Friday afternoon Links

My yard work isn't getting done with me sitting at the computer but there were a few interesting items out there to read about in the hockey world.

Pat Quinned was fined for saying this:

"I don't understand the players of today," Quinn said. "If that had happened in the old days he would have got hit over the head with a stick right after. It was a pretty dirty play in my opinion. He poked his feet out and then piled on top of him. Somehow they never deal with that ... and they won't let the vigilante stuff happen to deal with it. It's disappointing." [NHL.COM]

The Redwings just got some really bad news when one of their top forwards Johan Franzen will be out for at least four months. Looks like former MSU Star Justin Abdelkader will be getting another shot at playing in the NHL.
One man's loss is another man's gain.

Bad news on the Johan Franzen injury front: The Red Wings just announced that the big forward will be out a minimum of four months after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Thursday’s 3-2 win over Chicago.General manager Ken Holland said the team has recalled Justin Abdelkader from Grand Rapids (AHL).
[Abel to Yzerman]

Predict the score of this game between UAA and Michigan, I am predicting a 7-2 ass whooping. Nothing like a game against Michigan to lower those save percentages and raise the goals against averages.

It will be interesting to see how optimistic some remain after the Seawolves play like a big, slow, untalented, lumbering team, with little recognizable talent. I predict that UAA will get beat to the puck up and down the ice and will get into penalty trouble as soon as the Seawolves realized they can’t keep up more talented and fleet of foot Michigan Wolverines. Being an early season game the ref will be out to prove a point and there will be a parade to the penalty box.

Both of their goalies played in their exhibition win. Jon Olthius got the start and made 7 stops in a little over half the game. Bryce Christianson stopped ten pucks in the second half of the game. Christianson was the better of the two a year ago, with a 2.60/.893 to Olthius's 3.43/.877. [The Blog that Yost Built]

According to the New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella they are not playing rund and gun hockey. Sounds like they need to work on their defense.

John Tortorella wasn’t so thrilled with what he saw on the tape from the Pittsburgh game, or with what he saw on television from one of his players: “The biggest thing that we need to address tonight is puck support. If we’re going to be aggressive as far as defending, trying to jam the neutral zone, pinching in the end zone when we have opportunities, we need to have some support coming back, and I think we lost ourselves a little bit there” - most glaringly on Sidney Crosby’s go-ahead goal, with Marc Staal caught behind the play and no one helping out.

“I even heard one of our players say on a TV program or something like that before last night’s game, ‘Run-and-gun.’ This isn’t run-and-gun,” the coach went on. “This is pressure defense, pressuring the puck, defense first with support, allowing us to be aggressive, it’s not run and gun. These are the things we have to curb and make our team understand, because we gave up too many odd-man rushes. … Some was due to us just blowing up with the puck.” [The Blueshirts blog]

So is Wild forward Benoit Pouliot playing his way out of the line up in Minnesota? I don't know but I hope so, I just don't see anything that leads me to believe that Pouliot is going to be anymore than a fourth line player.

Benoit Pouliot’s got some work to do if he wants more than the five-minutes of fourth-line work he got Tuesday against Anaheim.
“He can play as high as the second line because he has that skill, but he needs to be a reliable player in his own zone and provide some energy and physical play,” Richards said.

Richards was displeased with the goalie interference penalty Pouliot took with the Wild down 3-1 in the third period. Pouliot nullified a power play he had drawn.

“He did a great job moving his feet to draw the penalty and then put himself in a position to take a penalty. You can’t do that,” said Richards. [Russo's Rants]

Cornelius Hardenbergh from the Hockey Blog Adventure was not impressed with the play of the Boston Bruins last night against the Ducks. I DVRed the game but I haven't had the displeasure of watching that game yet and if I do I might just vomit as well. I made the mistake of looking ahead of time on line to see what the score was and 6-1 kind of ruined it for me.

The Bruins powerplay sucked so hard that I was hoping the Bruins would take a penalty just to even the numbers of players on the ice. The PK managed to let old man teemu to bury 2 goals. If Tim Thomas is going to be a sieve every other game maybe the Bruins should look at this promising Rask kid soon. I expect him to play sometime this weekend, but I'm no NHL coach. [the Hockey Blog Adventure]

Patrick Kaleta smokes Petr Prucha

Holy Cow! What a hit. That was right on the line of being a questionable hit, it probably would be classified as interference because it looks like the puck isn't on Prucha's stick when he gets smoked.

More Merrimack Links.

Here is what Mike McMahon had to say about the Sioux in his blog post this morning. Sounds like the Sioux are going to be in for a very physical series this weekend.

Scouting The Sioux
To put it bluntly, North Dakota is an excellent hockey team. They have a lot of team speed that will challenge the Warriors, who will almost certainly utilize a trap in an attempt to bottle it up and shut down a very impressive Sioux offense, which scored an eye-popping 3.40 goals per game last season. Merrimack has been able to do this in the past to speedy teams — they beat UNH on their home sheet (Olympic size) last season — but doing so against an unfamiliar North Dakota team will prove to be a challenge.

Brad Eidsness was impressive in net as a freshman last season (2.56, .906) guiding the Sioux to a WCHA Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. In some UND games I caught on television last season (and watching them in Manchester at the NCAA’s) I was impressed with forward Evan Trupp, who scored 20 points as a sophomore (7-13–20) last season. He’s small (5-8, 164) but shifty and always seemed to be around the net.

As for the Warriors, don’t expect them to try and skate with the Sioux – they can’t – so defense will be a priority. I’d expect to see Merrimack sit back in the neutral zone and wait for their opportunities to attack on offense, sending one forechecker to force the pucks to the walls and create turnovers. The key is that the Warriors will need to capitalize when they get chances, because there might not be very many.

Also, hitting guys tends to slow them down. If MC can force pucks to the walls, they’ll also be able to bang some bodies. I’d expect a very physical, defensive Merrimack team for two games this weekend.

And remember, this is a non-conference games in a WCHA rink. Not as bad as the CCHA, for sure, but expect the Warriors to have to kill somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 penalties in the two games is my guess.
[Warrior Rink Rat]

Weekend Match ups (Sioux 7)

The opening weekend games feature non conference games and a tournament. So lets start off with the weekend series first. Three series are against Hockey East teams, Vermont, Northeastern, and Merrimack. There is also one CCHA series, and then the Superior Showcase, with two WCHA and two CCHA teams. These non conference games can give us a good indication of where the league stands as a whole against the other top conference.


St. Cloud State at Miami
The RedHawks of Miami had a great run last year in the playoffs and just came up short of a national title. The question will be, can they do it again this season? The Huskies will be trying to win and show that they are going to a force to be reckoned with this year. I'm betting we will see freshman goalie Mike Lee in net both nights. I see this series being a split, UM on Friday and SCSU on Saturday.


Vermont at Denver
I'm not up to snuff on the Catamounts, but if history can be used, they have been a good competitive team in years past and the fact they are rated #14 to start this season. The Pioneers being ranked #1 will have a big target on them this weekend as they look prove they are deserving of the pole position to start the season. I think conditioning and altitude might factor into UV's game plan, but in the end I think DU will come out on top. I'm picking DU to get a win and tie, this weekend.


Merrimack at North Dakota
The Warriors invade the Ralph this weekend in hopes of pulling of an upset win. UM was picked to finish last in their conference, ouch. Meanwhile the Sioux where picked to finish second in the WCHA and are ranked #6 to start the year. UND has 10 freshman this year in the line up and only 3 seniors, yeah, they are a young team. The Sioux are use to have many youngsters in the line up with the numberous defections to the NHL before the player graduates. I think the Warriors will put up a fight but the skill of the Sioux will win out in the end. SIOUX SWEEP.


Bowling Green at Minnesota State
I'm sure many people didn't realize that Ohio has two hockey teams, but BG has a team. The Falcons haven't had that much success in recent seasons past, but are looking to move up the CCHA standings. If I'm not mistaken they have a new head coach this season, so this could be a little bit of a transition year too. The Mavericks gave their head coach Jutting a contract extentsion, so he will be the bench boss in Mankato for years to come. The Mavericks are always tough team to beat and the Falcons will find that out this weekend. MAVERICKS SWEEP.


Northeastern at Colorado College
The Huskies invade the Tigers home this weekend for a pair of tilts. CC has many questions to answer, goalie and offense are the main ones... Northeastern finshed last season with a 25-12-4 record, pretty darn good in any league. The Tigers will have their hands full with these doggies. But don't count the Tigers out just yet, they have suprised us before. I'm hedging my bet and going to call this a SPLIT.


Superior Showcase

Lake Superior at Minnesota-Duluth
The Lakers take on the Bulldogs since this is a round robin tourney I'm going with Dogs at home over the Lakers.

Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech
This is an old WCHA rivalry, I remember when the Wildcats played in the WHCA. The Huskies are going to have to be on their A-game to get wins this season, and I don't see them starting with a win over their Upper Penisula rivals. Wildcats Win.

Lake Superior at Michigan Tech
I think the Huskies will drop this game by one goal to the Lakers.


Northern Michigan at Minnesota-Duluth
This game is a tough one to call, but hey its only speculation, right...Bulldogs Win.


Kendall Hockey Classic
Mercyhurst at Alaska-Anchorage
The Seawolves are looking to start the season with a win, and to do that they will need to beat the Mercyhurst Lakers from Atlantic Hockey. The Lakers where 8-11-1 away form Erie PA last year, and the Seawolves were 5-8-4 at home last season.
I think the Lakers will handle their first road/airplane trip of the season well and will hand the Seawolves a loss.


Michigan at Alaska-Anchorage
Lets just let this one be. #3 Michigan wins.

A goal worth seeing. (Kyle Okposo)

I am not much of a Islanders fan but this is a really nice goal by former Golden Gopher Kyle Okposo. That is a power forward move. This kid could still be playing in college if he hadn't left 1 1/2 years into his college career.

Check out this scrum.

I saw this game's highlights on TV tonight and I thought it was worth a look. The the Broad Street Bullies are up to their old tricks again. Check out this scrum at the end of the Flyers and Penguins game. Edit: It was Mike Richards that ran over the Penguins goaltender, now that is a bush league move. I wonder if they league will review this tape.

Update on Warrior's Da Costa.

Here is the latest from Mike McMahon of the Warrior Rink Rat. Looks like Da Costa won't be playing this weekend. That is a tough break for the Warriors.

Stephane Da Costa traveled with the Warriors to Grand Forks on Thursday, but will not participate in either game against North Dakota this weekend while he waits for the NCAA to rule on his eligibility.

It was originally thought that the NCAA would make its ruling this week, however, now one isn’t expected to be handed down until at least next week.

The NCAA has cleared Da Costa to practice, and he has been practicing with the team since they began sessions. He also participated in the Blue-Gold game on Monday. [Warrior Rink Rat]

St Louis Blues turning the corner.

It would appear that the St Louis Blues hockey team is headed in the right direction and should be a force to be reckoned with this season. Personally, I really enjoy watching great young American players like Erik Johnson (UMN) David Backes (MSU-M) and T.J. Oshie ( UND) play hockey.

Fans haven’t been this jacked up since the old President’s Trophy days, when the Blues finished first overall in 1999-2000 and then reached the Final Four the following spring.

Those were heady times. Blues fans believed Bill and Nancy Laurie and their big Wal-Mart dollars would power this franchise to its first Stanley Cup.

But the Lauries lost tens of millions of dollars during their Cup quest. They threw their support behind the NHL lockout, then decided to abandon the team when the league resumed play.

Now Blues fans are hopeful again. They are a bit uneasy about David Checketts’ quest for an NFL team, since his ownership group hasn’t quite finished its job with the Blues.

Otherwise, all is well in Blues Nation. This team commands league-wide respect again. Kariya’s return adds star power to an already entertaining group.

The franchise has developed its best corps group of young players since the Bernie Federko/Brian Sutter days. Johnson is legit, as are David Backes, David Perron, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Roman Polak.

If Chris Mason falters in goal, Ty Conklin will be a worthy stand-in. Our Town’s Ben Bishop offers huge long-term potential in the nets and numerous other top prospects are toiling for the team’s AHL affiliate this season.

The hockey operation is in great shape. Good organizational depth extends to the low minor league, junior hockey, the college ranks and Europe. The Blues are good now and they should remain good for many years to come.
[stltoday.com]

The first round bust known as Benoit Pouliot.

In the off season I was very disappointed to find out that the Minnesota Wild had decided to keep their first round bust Benoit Pouliot, instead of finding someone else to take his place on the roster in Minnesota. Drafted in the first round of the 2005 NHL entry draft Pouliot is another reminder of the players selected in 2005 that the Minnesota Wild could have had instead of the dead weight known as Benoit Pouliot (52 games 7g-7a-14pts).

Let’s take a quick look at the players who were drafted behind Beniot Pouliot in the first round of the 2005 entry draft, Anze Kopitar 11th by the LA Kings (81g-128a-209pts), Marc Staal 12th New York (5g-22a-27pts), Tuukka Rask 21 by Toronto and T.J. Oshie 24th by the St Louis Blues, 59 games (14g-26a-40pts). I am sure that Kopitar, Staal, Rask and or Oshie would look a much better in a Wild jersey than the slacker currently wearing number 67. Frankly I find that Pouliot is a brutal reminder of the horrible first round draft choices that now departed Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough made during his ho hum tenure in Minnesota. Another reminder is the first rounds busts as James Sheppard I wonder how much longer we are going to have to watch James taking up a roster spot on the Wild.

A line that Kurt Russell immortalized in the 2004 movie, “Miracle,” and a line that fits perfectly with the crossroads that Benoit Pouliot’s career is at.

Drafted 4th Overall in the 2005 Entry Draft, Pouliot was drafted as the Minnesota Wild’s “Next Big Thing.”

Taken just three spots behind Sidney Crosby and ahead of names like Carey Price, Devin Setoguchi, and Anze Kopitar, Pouliot was expected to give the Wild the scoring punch beside Marian Gaborik that they had needed for so long.

Entering his fourth pro season, Pouliot has yet to live up to those lofty expectations.

In 52 NHL games, he has tallied just 7 goals and 14 points. After an impressive rookie campaign with the

 Houston Aeros in the 2006-07 season, one that saw him tally 19 goals and 36 points as a rookie, Pouliot was expected to contend for a roster spot on the big squad the following season. He was even given the opportunity to play pivot between Gaborik and Pavol Demitra in what would form the team’s top line.

Unfortunately, Pouliot didn’t quite make the cut. He did, however, earn a late season call up that saw him get a couple goals in the last eleven games of the season. [Bleacher Report]

Fighting Sioux coaches show.

Check out this week's Fighting Sioux coaches show that aired on 10/07/2009. Coach Hakstol and Tim are on at with 29 minutes left to go in the broadcast.

[click to listen]

Wild not as boring this season.

I know it's only one game and it was the first Wild game that I have been able to watch this season, however, after only one game I can say that the Wild are going to be a much more exciting brand of hockey to watch then they were last year under the defensive minded former coach Jacques Lemaire.

Personally, I don't watch hockey to see the neutral zone trap, I want to see attacking and counter attacking hockey and that was what the Wild did as they pushed the puck up and down the ice and created offensive opportunities all night.

This season with the Wild playing a more up tempo offensive style of play it will cause a higher risk/reward. There were a few instances last night where the Wild got caught up ice focusing on offense and not remembering where the defensive zone was.

Last night I thought defenseman Brent Burns had a poor game and looked like a pylon as there were numerous times he was caught up ice on turnovers in the neutral and offensive zone. None the less, I liked what I saw last night and it was a lot more exciting hockey to watch and I expect more of the same.

Helluva night in the Twin Cities, eh? I’m not about to compare tonight’s comeback at the X in Game 2 of an 82-game season with the Twins’ finish to win the division and advance to the playoffs, but if you happened to be one of the fans that actually attended this doubleheader, man, you won’t ever forget this night.

Wild down 3-zip. Playing absolutely hideously. Coughing up pucks. Giving up 2-on-1’s and 3-on-2’s and even an astonishing 4-on-1. Getting zero done in the offensive zone.

And then … a couple choice words during the second intermission and a fight, and the first-ever Wild comeback from three goals down in the third for a W.

Yes, I know there are people who hate fights, but tonight, there was an example about what a fight can do to a hockey game.

Kinda like when Stephane Veilleux got goaded into fighting Dion Phaneuf in Calgary once when the Wild was ahead 3-0, George Parros decided to fight John Scott. Well the 6-foot-8 Scott absolutely clocked the experienced fighter with a right uppercut. He went down, and for the first time in the game that wasn’t Carlos Gomez scoring at the Metrodome, the Wild fans had reason to cheer.

And, said Todd Richards, “It stirred up some emotion on the bench.” [Russo's Rants]

Da Costa’s Eligibility In Question

Merrimack collge hockey beat writer Mike McMahon has an update on their star freshman's status for this weekend's games. His status is still in doubt. Sounds like if this kid couldn't play this season it would be tough pill to swallow for Merrimack. I can't even remember the last time I seen someone from France playing in college hockey.

Freshman forward Stephane Da Costa has not made it through NCAA clearninghouse as of Tuesday afternoon.

Merrimack officials are currently awaiting word on his status, which is expected to come from the NCAA later this week. The Warriors open the season on Friday night in North Dakota, where they’ll take on the defending WCHA Champions.

Da Costa, who comes to Merrimack from Paris, France, finished fourth in the USHL in scoring last season. [Warrior Rink Rat]

Merrimack Links

Merrimack College hockey beat writer Mike McMahon gave me a few links on this weeks opponent the Merrimack College Warriors.

[Merrimack Overview]

Returning leaders: Chris Barton (9-14—23), Jesse Todd (7-16—23), Joe Cannata (2.35 goals-against average, .918 save percentage)

Coaches poll: Merrimack was picked to finish last for a sixth straight season. The Warriors avoided the Hockey East basement last season, finishing ninth ahead of Providence. The last time the Warriors made the Hockey East playoffs was the 2003-04 season, when the Warriors finished seventh overall and lost to Maine in the first round. The 2004-05 season, the last under former head coach Chris Serino, snapped a streak of nine straight years in which the Warriors made the postseason.

Here is the scouting report on the Merrimack Warriors. This is Mikes words on what the Sioux are going to experience. They sound like your typical WCHA team. Looks like Hexy will have someone to jaw with as well.

They're a big, hard-hitting group - especially some guys on defense. Ryan Flanigan is a pest and sure to be hated by the ND fans quickly. Kyle Bigos (6-5, 240) is a frosh defenseman who was picked by EDM in the draft and is going to be VERY good, I think. He's a big-time physical presence, too.

Here is the link to the [Merrimack Hockey Message Board]

Here is a preview on the Merrimack College hockey team. Sounds like the Warriors are big, physical, play defense first hockey teams. The Sioux will have to have their head on a swivel and be ready to be hammered into the boards. Also, Sioux forwards are going to need to get their feet moving and get the puck deep to defeat the NZT. Should be a couple of good hockey games this weekend.
[Warriors hope scoring machine is eligible]
EDIT: Just for the record; Merrimack lost 14 games by one goal last season — the most in the nation. So the Sioux cannot over look.

Scott knocks down Parros

Check out former MTU Husky and current Wild goon John Scott as he knocked the snot out of former Princeton star and current Duck goon George Parros. Looks like John Scott is going to do what ever it takes to stay in the line up. This was also the turning point in the hockey game as the Wild came back to win 4-3 in overtime. Mark me down; guilty as charged, I relish a fight. [props]
EDIT: Check out what the Ulitmate officials had to say about this fight.

p.s. I remember working games with John Scott, playing for Michigan Tech, and he was HUGE. I mean, he was a MONSTER. I thought, "If you do anything, I literally will jump on your back." (note: he was pretty gentle back then...it took hanging around Boogaard to turn him into a beast. IALTO).

Sioux 3rd in INCH preseason WCHA poll.

Interesting read. I was wondering where Jess Meyers of INCH was going to pick UND to finish this season. I think the WCHA could be very close race again this season. I also predict that you will see 5 - 6 teams in the NCAA playoffs this season. There is going to be a lot of exciting players in this league this year.

1. Denver The Pioneers have everything in place, talent-wise, to finish on top. They also have the jinx of being the consensus favorite, which means they almost certainly will not.
2. St. Cloud State Add a hot freshman goalie to the likes of Lasch, Roe, and Raboin, and all of the pieces are in place for the Huskies to make another run at the NCAAs.
3. North Dakota After wave upon wave of eye-popping offensive talent coming from the Ralph, the duo of Genoway and Eidsness are prepared to do it with defense this season.
4. Minnesota Gopher players expect to be better. With trips to North Dakota and Wisconsin and a home duo with Denver among the first eight games, we’ll know soon.
5. Wisconsin Goaltending is a question in Madison. Although with the array of blue line talent
wearing red this season, you or I could be competitive in goal there.
6. Minnesota Duluth An exciting crop of freshmen, and an even more exciting run last March, has Bulldog fans expecting home playoffs in the DECC’s final full season.
7. Minnesota State The last two teams we’ve picked for seventh have won the MacNaughton Cup. If the senior-laden Mavs find goaltending, they could make it three.
8. Colorado College The schedule gods are smiling on the Tigers, who play 11 of their first 15 games at home. But the holes to fill on offense and in goal are considerable.
9. Alaska Anchorage A respectable 7-10-3 post-holiday record last season gives Seawolf fans confidence that the days of fading away in February are over.
10. Michigan Tech The duo of Jordan Baker and Brett Olson combined for 50 points last season. Those two, and better team health, provide hope in Huskyland.

Here was something that I agree with Jess about, the WCHA has to be better in non-conference play this season. Last year was not a good season for the WCHA. This season I think the WCHA is going come back with a vengence and kick some non-conference foes ass. It starts this weekend with DU vs UVM, MTU vs NMU, C.C. vs NE, SCSU vs MU, MSU-M vs BGSU, UMD vs LSSU, and UND vs MC. It's time to make a statement.

The 10 (soon to be a dozen) coaches of the WCHA might haven take a moment to look around the Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. last April, noticed the dearth of league members there, and realized that we’re a long way from Columbus.

You’ll recall that the 2005 affair in central Ohio was the notorious all-WCHA Frozen Four, which was cheered nearly everywhere west of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, and jeered pretty much everywhere else. In sharp contrast, for just the fourth time in Frozen Four history (1993, 1998 and 1999 being the others) there was no WCHA team at the 2009 Frozen. Although the strongest league backers will claim future member Bemidji State’s run to D.C. ought to count. Not likely.

But the 2008-09 doldrums went beyond a rough patch in rounds one and two of the NCAA playoffs. As evidenced by the fact that just one WCHAer (league MVP Jamie McBain from Wisconsin) made the list of Hobey finalists, and the fact that for the second year in a row the MacNaughton Cup champion (this time, North Dakota) ended the season on a 0-3 streak. It was clearly a down year for the WCHA.

Bruins resign Lucic to three year deal.

The Boston Bruins have resigned their tough guy Milan Lucic. Since his arrival in Boston Milan Lucic has developed a cult following with his monster hits and great fights. Last week he brutalized Jay Harrison from the Carolina Hurricanes. I am sure Bruins fans are relieved that Lucic has been locked up for three more seasons after this one. Just off the wire: According to TSN Lucic According to TSN, the deal is worth $12.25 million, giving Lucic a $4,083,333 annual cap hit. Lucic will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the contract. [TSN]

BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed forward Milan Lucic to a three-year contract extension through the 2012-13 NHL season. Per club policy, financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

The 21-year-old Lucic set career highs in all major statistical categories last year after recording 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points, in addition to tallying 136 penalty minutes and a +17 rating. He netted his first career hat trick and a career-best four points on October 25, 2008, after a 3-1=4 performance against the Atlanta Thrashers.

During the 2008-09 postseason, the 6'3'' 228-pound winger had three goals and six assists and a team best +12 plus/minus rating in 10 games.

In his rookie year in 2007-08, Lucic registered 8-19=27 totals and 89 penalty minutes in 77 contests. Lucic earned the team's "Seventh Player Award" for his efforts, an award voted on by the fans and given to the Bruin who performs above and beyond expectations. He also contributed two goals in seven postseason games.

Lucic has skated in both games during the 2009-10 season and has notched one assist and five penalty minutes.

Matt Gilroy scores his first NHL goal.

Former BU Terrier star defenseman Matt Gilroy scored the first NHL goal of his young career last night as the Rangers beat the Devils 3-2. In my opinion this is a nice story and I hope this kid does really well for the Rangers. Assiting on Gilroy's first goal was former Wild player Marian Gaborik. Former Fighting Sioux forward Travis Zajac scored for the New Jersey Devils, Parise and Clarkson assisted on Zajac's goal.

Genoway makes CHN's first team.

Some nice gee whiz reading for Sioux fans. Chay Genoway is getting some serious love from the college hockey sites. Here is the preseason first team from CHN. Chay was also made the first team of the Inside College Hockey 2009-10 Preseason All-America Team. One might have to start the Hobey Chay campaign.


First Team
F David McIntyre, Sr., Colgate
F Louis Caporusso, Jr., Michigan
F Jordan Schroeder, So., Minnesota
D Ian Cole, Jr., Notre Dame
D Chay Genoway, Sr., North Dakota
His defense has been consistently strong, and he's continued to become more involved in the offense, with 32 points last season. He was WCHA Defensive Player of the Year last season.
G Zane Kalemba, Sr., Princeton

Fighting Sioux ranked 6th in first USCHO poll.

Six WCHA teams are ranked in the first USCHO poll of the season.
1 Denver (20)
2 Boston University (17)
3 Michigan ( 2)
4 Miami (5)
5 Notre Dame (2)
6 North Dakota
7 Cornell
8 Yale
9 Minnesota
10 Princeton
11 Mass.-Lowell
12 Boston College
13 Wisconsin
14 Vermont
15 St. Cloud State
16 New Hampshire
17 Ohio State
18 Minnesota-Duluth
19 Air Force
20 Northeastern
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Michigan 72, Bemidji State 66, Harvard 35, Colorado College 25, St. Lawrence 23, Massachusetts 17, Minnesota State 11, Clarkson 10, RIT 10, Mercyhurst 6, Union 4, Alaska 1, Alaska-Anchorage 1, Dartmouth 1, Ferris State 1, Maine 1, Quinnipiac 1

DU's Anthony Maiani suspended.

Seems that DU hockey team is going to be short in the line up for the next three games as Anthony Maiani has gotten himself into disciplinary trouble, it would be interesting to see what this undisclosed team rule was? I am sure Mr. Maiani wasn't out raising hell, that stuff never happens in Denver.

Junior wing Anthony Maiani, who led the team in scoring last season, will begin a three-game suspension in today's exhibition game against the University of Calgary. Maiani broke an undisclosed team rule and also will miss next weekend's season-opening, two-game nonconference series against visiting Vermont.

Maiani led DU with 30 assists and 41 points as a sophomore. He is practicing with the team but not skating on a regular line.

"It's going to be tough sitting out, watching the team play," Maiani said. "I'm just working hard in practice and being supportive of the team. I'll be ready when I get back in the lineup." [Denver Post]

A couple of things. (Monday Links)

Here was an article that I thought was interesting UAA is one of the bigger teams in the WCHA as well as the NCAA. That's fine and dandy if the Seawolves can skate and keep up the opposition without clutching, grabbing and interfering up and down the ice. The NCAA refs are going to focus on protecting the puck carrier and did so quite well last night during the game between Manitoba and UND. If they call the games like that I don’t know if UAA will be able to keep up with fleet footed teams like DU, UND and Minnesota. If the Seawolves end up taking a bunch of penalties against these teams could get buried.

While some want to make outlandish predictions about the Seawolves finishing in the top five of the WCHA, I just don’t see it happening. To the UAA Seawolves; I beg you to prove me wrong. Personally, I think it’s going to be more of the same and predict that the Seawolves will be a big, slow, lumbering team with mediocre goaltending that will end up 9th or 10th in the WCHA yet again this season.

With no shortage of small, dangerous forwards dancing around the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, UAA has hit upon a tactic aimed to squash such skill: Knock the shiftiness out of them.

"If we play physical and finish our checks, it wears teams down and they get tired and make mistakes,'' said Seawolves coach Dave Shyiak. "As a staff we demand our guys finish their checks and play physical.''

Toward that end, Shyiak and company have assembled a roster that embraces the notion size matters and bigger is better. Goalies aside, the Seawolves average 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, which means it will be rare for them to come across a bigger opponent.

Shyiak, in his fifth season, has recruited size to counter the skilled players that traditional league powers like Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Denver routinely attract.

"You're looking for talent and skating, and size is always a bonus,'' he said. "We're fortunate with being able to find guys who have good size and can still get around the ice. We're strong along the wall and that really levels the playing field against more skilled teams.''

UAA last season went 14-17-5 overall and finished ninth in the 10-team WCHA with a 9-14-5 record in league. That marked an improvement over the previous season, in which they went 7-21-8 overall and 8-19-1 for last place in the league, and the Seawolves flourished most when they banged bodies consistently. [ADN.COM]

Check out Ben Pherson and Jason Feldman's WCHA predictions, yet people give Sioux7 a hard time about his predictions.

Ben Pherson's predictions
1. St. Cloud State.
2. Denver.
3. North Dakota. I'd like to push Feldy's Sioux down this list a little bit, but looking at the rest of the teams, I don't see anyone else with the talent to jump into this spot (Gophers included). I like how good Brad Eidsness was down the stretch for the Sioux ... especially with how shaky the goaltending was early in the season. If he plays well, the Sioux can compete for a top spot. Oh yeah, and Chay Genoway is a stud.
4. Minnesota.
5. Minnesota State.
6. Colorado College.
7. Wisconsin.
8. Minnesota-Duluth.
9. Alaska-Anchorage.
10. Michigan Tech
The ones by Jason Feldman seem a little more reasonable.
1. Denver.
2. Minnesota.
3. Wisconsin.
4. North Dakota. The Sioux lost a lot after last season, but there is a buzz in Grand Forks about this freshman class. Still, relying on 10 freshmen is a lot to ask. Plus, the Sioux need to find out if goalie Brad Eidsness is more like his first three-quarters of the season, or more like the guy who (didn't) show up in the postseason. They should be decent on the blue line, with senior Chay Genoway a possible top-10 Hobey candidate. Watch out for sophomore forwards Jason Gregoire and Brett Hextall, too. They quietly had really good freshman seasons.
5. St. Cloud State.
6. Minnesota-Duluth.
7. MSU, Mankato.
8. Colorado College.
9. Alaska-Anchorage.
10. Michigan Tech
[props]

I have to admit that I miss former Fighting Sioux coach Dean Blais and will enjoy seeing how his team progresses this season. There will be the interesting quotes/zingers in the paper. There was an old song by Cinderella, "You don't know what you got till it's gone." [props] to RWD for pointing that out for me. I also must admit that I saw them in concert at the Boston Garden with ACDC in 1990.

Dean Blais' approach to the UNO hockey team's season-opening exhibition against Lethbridge is simple.

The Mavs' new bench boss sees it as part tuneup and part tryout.

The puck drops on a new chapter in University of Nebraska at Omaha hockey history tonight, when Blais, the two-time NCAA championship coach, makes his Mavericks debut.

The game won't count a lick for NCAA purposes. But it will mean a lot to Blais, who wants to see his players set an aggressive tone for the season. And he expects every person who sets foot inside Qwest Center Omaha to be impressed with his skaters' tireless work ethic.

“It's a dress rehearsal, although the guys, when they put those jerseys on, they're competing for jobs,” said Blais, who was the leader among active NCAA coaches in winning percentage when he stepped down at the University of North Dakota in 2004.

“This community and our fans aren't going to tolerate half (hearted) effort, and we're not going to give it to them. If a kid even takes one shift off, he won't get another one.”

Of course, in addition to sizing up his roster, Blais wants UNO to win.

Rumor: Toronto buyers moving Thrashers to Winnipeg

Here is a rumor that I really hope someday comes to fruition. Moving a team back to Winnipeg makes sense, I mean seriously, since the Phoenix Coyotes have been an utter failure in the desert. I am also not a big fan of having two NHL teams in Florida and on in Atlanta as well. Hockey is a sport that belongs in cold weather markets like Winnipeg. I can remember going to a few games in the old Winnipeg Arena when the Mercury was well below zero on both scales (Celsius and Fahrenheit)

Someone please remind me why that was such a great move? Every since the Jets left Winnipeg in the 1996 I have hoped that someday the NHL will return to Winnipeg 140 miles from my home in Grand Forks, ND. Of Course the Atlanta Trasher are denying the rumor.

There was more NHL/Winnipeg speculation on Saturday night's Hockey Night in Canada's Satellite Hotstove.

On the season's opening weekend, the captivated nation was told that big money from Toronto has done plenty of work already to buy the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg. Is it just another episode of wishful thinking or a real indicator of what's afoot?

True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman wasn't saying on Sunday, taking his usual tack of the less said the better. There are several known quantities to this ongoing story:

* The NHL has more problems than just the financially drowning Phoenix Coyotes.

* Chipman, whose company owns Winnipeg's MTS Centre, has been a consistently keen observer of NHL

franchise matters for longer than his arena has been open (2004) and has never denied his interest in some future deal that might bring the NHL back to the city.

* One of the biggest partners in the True North success story, and certainly its most well-heeled, is Osmington, Inc., the Toronto-based private real estate company of David Thomson, the richest man in Canada and son of the late Ken Thomson.

* Chipman and True North have been to NHL headquarters in New York to address league executives and governors about their new arena, their situation and their interest and they continue to maintain a very quiet but open channel for dialogue with the league's leadership.

* In this case of Saturday's HNIC outburst, the Thrashers' owners, the Spirit group of eight partners, have been embroiled in disputes and legal wrangling for about four years over control of the NHL team, the NBA Hawks and Philips Arena. This summer, a judge tossed out a lawsuit that sent the bickering partners back to the starting blocks over share valuation and how one side or the other could be bought out. It's thought that the group is far more interested in basketball and could sell the Thrashers, but that's only speculation. [Winnipeg Free Press]

Lucic works Jay Harrison

This is the fight that everyone has been talking about on the Bruins hockey blogs. Milan Lucic just proves that he is an animal. Seriously what the heck was Harrison thinking here? 

Sioux smoke Bisons 7-1.

Tonight was one of the first times in a long time that I missed a home Fighting Sioux hockey game and watched the game at home on my television. I was out hunting this weekend and had planned on staying out at the shack through Monday so I gave my tickets away. After getting rained on nonstop all weekend and having the rain make most of my hunting choices impassable and a muddy mess I decided to come home early. So tonight I watched the game at home. None the less I was impressed with what I saw tonight.

While the Sioux were rusty and a maybe little sloppy in all three zones of the ice they displayed a lot speed and offensive creativity. It appears that UND is going to roll 3 - 4 forward lines this season and wear out opponents. I predict that UND will be well balanced on offense and defense. On offense the Sioux will have a combination of grit and speed. Defensively, UND will have a combination of stay at home rugged defenseman (Fienhage , Blood, MacWilliam ) and well as the offensive minded carry the puck up ice and make plays offensively (Genoway, LaPoint, Marto) defenders .

+PLUS+

Andrew MacWilliam is a monster and I can’t wait to see him in this season, it will fun to see how he responds against the Golden Gophers in a few weeks.

Ben Blood has really improved and is going to be a stalwart on defense.

Chay Genoway is going to be one of the top offensive defenseman in the Nation this season. Start the Chay Genoway for Hobey Baker campaign.

Michael Cichy and Danny Kristo appear to be a good as advertised.

This is a very talented team and the freshman have a lot of talent and are very skilled. Hakstol and Company are going to have some tough line up decision to make each week.
[Box Score]

1st Period (20:00)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MTB-1 Chad Erb (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x1 0:56
MTB-2 Troy Crowley (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x2 4:39
MTB-3 Chad Erb (2-Tripping) NDK 0x3 9:25
NDK-1 Danny Kristo (2-Hooking) MTB 0x1 10:58
MTB 1 - 0 6x6 David Brown (Rick Wood) 13:48
MTB (+): 28,27,20,9,11,G34 NDK (-): 24,5,11,15,27,G31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MTB-4 Greg Beller (2-Hooking) NDK 0x4 3:46
NDK 1 - 1 6x6 Danny Kristo (Chris VandeVelde, Jason Gregoire) 11:23
NDK (+): 7,29,17,3,25,G31 MTB (-): 18,20,16,28,23,G34
NDK-2 Chay Genoway (2-Cross-Checking) MTB 0x2 14:17
NDK-3 Chay Genoway (2-Holding) MTB 0x3 19:07
MTB-5 Tyler Dittmer (2-Holding) NDK 1x5 19:52
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDK 2 - 1 5x5 GW LL Jake Marto (Evan Trupp, Brad Malone) 0:21
NDK (+): 25,19,22,3,G32 MTB (-): 16,19,4,2,G34
NDK 3 - 1 6x5 PP Jason Gregoire (Chris VandeVelde, Chay Genoway) 1:28
NDK: 17,29,5,7,26,G32 MTB: 21,4,5,19,G34
NDK 4 - 1 6x6 Mario Lamoureux (unassisted) 5:34
NDK (+): 9,10,8,4,2,G32 MTB (-): 10,19,21,4,5,G34
MTB-6 Jared Walker (2-Hooking) NDK 2x6 11:13
MTB-7 Rick Wood (2-Interference) NDK 2x7 11:49
NDK 5 - 1 6x4 PP Chay Genoway (Danny Kristo, David Toews) 12:40
NDK: 5,7,18,17,29,G32 MTB: 21,4,20,G34
NDK-4 Corey Fienhage (2-Hooking) MTB 0x4 14:04
MTB-8 Tyler Dittmer (2-Hooking) 15:05
MTB-9 Jared Walker (10-Misconduct) 15:05
NDK-5 Ben Blood (2-Roughing) 15:05
NDK-6 Brad Malone (10-Misconduct) 15:05
NDK-7 Ben Blood (10-Misconduct) 15:05
NDK-8 Ben Blood (2-Roughing) MTB 0x5 15:05
NDK 6 - 1 6x6 Michael Cichy (David Toews, Joe Gleason) 17:28
NDK (+): 8,18,20,9,5,G32 MTB (-): 10,4,19,21,5,G34
NDK 7 - 1 6x6 Brett Hextall (Carter Rowney) 18:28
NDK (+): 26,27,20,3,15,G32 MTB (-): 2,26,9,21,12,G34
MTB-10 Troy Crowley (2-Roughing) 18:59
MTB-11 Troy Crowley (2-Roughing) 18:59
MTB-12 Troy Crowley (10-Misconduct) 18:59
NDK-9 Andrew MacWilliam (2-Roughing) 18:59
NDK-10 Andrew MacWilliam (2-Roughing) 18:59
NDK-11 Andrew MacWilliam (10-Misconduct) 18:59
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Game

Why the EZAC get so much love?

This is my weekly column that I wrote for the Illegal Curve.

There is a question that a lot of western college hockey fans ask. Why does the EZAC get so much love from the hockey pundits every year in the pre-season polls? This is a question that I would like to see answered. Its common knowledge that the ECAC is made up of schools with great academic records, however, these teams are not as good in NCAA division one college hockey as the ECAC feigning media wants us to believe.


Here are the current pre-season rankings of the teams in question.

INCH has three ECAC teams ranked in the top 15, Cornell 7, Princeton 8 and Yale 11.
The USA Today polls have three ECAC teams ranked in the top 15 Cornell 7, Princeton 9 and Yale 11.
The College Hockey News has three ECAC teams ranked in their top ten preseason poll as well, Cornell 4, Princeton 7 and Yale 10.

Let’s look at this further; the Ivy League teams in the ECAC won’t start their exhibition play until around the 23rd – 25th of October. By that time all other teams in division one college hockey will have played at least an exhibition game and probably at least a game or a series against a non conference opponent. A few teams will have played in a pre-season tourney. The travesty is that college hockey fans are going to have to suffer through two weeks of games when three ECAC teams will be ranked in the top 15 and they won’t have played even one college hockey game.

Just so you think I am not piling on the ECAC, since 2001 the ECAC has a combined NCAA playoff record of 6-18, that is not an impressive record folks. Breaking it down further Cornell is responsible for 5 of those wins with a 5-5 record. The rest of the EZAC teams are 1-13. Yet the NCAA hockey selection committee still gave Clarkson a number one seed in 2007 which Clarkson promptly went out and lost their first round game. Yeah like they were the 3rd best team over all that season. Not!

Seriously folks, the last time an ECAC team won an NCAA title was in 1989 when the Harvard Crimson beat Doug Woog’s Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-3 in overtime. That was 20 years ago. So I ask you again why is there three ECAC teams ranked so high.

Just for historical purposes; here is the break down of the NCAA titles won by ECAC teams.

Cornell 2-time NCAA men's champions (1967, 1970)
Harvard -time NCAA men's champions (1989)
RPI -time NCAA men's champions (1954, 1985)

Bruins are unimpressive in game one.

Alexander Ovechkin proved why he is the best player in the NHL as he ran through the Boston Bruins like they were swiss cheese. The Bruins were a step late all game as they lost the race to the puck and they looked lost. The only bright spot was Patrice Bergeron  scoring on a breakaway and the Bruins are going to need more than one forward going. Final Capitals 4  Bruins 1.

Will Newly Elected Chair Really Make A Difference

That is a very good question. I does appear that there is still a long way to go before UND can secure permission for use of the Fighting Sioux name. Jesse Taken Alive seems to think a vote is not going to happen. I guess time will tell. My only question is what are some in the Standing Rock leadership afraid of? Are they afraid that the members of the Standing Rock Tribe would approve UND’s use of the Fighting Sioux name by an impressive majority like the Spirit Lake Tribe did?

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe voted in a new chairman in Charlie Murphy yesterday. But what does this really mean for the nickname issue. The previous chair was against it .


Yesterday's election brought a new chairman in Charlie Murphy to the Standing Rock Reservation. More than half a dozen new council members will join him. Some existing tribal council members say new people could mean a new outlook on UND's use of the Fighting Sioux nickname.

Jesse Mclaughlin: "They'll be the key there, what their stance is will be some might have a problem some might not."

Even if Murphy supports a tribe-wide vote, two-thirds of the Standing Rock tribal council's 15 representatives have to support it too. And any possible tribe-wide vote at Standing Rock could take a minimum of 2 months to secure. Standing Rock tribal council member Jesse Taken Alive says he doesn't think the council will allow a vote. He says a moratorium banning a referendum vote was passed last year. A two-thirds vote to rescind the moratorium would be needed as well. But others on the council say with seven new members it could change.

Margaret Gates: "At least its being brought up in a good manner instead of just we oppose it. Instead its being brought up as should it be put on the agenda."

Jesse Mclaughlin: "I've been on the council for two terms and my stance is if its that big a deal then let the people vote."

Mclaughlin says he feels past discussions excluded nickname supporters. Something they say Murphy won't do. Jesse Mclaughlin: "I know a couple of them and they don't seem to have problem with it but tribal politics can be crazy."

Margaret Gates: "Its being brought forth with open minds to hear it."

But Taken Alive maintains that a vote is unlikely. He says the council, which is usually 16 members strong, lost a possible vote for the nickname when Murphy gave up his at-large council seat to run for tribal chair. His at-large seat was not filled this election cycle, leaving the council one voting member short. As tribal chair Murphy can only vote to break a tie. Council members say either way the issue needs to be resolved they have more important issues to focus on [WDAZ.COM]

Krejci will play tonight.

The Boston Bruins got some good news today when they found out that David Krejci is back in the line up after having off season surgury. Krejci is a major cog in the Bruins plans this season.

David Krejci, who skated between Blake Wheeler and Michael Ryder during the morning skate, will be in his No. 2 center slot tonight.


"I'm excited," Krejci said. "I'm ready to go."

Claude Julien said he'll keep an eye on Krejci and monitor his play to determine his ice time. Krejci didn't play in the preseason. [Boston Globe]

More Silliness from down south.

Holy cow! you really can't make this stupidity up. The Fargo fish wrapper known for it's journalistic excellence uses an out dated and old picture.

I mean seriously, let’s take a look at the picture more closely again. My first question to the Forum is can you at least use a picture that is up to day? Give me a break. Even to the untrained eye you can see that the jerseys the UND students are wearing are pre-Ben Brien Logo. This was the jersey before the current one that UND is using. This would be some where in the 1997-2000 time frame.

For the morons [see comments section] that are suggesting that this is a “Sieg Heil” Nazi salute. Give me a break. For the mentally challenged let’s review, this is not a “Sieg Heil” Nazi salute, it is the sieve, sieve, sieve chant. You know the one that is done after an opposing goalie lets in a goal; if you don’t have hockey at your school you probably don’t understand this concept. Incidentally, the fans in Wisconsin and Minnesota do the same thing when their team’s score a goal. So are you also calling these fans Nazi’s as well?

Check out these comments. Common sense hardly.

CommonSens E - Fargo, ND 10/01/2009 1:12 PM
LOL. awesome pic to go with the story. a bunch of sheeple zombies looking like they are doing a Nazi salute (i know its a tomahawk chop). I bet old racist Ralphy would approve.

Rob W. - Fort Collins, CO 10/01/2009 1:11 PM
I M H O. Fargo, ND 10/01/2009 10:36 AM Anyone else think this conflict makes North Dakota look bad? Not as bad as those fools in Atlanta and Tallahassee FL doing their 'war chant' and tomahawk chop. Not as bad as those fools in Washington D.C. who cheer for a team that was PURPOSELY given a racist name as a way to 'stick it to the heathens'

The state Board of Higher Education has extended the deadline (moron of the week)

As Whistler noted in his blog post, the SBOHE has extended the October 1st deadline.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The state Board of Higher Education has extended the deadline to decide the fate of the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname.

The board had set an Oct. 1 date to drop the name. Board members say there was a misunderstanding about the date of tribal elections on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and more time is needed to get the opinions of the new council.

The deadline is extended for at least 30 days and possibly as many as 60.

The NCAA considers the nickname "hostile and offensive" and says UND cannot host postseason events without approval from the state's two Sioux tribes. Supporters say the logo shows pride and tradition.

The board says it will drop the nickname unless the state's two namesake tribes sign 30-year agreements giving the school permission to keep the moniker.

From the Comments section of this article: here is my candidate for "Moron of the Week."

ole - United States
OLE AND LENS SEZ, LEAVE THEM INJUNS ALONE, IF DE DONTA WANT FOR YOUSE TO MAKEA FUN OF DEM, DONT YOUSE DUMBASSES, GEEZ BY GOLLY YA.

Only an imbecile would write something so offensive. Come one moron why would write something as stupid as this? This is just about as stupid as the morons that shoot road signs when they are out hunting. You sir are a douche bag. This person should be ashamed of themselves and his mother should have been slapped for giving birth to him. This is the kind of stuff that will make the anti-Sioux nick name people go see. Anyone want to bet this person is not a Sioux fans and has no clue about the proud storied history behind the Fighting Sioux name.

I am in a fantasy Hockey league with the hockey blog the On Goal Analysis. Here is the team that I picked. Two former Sioux hockey players.
Tim Thomas - G BOS
Pavel Datsyuk - F DET
Marc Savard - F BOS
Niklas Backstrom - G MIN
Daniel Sedin - F VAN
Chris Pronger - D PHI
Mikko Koivu - F MIN
Marek Zidlicky - D MIN
Derek Morris - D BOS
Dennis Seidenberg - D FLA
Travis Zajac - F NJD
Bryan McCabe - D FLA
T.J. Oshie - F STL
Brent Burns - D MIN
Milan Hejduk - F COL
David Perron - F STL
Dustin Brown - F LAK

New Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Supports UND's Use of Sioux Name

UPDATE: I just heard that the State Board of Education has extended the deadline for 30 days to give the Standing Rock Tribe a chance to certify its election results.


Cross posted from Say Anything Blog.

It's a good day to be a Sioux Fan.

Former Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Charles Murphy has easily defeated incumbent Ron His Horse Is Thunder to win back the job.

Unofficial results show Murphy received 64 percent of the votes in the tribe's general election Wednesday, to 36 percent for His Horse Is Thunder. More than 1,900 people voted.

Mr. Murphy is in favor of letting the Tribe Members vote on the issue something the previous Chairman refused to let happen.

I don't know what other issues were important in this election, but certainly the UND's Use of the Sioux name for their sports names was part of the mix. We know that the members of the Spirit Lake Tribe were overwhelmingly in favor of the Sioux name, and it's not unlikely that the Standing Rock Tribe will feel the same way.

Another factor I'd like to think weighed on this rout was that Ron His Horse Is Thunder was anti-democratic. He didn't seem to care what the public thought about the issue. He seems to have paid for that arrogance.

Funny the unelected State Board of Higher Education has the same arrogance and disdain for the public.

They have a phone conference today to discuss extending their artificial deadline to get the Tribe's support. I don't think they have much choice but to drop their deadline.

WCHA Pre-Season Picks (Sioux7)

Well it has been a year since last I made pre-season predictions. I hope I'm as accurate this year as I was last season. So with out any further delay lets start my WCHA pre-season predictions.

10. Alaska Anchorage
I'm sure I won't be the only one with picking the Seawolves to finish in the basement. They always play a tough physical game, which I like, but they can't seem to score enough goals to get the wins. Unfortunately I don't see them moving up the WCHA ladder this season.

9. Michigan Tech
The Huskies suffered numerous injuries last season which kept them in bottom of the league. I think they will remain in the bottom half again this season, call it a hunch. However, they should be avoid the basement spot this season.

8. Minnesota State - Mankato
The Mavericks, what can I say, but there will two of them next season in the WCHA, with the addition of UNO. These purple puck people will post a poor record this year in the league, according to my crystal ball. Oh, and as a side note I heard Jutting got a multi-year contract extension.

7. St. Cloud State
These Huskies will cause problems in the league and figure to will their fair share of games. I know Motzko will have his dawgs ready to play. They seem to go in go in streaks winning and losing, and unfortunately for them the losing outlasts the winning streaks. They will have a freshman in net, Mike Lee, I saw him play last year here in Fargo, with the Force, (USHL team) and he didn't look bad, seemed to wonder away from the net.

6. Colorado College
The Tigers, have lost some of their roar from last season, Rau and Walsky, last years top scorers. (Asst. coach Mike Guentzel left CC to coach a USHL team) I don't think the incoming freshman will be able to take up the slack of losing their top scorers. Don't get my wrong, they still have talent and will be competitive in the league, but they won't be in the top three. At times this season it will look like these Tigers will have had a bit too much catnip, meow...

5. Minnesota-Duluth
The Bulldogs will be without Alex Stalock in net, but do return four of their top seven scorers from last season. The Duluth boys will be right in the mix for home ice at the end of the season. I've lost track, when, if ever, are they getting a new rink up by the lake?

4. Wisconsin
The Badgers from Mad-town, they have been playing their defensive system for a few years now, not exiting hockey, but affective at winning games. Coach Eaves finds ways to keep his team in games and even steals some wins here and there. The cheese heads may have lost Favre to Minnesota, but the hockey team will win this years series with the Gophers. This season team will dig and claw their way to a top five finish.

3. Minnesota
The Gophers from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, will safely get home ice advantage this year, unlike last season. They return almost all of last years squad to the ice, including both goal-tenders. I'm sure that most UM fans are wondering is which Kangas will show up in net, and Patterson is waiting for his chance to stop some pucks. The Gophers hockey team, unlike the State, will not end up broke at the end of the year.

2. Denver
The Pioneers are looking to put their chuck-wagon into the pole position this season. The Gwoz always seems to put together teams that win, one way or the other (see past seasons ref-ing, lol). Like the Gophers, the Pioneers return most everyone from last season, which is why I think they will end up number two this year.

1. North Dakota
What kind of SIOUX fan would I be if I didn't pick my team to finish first? Even though UND lost six players to graduation and one to poor behavior, I dont' see this as a rebuilding year. North Dakota, as we maybe called the rest of the year, will rely on Eidsness in net to repeat his numbers from last season, and hopefully improve them this year.

Indian Activists Protest Sioux Logo

This is a crosspost from Say Anything Blog.



Tomorrow the State Board of Higher Education is having a conference call to discuss extending their deadline for the Sioux logo and nickname. If you remember right the State Board (appointed by Governor John Hoeven moved the deadline up right after the Spirit Lake tribe gave it's overwhelming support for UND to continue to honor the Sioux name.

It seems that some people that DON'T care what the tribal members want decided to show up for a chance to get their names in the press.

About 50 people demonstrated outside UND’s Memorial Union on Wednesday. Some carried signs reading, “UND Sioux Logo = Identity Theft,” and “We Demand Our Civil Rights.”

The demonstration comes a day before state board meets to decide whether to extend the Oct 1 deadline for dropping the nickname and logo.

American Indian Movement activist Clyde Bellecourt said they should be dropped because they are racist.

So who are the leaders of this protest. Tu Uyen Tran wrote up a quick listing:

Here's who will be speaking:

* Concerned Native Students on campus
* David Gipp, President of United Tribes Technical College
* Erich Longie, Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc.
* Clyde Bellecourt, American Indian Movement activist for Native rights
* Duane Martin, Sr., Strong Heart Civil Rights Movement
* Denise Lajimodiere, Alum of UND (University of North Dakota)

Most of them are local voices against the nickname, except Bellecourt and Martin, who are big names in what I suppose might be the more militant wing of American Indian civil rights. Both were involved in the 1973 Wounded Knee incident, in which the American Indian Movement took over the town of the same name and engaged in shootouts with the feds.

Bellecourt is a co-founder of AIM, whose brother Vernon was a leader in the fight against Indian nicknames and mascots.

Besides being a member of AIM, Martin is involved in the Strong Heart movement, but I don't know exactly what that is. I found a couple of news items/press releases in which:

* He "blockaded" a dry reservation to block alcohol from entering; he got arrested for that .
* He joined others in declaring the independence of the Lakota nation -- as in making it a foreign country -- a purely symbolic move that he and others seem to take very seriously. The Republic of Lakotah has a Web site, which claims, among other things, an ongoing genocide by the U.S. government. Oops. Wrong Web site. This interesting article says Martin has essentially seceeded from the Republic of Lakotah to form the Lakota Oyate.
* He helped found a bank that trades only in silver and gold currency. I suppose this is a way to avoid using U.S. currency.

So the point is nickname opponents are bringing in the big guns, figuratively, to oppose the nickname.

Now most of the people scheduled to speak just disagree with me. That's OK, they have every right to do so. I have to question why they think that their feelings outweigh even the members of the spirit lake tribe. I'm not saying that the local speakers are bad people, I just disagree with them on this. I don't know them and they have every right to speak out as they see fit.

But we also have some hard core activists speaking. I think it will interesting to find out if the State Board of Higher Education agrees with Belcourt who claims that he's seceeded from the United States or if the agree with the vast majority of the public including the Spirit Lake Tribe who know that UND's use of the name is honoring the name.

Or does the State Board of Higher Education (appointed by Governor Hoeven) think that we're all a bunch of racists just like Clyde Bellecourt thinks.

BSU 2010-2011 schedule. (BSU and UND to face off twice).

Here is an example of what the 2010-2011 twelve team WCHA schedules are going to look like. UND will play BSU four times next season. UND will also play former CHA league mate UAH. Question of the day is what jersey will Moose Richards wear? Will it be the NMU or the Beaver jersey?
10/15 7:37 pm • North Dakota Bemidji, Minn. notes
10/16 7:07 pm • North Dakota Bemidji, Minn.
10/29 7:37 pm • Minnesota Duluth Bemidji, Minn.
10/30 7:07 pm • Minnesota Duluth Bemidji, Minn.
11/5 7:07 pm at • St. Cloud State St. Cloud, Minn.
11/6 7:07 pm at • St. Cloud State St. Cloud, Minn.
11/12 7:37 pm • Alaska-Anchorage Bemidji, Minn.
11/13 7:07 pm •Alaska-Anchorage Bemidji, Minn.
11/19 7:07 pm at • Denver Denver, Colo.
11/20 7:07 pm at • Denver Denver, Colo.
11/26 7:37 pm Northern Michigan Bemidji, Minn.
11/27 7:07 pm Northern Michigan Bemidji, Minn.
12/3 7:37 pm • Nebraska-Omaha Bemidji, Minn.
12/4 7:07 pm • Nebraska-Omaha Bemidji, Minn.
12/10 7:07 pm at • Wisconsin Madison, Wis.
12/11 7:07 pm at • Wisconsin Madison, Wis.
12/31 TBA vs Mariucci Classic Minneapolis, Minn.
1/1 TBA vs Mariucci Classic Minneapolis, Minn.
1/7 7:07 pm at Ala.-Huntsville Huntsville, Ala.
1/8 7:07 pm at Ala.-Huntsville Huntsville, Ala.
1/14 7:07 pm at • Nebraksa-Omaha Omaha, Neb.
1/15 7:07 pm at • Nebraska-Omaha Omaha, Neb.
1/21 7:37 pm • St. Cloud State Bemidji, Minn.
1/22 7:07 pm • St. Cloud State Bemidji, Minn.
2/4 7:07 pm at • Minnesota State Mankato, Minn.
2/5 7:07 pm at • Minnesota State Mankato, Minn.
2/11 7:07 pm at • Michigan Tech Houghton, Mich.
2/12 7:07 pm at • Michigan Tech Houghton, Mich.
2/18 7:37 pm • Colorado College Bemidji, Minn.
2/19 7:07 pm • Colorado College Bemidji, Minn.
2/25 7:07 pm at • North Dakota Grand Forks, N.D.
2/26 7:07 pm at • North Dakota Grand Forks, N.D.
3/4 7:37 pm • Minnesota Bemidji, Minn.
3/5 7:07 pm • Minnesota Bemidji, Minn.
[props]

Nickname opponents bring out the heavy hitters.

Looks like the anti-Fighting Sioux nickname croud is bringing out the big guns for it's Rally against the Fighting Sioux nickname. I am surprised Russell Means isn't coming as well. The Standing Rock Tribe also has their election today. EDIT: Happened to drive by the Memorial Union today when I was out about 9:15 A.M. and there was a very SMALL croud protesting the Fighting Sioux name. I would estimate the size of the crowd to be abut 50-75 top end. Probably closer to 50 people. Not a very big crowd. Of course the news cameras were there.

Senior American Indian civil rights activists are among the speakers at Wednesday’s rally against the Fighting Sioux nickname at UND, according to information in a press release issued by rally organizers.

Both Clyde Bellecourt and Duane Martin Sr. took part in AIM’s 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, S.D., a seminal moment in Indian civil rights.

Bellecourt, an Ojibwe, is also considered a founder of the civil rights group.

Martin, in 2007, joined activist Russell Means and others in declaring the Lakotah nation independent of the United States, claiming vast tracts in North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. These are lands it said were given to Lakotah people in the original 1868 treaty.

Other speakers include Erich Longie, longtime nickname opponent from the Spirit Lake reservation; David Gipp, president of United Tribes Technical College; and Denise Lajimodiere, a UND alumna and an education professor at North Dakota State University.

The rally will take place at 9 a.m. in front of UND’s Memorial Union.

The focus of the rally is on a meeting of the State Board of Higher Education on Thursday in which the board would consider extending the deadline for the state’s two namesake tribes to approve of the nickname.

Nickname opponents say the American Indian nicknames are derogatory.
[Grand Forks Herald]

Lucic works Neil

It's only the preseason but nothing pleases me more than watching Lucic work over Ottawa Senators' thug Chris Neil. Apparently this Fight is a result of a dirty hit that Neil put on Savard earlier in the game. I expect to see a rematch of this fight later on in the season unless Neil Smartens up.
[props]

Decompression addition.

I have been out of the pocket hunting ducks and haven't had a computer since midday on Friday. Finally I am getting back up to speed on everything that has happened in the college hockey world. The preseason WCHA coaches poll and the Media Polls are finally out.
The Grand Forks Herald Coaches poll has been released.
1. Denver (8) 80
2. UND (2) 70
3. Wisconsin 61
4. Minnesota 58
5. St. Cloud State 55
6. Minnesota-Duluth 37
7. MSU-Mankato 34
8. Colorado College 26
9. Alaska-Anchorage 20
10. Michigan Tech 9

Madison.com Media Poll has also been released.
1. Denver (23) 248
2. North Dakota (1) 205
3. Wisconsin 190
4. Minnesota (1) 186
5. St. Cloud State 152
6. Minnesota Duluth 118
7. Colorado College 101
8. Minnesota State-Mankato 88
9. Alaska Anchorage 57
10. Michigan Tech 30

I posted my WCHA preseason poll at the Illegal Curve.
1.) Denver
2.) Wisconsin
3.) UND
4.) Minnesota
5.) UMD
6.) SCSU
7.) C.C.
8.) MSU-M
9.) UAA
10.) MTU

It's official that UND and BSU will open the new Bemidji Regional Event Center next October 15-16. It's a nice honor for the Fighting Sioux to be able to help open the new arena. [Bemidji Pioneer]

Brandon from Sioux Yeah Yeah got the DU fans all upset with a recent blog post about DU hockey Coach George Gwozdecky. [Lets Go DU Hockey Blog] Now, I have to admit that I was less than impressed with Alanna Rizzo's  comments she made about UND fans during last January's series between the Pioneers and the Sioux. I also read some where that FSN RM won't be airing the DU and UND games when the Pioneers come to the REA. Before someone makes a ridiculous conclusion that it was because of the perceived treatment that poor Alanna Rizzo received from the mean Fighting Sioux fans while visiting UND, think again. UND hockey will now be on FCS so there would be no need for the FSN RM crew to come to UND, FSN RM would just pick up the broadcast from UND's announcing crew and save a bunch of money. Personally, I think the DU and UND rivalry is heating up.

The USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason poll is up.
1.) Miami (Ohio)
2.) Denver
3.) Boston University
4.) Michigan
5.) Notre Dame
6.) Minnesota
7.) Cornel
8.) North Dakota
9.) Princeton
10.) Massachusetts Lowell
11.) Yale University
12.) Boston College
13.) St. Cloud State
14.) Wisconsin
15.) Vermont
Others receiving votes: New Hampshire, 71; Minnesota Duluth, 64; Ohio State, 60; Air Force, 43; Northern Michigan, 31; Colorado College, 8; Northeastern University, 8; Bemidji State, 6; Harvard, 3; Mercyhurst College, 3; Niagara, 3; St. Lawrence, 2.

The poll is a joke there is no way Cornel and Princeton are worthy of being ranked that high, if they played in a tough league like the WCHA these Ivy League schools would be fighting for home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. This is almost as bad as the College Hockey News Poll.

Goon’s WCHA pre-season ranking

This was the article I wrote for the Illegal Curve.
1.) Denver University – It would appear that the Denver Pioneers don’t have many real weaknesses offensively; on the blue line the Pioneers will be young this season. There is a very good possibility that there could be two or three freshman defenseman playing in the top 6 defensive positions from night to night. The WCHA championship is theirs to lose. The Pioneers return forwards Anthony Maiani (11g-30a-41pts), Rhett Rakhshani (15g-22a-37pts), Joe Colborne (10g-21a-31), and Tyler Ruegsegger (15g-11a-26pts). On defense Patrick Wiercioch (12g-23-35pts) decided to not sign a contract. Junior goalie Marc Cheverie (23-12-5, 2.34 GAA and .921 SV %) is a very serviceable goaltender and with a younger defensive core he will be tested. The Pioneers lose forward Tyler Bozak (8g-15a-23pts), defensemen Patrick Mullen (4g-21a-25pts), and J.P. Testwuide (3g-10a-13pts). Dustin Jackson (3g-9a-12) was injured in preseason practice and will be out for the year. The Pioneers bring in some impressive recruits, defensemen William Wrenn and Matt Donovan, forward Drew Shore and goaltender Adam Murray. The Pioneers are the odds on favorite to finish first in the WCHA. Anything less than a trip to the Frozen Four is going to be unacceptable.

2.)University of Wisconsin – On paper the Badgers would appear to have one of the best defensive blue lines in college hockey: Brendan Smith (9g-14a-23pts), Jake Gardiner (3g-18a-21pts), Ryan McDonagh (5g-11a-16pts), and Cody Goloubef (5g-8a-13pts) is a pretty solid top four defensive group. While there seems to be the perception around the WCHA that Wisconsin is all defense and no flash, the Badgers were ranked 3rd in WCHA scoring last season. This season the Badgers should be a pretty balanced offensively, led by sophomore Derek Stephan (9g-24a-33pts) who is a game breaker and will only get better in his second season. The Badgers also return senior Ben Street who sat out last season with a knee injury. The biggest question mark for the Badgers is in goal.

3.) University of North Dakota – Dave Hakstol has been the coach of the Fighting Sioux hockey team for five seasons and has compiled a 130-70-19 record, winning a regular season title and a conference tourney title. Hakstol’s teams have also finished 2nd (x1) and 3rd (x3) in the NCAA tourney. Last season was the first time in his tenure at UND Hakstol’s team didn’t win a regional title and advance to the Frozen Four. Key losses Ryan Duncan (20g-19a-39pts), Brad Miller (6g-29-35pts), and Matt Frattin (13g-12a-25pts). While there were some key losses for the Fighting Sioux, there are good replacements coming in for the Fighting Sioux in forwards Danny Kristo, Michael Cichy, Corbin Knight, Carter Rowney as well as defenseman Andrew MacWilliam. Goaltender Aaron Dell should challenge Brad Eidsness (24-12-4, 2.56 GAA and 906 SV%) for playing time.

4.) University of Minnesota – Key loss Ryan Stoa (22g-22a-46pts) signed with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL in the off season. Super sophomore Jordan Schroeder (13g-32a-45pts) returns for what will probably be his last season in the WCHA. Key new arrivals for the Gophers are forward Zach Budish and defensemen Nick Leddy and Seth Helgeson. Gopher fans are wondering which version of Alex Kangas is going to show up this season. Will it be the version that finished in the top half of the league (12-10-9 1.98 GAA .930 SV %) in goaltending or the mediocre one (17-11-6, 2.79 GAA .901 SV %) that played for the Gophers last season? If the Gophers are to contend, their defense and goaltending must improve. The Gophers also need to get tougher as last year’s team got pushed around all over the ice.

5.)University of Minnesota Duluth – While this season’s version of the UMD Bulldogs might be a little young and minus some solid players, the Bulldogs also return an exciting pair of forwards named Connolly. No, they are not related: Mike Connolly (13g-29a-42pts) and Jack Connolly (10-19-29). Add to the mix Justin Fontaine who is an offensively gifted forward (15g-33-48pts). I have been told by UMD fans that Brady “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Hjelle (1-0-0, 1.50 GAA .941 SV %) is the second coming of Alex Stalock. Expect UMD to play very physical and be responsible defense in their end of the ice. Coming in for the Bulldogs this season is monster defenseman Dylan Olson from Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL who also played on the Canadian U18 team in Fargo this past spring. I was very impressed with his game and he skates pretty well for a big guy. Olson will probably have a pretty big impact on the blue line for the Bulldogs this season.

6.) Saint Cloud State University – Garrett Roe (17g-3a1-48pts) and Ryan Lasch (18g-24a-42pts) lead the SCSU offense, while Garrett Raboin (10g-23-33pts) leads the Huskies on the blue line. Last season the Huskies 18-17-3 including a horrible 0-6-0 record against the Gophers who ended the Huskies season in the WCHA playoffs. Key additions for the Huskies: Goalie Mike Lee, Forward Ben Hanowski, Defensemen Taylor Johnson, David Eddy. Rookie Goalie Mike Lee is highly regarded and expected to take the reins in net for the Huskies if Dan Dunn (2-4-1, 2.60 GAA and .904 SV %) stumbles.

7.) Colorado College – C.C. has had a horrible off season. First they lost their top goalie Richard Bachman (14-11-10, 2.63 GAA and .914 SV %) to the Dallas Stars and then lost two of their top recruits John Moore to the NHL and Colton St. Clair to UND. The good news for C.C. is that Bill Sweatt (12g-11a-23pts) decided to come back to finish school and not sign a professional contract. The Tigers lost solid players Chad Rau (18g19a-37pts) and Eric Walsky (12g-24a-36pts) to graduation.

8.) Minnesota State University - Mankato – The good news is that the Mavericks return five of their top six scorers: sophomore forward Mike Louwerse (13-13--26), juniors defenseman Kurt Davis (6-25--31) and forward Rylan Galiardi (8-20-28), and seniors forwards Kael Mouillierat (17-13--30), and Geoff Irwin (12-16-28). The bad news is that the Mavericks lose goaltenders Mike Zacharias (14-14-6, 2.00 GAA and .911 SV %) and Dan Tormey (1-3-0 3.87 GAA and .878 SV %) as well as forwards Mick Berge (7g-21a-31pts) and Trevor Bruess (12g-5-17pts). More bad news: the Mavericks have three inexperienced goaltenders, none who have played in a division one college hockey game, competing for the starting goaltending job.

9.) University of Alaska Anchorage – I am going to go out on a limb and say this year’s UAA team is not going to finish in the basement of the WCHA. However, I don’t see the Seawolves finishing any higher than the eighth or ninth spot either. Sure UAA was a better team last season than they were the previous three seasons when they finished in the ninth spot as opposed to their customary tenth position. Many took notice when the Seawolves swept cross-state rival University of Alaska Fairbanks who was the fourth place team in the CCHA. That says a lot about the strength WCHA in comparison to the CCHA and how our mediocre teams can beat the fourth place team in the CCHA. That being said, I don’t expect the UAA Seawolves to do much at all in the WCHA this season. Nothing personal, now go ahead and prove me wrong Seawolves. Key returnees for UAA are senior forwards Josh Lunden (14g-6a-20pts) and Kevin Clark (13g-18a-31pts) and junior Tommy Grant (15g-10a-25pts). In net the Seawolves have a two headed monster with unimpressive numbers, Bryce Christenson (8-8-4, 2.60 GAA and .893 SV %) and John Olthuis (6-9-1 3.43 GAA and .873 SV %).

10. Michigan Tech University – The good news: the Michigan Tech Huskies will enter the 2009-10 season with three-fourths of their scoring offense returning from a the 2008-2009 season. They also return an experienced blue line as six of their nine defenders return from last season’s team. The Huskies also return sophomore goalie Josh Robinson who played in 20 games last season and had a 4-8-2, 3.09 GAA and a .889 SV %. Senior captain Malcolm Gwilliam (2g-5a-7pts) returns to the Huskies line up after suffering a stroke nine games into last season. Senior Drew Dobson (5g-14a-19pts) is a talented player that can play both forward and defense. The bad news: Michigan Tech will be much younger than last season with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 17 of the 27 players on the roster.