 2 ot
North Dakota 4 at St. Cloud State 2
Minnesota State 3 at Minnesota 1

Analysis
Except for the Gophers split city in the WCHA this weekend. Props to the UAA Seawolves for knocking off the DU Pioneers.

Gauthier’s hit on Gorges.

Props to Sean Leahy of Puck Daddy for the video. You can bet the league office will review the video of this hit and hand down some type of sanction. Reviewing the video there is no mystery that Denis Gauthier left his feet to check Gorges and led with his elbow and the league will not tolerate these types of cheap shots.

Check out Lucia's comments.

Props to Amy for the Video. So did Don Lucia condone Brian Schack's Todd Bertuzzi style attack on Channing Boe? I wonder if tDon will be getting a call from the league office this week? Seems to be a common thread developing here Don, it is not just the other teams in the WCHA but your team as well. Go ahead recruit a bunch of tough guys. Seriously! How many more hacks do you need on your team? You have ready have Ryan Flynn and Brian Schack.

Here are just a few examples of the Gophers getting involved with the extra after the whistle stuff, maybe it's not just the big bad Sioux. (example one) (example 2)

Gwoz Picture.

Props to Sioux7 for this picture. When you look at this picture you have to wonder what the heck is going through George Gwozdecky's mind? This is end of the now famous walk.

SIOUX 4 HUSKIES 2

They say in the WCHA you want sweep at home and split on the road, to quote George "W" Bush, "mission accomplished." Tonight the Fighting Sioux beat a desperate Huskies team 4-2 gaining a split for their weekend series. The Fighting Sioux must keep winning if they want to continue their season past the WCHA playoffs. On the evening Andrew Kozek (1-1-2), Chay Genoway (0-2-2), Mario Lamoureux (1-1-2) and Jason Gregoire (1-1-2) all had big nights for the Fighting Sioux. This season the Sioux have rolled 4 lines getting balanced scoring from all four lines and have 15 players with 11 points or more.

Fighting Sioux freshman goalie Brad Eidsness was solid in net as he stopped 25 of 27 shots coming up big in the later half of the game. With the win tonight Eidsness improves his record to 16-8-3, lowered his goals against average to 2.5050 and improved his save percentage to .909.


Box Score
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK-1 Evan Trupp (2-Hooking) STC 0x1 5:32
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 LL Jason Gregoire (10) (Derrick LaPoint, Evan Trupp) 7:47
NDK (+): 17,3,19,29,25,G31 STC (-): 8,14,16,9,5,G33
STC-1 Oliver Lauridsen (2-Hooking) NDK 0x1 8:06
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 Andrew Kozek (6) (Mario Lamoureux, Chay Genoway) 11:26
NDK (+): 10,9,5,22,2,G31 STC (-): 25,28,12,27,17,G33
NDK-2 Mario Lamoureux (2-Holding) STC 0x2 14:20
STC 1 - 2 6x6 Ryan Lasch (13) (unassisted) 17:14
STC (+): 19,11,25,28,17,G33 NDK (-): 16,14,9,5,10,G31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STC-2 BENCH (2-Too Many Players) (Served by Mitch Ryan) NDK 0x2 1:36
NDK 3 - 1 6x6 GW Ryan Duncan (12) (Chay Genoway, Jason Gregoire) 7:23
NDK (+): 16,5,17,2,26,G31 STC (-): 19,17,13,18,3,G33
NDK-3 Brad Miller (2-Hooking) STC 0x3 8:50
NDK-4 Joe Finley (2-Holding) STC 0x4 9:28
NDK-5 Jason Gregoire (2-Tripping) STC 0x5 13:05
STC-3 Garrett Roe (2-Interference) NDK 0x3 14:25
NDK-6 Joe Finley (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) 19:43
STC-4 Garrett Roe (2-Holding) 19:43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STC 2 - 3 6x6 David Carlisle (2) (Ryan Lasch, Jordy Christian) 4:32
STC (+): 28,19,13,17,3,G33 NDK (-): 5,2,16,26,17,G31
NDK 4 - 2 6x6 Mario Lamoureux (2) (Andrew Kozek, Brad Malone) 9:31
NDK (+): 9,10,22,3,11,G31 STC (-): 25,28,12,29,8,G33
Timeout - St. Cloud State 18:42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game

Scores from 1-30-2009

Friday, January 30, 2009

Atlantic Hockey
Sacred Heart 3 at Canisius 3 ot
Holy Cross 5 at Connecticut 3
Bentley 6 at Army 0
Air Force 4 at Mercyhurst 4 ot

Analysis
Air Force has a 3-3-1 record in January and is 4-5-2 since December.

CCHA
Nebraska-Omaha 1 at Ferris State 7
Bowling Green 1 at Miami 6
Michigan 2 at Notre Dame 1
Northern Michigan 6 at Western Michigan 5
Ohio State 1 at Alaska 4
Michigan State 0 at Lake Superior 2

Analysis
Michigan put an end to Notre Dame's 20 game unbeaten streak. UNO falling fast and is 4-5-4 in their last thirteen also going 2-2 in shootouts. Miami pounded BGSU, I watched that game on the NHL network and Miami's futures looks promising.

CHA
Bemidji State 5 at Robert Morris 3
Niagara 4 at Alabama-Huntsville 2

Analysis
With four teams in the CHA, BSU and RMU are going to see a lot of each other in the coming weeks. RMU is going to play six of the last twelve games against the Beavers. RMU is also going to spend 11 days in Bemidji.

ECAC
Quinnipiac 5 at Brown 1
Cornell 1 at St. Lawrence 8
Union 1 at Harvard 3
Princeton 1 at Yale 3
Colgate 3 at Clarkson 1
Rensselaer 2 at Dartmouth 5

Analysis
Well, well, well. What do we have here? Princeton loses to Yale and Cornell is pounded by Saint Larry. Princeton drops down to 11th in the pair wise ranking and is 2-4-1 in January beating Harvard and Robert Morris University. Cornell while tied for three right now in the PWR/RPI will drop if it continues to lose due to it's weak strength of schedule.

Hockey East
Boston College 2 at Providence 2 ot
Vermont 2 at New Hampshire 3
Boston University 3 at Merrimack 1
Northeastern 4 at Massachusetts 6
Mass.-Lowell 3 at Maine 2

Analysis
Northeastern loses to UMass. Since December Boston College is 3-5-3, definitely the loss of Nate Gerbe is a big blow to the Eagles.

WCHA
Alaska-Anchorage 2 at Denver 6
North Dakota 0 at St. Cloud State 3
Minnesota 2 at Minnesota State 6
Minnesota-Duluth 1 at Wisconsin 3

Analysis
The home teams all won in the WCHA last night. Split on the road and sweep at home.
I don't see how UAA takes any points from Denver this weekend. It will be interesting to see how Minnesota responds tonight.

Exhibition
US Under-18 Team 6 vs. RIT 3

Star Tribune misses major point.

Seems that the Star and Tribune missed the part where Gophers player Brian Schack attacked a player and punched him as he lay on the ice without his helmet on. Now, I am not saying the checking from behind penalty wasn't blatant because it was, however, Boe's actions don't warrant being attacked much like Steve Kampfer was. If Brian Schack wanted to fight Boe, Schack should have challenged him to a fight like the code dictates. I believe that would have been a more appropriate response.

The final period also had a melee in the eighth minute. Six players received penalties and one of them, sophomore defenseman Channing Boe of the Mavericks, was taken off on a stretcher. After the game he was on crutches.

Looking for a positive, Anderson said: "The good thing about getting your butt kicked on Friday is you can come back and try to salvage something [tonight]."

Check out the comments for this article as well. Holy cow! It would appear that not all is well in Minneapolis. Here is a really beauty of a comment, blame the Canadian kids eh? What the hell is that? That we can violence in the WCHA can be blamed on Canadians? Schack is a Minnesotan and just committed one of the most heinous acts I have ever seen in a college hockey game. Schack's act is right up there with Todd Bertuzzi's attack on Steve Moore.

Huh?
Must have a lot of basketball players that comment about Gopher hockey on here...if you can't handle the physical aspect of ice hockey go watch the elementary girls basketball game at your local school! I say it's about time the Gophers start standing up for themselves with the physical play...many times over the years they have been the team that gets pushed around. As far as Schack goes, if you check a kid in the back you better expect you're gonna get yours...and Boe did!! I don't want anyone getting hurt, but its a part of the game. With influx of Canadian kids in college hockey(not the Gophers mind you) you better be ready for more of that type of play! Fire Lucia...if you are one of the people saying that this is to be blamed on the coach...you really don't know much about sports, especially hockey!

Lastly as Siouxweet said not a word on USCHO.COM or College Hockey New about this ugly incident from last night. Why not? If the Fighting Sioux had been involved in this ugly incident it would have been front page news on all of the College Hockey web pages.

Slug feast in Mankato (Schack goes Bertuzzi)

This incident is warrants a 5 game suspension; minimum! It is time for the WCHA to man up and punish Brian Schack as he went Todd Bertuzzi on MSU-M Maverick Player Channing Boe. We get it Brian the CFB was a bad play but it didn't warrant your actions. You're now on par with Tropp and Conboy of MSU.

Wouldn't you know it Todd Anderson is the ref in this game as well. Maybe that is the common denominator? This incident tonight is equal to this incident in my opinion. The league needs to relieve Todd Anderson of his reffing duties before someone gets killed out there on the ice.

SCSU 3 UND 0

I watched tonight's game on B2, I would recommend using that product again if I get the chance, the picture was really pretty good, however, the game didn't go the way I would have liked. The Sioux have to be frustrated with their play and the results tonight. The Huskies won on the backs of Jase Weslosky who was an impenetrable force. Que the cliche; the Sioux ran into a uber hot goalie tonight. The Sioux threw a statically impressive 38 shots against the Husky goalie and couldn’t score. I take my hat off to Jase Weslosky tonight. What the heck can you do? Unfortunately the Sioux don't have a lot of wiggle room to play with based on their horrible record the first half of the season. Losing tomorrow night's game is unacceptable.

Tonight I thought the Sioux carried the play most of the night, however they got burned by the speed of SCSU’s skilled forwards. The Sioux defenseman got caught up ice against Roe and Lasch and paid the piper for their efforts. You cannot leave a goalie to fend for himself against high end talent like Roe and Lasch, they have to be better tomorrow night. Also, the Fighting Sioux forwards need to move their feet more because tonight they didn’t get enough grade “A” opportunities in close to score goals. On the goaltending front Brad Eidsness has to be better covering his angles and the post. The second goal tonight was a SEGA wrap around goal and that cannot happen.

Box Score
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK-1 Evan Trupp (2-Hooking) STC 0x1 1:38
NDK-2 Jake Marto (2-Roughing) STC 0x2 9:20
STC-1 Oliver Lauridsen (2-Holding) NDK 0x1 11:58
STC 1 - 0 6x6 GW LL Ryan Lasch (12) (David Carlisle, Michael Olson) 15:17
STC (+): 19,28,8,22,25,G33 NDK (-): 25,3,10,22,18,G31
NDK-3 Ben Blood (2-Interference) STC 0x3 15:44
STC-2 Travis Novak (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x2 19:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STC-3 Drew LeBlanc (2-Tripping) NDK 0x3 6:30
STC-4 Aaron Marvin (2-IB) NDK 0x4 6:33
NDK-4 Brad Miller (2-Slashing) 6:53
NDK-5 Brad Miller (2-AG) (Served by Andrew Kozek) STC 0x4 6:53
STC-5 Chris Hepp (2-Roughing) 6:53
STC 2 - 0 6x6 Garrett Roe (13) (Travis Novak, Nicholas Rioux) 15:51
STC (+): 9,12,5,11,7,G33 NDK (-): 21,19,3,29,25,G31
STC 3 - 0 6x6 Nicholas Rioux (2) (Aaron Marvin, David Carlisle) 18:21
STC (+): 5,17,13,7,12,G33 NDK (-): 5,2,18,16,17,G31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK-6 Brad Malone (5-Checking from Behind) (Served by David Toews) STC 0x5 5:36
NDK-7 Brad Malone (10-Game Misconduct) 5:36
STC-6 Oliver Lauridsen (2-Roughing) 5:36
STC-7 Sam Zabkowicz (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x5 12:20
STC-8 Chris Hepp (2-Boarding) NDK 0x6 12:43
NDK-8 Joe Finley (2-Charging) STC 0x6 18:30

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SCSU and UND lines (stats included)

Brad Schlossman has posted the lines for tonight's game. I am kind of surprised that Zach Jones is sitting again tonight, it has been a long time since Jones has missed 2 out of 3 games.

UND's lines

17 Jason Gregoire--(9-9-18)16 Ryan Duncan--(11-11-22) 26 Brett Hextall--(8-8-16)
20 Matt Watkins-- (4-7-11)11 Darcy Zajac--(2-10-12) 8 Ryan Martens--(10-9-19)
19 Evan Trupp--(5-12-17) 29 Chris VandeVelde--(9-12-21) 21 Matt Frattin--(12-7-19)
10 Andrew Kozek--(5-7-12) 22 Brad Malone--(2-8-10) 18 David Toews--(5-6-11)

2 Joe Finley--(2-6-8)5 Chay Genoway--(2-23-25)
3 Derrick LaPoint--(1-3-4)25 Jake Marto--(5-6-11)
24 Ben Blood--14 (0-0-0) Brad Miller-- (4-19-23)

31 Brad Eidsness 15-7-3 GAA 2.5048 SV% .910
30 Aaron Walski

SCSU's lines

13 Jordy Christian--(5-6-11) 17 Aaron Marvin-- (8-14-22) 19 Ryan Lasch--(11-19-30)
11 Jared Festler-- (7-10-17) 9 Garrett Roe--(12-24-36)12 Travis Novak--(5-8-13)
26 John Swanson--(8-15-23) 29 Drew LeBlanc--(5-5-10) 21 Brian Volpei--(2-8-10)
22 Brent Borgen--(3-6-9) 8 Michael Olson--(4-7-11)16 Nick Oslund--(4-2-6)

5 Nicholas Rioux--(1-3-4) 7 Garrett Raboin--(8-16-24)
3 Sam Zabkowicz--(3-8-11) 18 Chris Hepp--(2-5-7)
25 Oliver Lauridsen--(0-1-1) 28 David Carlisle--(1-3-4)

33 Jase Weslosky 11-7-1 GAA 2.8659 SV%.912
41 Dan Dunn 2-4-1 GAA 2.6168 SV% .902
36 Nate Hardy

Goon's World mentioned on Dan Barreiro's show.

Yesterday Goon's World was mentioned on Dan Barreiro show bumper to bumper at about 27:30 of the first hour of the Dan Barreiro's show. They were talking about Conboy's brother when he bit Uber Hack Steve Downie.

More victimology from the DU press

Brad Elliott Schlossman had this gem linked on his blog this morning. You have to wonder if Mike Chambers is being serious? Again we see another theme here, the big bad Sioux with their arena full of rowdy blood thirsty fans. Those awful fans on the internet as well. I guess I am guilty eh?

I think it is kind of funny to see the Denver Pioneers play the victim card. I also think it's funny that the Denver hockey team is refering to taking a point out of last weekend's series as a moral victory. This is the same series where they were destroyed 8-3 the first night. DU is a better team that than that.

North Dakota nightmare lingering for Pioneers
By Mike Chambers
After all, the DU players could be concentrating more on their bizarre one-point series last weekend at North Dakota than on what might unfold tonight and Saturday.

The Pioneers, however, say the baggage they brought home from Grand Forks — the bumps and bruises, the Internet ridicule and ensuing suspension of coach George Gwozdecky, plus the mental exhaustion — will be keepsake items the rest of the season.

If DU's old mascot, Boone, were around, he wouldn't need any help circling the wagons. Thanks to North Dakota and the nasty environment it promotes, the Pioneers seem to be in a good place to begin their final 10-game, regular-season stretch run.

"Absolutely, there is no doubt we're a better team because of all the crazy stuff last weekend," DU junior center Tyler Ruegsegger said.

Said senior captain J.P. Testwuide: "We dealt with a lot of challenges that will help us down the stretch. The crowd and the testiness of those games was a good experience, and absolutely, we feel great about how we came out of it."

INCH chat

This is one of the most uneventful INCH chats that I have seen for some time. I don't know what to make out of that? No Red meat.

Mark: Fargo, ND: Alright Jess! Are you ready to jump on the Sioux bandwagon - this is a very balanced team, runnning Four strong lines. Do you now see the Sioux winning the WCHA?

Jess Myers: Absolutely! I just got my green and white boxers back from the dry cleaners and I'm ready for the stretch run! But seriously, I didn't
see the Sioux making this kind of second half rally, which is a failing on my part, because they do so every year. The rapid growth and adjustment to the college game by their talented freshmen has made the biggest difference in the past month. My head says I should pick the Sioux to win the league title based on the way they're playing right now, but something tells me they'll finish just a bit behind Denver. That of course sets up the inevitable rematch in St. Paul in
March.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex (Fargo): What are the chances North Dakota makes the NCAA tourney?

Jess Myers: Right now they look pretty solid for a top four finish in the WCHA, which would make them a near-lock for the field of 16.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avan (Boston): Can you remember a more talented group of defensemen than the one BU has had the luxury of throwing out there every game this season?

Mike Eidelbes: I can remember, if I go all the way back to ... this season. BU has a nice defensive corps, but the Notre Dame group (Kyle Lawson, Ian Cole, Teddy Ruth, Brett Blatchford) is right there with them as is Wisconsin (Jamie McBain, Brendan Smith, Cody Goloubef, Ryan McDonagh, Jake Gardiner). North Dakota's group from last year (Taylor Chorney, Chay Genoway, Rob Bina, Joe Finley, etc.) was a good crew, too.

George Gwozdecky speaks.

Here is an interesting blog post by every Sioux fan's favorite college hockey beat writer Mike Chambers from the Denver Post.

MC: What’s the thing that upset you the most in that game? Was it VandeVelde’s hit on Ruegessger against the sidewall? Is that what started the emotion on the bench?

George Gwozdecky: No, it started long before that. I think people know me well enough – officials and the people that have watched me coach this team for 15 years – that I’m not going react to one incident, I’m not going to blow my top and get all worked up over one call. It takes more than that, and there are times I won’t even react. Obviously, that wasn’t the case. Sometimes you really have to fight and battle and stick up for your team, and I felt that was the time it had to be done.

MC: Do you think it’s time for the WCHA to separate certain officials from certain opponents? (It was obvious I was asking about referee Todd Anderson and the DU-UND rivalry. Three years ago, Anderson ejected Gwozdecky in a Sioux game in Denver, after UND’s Mike Prpich speared Geoff Paukovich in the privates off a center-ice faceoff. No call was made, despite the fact the officials had their eyes trained on the neutral zone and Paukovich went straight to the ice in pain).

George Gwozdecky: Nobody’s perfect, whether you’re a coach, player and official. Everybody wants to do their best, and at times because of whatever reason, it’s difficult to do. That’s a very difficult place to play. It’s loud, they’re energetic, great fans, and if you let it, it can be intimidating – including to the officials. I’m not going to blame anybody for what went on. Obviously, I took the actions I felt needed to be taken.

MC: Let’s talk about your suspension for talking to your staff during the third period via headset from the press box.

George Gwozdecky: I certainly didn’t have a thorough understanding of the rules. Obviously, for me walking around the press box, for everyone to see me, and for me to comment afterwards to the media about where I was at the end of the second period and in the third period, it’s pretty obvious I wasn’t trying to hide anything. It certainly was a violation when I found out about it, and there was no question what I felt needed to be done. I support the administration. It’s a rule; it’s in the book.

All joking aside, when your children lie there are consequences for their actions, come on now George! Seriously folks, it doesn't take a genius to know if your coach has been kicked out of the hockey game and asked to leave the bench you can not have ANY, ANY communication until after the game is over. The fact that he keeps saying this stuff is insulting to hockey fans and is utter bull shit Bravo Sierra.

The Dasher Dancer.

For those that don't read Sioux sports this is funny. BadgerSioux has posted this gem for you viewing pleasure.

University of Alabama-Huntsville looking for a league

The Dominos keep falling in realignment. It will be interesting to see where UAH ends up.

UAH hockey seeks new league
By BUDD McLAUGHLIN
The UAH hockey program is aiming to join the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, a move that would bring Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Notre Dame to the Von Braun Center by the 2010-11 season.

The Chargers today will formally apply to join the CCHA, a jump made necessary by the imminent demise of UAH's current league, College Hockey America. We have the official application letter and fee ready to be sent to the CCHA," University of Alabama-Huntsville athletic director Jim Harris said Wednesday.
--------------(snip)--------------
We have the official application letter and fee ready to be sent to the CCHA," University of Alabama-Huntsville athletic director Jim Harris said Wednesday.

The four-team CHA appears certain to fold after this season, with Niagara and Robert Morris gaining admittance Tuesday into the Atlantic Hockey conference.

That follows Bemidji State's announcement last week that it was seeking to join the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The WCHA is expected to vote on Bemidji State and other expansion candidates in April.

Harris said UAH also will send a "letter of intent" seeking application to the WCHA, though "economically, the CCHA makes sense (regarding) travel costs."

Chorney to the Senators?

While most of the time Ek's rumors don't come true this one involves former Sioux Taylor Chorney.

From a source today...

"The Sens are very interested in Erik Cole and the Oilers feel that Jason Spezza is a great fit with the current speedy young line-up. Of course Cole is a pending UFA and an extension would have to be first worked out. Also, the Sens would like a prospect d-man in the deal as well."

Another source agreed adding, "The Sens have made it known that they love Taylor Chorney."

Chorney is the Redden Replacement that the Sens could use. He is a heck of a prospect who many feel will be as good as Redden if not better. He is another member of that killer University of North Dakota team from the last few years, although this year he has been in the AHL for Springfield.

Fighting Sioux coaches show.

Check out the latest Fighting Sioux coaches show.

Notes from the coaches show.

Tim Hennessy: We discussed it this afternoon DU is one of the best teams the Sioux has played. Coach Hakstol agreed with Tim, maybe because Minnesota didn’t give their best effort when they were in Grand Forks a few weeks back. Hakstol said, “DU is a very good especially their forwards like Rhett Rakhsani who had a great weekend for the Pioneers.”

Tim Hennessy: Denver University Freshman Joel Colborne who was picked to be the preseason ROY in the WCHA was almost invisible this past weekend and that isn’t a knock on him. Coach Hakstol said that they had watched Colborne develop over the years in the AJHL and if Colborne is given time to develop in the WCHA by the team that drafted him, Colborne is going to be a great player in the WCHA. Coach Hakstol said that the WCHA is a tough league even for juniors and seniors. Tim and Coach Hakstol were also wondering who Colborne was drafted by, for the record Joel Colborne was drafted by the Boston Bruins.

Tim and Coach Hakstol discussed Tyler Bozek playing with Salazar and Colborne before the injury. Coach Hakstol said that, “Tyler Bozek is one of the players in the WCHA that could be playing in the NHL this season.”

Tim Hennessy mentioned the Walk: Coach Hakstol believes at a minimum that they should have gotten a 5-3 power play for the walk. The rest of that stuff is the league’s business. Coach Hakstol didn’t really want to make any moral judgments on the incident and he doesn’t have time to. George set out to affect the officiating and to motivate his team probably accomplished that. Coach Hakstol said that basically we should move on, the incident is over and we are playing SCSU this weekend.

Tim Hennessy: How much better is SCSU now then when you played them. Coach Hakstol, “I don’t know.” When SCSU was here in December he thought that the Sioux got the jump on them and they didn’t have a chance to recover. They are a very dangerous team, at all times you have to be very sharp, their forwards are like Denver.

Tim Hennessy: You got a few of their guys frustrated Roe because he didn’t get any (points) and Lasch who didn’t have much either. Coach Hakstol: We didn’t really match anyone with their guys? We had a couple of lines prepared to play to against them and two defenses paring to play them. Coach Hakstol was very complementary of Husky players Roe and Lasch. Hakstol compared Roe to Denver forward Rhett Rakhshani.

Tim Hennessy: your team has played well for some time your play on Saturday was an aberration. Coach Hakstol said they didn’t have it till the third period we got back where we wanted to be then we took three penalties.
Tim Hennessy: How good was Brad Eidsness. Hakstol he was that good as you thought after the game, he was very good throughout the game.

The Standing in the WCHA is close; there is a jam up at the top. Your guys are energized because they are back in it. Hakstol thought the team got back into it at Christmas time. We stumbled a bit when the team had a brutal weekend in Detroit. I honestly think we have fought out way back into this thing and battled back into this thing. There are 6-7 teams looking at the standings and the Sioux just have to play their game and not standings watch.

Tim Hennessy: Why was Matt Jones was not playing on Friday night? Coach Hakstol said that he would discuss it a little bit but not get into a lot of the details. Coach Hakstol said at the beginning of the season he said that he likes the character of this team. Ben Blood has made great strides in his development. Hakstol is not just going to pull a healthy player out of the line up without talking to him. Jones agreed with Hakstol and told him it was the right move. That takes a man to do that. There are a lot of unselfish players on this team, guys like Harrington, Lammy, Davidson. Hakstol thinks there is a lot of glue on this team and he likes their chances. All 25 guys are committed to the goals.

Coach Hakstol said the environment in the REA the last two weekends have been amazing. The environment was maybe a factor where maybe it helped UND get a point.

January's Last games (Sioux 7)

Last weekend we saw UMD sweep MSUM, UND and SCSU each earn 3pts each at the expense of DU and CC respectively, and MTU-UAA tie TWICE, you don't see that too often. So much for predictions of splits last weekend.

WCHA Standings

1 Denver...................11-5-2...24
2 North Dakota.........10-5-3...23
3 Wisconsin...............10-6-2...22
4 Minnesota...............9-4-3...21
4 Colorado College......9-8-3...21
6 Minnesota-Duluth......7-6-5...19
7 St. Cloud State.........8-9-1...17
8 Minnesota State......7-11-2...16
9 Alaska-Anchorage....5-9-4...14
10 Michigan Tech........1-14-5...7

NOTE - MTU and CC have played 20-games, UM 16 games, and everyone else 18 games.


#5 Minnesota at/home Minnesota State
Have the Gophers sprung a leak? They have let in 6, 6, 1, and 6 goals the last 4-games, and all but one of them was let in by Kangas. The Mavericks are 3-4-0 since the start of 2009. If the Purple want to avoid ending up black & blue, they need points every weekend. MSUM needs points if they want to avoid a 8th or 9th place finish, considering after this weekend they will have played 22 out of 28 league games, the most of any team (MSUM is on a bye next weekend). The Gophers on the other hand have played the fewest league games and are in the thick of the race for the WCHA title, so points this weekend keep them in the race and will edge them closer to securing a top 5 finish. SCSU and UND have exposed the Gophers defense and goal tending, now is Mankato's chance to take advantage of it. The home team wins, Mankato Friday, UM Saturday, SPLITSVILLE.


#12 North Dakota at St. Cloud State
The Huskies have been and up and down team to say the least, the just took 3pts from CC last weekend, but got swept by the UM the week before. The early meeting between the Sioux and Huskies resulted in a sweep for the Sioux in Grand Forks. With a quick look at the numbers, is appears that if a team scores 3 goals on the Huskies, they can bet SCSU, less than 3, ahhh. UND has been lighting up the score board recently, in fact, they are the first team in the country to score 100 goals this year. I see the Sioux continuing on with their traditional second half run and taking some points from the Huskies. Sioux 3pts.


#16 Minnesota-Duluth at #15 Wisconsin
This series has all sorts of ramifications, not just in the league, but in the Pairwise rankings as well. A sweep gives the victor a position to get home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs and the inside track for an NCAA tourney birth.
The Bulldogs are on a 4-game winning streak, at the expense of Bemidji St and MSUM, so they are looking to keep the barking and biting. The Badgers are coming off a bye week, and back in mid November took 3-pts from the Bulldogs in Duluth. UMD is hoping to return the favor this weekend in Mad-town. UW looks to have the toughest schedule to close out the season, so they need to get wins to stay in the hunt. I hope I can find the games on TV somewhere, cause these could be some barn burners. I'm going the wimpy way out on this series, SPLIT.


Alaska-Anchorage at #7 Denver
The Pioneers need to get over last weekends events at Grand Forks and start focusing on UAA. DU will be without head coach George Gwozdecky for Friday nights game, do to a rules violation from Saturday's game in Grand Forks. Both teams come in riding ties, UAA could get home ice for the play-offs, but they needs points and some help. The wheels would have to come off Boone's wagon for DU to not get home ice. Pioneers players and fans better be ready for UAA on Friday, if not they could suffer a loss. I see Saturday as a DU win. I'm going to call a SPLIT, but a DU sweep is not out of the question.


The #17 Colorado College Tigers and Michigan Tech Huskies are off this weekend.

Ovechkin scare.

I think the Washington Capitals held their collective breath on this play last night. Yikes! When I first saw this play it didn't look good but he came back and played in the third period.

In the second period, Ovechkin hit the boards behind the Bruins goal with his head and right shoulder, then remained motionless on the ice for about 15 seconds before rolling over and rubbing his face with his glove. Although he left the ice a few minutes later, he was doubled over and flexing his right arm.

Ovechkin, who leads the NHL with 31 goals, sat on the bench just a few minutes before walking off through the tunnel and slamming his gloves and helmet to the ground.

Team spokesman Paul Rovnak said Ovechkin had a "stinger" that felt better after about 15 minutes. Ovechkin missed the last 5:35 of the second period but came back for the third.

Kessel Cleared to play.

Bruins forward Phil Kessel, has been cleared to play tomorrow against the New Jersey Devils after being on the injured reserve list for mononucleosis. Kessel hadn't played since January 10th and missed 6 games; during that time the Bruins went 4-1-1.

This is very good news for the Boston Bruins who now seen most of their injured players return to the Bruin's line up; Manny Fernandez is still out. In last nights game Andrew Ference (31 games), Patrice Bergeron (15 games) and Milan Lucic(7 games) all returned to the Bruins line up after being out with injuries. The return of these players makes the Bruins that much deadlier.

On to the Huskies.

Well! We have beaten the DU series after math to death and now it’s time to move on to another series against another WCHA school that hates the Fighting Sioux. I actually think it is a badge of honor. Let's take a trip down memory lane. Going back to the year 2006; this is what St Cloud Times beat writer Kevin Allenspach said about the Sioux after a home series druing the 2005-2006 season between the Huskies and the Fighting Sioux at the REA. Just for the record UND was swept by the Huskies in the series.

Despite a dozen rookies, North Dakota has lived up to its long reputation as a rough-and-tumble bunch. The Sioux have been sentenced to more penalty minutes than any team in college hockey this season, and lead the WCHA with an average of more than 28 PIM per game. The Huskies, by comparison, are downright angels on skates. They've never exceeded 29, and average approximately 14. Their self-restraint will be tested this weekend at Engelstad Arena, where they know it will be paramount to maintaining a hot streak that has St. Cloud State surprisingly in sixth place.

"It's just a normal game against North Dakota if there's a lot of stuff going on," said Huskies junior Justin Fletcher, who has a team-best six-game point streak. "You know they're going to take some penalties. Your power play has to be on top of its game and you can't lose your composure. You have to be ready to play them 5-on-5 or 4-on-4."

Seems after that same series in 2006 the SCSU coach wasn't thrilled with the style of play of the Fighting Sioux either.

"We talk about it — I tell (the players) every week that we can't take foolish, selfish penalties," said Motzko, 12-9-3 overall in his first season as head coach. "North Dakota, they're notorious for roughing it up. If you see a fight in our league, chances are they're involved. It's a source of pride for them. They try to get nasty and get in your face. That's the way they like to play, aggressive. We've got to be ready for that."

I actually wrote Kevin Allenspach a letter after that series taking issue with what he said. This is the response that Mr Allenspach sent me. As you can see from the letter, Kevin is pretty solid stand up guy.

Goon:

I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. My response time is generally a lot quicker than one week, however I was out of the office for a few days and the rest has been busy getting stories done in advance of this weekend's series with Anchorage.

I appreciate your feedback on last week's preview story. I'll be the first to admit that the disparity in penalty minutes before last weekend's series with North Dakota had pretty much zero impact on the 2-1 SCSU wins. That's a risk you take in choosing a topic for a preview. I could easily have written about UND's offense (at the time, best in WCHA games) and that also would've proved way off base.

I'm glad you still thought it was more impartial than the FSN telecasts. That would've been too much if you didn't. Believe it or not, I consider myself very impartial in my coverage. I could care less whether SCSU wins or loses. I'm just after what makes the best story and serves the readers the most.

You have a good point that I did not see the Mankato infractions. However, I have been covering the WCHA for nearly a decade. And if you think anyone around the league is going to say another team is tougher to play against, from a standpoint of getting hit hard, beat on and intimidated than North Dakota, you're wrong. I've also seen Dean Blais send guys over the boards to take revenge for what he thought was a bad hit. I saw Brian Canady spear Jon Cullen in the groin toward the end of an SCSU victory. Dave Hakstol doesn't shirk the image of a tough team because it serves the Sioux. They are intimidating to play against.

As for the Sioux nickname controversy, I'm only glad I don't have to chronicle that soap opera. The Times won't let me use the word "Fighting," which I disagree with. I don't have a problem with the nickname, but I'm not a Native American, either. The one thing I can say is that I don't see the controversy ever going away unless the name changes. At some point, no matter how much school pride I felt, I'd get tired of fighting that same old battle. And you are correct, though, that SCSU should stay out of it and let the matter rest between UND and the NCAA.

I don't know if you regularly read the Times or just did so because the Huskies were UND's opponent. I appreciate your feedback and am always willing to hear more. You're also welcome to write a letter to the editor (To Sports Mailbag at: sports@stcloudtimes.com).

Hope to hear from you again,

Kevin Allenspach
St. Cloud Times

The Domino's are falling.

Well it's now official. Atlantic Hockey Approves Expansion: Niagara and Robert Morris To Join Affiliate Members Next Season; Full Members in 2010-11. There are now two division one college hockey teams that are without a home, UAH and BSU. It will be interesting to see if both of these two teams end up in the WCHA or will the league poach a team from the CCHA. I would love to see NMU end up in the WCHA then UAH moving to the CCHA. If the WCHA couldn’t get a CCHA team to move I wonder if the WCHA would take both CHA schools.

Jan. 28 — Sources within Atlantic Hockey have confirmed to USCHO.com that Niagara and Robert Morris will join the league as full members beginning with the 2010-2011 season. The schools will be affiliate members of Atlantic Hockey next season, using league officiating crews.

An official announcement from the league detailing the decision will be released within the next few days.

This development will mean the dissolution of College Hockey America, which had been reduced to four teams — Alabama-Huntsville, Bemidji State, Niagara and Robert Morris — after Wayne State dropped hockey last season. The WCHA last week lifted its moratorium on expansion, paving the way for Bemidji State to apply for membership.

Atlantic Hockey had previously voted to increase its scholarship limit from 11 to 12 starting next season. Robert Morris is below that limit, but Niagara has 18 scholarships, the maximum allowed by the NCAA. Niagara will have to eliminate six scholarships by the 2010-2011 season to comply.

Gwoz caught cheating.

Developing on going saga. Seems that the George "the Dasher Troll" Gwozdecky cheated by communicating with the DU bench after he was kicked out of the game.

DENVER (Jan. 27) — Denver has suspended head hockey coach George Gwozdecky one game for violating an NCAA rule that does not allow an ejected coach to communicate with or contact team personnel in any manner until a game is completed.

The university made the announcement Tuesday evening.

Gwozdecky was ejected at the 9:30 mark of the second period during Denver’s 2-2 overtime tie at North Dakota on Jan. 24. Gwozdecky watched the second period on a television in the media room, but communicated via headset to coaches on the bench during the third period and overtime from the press box.

Also just in. Alanna Rizzo from Rockey Mountain FSN wasn't impressed with the UND fans. Now before you point your fingers at the students she wasn't really talking students. Ms Rizzo was talking about the adults that sit behind the players bench. Stay tuned folks this gets better by the minute.

Rizzo’s angst stems from obnoxious and seemingly uncontrollable Fighting Sioux fans particularly adults.

“It was a little too much for too long,” Rizzo said. “It wasn’t the student section as much as the older crowd, right on top of the DU bench, and I stood in the hallway going into their locker room.

“There were a lot of derogatory comments . . . from men and women, young and old, asking me about Coach Gwozdecky’s behavior, calling him a ‘Little Man,’ asking me ‘Why are you really here?’ and ‘I vote for last night’s outfit.’ It’s one thing to cheer for your own team, I’m all for that, but to constantly berate college athletes that are not being paid to play a sport for the constant length of the game was a little much.”
------------------(snip)------------------
“It’s definitely a home-ice advantage, it’s an amazing building, they are very passionate about Sioux hockey, but enough is enough,” she said. “Maybe I’m a little sensitive, but I think the (DU) players responded like champions. It was extremely emotional and there was a lot on the line with the WCHA. I thought Denver played with great professionalism despite all the stuff that was being said to them.”

National Hockey Center to get a face lift.

Props to Amanda Kosior for sending me the pictures for the new improvements to the National Hockey Center. I have to admit that these are some sweet improvements that will add to the fan's hockey experience at SCSU. Hockey fans from around the WCHA affectionately call the National Hockey Center the Concrete Center for it's bland and some what generic appearance, these improvements will really spruce up the place.

Bergeron and Lucic to play tonight.

Here is the Bruins lineup for tonights game.

Forward
Milan Lucic----Marc Savard----Chuck Kobasew
Blake Wheeler----David Krejci---- Patrice Bergeron
P.J. Axelsson----Stephane Yelle----Shawn Thornton
Matt Hunwick----Petteri Nokelainen----Byron Bitz

Defense
Zdeno Chara----Aaron Ward
Andrew Ference----Dennis Wideman
Mark Stuart---- Shane Hnidy

Goaltenders
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Notice Bergeron and Lucic return to the line up after missing time with injuries.
Also with the return of Andrew Ference defenseman Matt Hunwick is playing forward.

Tropp and Conboy suspended for the rest of the year.

Rick Comley is definitely a man of his word, the Michigan State has suspended the two players Corey Tropp and Andrew Conboy for the rest of the season for their acts of thuggery during the end of last Saturday’s game against Michigan.

MSU head coach Rick Comley issued season-ending suspensions to two players following an incident Saturday when the MSU hockey team faced off against Michigan at Yost Ice Arena.

Comley suspended sophomore forward Corey Tropp and freshman forward Andrew Conboy after the two attacked U-M’s Steve Kampfer in the final minutes of U-M’s 5-3 win. Conboy tackled Kampfer to the ice from behind, and Tropp slashed Kampfer near the head and neck with his stick after Kampfer went down.

“What happened near the end of the game this weekend is not the way in which we want our hockey program represented,” Comley said in a prepared statement released Monday evening. Comley is scheduled to host his weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon.

“We cannot condone their actions. We felt that we had to send a strong message that this behavior will not be tolerated.”
(Read the whole article here)

Talk about skippys; check out this article that was run in the State News You have to be kidding me?

As expected, there were numerous scrums — 15 players served time in the box for pretty much everything.

With the game all but over, U-M’s Steve Kampfer took a run at MSU sophomore forward Corey Tropp at center ice.
In an attempt to stick up for his teammate, MSU freshman Andrew Conboy went after Kampfer to try and teach him a lesson.

It was in these mere seconds when both Conboy and Tropp completely lost control.

Conboy punched and threw Kampfer to the ice and Tropp came in and struck Kampfer across the head with his stick.

A moment after Tropp committed the violent act, you could see him look down at Kampfer and come to the realization of what had just occurred.

What the hell is this?

For those of you that haven't seen it yet. Check out this litte gem from the Denver Post Hockey blogger. This is ridiculous. WTF? OK, I am willing to bet your coach is a great guy but he looked like an absolute buffoon with his antics on Saturday night. Now we are also to believe that it is some how UND's fault? That is really funny.

My thoughts: Gwozdecky is the most mild-mannered coach I know, and in 14 years I’ve only seen his blood boil twice — both times against North Dakota and with referee Todd Anderson blowing the whistle.

See a pattern there? The “Sioux Fighters” and their fans want minor-league entertainment, Anderson is an emotional official who sometimes jaws at players, and Gwozdecky is a class act. At some point those styles clash, big-time, and the mild-mannered coach can’t stomach it. It becomes disgusting, and the coach erupts into what he doesn’t like.

So it's OK to berate an official?

Well the WCHA decided that they will not discipline George Gwozdecky for his unprofessional antics during last Saturday night game. Ok, so I have a question to the league office; did the WCHA just admit that one of their on ice officials has made a mistake by throwing the DU head coach out of the game?

MADISON, Wisc. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association today (Jan. 26) endorsed the serious tone taken by the University of Denver and acknowledgement of an issue of unsportsmanlike conduct involving head coach George Gwozdecky in a game on January 24 against the University of North Dakota.
“The Association is pleased the University of Denver echoes the WCHA’s concerns regarding unsportsmanlike conduct,” said Bruce M. McLeod, WCHA Commissioner. “We appreciate the rapid response the University took in addressing the issue that occurred on January 24 and now consider this matter closed.”
On it’s official web site, denverpioneers.com, the University of Denver issued the following statement earlier today:

Here is the Whistlers take on the decision.

DU does not approve of coaches actions.

Apparently Denver University was not impressed or amused with the George "the Dasher Troll" Gwozdecky's antics this past weekend in Grand Forks, ND.

DENVER – The University of Denver does not condone the actions of head hockey coach George Gwozdecky at the 9:30 mark of the second period during the Pioneers’ 2-2 overtime tie against North Dakota on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Gwozdecky received a two-minute unsportsmanlike misconduct and 10-minute game misconduct penalty because of his actions.

“We have discussed the incident with George, and he understands that his behavior was unacceptable,” DU Senior Associate Director of Athletics Ron Grahame said. “George’s action were very much out of character. We respect the integrity of not only the University of Denver, but the Western Collegiate Hockey Association as well.”

Phil Kessel back skating.

I would hope that this means that the Bruin forward is going to be playing for the Boston Bruins soon. The Bruins will need his offensive imagination in the second half as the Bruins make their run to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Kessel skates for 35 minutes
Kevin Paul Dupont --- Globe Staff

Phil Kessel skated for approximately 35 minutes under the watchful eye assistant coach Doug Houda, but based on coach Claude Julien's summation, it did not sound as if the third-year forward is on the verge of returning to the lineup.

''He can't take any contact,'' said Julien, noting standard practice for someone recovering from mononucleosis. ''That's why he stayed on after [the rest of the group worked out]. His condition can change, day-to-day. But he is obviously feeling much better.''

Gabby to Vancouver?

Props to the illegal curve for this find. I could see the Wild and the Canucks being up for this trade. Maybe the Minnesota Wild could get something of value in return? The Wild need to get players that can put the puck in the net. Getting something is better than just having Gabby walk after the end of the season.

In Minnesota, the oft-injured Marian Gaborik is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and it's believed the Wild would like to jettison him by the deadline rather than get nothing back in the summer.

The Vancouver Canucks definitely have the cap room to add a forward like Gaborik, and it's a good bet GM Mike Gillis would like to add more offensive punch to go up against Western Conference powerhouses San Jose and Detroit.