Sioux 3 Gophers 3

I never thought that I would beg to hear the Rug and Wooger on a Hockey broadcast but the Big Ten Networks crew they had for tonight's game was brutal, they didn't have a clue about the game of hockey. Seriously, if you broadcasting a hockey game you have to know the game of hockey. Listening to them was painful. Epic fail for the BTN broadcast crew, these guys were brutal and they get failing marks when it comes to conducting a hockey broadcast. I expect more from the Big Ten Network than this. When Kristo was chopped into the boards by Leddy, that was not a dive, Leddy should have been given a five minute major for his efforts.

Sister kissing in Minneapolis

I thought the Sioux and the Gophers were pretty equal in their play tonight. For the Fighting Sioux I thought their biggest problem was turnovers and the Sioux failed to get puck deep at crucial times. The two goals by Danny Kristo was amazing, the first goal was a laser.

Tomorrow night I think it is imperative that the Sioux defenseman cannot allow a player to just walk in and shoot the puck on net he has to be challenged but the defenseman, everyone needs to carry out their assignments. If you can’t get the puck out of the zone by carrying it out of the ice it must be shot out of the zone.

Tonight while watching the broadcast tonight was one of the few nights that I saw Dave Hakstol show any emotion on the bench, most of the times Coach Hakstol is really stoic and subdued on the bench. There were a few times tonight that I saw him get disgusted with his teams play on the ice, one time I saw him point to the bench in front of him and mouth this is where you’re going to be if you do that again. While I am not disappointed with a tie I know they can do better.

[Box Score]
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1st Period (20:00)
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NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Tripping) MIN 0x1 0:51
NDK-2 Andrew MacWilliam (2-Interference) MIN 0x2 8:18
NDK 1 - 0 6x6 Danny Kristo (7) (Evan Trupp, Jake Marto) 15:56
NDK (+): 7,19,25,4,22,G31 MIN (-): 11,18,16,28,10,G33
MIN-1 Jacob Cepis (2-Roughing) NDK 0x1 16:35
NDK-3 Ben Blood (2-Holding) MIN 1x3 20:00

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2nd Period (20:00)
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MIN 1 - 1 6x5 PP Jordan Schroeder (5) (Zach Budish, Cade Fairchild) 0:53
MIN: 19,24,28,11,17,G33 NDK: 2,3,17,7,G31
MIN 2 - 1 6x6 Patrick White (6) (Ryan Flynn, Cade Fairchild) 2:38
MIN (+): 7,22,28,23,10,G33 NDK (-): 11,8,20,22,18,G31
MIN-2 Jacob Cepis (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x2 6:47
NDK 2 - 2 6x6 Danny Kristo (8) (Joe Gleason, Derrick LaPoint) 13:24
NDK (+): 7,20,3,22,9,G31 MIN (-): 7,18,11,28,10,G33
NDK-4 BENCH (2-Too Many Players) (Served by David Toews) MIN 1x4 18:16
MIN-3 Aaron Ness (2-Hooking) NDK 0x3 19:55

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3rd Period (20:00)
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NDK 3 - 2 6x6 Brad Malone (6) (Evan Trupp, Derrick LaPoint) 6:37
NDK (+): 22,19,3,7,25,G31 MIN (-): 21,12,13,10,28,G33
MIN 3 - 3 6x6 GT Jacob Cepis (3) (Jordan Schroeder, Zach Budish) 17:56
MIN (+): 17,19,24,20,5,G33 NDK (-): 17,29,21,2,24,G31

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Overtime (5:00)
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MIN-4 Nick Leddy (2-Cross

Lines for tonight's game Sioux and Gophers game.

UND hockey beat writer Brad Schlossman has the lines posted for tonight's game. Right now the BTN is replaying the 2002 National Title game. My first impression is non-HD TV sucks.


UND's lines

17 Jason Gregoire--29 Chris VandeVelde--21 Matt Frattin
19 Evan Trupp--22 Brad Malone--7 Danny Kristo
8 Mike Cichy--11 Darcy Zajac--18 David Toews
13 Brett Bruneteau--9 Mario Lamoureux--15 Brent Davidson

2 Andrew MacWilliam--24 Ben Blood
3 Derrick LaPoint--25 Jake Marto
20 Joe Gleason--4 Corey Fienhage

31 Brad Eidsness
32 Aaron Dell

[Link to the Fighting Sioux stats]

Minnesota's lines

17 Jacob Cepis--19 Jordan Schroeder--24 Zach Budish
11 Mike Hoeffel--16 Mike Carman--18 Nick Larson
12 Tony Lucia--13 Nico Sacchetti--21 Jake Hansen
23 Josh Birkholz--7 Patrick White--22 Ryan Flynn

5 Nick Leddy--20 David Fischer
10 Aaron Ness--28 Cade Fairchild
2 Kevin Wehrs--4 Seth Helgeson

33 Alex Kangas
35 Kent Patterson
30 Jake Kremer
[Link to the Gophers stats]
According to Brad's Twitter refs for tonight's game areeveryone's favorite Todd Anderson and Brad Shepherd.

Mid Friday thoughts.

Check out former DU Pioneer Tyler Bozak's first NHL goal. Tyler Bozak was called up to play on a line with former Bruins and Minnesota Gopher Phil Kessel. Just think Bozak could still be playing in the WCHA scoring goals. Kessel now has points in three straight games after going 12 games and only scoring one goal.



Here is the latest hit (Bobby Ryan Hit On Oscar Moller) that may be reviewed by the NHL. Personally, I don't think there will be an additional penalties on the hit. It looked like a classic text book charge.

Sioux and Gophers

Here is the prediction on the Minnesota and Gopher series from Theresa Spisak. I am going to say split as well because the Gophers aren’t easy to sweep in Mariucci arena and are going to be playing for pride and a WCHA home series. Expect some combination of Jon Campion, Bill Mason, Don Adam, Marco Hunt, Derek Shepherd and or Todd Anderson. My bet is Jon Campion and Bill Mason because he will let the teams play hockey. Expect either WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod and head of WCHA officials Greg Shepherd to be in attendance for tonight game.

North Dakota @ Minnesota
Realistically, this series should be a split. However, even though Minnesota seems to be finding the right track, I'm going to go with the theory that UND rocks in the second half. UND sweep. [Read the rest of the article]

Travis Zajac Hot

Former Fighting Sioux forward Travis Zajack is on a tear right now and looks like he is flourishing under Jacques Lemaire defense first approach. The Devils coach wants Travis Zajac to shoot the puck more as well.

Travis Zajac has scored four goals and seven points in his last five games. Zajac broke out last season with 20 goals and 62 points and it looks like those are the kind of numbers you can expect from him going forward

The Oshie bites the home town team Minnesota in the ass with this goal and that was all the Blues needed to beat the Minnesota Wild. Both goaltenders were on their game last night.

Sioux vs Gophers

Some of these pictures should get people thinking about tonight's game between the Sioux and Gophers. Remember folks it's just a game and it's supposed to be fun. Let's not have anymore incident where people end up in the hospital.

Sioux vs GophersSeries Prediction from Stephen Lyngstad aka Gopherz

My mind would like to say that this series is going to be a split, but I'm going to have to say the Gophers get 3 points with a tie tonight and a big win tomorrow. 3-3 Friday, 4-2 (ENG) Saturday.

The homer in me is going to have to say 2 Gopher wins by 2+ goals as we get back on track.

My Brother-in-law's brother Steve Brink said:

5-1 Gophers with an empty net goal

Heard around the rink.

Teemu Selanne had only been back for three games after missing 17 games with left hand injury, is now back on the mend after suffering a broken jaw against the Boston Bruins. Caution the video above is not for the weak of heart. [props]

Jonathan Toews is not know for his fighting ability, threw up in the penalty box after fighting David Backes. Seriously!

After Backes fought Toews, Toews threw up twice in the penalty box.

I mentioned that to Blues enforcer Cam Janssen today and he said, “No way, did he really?”

Derek Armstrong jumped in the conversation and said: “Oh yeah, if you’re not used to it, you’ll throw up. Cam, it would be like you playing 20 minutes in a game . . . you would puke!”

“You had go there, eh?” Janssen said, laughing.
[www.stltoday.com]

Here is what Jacob Cepis said about playing the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Honestly, I am not sure how he would know since he has never played against the Sioux in his college hockey career, and Cepis is a transfer from Bowling Green. I hope the Sioux give him a crash course on the rivalry.

"[The Sioux] are going to want to stick it to you right away," Cepis said, "and they are going to want to bully you around. We got to be ready to battle back."
[Star Tribune]

There was some discussion about the RMU Colonials beating the Miami RedHawks this past weekend and how it was a fluke; however, RMU has played some top teams tough.

Close-but-no-cigar decisions against NCAA heavyweights Ferris State (5-4 in OT), Bemidji State (2-0 including an empty-net goal) and Colorado College (4-3), all of which are ranked in this week’s Top 11 according to USCHO.com, tested that belief but didn’t shake it.

“It does frustrate you,” senior defenseman and RMU captain Dave Cowan said. “Nobody likes to lose, especially the guys on our team as close as we are and as competitive as we are.

“Losing games like that pushes you harder in practice to get better and put you over that hump and eventually win those games. We believe we’re capable of great things and that showed this past weekend.”

The two wins over Miami upped Robert Morris’ record when facing off against ranked teams to 3-6 (the Colonials are 3-7 against teams ranked in this week’s Top 20). [www.rmucolonials.com]

KFAN talks hockey

Ryan Cardinal was on KFAN today with Paul Allen and talked about the Fighting Sioux and Minnesota Gophers series this weekend down in Minneapolis.
[listen to the broadcast here]

PA and Cardinal are on with 16:45 left in the middle hour of the broadcast. A couple of things that caught my attention while UND has been 4th and 6th in the national rankings they are sitting at 9th in the pairwise, I don't know if I am ready to say that UND is an elite team. I think UND is a good team that should make the NCAA tourney if they keep playing consistent. The Fighting Sioux have a lot of potential to make some noise in the national tourney, if they can play consistent.

I also thought I heard Cardinal say that he kind of admires the way UND plays the game, interesting because a lot of Gopher fans I know think they play a rough and tumble goon hockey.

On the UND defense: Joe Finley might have been walked a few times in the Mariucci Arena, but that is history, I believe Andrew MacWilliam is a much better skater than Finley was and plays against all of the top players in the WCHA. While I wasn't a Finley hater by any stretch of the imagination, I think MacWilliam is a better defender than Joe Finley.

Here is a link to the write up that Ryan Cardinal did for Gopher Puck Live.
[Click link to article]

So, while it’s nice that the Gophers have been able to string some wins together and get back above .500 for the first time all season, it should not be lost on fans that they still haven’t shown the ability to consistently beat average to above average teams, and that is all they play the rest of the way, starting with North Dakota this weekend at Mariucci.

So far this season, the Gophers have been awful against good teams, which is why they are facing a big up-hill battle to get home-ice for the WCHA playoffs and making the NCAA Tournament. Minnesota is 3-9-1 vs. teams with a winning record, and only 1-5-0 at home in those games. The atmosphere at Mariucci Arena this season has been pretty marginal, due to the team playing at a lower level than they have in years past, but also due to the fact they have played a pretty soft home schedule and, when they’ve played good teams, they’ve been handled by the Denver and Minnesota Duluth’s of the world.

The Sioux came into this season with high expectations despite having 10 freshman on their roster, and got off to a hot start, going 7-1-1, including taking three of four points against the Gophers to start the season in Grand Forks. However, in a 4-2 series-opening victory over St. Cloud State on Nov. 13, SCSU’s Aaron Marvin hit UND defenseman Chay Genoway from behind, with the 6-3, 205 lb. Marvin essentially cross-checking the 5-9, 174 lb. Genoway’s head into the glass. Genoway, who had 10 points in nine games at that point and was likely on pace for a first-team All-American selection, suffered a concussion and hasn’t played since, and his prognosis for the rest of the season is still up in the air.
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From a Minnesota perspective, the Gophers are going to have to hope their improved play of late translates as the speed limit goes (way) up this weekend, as Head Coach Don Lucia likes to say. Between Minnesota’s offensive issues and North Dakota’s defensive prowess, the Gophers hopes to winning this weekend could fall on the shoulders of junior goalie Alex Kangas, who will for sure get the start on Friday, and likely against on Saturday unless the wheels really come off in game one of the series. Kangas has shown the ability in the past to steal games, and he may have to do that more than once during the next few months if this team is going to ascend in the WCHA standings. The Sioux have had Kangas’ number, as he’s just 1-4-1 all-time against the Sioux, and has a save percentage of .854 save percentage in his last three starts against the Sioux, all Gopher losses. Now, four of his five starts have been at Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is a hostile building for any goalie to have to play in.

Weekend Match Ups (by Sioux 7)

Well, 2010 is in full swing and WCHA is entering into the second half of the season. I was surprised by all the sweeps last weekend, and also that UAA almost tied DU twice!

Current WCHA standings

TEAM…………….........GP…W-L-T…PTS
1 Denver………………….16…10-3-3…23
2 Minnesota-Duluth….16…10-5-1…21
3 St. Cloud State……...16…9-5-2…20
4 Colorado College……16…8-5-3…19
5 Wisconsin………………14…8-4-2…18
5 North Dakota…………16…8-6-2…18
7 Minnesota……………..14…6-7-1…13
8 Minnesota State…....16…5-10-1…11
9 Alaska-Anchorage…16…4-11-1…9
10 Michigan Tech……16…2-14-0…4

WCHA

#10 Minnesota-Duluth at Minnesota State
Last week the Bulldogs swept the Tigers at the DECC, and the Mavericks were swept by the Sioux in Grand Forks.

The Bulldogs take to the road this weekend, where they are 3-3-1 this year. The Mavericks return home from GF without any points, and have a 7-4-1 record at the Alltel Center. Back in mid October UMD swept MSUM, but that was 3 months ago and both teams have changed since then. The Mavericks are needing to pick up some points to try and make the top five for home ice, while the Bulldogs are sitting pretty good right now for home ice. UMD could leapfrog DU for the top spot with three or four points, MSUM could move closer to the 5 spot with a sweep. The Mavericks never quit playing last weekend when they got swept, so I expect them to come out this Friday with some resolve in their skating. I’m going to say this series goes the way of a SPLIT.

Alaska-Anchorage at Michigan Tech
Last week the Seawolves got 1 point at Denver and the Huskies got swept at SCSU and tied Northern Michigan on Tuesday.

The Seawolves played excellent against the Pioneers last weekend, and if they have that type of effort this weekend, I see them leaving Houghton with four points. The Huskies have had little to cheer about this season, barring some type of miracle MTU will be on the road in playoffs. In this battle between the 9th and 10th place teams in the league, UAA has lots on the line. If the Seawolves sweep they will be up to 13pts in the standings and 9pts ahead of MTU with 10 league games to go. SEAWOLVES SWEEP.

#4 North Dakota at Minnesota
Last weekend the Sioux swept the Mavericks at the Ralph and the Gophers swept Harvard in Minneapolis.

The Sioux have not lost a game in 2010, the Gophers have only last one game in 2010. To open the WCHA season the Sioux took 3pts from the Gophers in Grand Forks. The Gophers cannot afford to get swept on home ice, if they want any chance of hosting a first round playoff game. The last time UND was at Mariucci was Feb. 1-2, 2008, when they beat and tied the Gophers, in a pair of overtime games. The last time UM beat UND in Mariucci was Jan. 13, 2006. Both teams have plenty of talent on them, but UND has been getting the W’s whereas UM has gotten the L’s. This is a big rivalry for both teams, so you can generally throw the records and everything else the window for that matter. I like my Sioux to take Friday night’s game and the Gophers to rebound on Saturday, SPLIT.

#3 Wisconsin at #8 Colorado College
Last week the Badgers beat the U-18 team, and the Tigers were swept at UMD.

The Tigers are one point ahead of the Badgers in the standings, but CC has played two more games. This is the only series these teams play each other, so there won’t be a rematch, until maybe in the playoffs. UW is 4-3-1 on the road and CC is 7-4-0 at World Arena. CC is on a 3 game losing streak, and only won twice in their last 9 games (2-5-2), and UW is on a 7 game unbeaten streak (5-0-2). The Badgers host Denver next weekend, so hopefully they are focused on this series. I think this is a very critical series for CC, if they get sweep or split, they might not recover and continue to slide down the standings. I have to go with the hot hand and that belongs to UW. BADGERS SWEEP.

NON-CONFERENCE

#14 St. Cloud St. at Quinnipiac
Last week the Huskies swept the other Huskies from MTU. The QU Bobcats lost to fellow ECAC members Rensselaer and Union last weekend.

The Bobcats have a 13-7-1 overall record, and are 8-2-0 at home in Hamden, Conn. QU has lost 4 straight and only have 1 win in their last 8 games. SCSU has an overall record of 12-7-3 and have won 4 in a row, and are 7-1-1 in their last 9 games. Have to go with WCHA in this non conference series. SCSU SWEEP.


BYE – OFF WEEK
#1 Denver Pioneers

Top 100 Skaters (Parise 6th)

From Sports Illustrated, Sean Allen's top 100 forwards, former UND forward Zach Parise is ranked 6th and Jonathan Toews is ranked 26th. The WCHA is well represented.


1. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Was (1)
2. Sidney Crosby, C, Pit (2)
3. Dany Heatley, RW, SJ (3)UW
4. Marian Gaborik, RW, NYR (4)
5. Evgeni Malkin, C, Pit (5)
6. Zach Parise, LW, NJ (6) UND
7. Mike Richards, C, Phi (7)
8. Patrick Marleau, C, SJ (8)
9. Joe Thornton, C, SJ (9)
10. Anze Kopitar, C, LA (11)
11. Henrik Sedin, C, Van (18)
12. Rick Nash, LW, Cls (10)
13. Nicklas Backstrom, C, Was (13)
14. Corey Perry, RW, Anh (14)
15. Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, Atl (15)
16. Jarome Iginla, RW, Cgy (12)
17. Steven Stamkos, C, TB (16)
18. Bobby Ryan, RW, Anh (17)
19. Daniel Sedin, LW, Van (20)
20. Ryan Getzlaf, C, Anh (19)
21. Ryan Malone, LW, TB (21) SCSU
22. Alexander Semin, LW, Was (22)
23. Jeff Carter, C, Phi (23)
24. Patrick Kane, RW, Chi (26)
25. Eric Staal, C, Car (25)
26. Jonathan Toews, C, Chi (31) UND
27. Dustin Penner, LW, Edm (27)
28. Nathan Horton, RW, Fla (29)
29. Brenden Morrow, LW, Dal (30)
30. Pavel Datsyuk, C, Det (24)
31. Marian Hossa, RW, Chi (33)
32. Mike Cammalleri, LW, Mon (32)
33. Brad Richards, C, Dal (35)
34. Scott Hartnell, RW, Phi (34)
35. Ryan Smyth, LW, LA (37)
36. Alexandre Burrows, C, Van (42)
37. Loui Eriksson, LW, Dal (39)
38. Paul Stastny, C, Col (38)DU
39. Mikko Koivu, C, Min (40)
40. Vincent Lecavalier, C, TB (41)
41. Henrik Zetterberg, C, Det (36)
42. John Tavares, C, NYI (43)
43. Brooks Laich, C, Was (44)
44. Olli Jokinen, C, Cgy (45)
45. Martin St. Louis, RW, TB (46)
46. Patrick Sharp, C, Chi (48)
47. Tomas Plekanec, C, Mon (49)
48. Mike Knuble, RW, Was (50)
49. Teemu Selanne, RW, Anh (58)
50. Patrik Elias, LW, NJ (52)
51. Ryan Kesler, C, Van (53)
52. Shane Doan, RW, Pho (54)
53. Tim Connolly, C, Buf (69)
54. Stephen Weiss, C, Fla (64)
55. Milan Hejduk, RW, Col (57)
56. Marc Savard, C, Boston Bruins (28)
57. Travis Zajac, C, NJ (59) UND
59. Phil Kessel, RW, Tor (55)UMN
60. Andrew Brunette, LW, Minnesota Wild (56)
61. Maxim Afinogenov, RW, Atl (62)
62. Martin Havlat, LW, Minnnesota Wild (74)
63. Bill Guerin, RW, Pit (63)
64. Wojtek Wolski, LW, Col (51)
65. Mason Raymond, LW, Van (73)
66. Jason Arnott, C, Nsh (65)
67. Ryane Clowe, RW, SJ (66)
68. Mike Fisher, C, Ott (67)
69. Daniel Alfredsson, RW, Ott (60)
70. Kyle Okposo, RW, NYI (68)UMN
71. Rich Peverley, C, Atl (61)
72. Vaclav Prospal, C, NYR (70)
73. Brian Gionta, RW, Mon (71)
74. James Neal, LW, Dal (72)
75. Steve Downie, RW, TB (86)
76. Mikael Samuelsson, RW, Van (77)
77. Joe Pavelski, C, SJ (78)UW
78. Chris Stewart, RW, Col (83)
79. Niclas Bergfors, RW, NJ (79)
80. Alexei Ponikarovsky, LW, Tor (80)
81. Jamie Langenbrunner, RW, NJ (92)
82. Milan Lucic, LW, Boston Bruins (82)
83. Thomas Vanek, LW, Buf (76)UMN
84. David Backes, C, StL (98)MSU-M
85. Danny Briere, C, Phi (85)
86. Kris Versteeg, RW, Chi (88)
87. Michael Frolik, C, Fla (89)
88. Matt Moulson, LW, NYI (84)
89. Nik Antropov, RW, Atl (91)
90. Rene Bourque, LW, Cgy (95)
91. Brendan Morrison, C, Was (93)
92. Dustin Brown, RW, LA (94)
93. Jarret Stoll, C, LA (96)
94. Derek Roy, C, Buf (97)
95. Troy Brouwer, RW, Chi (99)
96. Todd Bertuzzi, RW, Det (100)
97. Patric Hornqvist, RW, Nsh (NR)
98. Simon Gagne, LW, Phi (NR)
99. Scott Gomez, C, Mon (NR)
100. Jakub Voracek, RW, Cls (NR)

Wednesday night at the fights.

Tonight's Minnesota Wild game was very good hockey game to watch. The Wild beat the Cancucks on the ice 5-2 and in the fights as well. The fight between Alexandre Bolduc and John Scott was really one sided. The Former Huskies defenseman John Scott worked Bolduc like a clown. John Scott even fixed his hair before he started pummeling Bolduc.

Here was the bout between Boogeyman and Darcy Hordichuk. Apparently Hordichuck told Boogaard that his coach made him fight.

According to Boogaard, before the faceoff, Hordichuk told him that "The coach is making US fight you guys.” [Russo's Rants]

It wasn't much of a fight because Hordichuck just basically went after him and didn't let Boogey get a set so he could hit him. Notice when the jersey came over Hordichuck's head Derek stopped fighting him.


The Sheriff Shane Hnidy and Tanner Glass got it on as well. Hnidy all but ripped Glass' jersy off his body. From watching Hnidy during his days with the Boston Bruins, Hnidy is a willing combantant and he will throw em.

Here is what Minnesota Beat Writer Michael Russo had to say about the John Scott beat down of Alexandre Bolduc.

Who's us? Alexandre Bolduc is us. Moments after the fight, Bolduc came up to John Scott and begged Scott to fight him. Huge mistake. Scott beat the living daylights out of him. Honestly, it was scary. The crowd was going nuts. I was scared I'd be covering the making of a vegetable. I don't know what you prove down 5-2, but if it's true Vigneault sent these guys out to fight two of the biggest heavyweights in the NHL, I hope Vigneault feels a tad guilty because he had a front-row seat to the Scott fight.

When it was over, Bolduc had at least a shoulder injury, according to the Canucks writers, and looked like he didn't know if he was on Earth or Mars. Later, Shane Hnidy fought Tanner Glass. [Russo's Rants]

Clutterbuck still fuming over Gonchar elbow

The Colin Campbell wheel of justice has once again determined that star players receive kid’s glove treatment and players that aren’t stars receive different treatment and unequal punishment, imagine if Clutterbuck or Boogaard had done the same thing.

Clutterbuck was upset Gonchar wasn't suspended by the NHL.

"I'd have been suspended indefinitely," Clutterbuck said. "There's no doubt that all he was trying to do was hurt me."

Gonchar told Pittsburgh reporters: "[Clutterbuck] hit me in the head, which I thought the NHL was now looking for. ... In my opinion it was a late [hit], a [dirty] hit and that's why I paid him back."

As for Gonchar's hit, Clutterbuck said if he was knocked out or taken off the ice on a stretcher, "then it's an uproar. But because I got up and my nose is bleeding a little bit, it's a different story?"

Clutterbuck was irritated that Monday's referees, after much debate, gave Gonchar a five-minute major for interference rather than elbowing. Because of the cut nose, a game misconduct would have had to be imposed with an elbowing major.

"Why are they going out of their way to keep this guy in the game?" Clutterbuck said.

Clutterbuck led the NHL with 356 hits last season and leads the league again this season with 182. Some critics have com
[Star Tribune]

Wednesday press conference.

Here is the latest from press conference Wednesday.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- With the men's and women's basketball teams on the road, it was a shorter media day than most on the University of North Dakota campus.

The main talk centered around the upcoming men's hockey series at Minnesota this weekend. The Fighting Sioux have had success in recent years at Mariucci Arena, but with no games there last season, only eight UND student-athletes have made the trip.

"They know how it's going to be," senior Chris VandeVelde said of the freshmen and sophomore classes. "They just have to stay level-headed and go in there ready to play."

Among the Fighting Sioux making a first trip to Mariucci will be sophomore Jason Gregoire, who was recently named WCHA Co-Offensive Player of the Week after scoring 4 goals (2 game-winners) last weekend.

"Both games will be big battles," Gregoire said.

Sophomore defenseman Corey Fienhage will get the chance to play in front of his hometown in his first roadtrip to Mariucci. "They tell us it's a fun place to play," Fienhage said, "and I'm really excited to play there."

Backes fights team Canada one player at a time.

Here is an interesting fact former MSU-M Maverick David Backes and soon to be Olympian has fought, former Fighting Sioux star Jonathan Toews, the Ducks Corey Perry and Rick Nash. All of which are going to be on team Canada. I guess we could ask; who is next from team Canada. I have to admit that as a hockey fan of both college and the NHL I love the way that David Backes plays the game of hockey.

Since it's Sioux and Gophers week. Noticed former Gopher Erik Johnson wants no part of former Fighting Sioux Mike Commodore. Come on Erik Johnson your big man (6’4” and 234 pounds) I would expect you to be just a little bit tougher, you have to be the weakest 236 pound NHL defenseman I have seen. Did you think you were going to be NHL defenseman 10 years and not get challenged to a fight? Get in there and fight when a challenged. You got worked by former Fighting Sioux defenseman Mike "Commi" Commodore.
[Props]

The Miami Swoon.

Here is an article I wrote yesterday for my realclearsports.com blog

The Miami University RedHawks is a good hockey team went all the way to the Frozen Four last season. The RedHakws played in the final game before losing to the Boston University Terriers in the Championship game. Most teams including championshiop teams go through rough patches but the Miami University RedHawks 13-4-5 seem to fall off right after the Christmas holiday break. This year seems to be starting out the same way.

A Look at the "Rico Swoon" (through the first ten games, post-holiday break)

1999-2000: 4-5-1
2000-2001: 6-4-0
2001-2002: 3-6-1
2002-2003: 3-6-1
2003-2004: 7-2-1 (NCAA Participant)
2004-2005: 5-4-1
2005-2006: 6-3-1 (CCHA Champions, NCAA Participant)
2006-2007: 3-4-3 (NCAA Participant)
2007-2008: 7-2-1 (NCAA Participant)
2008-2009: 4-5-1 (NCAA Championship Game)
2009-2010: 0-2 "?"
[The Brother Hood]

The RedHawks started the second half of this season getting swept by the CHA's RMU Colonials 5-12-3. I believe that the Miami RedHawks are going to be very happy to see the CHA get disbanded after this season because the RedHawks are 0-3 in nonconference games against the CHA this season. That being said the Miami RedHawks are still sitting pretty even after laying an egg this past weekend. Check out this blog post; talk abut blasting your favorite team.

BOTTOM LINE: Miami has had some embarrassing losses in previous seasons, but this weekend series may top them all. Robert Morris hadn't won a game since Nov. 13, and the RedHawks made this team look like the 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Miami's new offensive strategy of pass-and-redirect-pass-to-the-defense worked to perfection on Sunday, squelching every chance the RedHawks had to gain the attacking zone. I can't remember Miami completing consecutive passes on the transition, and a team this talented should never have to resort to playing dump-and-chase on the power play.

There's absolutely no excuse to lose one of two, much less two, against a team that has one or two semi-talented skaters at best and a goalie who regularly floats 20 feet out of the crease for no reason.

And who decided four weeks off would be a good thing for Miami, considering its history? I realize the Ohio Hockey Classic is defunct and the team had four off weeks in its CCHA schedule, which it couldn't help, but seriously, the RedHawks couldn't get another weekend series in?

First thing I would tell this guy is get off the ledge. Talk about disrepecting your opponent after they have beaten your team twice. Seriously! After reading this post you would have thought that the Miami RedHawks were a bunch of talentless hacks sitting at the bottom of the CCHA and in danger of missing the NCAA tourney. Not so fast, Miami (10-1-3 and 13-4-5) is sitting second in the Pairwise rankings (which mimic the NCAA tourney selection) and tied for the lead in the CCHA with the Ferris State Bulldogs (10-2-2 and 16-4-2) with 34 points. Miami has some mojo even with the loss and can probably miss their conference tourney and still be a number one seed or high second seed in the NCAA tourney.

I have seen Miami play twice in person this season and they are the real deal, they are big, fast and buy into a defensive system. The RedHawks are coached by former RedHawk Enrico Blais who had an impressive 223-154-37 record. They may have lost a couple of game to an opponent that they should have beaten, there is still a lot of season left and no reason to get excited just yet.

Classic quote by the UAA Coach.

Check out this classic quote by University of Alaska Anchorage head coach Dave Shyiak on DU getting their share of the favorable calls from the refs.

“I thought it was a great series. There wasn’t much difference between the first place team versus the ninth,” Shyiak said. “After not playing for more than a month (Dec. 5), I thought our guys played great and deserved better fate. I thought penalties caught up to us, but when you’re a first-place team and you’re in their home barn, they’re going to get the calls, and they got several calls tonight.” [Denver Post Hockey Blog]

As a Sioux fan I can feel your pain Dave. I wonder how long it will take before the other member schools in the WCHA will say enough is enough and request that the WCHA office be moved out of Denver University. There seems to be this perception that DU can do no wrong and gets all the favorable calls to go their way, their head coach just walks out on to the ice anytime he wants without any fear of punishment from the WCHA.

Kevin Gorg on Don Lucia.

This is probably not something the Don Lucia Haters will want to hear. There seems to be opinion that Don Lucia should be fired. FSN personality Kevin Gorg was asked by a fan on the Paul Allen show about Don Lucia's job status.

[Click to listen to the Paul Allen podcast] @1503 minutes left in the postcast. 

Fan Question: Is Don Lucia done if his team doesn’t make the final five

Gorg’s reply: That’s his call; my take has alway been 100 percent that when Don Lucia wants to leave the University of Minnesota, Don Lucia will, he will not be fired, that will be his call. 

A few things Sioux vs Gophers.

The video is coach Hakstal talking about his weeks series with the Minnesota Gophers.

Teams: #4 North Dakota (12-6-4, 8-6-2 WCHA)at Minnesota (11-10-1, 6-7-1 WCHA) Jan. 15-16, 2010
Time: 7:07/7:07 pm CT
Location: Mariucci Arena (10,000) • Minneapolis, Minn.
RADIO: 96.1 The Fox (KQHT-FM) • LIVE AUDIO: FightingSioux.com TV: Big Ten Network
Television: (Friday)(318 MIDCO Grand Forks, ND), Fox Sports North (channel 28 Midco Grand Forks, ND)(Saturday)

UND is a second half team under coach Hakstol, check out the record.

UND is 49-36-9 before Christmas under Hakstol and 84-33-14 after. In 07-08, the Sioux won an amazing 20 games after the break. [UNDSID Twitter]

Gonchar elbows Cal Clutterbuck.

This is a bush league hit by Gonchar and he deserves to be suspended for his hit on Cal Clutterbuck. I have seen where some have said that Clutterbuck deserved it because he flys around the ice hitting people.Clutterbuck is one of the NHL leading hitters and he is not a dirty player or deserving of this bush league play.

Ed Jovanovski suspended two games for hit on John Tavares

This is the latest suspension to be handed down by the NHL. Repeat offender Ed Jovanovski tries to take out Islanders star John Tavares head with a vicious elbow to the head. Jovanovski is the same guy that tried to decapitate Wild forward Andrew Ebbett only a month ago. From watching the video it would appear that Jovanovski hasn’t learned his lesson yet and is still head hunting only one moth after is serving a 2 game suspension. If you listen closely to the video you can hear the elbow of Jovanovski hitting Tavares in the head. While the play continues check out the sweet goal by former Gopher Kyle Okposo.

Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski has been suspended for two games, without pay, for elbowing New York Islanders center John Tavares in a game Saturday, the NHL announced today.

With 17 seconds remaining in the first period of a game the Islanders would win 5-4, Jovanovski delivered an elbow to Tavares' head area and was assessed a major penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct.

Jovanovski, who was suspended for two games back in December, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He will forfeit $158,536.59 in salary based on the number of games (82) in a season, rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Jovanovski will miss Coyotes' games Tuesday against San Jose and Thursday against New Jersey. He will be eligible to return Saturday against Minnesota. [NHL.com]

[props]

The Guillaume Latendresse for Benoit Pouliot trade

Last night the Wild played and beat the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. The Wild victory was fueled a possessed Guillamume Latendresse who led the charge with (1g-3a-4pts). Latendresse is really on a roll, in the last four games he is (4g-5a-8pts)

The Wild's 15-6 with Latendresse in the lineup and 8-1 when he scores a point. Since Dec. 15, Latendresse's eight even-strength goals lead the NHL. Remember in the first month when the Wild didn't have a prayer to score at even-strength? [Russo's Rants]

Incidentally, the guy the Wild traded to the Montreal Canadians to get Latendresse, former Wild player Benoit Pouliot has only scored 4 goals in 9 games. Latendresse surpassed Pouliot’s production with the Habs in three periods of hockey. Not hard to see who got the best of that deal?
Cross posted at the Sin Bin

Some USA Pictures.

On Frozen Blog has a few pictures from the WJC.

North American Goalies Midterm Rankings

Fighting Sioux goalie recruit Zane Grothberg is ranked 5th in the North American goalies midterm ranking.

1 PICKARD, CALVIN SEATTLE WHL 6' 0.5" 200
2 CAMPBELL, JACK USA U-18 USDP 6' 2.5" 175
3 CORBEIL-THERIAULT, MATHIEU HALIFAX QMJHL 6' 5.75" 186
4 DOMINGUE, LOUIS QUEBEC QMJHL 6' 2.5" 185
5 GOTHBERG, ZANE THIEF RIVER FALLS HIGH-MN 6' 0.5" 177
6 BRITTAIN, SAM CANMORE AJHL 6' 2.75" 215
7 SIMPSON, KENT EVERETT WHL 6' 2.5" 182
8 VISENTIN, MARK NIAGARA OHL 6' 1.25" 185
9 GRUBAUER, PHILLIPP WINDSOR OHL 6' 0.25" 180
10 CLERMONT, MAXIME GATINEAU QMJHL 6' 0" 189
11 SADIKOV, RASMUS ERIE OHL 6' 2" 230
12 YANAKEFF, WILLIE SIOUX CITY USHL 6' 2.75" 200
13 WEDGEWOOD, SCOTT PLYMOUTH OHL 6' 0.5" 195
14 BUNZ, TYLER MEDICINE HAT WHL 6' 1.25" 196
15 COREAU, JARED LINCOLN USHL 6' 5" 195
16 MCGRATH, DALTON BARRIE OHL 6' 0.25" 188
17 OUELLETTE, MARTIN KIMBALL UNION HIGH-NH 6' 1" 160
18 HOUSER, MICHAEL LONDON OHL 6' 0.75" 185
19 WITT, CLAY SIOUX FALLS USHL 6' 1" 195
20 ANDERSON, JP MISSISSAUGA ST. MICHAEL'S OHL 5' 11.25" 192
21 BONAR, SEAN PENTICTON BCHL 6' 0.5" 179
22 NADEAU, GUILLAUME ACADIE-BATHURST QMJHL 6' 0.75" 180
23 LANIGAN, CAM EDMONTON WHL 6' 1.75" 180
24 GIROUX, SIMON BAIE-COMEAU QMJHL 5' 11.5" 196
25 BILLETT, BRIAN JR. MONARCHS EJHL 6' 1" 187
26 MRAZEK, PETR OTTAWA OHL 5' 11.5" 162
27 TREMBLAY, PHILIPPE RIMOUSKI QMJHL 6' 2" 201
28 BAILIE, KEVIN OSHAWA OHL 6' 2.5" 189
29 VIENNEAU, JOEL KINGSTON OJAHL 6' 2.75" 187
30 O'HAGAN, BRYCE SAULT STE. MARIE OHL 6' 2" 190
31 MEYERS, JACOB BENILDE-ST.MARGARET'S HIGH-MN 5' 11.5" 168
32 ANDERSON, BRANDON LETHBRIDGE WHL 5' 11.25" 170
[Link]

North American Skaters Midterm Rankings (Forbort 11, Nelson 17th)

UND Fighting Sioux recruit(s) Derek Forbort and Brock Nelson are ranked in the top 20 of the North American Skaters Midterm Rankings for the 2010 NHL Draft.

1 HALL, TAYLOR WINDSOR OHL 6' 0.75" 186 LW
2 SEGUIN, TYLER PLYMOUTH OHL 6' 0.75" 180 C
3 FOWLER, CAM WINDSOR OHL 6' 2" 195 D
4 CONNOLLY, BRETT PRINCE GEORGE WHL 6' 2" 181 RW
5 SHEAHAN, RILEY U OF NOTRE DAME CCHA 6' 1.5" 202 C
6 GUDBRANSON, ERIK KINGSTON OHL 6' 3.75" 195 D
7 BURMISTROV, ALEXANDER BARRIE OHL 5' 11.5" 162 C
8 GORMLEY, BRANDON MONCTON QMJHL 6' 2" 187 D
9 PYSYK, MARK EDMONTON WHL 6' 1" 179 D
10 MCFARLAND, JOHN SUDBURY OHL 6' 0" 200 C
11 FORBORT, DEREK USA U-18 USDP 6' 4.5" 198 D
12 BJUGSTAD, NICK BLAINE HIGH-MN 6' 3.75" 188 C
13 ETEM, EMERSON MEDICINE HAT WHL 5' 11.75" 190 RW
14 NIEDERREITER, NINO PORTLAND WHL 6' 1" 205 RW
15 KABANOV, KIRILL MONCTON QMJHL 6' 2" 173 LW
16 JOHANSEN, RYAN PORTLAND WHL 6' 2.25" 194 C
17 NELSON, BROCK WARROAD HIGH-MN 6' 2.5" 205 C
18 HAYES, KEVIN NOBLES HIGH-MA 6' 2.25" 201 RW
19 COYLE, CHARLIE SOUTH SHORE EJHL 6' 1.5" 202 C,RW
20 MERRILL, JONATHON USA U-18 USDP 6' 3.25" 198 D
21 PITLICK, TYLER MINNESOTA STATE WCHA 6' 1.5" 194 C
22 TOFFOLI, TYLER OTTAWA OHL 6' 0" 183 C
23 GALIEV, STANISLAV SAINT JOHN QMJHL 6' 0.5" 177 RW
24 MARTINDALE, RYAN OTTAWA OHL 6' 3" 195 C
25 WATSON, AUSTIN PETERBOROUGH OHL 6' 3" 180 RW
26 TELEGIN, IVAN SAGINAW OHL 6' 2.25" 194 RW
27 MCILRATH, DYLAN MOOSE JAW WHL 6' 3.25" 210 D
28 JOHNS, STEPHEN USA U-18 USDP 6' 3.25" 215 D
29 HOWDEN, QUINTON MOOSE JAW WHL 6' 0.75" 183 C
30 ARNOLD, BILLY USA U-18 USDP 5' 11.5" 218 C
31 BIEGA, DANNY HARVARD ECAC 6' 0" 191 D
32 LIND, KEVIN CHICAGO USHL 6' 2.5" 202 D
33 STRAKA, PETR RIMOUSKI QMJHL 6' 1" 184 RW
34 PETROVIC, ALEXANDER RED DEER WHL 6' 3.5" 192 D
35 CULEK, JAKUB RIMOUSKI QMJHL 6' 3" 175 LW
36 GARDINER, MAX MINNETONKA HIGH-MN 6' 2.5" 176 C
37 ALT, MARK CRETIN-DERHAM HIGH-MN 6' 3" 199 D
38 SPOONER, RYAN PETERBOROUGH OHL 5' 10.5" 174 C
39 BASARABA, JOE SHAT.ST.MARY'S HIGH-MN 6' 2.25" 190 RW
40 FAULK, JUSTIN USA U-18 USDP 5' 11.75" 196 D
41 SCHWARTZ, JADEN TRI-CITY USHL 5' 10" 180 C
42 TINORDI, JARRED USA U-18 USDP 6' 5.5" 205 D
43 RUTKOWSKI, TROY PORTLAND WHL 6' 1.5" 208 D
44 SHIPLEY, STEVEN OWEN SOUND OHL 6' 2" 204 C
45 WEAL, JORDAN REGINA WHL 5' 8.5" 156 C
46 HISHON, JOEY OWEN SOUND OHL 5' 9.25" 172 C
47 SKINNER, JEFF KITCHENER OHL 5' 10" 197 RW
48 BENNETT, BEAU PENTICTON BCHL 6' 0.5" 173 RW
49 BRICKLEY, CONNOR DES MOINES USHL 5' 11.5" 190 C
50 FALLON, JACOB USA U-18 USDP 5' 10" 191 C
[See all of the Rankings]

Poll Monday. (UND fourth)

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll
[January 11, 2010]

Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Denver (45) 14-5-3 994 2
2 Miami ( 3) 13-4-5 871 1
3 Wisconsin 12-5-3 867 4
4 North Dakota ( 2) 12-6-4 821 5
5 Yale 9-3-3 754 6
6 Ferris State 16-4-2 685 11
7 Michigan State 15-6-3 673 9
8 Colorado College 12-7-3 658 3
9 Cornell 8-4-2 603 8
10 Minnesota-Duluth 14-7-1 595 13
11 Bemidji State 14-4-2 545 10
12 Boston College 10-6-2 500 7
13 Union 12-4-5 350 17
14 St. Cloud State 12-7-3 330 15
15 Mass.-Lowell 12-7-2 325 14
16 Maine 11-7-2 238 18
17 Quinnipiac 13-7-1 172 12
18 Vermont 10-6-2 156 19
19 Massachusetts 12-8-0 137 16
20 New Hampshire 9-7-4 118 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Alaska 82, Lake Superior 9, Notre Dame 6, Michigan 3, Minnesota 3, Northern Michigan 2, Minnesota State 1, Rensselaer 1, RIT 1

------------------------------------
USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
[Jan. 11, 2010]
1 Denver (33) 14-5-3 509 2
2 Miami University (Ohio) (1) 13-4-5 436 1
3 Wisconsin 12-5-3 429 4
4 North Dakota 12-6-4 386 5
5 Yale 9-3-3 371 6
6 Michigan State 15-6-3 316 9
7 Ferris State 16-4-2 308 12
8 Cornell 8-4-2 253 7
9 Colorado College 12-7-3 248 3
10 Minnesota Duluth 14-7-1 223 13
11 Bemidji State 14-4-2 184 10
12 Boston College 10-6-2 150 8
13 Union College 12-4-5 78 NR
14 Massachusetts Lowell 12-7-2 75 14
15 St. Cloud State 12-7-3 59 15
Others receiving votes: University of New Hampshire, 21; University of Vermont, 14; University of Maine, 11; University of Alaska, 5; University of Massachusetts, 3; Rochester Institute of Technology, 1.

INCH Power Rankings.

As always for a good laugh I include the INCH power rankings.
1. Denver
2. Wisconsin
3. Yale
4. Miami
5. North Dakota
6. Cornell
7. Michigan State
8. Minnesota Duluth
9. Colorado College
10. Ferris State
11. Boston College
12. Bemidji State
13. UMass Lowell
14. Union
15. Quinnipiac
16. Maine
17. St. Cloud State
18. New Hampshire
19. Massachusetts
20. Alaska

Dropped out: None
Bubble-licious: Lake Superior State, Vermont, Rensselaer

So who will be the next coach of the Gophers?

Former UND hockey beat writer Virg Foss has a nice article about former Fighting Sioux hockey coach Dean Blais and his win at the WJC. With his win in the WJC there has been a lot of speculation on the Internet that former Fighting Sioux hockey Dean Blais would be a slam dunk as the next coach of the Minnesota Gophers, while this is not the crux of the article it is a point worth looking at.

Since the Gophers have struggled the last couple of seasons there has been this on going speculation that it’s time for a coaching change in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There have been a lot of die hard Gopher fans ready to throw their former Spencer Penrose award winning coach under the bus. Some of these fans calling for a change had been ardent supporters of Lucia in the past.

FSN Hockey personality Kevin Gorg recently said on KFAN 1130AM that Don Lucia would basically go at the time of his choosing and that Lucia is probably safe for now. I think Gorg is right. Breaking it down further; why would a university just up and fire a hockey coach that has won five MacNaughton Cups, three Broadmoor Trophies and two back-to-back NCAA championships in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Add to this impressive resume a Hobey Baker Memorial award winner in Jordan Leopold 2002. Heck the University of Minnesota just re-upped a football coach Tim Brewster that was just begging to be fired.

There’s great fear in Grand Forks that if the University of Minnesota makes a coaching change with its struggling program, Blais will return to his alma mater to coach the Gophers.

I’m not convinced the freedom-loving Blais would jump into that pressure cooker at his age. Blais cherishes the time to hunt and fish whenever possible. The demands of the Minnesota program would cut into that.

Nor am I convinced that Gopher athletics director Joel Maturi would change hockey coaches in a program that at least wins, while offering an extension to football coach Tim Brewster. How does that make sense?

There’s a saying in sports that a great coach can take his players and beat yours, or take your players and beat his.

I think of Blais in those terms. Many others do, too. That’s why there’s rampant speculation and fear that he’ll end up coaching the Gophers, even though Blais once said “a big city isn’t for me.”

But if they cut a big enough check, maybe it might be. If that happens, so be it. I love Dean Blais and wish him nothing but success and good fortune. If that happens to be at the tail end of his coaching career with Minnesota, my heart will be with him.
[Read the whole article right here]

Rangers want McDonagh not Stepan.

Looks like the Badgers don't have to worry about losing Derek Stepan but you might not be able to keep Ryan McDonagh next year.

There was speculation following the tournament that Team USA captain and Rangers' draft pick Derek Stepan would bolt Wisconsin to play junior hockey, but Slap Shots was told on Friday by a well-placed source that the center will complete his sophomore year with the Badgers.

The Blueshirts, we're told, believe Stepan needs another year of development either at school or in junior hockey before he's ready to turn pro, but are keenly interested in getting Wisconsin defenseman Ryan McDonagh -- acquired from Montreal in the Scott Gomez deal -- into the organization following the completion of this, his junior season.
Read more:

It's here Sioux vs Gophers week...

This is one of the more exciting series of the college hockey season. The Sioux and the Gophers play this weekend in Mariucci arena in Minneapolis Minnesota. With this week of course brings the worst out of the fans from both teams. So let the stupidities begin. I was surfing the Star and Tribune’s web page and I saw a couple comments that really stuck out for me, that pretty much illustrate my point. Check out this one.

UND?
Why does some idiot always feel the need to go on about UND? Does anyone in the Cities even care about UND? Why do UND fans feel the need … read more to continually grasp at getting attention for themselves? Could it be the rest of us have lives, have the Twins, the Wild, the Vikings, the Timberwolves, Big Ten DIVISION ONE sports that can keep us occupied on the sports scene. Here is a news flash for all UND fans: WE DON'T CARE, AND WE NEVER WILL! It's college hockey! Women's beach volleyball gets more TV airtime than college hockey. And if UND is so great, why were they only one point ahead of UM at the halfway point? Not much to be proud of for UND fans either.

Swing and a miss here. I would be willing to bet that College hockey probably outdraws Women's beach volleyball. Last time I checked UND is 5 points ahead of UMN, oh course the Sioux have two games in hand. That fact really is a mute point, while the Sioux are sitting in a tie for 5th place UND is sitting at 9th in the Pairwise will the Gophers are sitting at 25th.

This is another briliant piece right Here. I am sure his mother would really be proud.

RinkPiggie - You must be a closet Gophs fan because game after game you always comment about how they played. Here's a thought; if UND is so sweet, why don't you try watching one of thier games sometime? Maybe you live in the cities and can't watch your beloved Susie's. Can only watch UND in a 2 mile radius from the Ralph I suppose... while Minny can be seen far and wide on FSN...jealous much?

ND is a horrible place to live and you hicks all move to Minny the first chance you get; and than you pretend how horrible it is...what color is the sky in your world Mrs. Piggie? Go back to Tractor town; because nobody wants you here either.

I guess this moron hasn't got digital cable? You can get the Fighting Sioux on expanded digital cable if you get the sports package, UND’s entire hockey home games are covered on FCS. Also, that means if you have Direct TV you can also get them on channel 617. Also, there are many satellite television dealers that will sell you a FTA dish and you can get Fighting Sioux hockey that way as well. Another swing and a miss.

I always love how the Gophers fans call UND fans a bunch of hicks, which is quite ignorant of course, most outstate Minnesotans resemble the people North Dakota, in their life styles and demographics. I would be willing to bet that he didn’t study sociology and or demographics in college. So basically he has just insulted his fellow fan base that lives outside of the metro area.

Line brawl in Denver.

Color me surprised! I thought the Fighting Sioux were the only ones that started these things. I was watching this game and at the buzzer DU and UAA had a bit of a tussle, there were a couple of punches thrown.

According the two DU FSN homer announcers, UAA had a couple of players come off the bench to get involved in the fracas. There were definately a few more Seawolves than Pioneers on the ice. Then a couple of extra Pioneers ended up on the ice. It was a dust up but the refs should have seen it coming. It could be chalked up as an epic fail on their part.

Of course, true to form George Gwozdecky aka "the Dasher Troll" was out on the ice again last night. One of these days the league has got to suspend him for his bravo sierra, he is one the ice more than the players.

DU rallied with a Tyler Ruegsegger goal in the final minute of regulation to beat gritty Alaska-Anchorage 3-2 at Magness Arena. The win kept DU in front of Minnesota-Duluth atop the WCHA heading into a bye week. The Pios next play Jan. 22 at Wisconsin, but some players may have to serve a suspension.

At the buzzer, a brawl broke out near the DU penalty box, with at least five fights unfolding before the eyes of WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod. Some were minor grab-a-guy situations, but others heated up pretty good. It’s 11:02, past my deadline, and officials still haven’t ruled on penalties and probable suspensions. I hear DU’s Rhett Rakhshani and John Ryder are suspension candidates. I’m almost positive UAA’s Chris Crowell was one of two players to come off the bench and square up.
[Denver Post Hockey blog]

Here is the penalty minutes from the Box Score. Notice for the most part how the penalties even up, the UAA player Chris Crowell got a double game disqualification, you don't see that happen very often. Your typical WCHA officiating.

AKA-9 Lee Baldwin (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-10 Lee Baldwin (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-11 Lee Baldwin (5-GRASPING THE FACEMASK) 20:00
AKA-12 Jared Tuton (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-13 Jared Tuton (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-14 Jared Tuton (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00
AKA-15 Nick Haddad (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-16 Nick Haddad (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-17 Tommy Grant (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-18 Tommy Grant (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-19 Brad Gorham (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-20 Brad Gorham (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-21 Kevin Clark (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-22 Kevin Clark (2-Roughing) 20:00
AKA-23 Chris Crowell (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00
AKA-24 Chris Crowell (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00
AKA-25 Chris Crowell (2-Instigating) 20:00
DEN-6 John Lee (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-7 John Lee (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-8 William Wrenn (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-9 William Wrenn (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-10 William Wrenn (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00
DEN-11 John Ryder (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00
DEN-12 Joe Colborne (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-13 Joe Colborne (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-14 Patrick Wiercioch (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-15 Patrick Wiercioch (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-16 Rhett Rakhshani (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-17 Rhett Rakhshani (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-18 Tyler Ruegsegger (2-Roughing) 20:00

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

Don Cherry on the USA win.

There has been this ongoing argument about the USA WJC win and how USA hockey has gotten better and Don Cherry shares his views on the USA win. I mean he is right there are quite a few players from last year’s squad that could have played on team Canada. It also doesn't sound like Don Cherry was too impressed with the USA song in the locker room either.

Cherry highlighted the American players from the USA WJC that played their hockey in the CHL. Personally I don’t care where the USA WJC players improved their skills at, there are good points to both the CHL and the NCAA. I also find the CHL vs the NCAA argument to be tiresome as well. We will leave that one to Chris.

Sioux sweep Mavs out of town 3-2.

Like Tim Hennessy's said in the post game comments not a very exciting game to watch but a win is a win.
[Post game Comments here]

This was the first sweep the Fighting Sioux hockey team had since the Michigan Tech series in Houghton, Michigan on November 6th and 7th 2009 when the Sioux beat the Michigan Tech Huskies 4-1 and 4-2. Four points is four points and you have to beat the teams behind you in the standings if you want to have a chance to move up in the standings.

This is the type of game UND needs to win, if they want to be successful in the second half of the season. These were also the types of games they were not winning during the first half of the season. The Fighting Sioux raced to a two goal lead before giving up a goal to Geoff Irwin with a minute left in the first period.

Neither the Fighting Sioux nor the Mavericks scored during the second period and then both teams traded goals in the third period. Jason Gregoire scored his tweleth goal of the season and Channing Boe scored sixth goal for the Mavericks in the third period to make it interesting, UND was able to hold on for the 3-2 victory.

Jason Gregiore was hot again tonight as he scored to more goals and four on the weekend. Matt Frattin got his first two assists of the season and he is starting to find his grove and it is only a matter of time before he starts finding the back of the net.

For the most part this was a pretty tame and clean series. In fact I was expecting more from these two teams. For the most part both teams just played hockey and didn’t get involved in any extra bravo sierra. Of course the Sioux and the Gophers play next weekend so all bets are off.
[Box score]
--------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------

NDK 1 - 0 6x6 LL Jason Gregoire (11) (Matt Frattin, Derrick LaPoint) 3:29
NDK (+): 17,21,3,29,25,G31 MNS (-): 5,15,19,16,9,G1
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 Michael Cichy (2) (David Toews, Corey Fienhage) 4:38
NDK (+): 8,18,4,11,24,G31 MNS (-): 7,18,28,9,22,G1
NDK-1 Ben Blood (2-Tripping) MNS 0x1 6:38
NDK-2 Ben Blood (2-Interference) MNS 1x2 18:20
MNS 1 - 2 6x5 PP Geoff Irwin (6) (Kael Mouillierat, Ben Youds) 19:00
MNS: 19,9,5,10,15,G1 NDK: 25,2,9,11,G31

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

MNS-1 Ben Youds (2-Roughing) 6:43
MNS-2 Ben Youds (2-HITTING AFTER WHISTLE) NDK 0x1 6:43
NDK-3 Michael Cichy (2-Roughing) 6:43
NDK-4 Brad Malone (2-Cross-Checking) MNS 1x3 8:05
MNS-3 Kael Mouillierat (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) NDK 0x2 16:38

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

MNS-4 Ben Youds (2-Interference) NDK 1x3 8:18
NDK 3 - 1 6x5 PP GW Jason Gregoire (12) (Matt Frattin, Jake Marto) 9:42
NDK: 17,21,25,7,29,G31 MNS: 15,16,19,22,G1
MNS 2 - 3 6x6 Channing Boe (2) (unassisted) 14:36
MNS (+): 28,22,15,19,25,G1 NDK (-): 21,8,11,24,18,G31
MNS-5 Kael Mouillierat (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 1x4 19:32
Timeout - Minnesota State 19:32

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End of Game

Turns out that Knight is not fine.

This is really bad news for UND, scores two goals, going for a third and gets injuried.

UND forward Corban Knight said after last night's game that he thought he was fine after crashing into the net in a hat trick attempt.

Turns out, he was not.

UND says that Knight will miss the next four to six weeks with an apparent lower-body injury. [UND Hockey]

Here is the official tweet from the UND SID.

Goals from last night game. Sioux 4 - Mavs 1.

Here is a look at last night's Fighting Sioux goals. Sioux forwards Corban Knight and Jason Gregoire each had a pair of spectacular goals last night.

Gwoz not impressed with team's effort last night.

It's kind of interesting to watch the DU coach George Gwozdecky's facial expressions and body language. The DU coach Gwozdecky has got a way about him that comes off as being kind of smug. Your team isn't going to win every game and UAA is a tough team to play against. The DU coach is pretty crtical of his team and called them out in the media.

NCAA Round Up: Before we kick dirt on the CHA.

While the Illegal Curve has officially rode off into the sunset I will continue to do a weekly Saturday column called the NCAA Round Up, during the College Hockey season. Here is what Richard of the Illegal Curve had to say about his closing the site down.

The opportunities the site created for us were, and still are, endless. Through IllegalCurve.com we have met and interviewed some of the most significant players in the hockey world. Whether it be interviewing Mike Keenan and Vincent Lecavalier in person, or interviewing Eric Duhatschek and Scott Morrison on the radio show, we have been allowed to hear the latest and most in depth hockey information from the most informed members of the hockey world. Further, we have been able to meet many of the other bloggers and website writers and have an enjoyable and respectful hockey dialogue with them. Without IllegalCurve.com and your support none of that would have been possible.

While we have the utmost in gratitude for other writers, our guests and interviewees, we owe our biggest thank you to you–the readers. Without your constant support in the way of website traffic, emails, tweets, phone calls we would not have felt worthy enough to take the chances and strides that we did. Simply, IllegalCurve.com would not have lasted for thousands of posts and for over two years if not for your support.

While I am writing this post on behalf of the entire staff, I would be remiss if I did not thank the many writers who have contributed to the website along the way. From the beginning writers on September 4th, 2007, such as Kyle Kosior and Ezra Ginsburg to co-creator Michael Remis, everyone contributed to IllegalCurve.com along the way. If not for the writings of Ari-Baum Cohen, Drew Mindell, Neil Rockman, Adam Gutkin, Rusty Parra and last, but certainly not least, David Minuk, IllegalCurve.com would have merely been an idea. A special thanks also goes out to some our new recent contributors Daniel Hogan and Eric Burton.

It’s a sad day for me because I really loved writing my weekly column and occasional random other occasional columns for the Illegal Curve. Richard ran a very good NHL hockey blog and it was a sad day to find out one of my favorite hockey blogs is now out of commission. Moving forward there is another opportunity that is in currently in the works and looks like it might possibly pan out very soon.

The End of an Era

The CHA was created back in the 1999 to give new programs a conference to play in. This season will be it's 11th and Final Season.

College ice hockey’s continuing development and expansion received another boost during the summer of 1999 with the formation of College Hockey America. The seven charter members of College Hockey America were the United States Air Force Academy (Colorado), University of Alabama-Huntsville, United States Military Academy (New York), Bemidji State University (Minnesota), University of Findlay (Ohio), Niagara University (New York), and Wayne State University (Michigan). [CHA]

Over the years the makeup of the CHA has changed dramatically. Finlay, Wayne State dropped hockey all together. The Air Force Academy and Army moved to the AHA, leaving the CHA with 5 teams.

After Wayne State University decided to drop their hockey program the CHA was left with four teams, this put their conference on life support. The NCAA wouldn’t give a four team hockey team an at large bid for more than a couple of seasons. Something had to be done the NCAA hockey couldn't afford to lose anymore teams or there was a risk losing a few auto bids. So the four remaining teams applied for membership in the other five conferences. Three of the four teams found new homes.

Through some work there was a few adjustments to the various conferences, three of the four teams have found homes; BSU is moving to the WCHA, Niagara and Robert Morris University are moving to the Atlantic Hockey Association. The University of Alabama Huntsville applied for the CCHA and was denied or basically told not now maybe later in the future. Some college hockey fans including myself looked at this as an elitist attitude. That conclusion wasn't much of a stretch, looking at the CCHA members it’s not the strongest league top to bottom and the CCHA snub of UAH looked petty to a lot of on lookers.

There has also been rumblings that the Big Ten wanted its member schools to play each other more. Get out your tin foil hats and lets start the Big Ten Hockey Conference argument again. That's for another day.


Going out in style

Fast forward to the final season for the CHA, the BSU Beavers are sitting in the top spot of the CHA and haven’t lost a conference game all season. Nationally the Bemidji Beavers have also been ranked in the top 10-15 spots of the national polls most of the season and are currently sitting in 6th in the Pairwise the rankings mimic the NCAA Hockey tourney selection. The Beavers schedule hasn’t been overly tough and has been slammed by a few of self appointed hockey experts but the Beavers did beat the number one ranked Miami RedHawks in the Subway Holiday Classic back in November over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Take that CCHA

UAH out to prove that they didn’t appreciate the snub by the CCHA went out and beat Notre Dame in their first series of the season and then went out and swept the Air Force Academy Falcons as well. In fact the CHA has own the AHA this season and has a record of 6-0-1 against them.

Fast forward to last night, the 4-12-3 Robert Morris University Colonials didn’t want to be out done by their other CHA counter parts beat the number one Miami RedHawks 3-1 in the Igloo in Pittsburgh, PA. In fact three of their four wins have come against nonconference opponents; the Colonials have beaten the UAA Seawolves, Quinnipiac Bobcats, and now the Miami RedHawks. While they have had a rough season they aren’t a team to be over looked. I believe that Derek Schooley is a good coach and he will have the RMU team playing well in the AHA next season.

Derek Stepan has gotten his medal back.

This was in Russo's twitter today. The missing gold medal has arrived from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Wisconsin's and Rangers draft pick Derek Stepan just texted me: "I got my medal!"

I had a feeling this is what happened. Being around airports it’s not uncommon for luggage to get lost in the shuffle moving it from one plane to the other. A lot of times a plane will land and there isn’t much time to get the luggage off of the one flight and onto the connecting flight, especially if the plane landed in Minneapolis.

I would be willing to bet that in Stepan’s case this is probably what happened. Yet there were some that wanted to blame the TSA for his lost luggage, as if they don’t have enough problems of their own.

Finally, I would be willing to bet that no one from the TSA actually touched Stepan’s bags, they were inspected by Canadian security. This was all on the airlines. I would be willing to bet that Saskatoon was very busy getting everyone out after the WJC.

Sioux rope Mavericks 4-1.

The Sioux came out of the gate fast and looked like they were going to run the Purple Cows Mavericks out of the building, then the Fighting Sioux gave up a untimely goal on a power play to Ben Youds at 10:13 of the first period. It was Youds first goal of the season, the Maverick defenseman came into the game with (0g-18a-18pts)

I like the way UND played in this game and I don’t think the Sioux were ever really in danger of losing control of this game. There was a short period of time during the second d where I thought MSU-M took it to UND but the Fighting Sioux started moving their feet again got the momentum back and kicked into gear and cruised to the win.

In goal for the Mavericks Phil Cook (3-0-1, 0.87 GAA, .967 SV%) started the game and wasn’t as impressive as his numbers coming into the game. Cook had a rough start, he gave up two goals on two shots, Cook pulled his hamstring on the second goal and then pulled himself out of the game.

For the Fighting Sioux Corbin Knight and Jason Gregoire both had impressive (2g-0a-2pts) goal nights for the Fighting Sioux. Knight had been held scoreless since the first game of the year looked much more comfortable on the line with Zajac and Toews. Jason Gregoire is the first Sioux forward or defenseman to get to 10 goals.

Welcome Back Matt Frattin

Tonight was the first night Sioux forward Matt Frattin has played a home game since the Sioux beat the MTU Huskies in the first round of the 2009 WCHA playoffs. While this is only the third game for Frattin since his reinstatement, Matt seems to be getting back to game shape. I think it is just a matter of time before Matt shows up on the score sheet. I had forgotten how fast he was and what he brings to the table. Frattin is tough on the fore check and plays a high pressure game. His presence is defiantly a plus.

I expect the same effort tomorrow night from the Fighting Sioux.

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

NDK 1 - 0 6x6 LL Corban Knight (2) (Joe Gleason, Derrick LaPoint) 2:07
NDK (+): 10,20,3,11,18,G31 MNS (-): 28,20,14,24,22,G30
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 GW Jason Gregoire (9) (Chris VandeVelde) 6:48
NDK (+): 17,29,21,25,4,G31 MNS (-): 12,11,18,28,16,G30
NDK-1 Ben Blood (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) MNS 1x1 9:13
MNS 1 - 2 6x5 PP Ben Youds (1) (Geoff Irwin, Zach Harrison) 10:13
MNS: 5,19,10,15,9,G1 NDK: 25,22,2,19,G31
MNS-1 Kael Mouillierat (2-Interference) NDK 0x1 11:29
NDK-2 Jake Marto (2-Slashing) MNS 1x2 13:47
MNS-2 Mike Louwerse (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) NDK 0x2 14:43
NDK-3 Chris VandeVelde (2-Slashing) MNS 1x3 18:22

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

MNS-3 Channing Boe (2-Tripping) NDK 0x3 5:46
NDK 3 - 1 6x6 Corban Knight (3) (Darcy Zajac, Derrick LaPoint) 9:41
NDK (+): 10,11,18,24,25,G31 MNS (-): 11,17,15,12,16,G1
MNS-4 Eriah Hayes (2-Holding) NDK 1x4 15:47
NDK 4 - 1 6x5 PP Jason Gregoire (10) (Danny Kristo, Chris VandeVelde) 16:26
NDK: 17,7,29,21,25,G31 MNS: 10,12,28,22,G1

--------------------------------------------------------
3rd Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------
NDK-4 Derrick LaPoint (2-Tripping) MNS 1x4 2:45
MNS-5 Adam Mueller (2-Interference) NDK 1x5 13:05
NDK-5 Brad Malone (2-Slashing) MNS 1x5 13:51

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

Vote for Chay Genoway in Hobey Baker Award fan balloting

It's that time of year again and I believe that Chay Genoway is a deserving of Hobey Baker Memorial Award Candidate. Vote early and vote often.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Fighting Sioux hockey fans can vote for North Dakota senior defenseman Chay Genoway in the 2010 Hobey Baker Award fan balloting, which begins today.

To submit your vote, visit the Hobey Baker site and click on the ‘Vote for Hobey Baker' tab. This first phase of fan balloting will run through March 7, 2010. The fans' vote accounts for a full one percent of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year's award recipient.[Fighting Sioux]