Goon's World

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

UND vs. UMD series notes

The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux travel to Duluth Minnesota to play the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs at Amsoil Arena February 10-11, 2012.

Game Time: 7:07 pm both nights.

Records and Rankings: University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (15-10-2 overall, 11-9-0 WCHA); The Fighting Sioux are ranked 16^th in the USCHO poll and 15^th in the USA Today Poll. North Dakota was off last weekend. Official Release.

The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (18-6-4, 12-5-3 WCHA) split their last series with the UAA Seawolves in Anchorage Alaska (4-1 W, 2-3 L). The Bulldogs are ranked 3^rd in the USCHO and 3^rd in the USA Today Polls. Official Release

Series History: The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux are 17-6-2 in the last 25 games against the Bulldogs. UND also leads the all-time series between the two teams with 134-74-8 (.639), The Fighting Sioux have a 54-38-5 (.582) record in Duluth.

Radio: UMD 94X (94.1/104.3 FM)UMD’s Bruce Ciskie with the play-by-play. UND 96.1 (KQHT-FM) – The Fox, UND’s Tim Hennesy with the play-by-play.

WEBCAST: www.b2tv.com

TV: CBS Sports Network (Friday only) 613 on DirecTV.

Players to Watch:

For UND: Forwards: Danny Kristo (14g-17a—31pts), Corbin Knight (8g-18a—24pts) and Brock Nelson (19g-12a—31pts), Carter Rowney (8g-8a—16pts). Defense: Nick Mattson (5g-10a—15pts), Dillion Simpson, (1g-12a—13pts), Ben Blood (2g-11a—13pts). Goaltenders: Aaron Dell .892 save percentage and a 2.81 goals against average. Brad Eidsness .917 save percentage and a 2.31 goals against average.

UND Injuries: Forward Rocco Grimaldi is out (season knee surgery), Brendan O’Donnell out (season ending surgery), defenseman Derek Forbort questionable; Derek Rodwell is out (season shoulder surgery).

For UMD: Forwards: Jack Connolly (15g-27a—42pts), J.T. Brown (16g-21a—37pts), Travis Olesuk (16g-21a—37), Caleb Herbert (10g-14a—24pts) Defense: Brady Lamb (5g-14a—19pts). Scott Kishel (3g-14a—17pts). Goaltender: Kenny Reiter .914 save percentage and a 2.30 goals against average.

Other games in the WCHA: Minnesota State at Alaska Anchorage, Minnesota at Denver, Colorado College at Bemidji State, Nebraska Omaha at Michigan Tech. Saint Cloud, Wisconsin Idle

Make that 3 down for the count (RW77)

UND beat writer Brad Schlossman reports that freshman forward Brendan O'Donnell is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Surgery is soon to come. This means that we've now lost three for the season: 2 freshmen (O'Donnell and Grimaldi) and 1 sophomore (Rodwell).

What it also means is that we have exactly ZERO depth as UND will dress EVERY healthy skater they have. They will only have one healthy scratch overall: Tate Maris. What does this mean?

For me, as a realist (ok cynic), it means that everything we do in the second half that is positive comes with added bonus. It also means that the chance of a "Fire Hakstol" thread appearing on SS.com and other message boards will increase exponentially. The haters will start appearing in force and demanding change. No, I don't think the masses will rise up, but the haters always become more vocal (and therefore more visible) when bad news rears its ugly head.

Which leads me to wonder:

1. Can they convince the Lamoreaux twins to get boy cuts and certain cosmetic alterations so as to boost our depth?

2. Is there a way that UND could go out and hold tryouts for depth players? If we get further injuries, things could get worse!

3. If we make the NCAAs this year with all the adversity behind the nickname distraction and all the injuries, would Hakstol be considered for coach of the year (haters need not answer this one. We already know what you'd say).

4. If we stop being able to dress 4 lines of forwards and 3 lines of D, how will expectations for this team be affected?

5. What about physical play? If we start dropping like flies, will our playing style have to change? I'd think it'd have to...

Dan Barreiro on the Fighting Sioux Nickname

I had a few people pinged me about Ban Barreiro radio show this afternoon and if you haven't heard this or listened to this podcast you iTunes, here is an opportunity to do so. I thought I would include up on the blog so you can listen to it yourself.

Doug Fullerton on the Petition – UND can be voted out

Image via WikipediaHere it is straight scoop, this straight from the horses mouth, Big Sky Commissioner Fullerton was on Mike McFeely's show this afternoon and you can listen to what he had to say.

You can hear Doug Fullerton, commissioner of the Big Sky Conference, words. LISTEN NOW

These are the comments by Fullerton that really caught my attention...

“I would remind them that the NCAA is a club, a voluntary association. If you don’t like the club’s rules, you can leave. But this isn’t a government agency. The NCAA is UND and NDSU. These are colleagues who have made these rules.”

Big Sky Conference not Bluffing.

Image via WikipediaO.K. now the Big Sky Conference has weighed in... Sounds like they are not fooling around and they are concerned about the recent events in North Dakota. It also sounds like the notion that the BSC won't expel UND is not quite true.

Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- UND’s status within the Big Sky Conference won’t change immediately as a result of this week’s tentative restoration of the university’s Fighting Sioux nickname, Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said today.

But he said “it’s absolutely not true” that UND could not be dropped from the league, as some nickname supporters have said in seeking to dismiss concerns about consequences if the fight over the name continues.

“Our concern, as before, is not that they are the Fighting Sioux,” Fullerton said, “but rather whether they can be an effective Division I program and a benefit to our conference.”

UND’s membership status is still probationary, he said. “But even a full-fledged member can be removed from the league at any time by a vote of the presidents.” Such a vote, he said, would have to be unanimous.

Fullerton said he’s concerned about another example of what he called “misrepresentation” by nickname supporters, a suggestion “that we need UND more than UND needs us,” which would seem to counter concerns expressed by university and other officials that keeping the nickname could cost UND conference membership and Division I status.

Fighting Sioux nickname supporters file petitions with 17,000 signatures

University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux athl...

Image via Wikipedia
Just when you think that the nickname is dead and gone, there is another event that resurrects it and brings back the Fighting Sioux nickname.

This is going to be interesting going forward, and maybe not in a good way. I am not sure anyone knows what will happen and there will be some anxiety as we wait to see what happens this week and in the future. Contrary to what some say about the Big Sky Conference, there is a very real possibility that UND’s membership could be in jeopardy.

That threat is very real and not something to be taken lightly, I don’t care what some have gleaned out of the letters that they received through the freedom of information act. Most of us know that the NCAA isn’t going to take this laying down and they are going to be behind the scenes pulling strings. You can count on it. The NCAA is an out of control organization. But we have to play by their rules if we want to be in Division I sports. Do I like it not one bit.

Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- After a last, celebratory campaign for signatures at a Bismarck Century-Bismarck High hockey game and from an RV parked outside the Capitol, Fighting Sioux nickname supporters delivered petitions to the secretary of state’s office Tuesday night to force a statewide vote on the long-running and controversial issue.

Members of the sponsoring committee, including members of the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux tribes, delivered 604 petitions they said contained about 17,000 signatures, well more than the 13,452 required to make the June 12 primary election ballot.

“It’s still a long way to go, but I’m really pleased today,” said Reed Soderstrom, the Minot attorney who has helped to lead the petition drive, as he was about to enter the Capitol about 10 p.m.

Like I said before, I love the Fighting Sioux nickname and I think it’s "the best" logo in all of college sports and nothing will ever be able to replace it. I also find it interesting that the NCAA is telling UND that the Fighting Sioux nickname is hostile and abusive and then you see two Native Americans representatives from the two tribes handing in petitions last night at the dead line. What does that tell you?

UND President Robert O. Kelley has said that UND will again be called the Fighting Sioux.

Kelley said the action was taken “in keeping with state law” and direction from Shaft.

“I want to reaffirm our respect for the laws of the state and the processes guaranteed under the North Dakota Constitution,” Kelley said.

King on the CHL; Misguided anger from NCAA

You had to know that the response would be coming... Here is the response/rebuttal to the UND head coach Dave Hakstol's comments that appeared in a Grand Forks Herald article this past week.

Patrick King, Sportsnet --- Their arguments make about as much sense as the analogy Hakstol presented. We've heard it all before; a player makes a verbal commitment and must then fulfill his obligations. Should he back out, he is then viewed as a liar and accused of using the NCAA as a bargaining chip to land in whichever CHL destination he desires most.

What's never mentioned is the timing the commitments are being made. To get a leg up on the CHL, players are being recruited and giving verbal commitments around the same time as they're attending a Grade 9 math class.

Kenny Ryan's father, K.C., once put it in perspective when his son was being wooed by college programs.

"Here's a kid who is still having sleepovers," he said.

And yet, when a young kid returns from said sleepover, he's supposed to have his college career sorted out well before high school graduation day. Should he change his mind, as teenagers are prone to do and hardly ever chastised for doing with any other decisions, he's suddenly a liar unwilling to see through a commitment.

From reading this article, it would appear that some parents of kids that are being recruited by Division I college hockey programs, also take issue with the age which kids are now recruited at. Personally, I do think it's asinine that college hockey programs are getting kids to commit so early to college hockey programs. But I think that this feigned outrage is a bit disingenuous, because the CHL is recruiting kids a very young age as well.

How come it's not an issue for some that the CHL is recruiting kids when they are 14, 15 and 16 years old as well?

That being said, college hockey programs have to recruit players at a young age to prevent losing the top end recruits to the CHL so it's really a double edged sword. your damned if you do and damned if you don't

The University of South Dakota

Someone posted this on Sioux Sports today... Here is the link to the Fox News web page. Before we go and bag on Fox News, this is an Associated Press story. I am sure that the same mistake could happen at the Huffington Post or MSNBC as well.

Joey Crabb vs Johnny Oduya

If you watch the video closely it looks like Johnny Oduya slew footed Joey Crabb, hence the reason you hear Joey Crabb tell Oduya ef you. Then, there is fight, albeit not a very good one. I've got give Crabb credit for at least taking a poke at Oduya who is one tough S.O.B.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Worst fight of the year... Subban vs. Wheeler

Far be it from me, to stick up for Blake Wheeler because I think he is a big bodied player that plays like he is 5'9" but P.K. Subban was trying to elbow Wheeler in the head. I am surprised that the Canadian's fraud Subban didn't turtle from this fight as well. I guess he saw Wheeler as not being much of a threat.

Now compare and contrast, former Gopher and current New York Rangers defenseman Stu Bickel is making quite a name for himself with the Rangers.

Apparently, the other night the former Gopher defenseman got in two fights in a game against Philadelphia Flyers. One of his fellow combatants Flyers cement head Tom Sestito got into three fights. I got to give Bickel credit, and he is a much better fighter than former fellow Gopher team Blake Wheeler. Unlike some of the fighters around the league and Bickel respects the hockey code and doesn't hit an opponent once he hits the ice. I have to respect that.

Here is the other fight. - Bickel vs. Wayne Simmonds

A Miami Redhawks goal or not?

I just finished watching the Miami and Michigan game on my DVR and wow what a game. Also, if you think WCHA officials are bad, you should go back and watch game if you have it at your disposal, the officials Keith Sergott and Brian Hill were brutal in this game, but they did appear to get this call right. Check out the video at the 02:00 minute mark. That was close.

Redskin Warriors --- There are two things you’ll notice after the 2:00 minute mark of the highlight video posted above. First of all, take a look at the goal/no-goal that Rico was rather furious about. From just about every vantage point I’ve seen – on the replays in the arena (I’m amazed the arena staff kept replaying it on the video boards) and afterwards on the DVR – the puck doesn’t appear to cross the line.

That being said, when the NCHC starts it's league play they have to decide if they want to use WCHA and CCHA officials. There are so many poor officials in both of those leagues that I would caution the NCHC leadership to think long and hard before they decide to use these officials. There needs to be some transparency, the refs need to ref the game the way its meant to be officiated.

Jets Evander Kane played with concussion for 14 games.

English: Atlanta Thrashers forward Evander Kan...

Image via WikipediaThis is today's shocking revelation in the NHL. During the present time, when the NHL is concerned about players with concussions, we have a player that is suffering form a concussion for 14 games and doesn't take himself out of the line up.

Tim Campbell, WINNIPEG Free Press - Evander Kane is ready to try to help the Winnipeg Jets out of their offensive funk.

The 20-year-old left-winger will return to the lineup tonight when the Jets meet the Toronto Maple Leafs at the MTS Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN Jets, TSN 1290).

Kane has missed the last seven games because of a concussion and admitted this morning he may have played with concussion-like symptoms since taking a hit against the New York Islanders on Dec. 20. He played the rest of that game and 14 more before the symptoms became more acute.

Luca Sbisa hit on Tim Jackman

Check out this hit by Ducks defenseman Luca Sbisa on Calgary Flames forward Tim Jackman. While Sbisa does hit Jackman in the head, I definitely think the hit in question looks accidental and not malicious.

For the hit in question, Sbisa was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for headbutting Jackman. After the hit, Jackman left the game and didn't return. I don't think the league will give Sbisa any more supplemental discipline.

So is the Fighting Sioux nickname on the way back

Looks like the Fighting Sioux nickname issue isn't over just yet. I actually think this is going to be a huge mess and who know who this is going to play out.

Effective January 1st, 2012, the University is in the process of transitioning away from the nickname.

I guess UND will get to find out if the Big Sky Conference is bluffing or not? I have been told by people in the know that say that the Big Sky is not blowing hot air and that they are serious.

I predict that we will see a constitutional challenge in the future.

Grant Shaft, president of North Dakota’s State Board of Higher Education, is on record of saying, "that if an effort to refer a bill repealing the state’s “Fighting Sioux” law is successful his board may have to assert its constitutional authority."

Valley News Live --- It appears UND's Fighting Sioux nickname will be restored tomorrow, reversing legislative action to drop it last fall.

Nickname supporter, Frank Black Cloud tells Valley News Live they have over 15,000 signatures on petitions in support of restoring the Fighting Sioux Nickname. They needed at least 13,500 signatures to overturn existing legislation.

North Dakota Secretary of State, Al Jaeger says if nickname supporters file the required 13,500 signatures, it will instantly restore the original legislation that requires North Dakota and UND to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname. Then, Jaeger says their office will verify the signatures within 35 days. If they wind up with fewer than 13,500 "good" signatures, the law will return to drop the nickname.

Al Jaeger, ND Sec. Of State: "We will randomly select at least 2,000 names that we will be contacting with post cards or other means to verify certain information. We go through a very thorough process."

In the meantime the Fighting Sioux nickname will once again become law, unless voters throw it out during a statewide election in June.

UND officials aren't commenting about this latest development. They're in the process of retiring the nickname.

Like I have said in the past; I love the Fighting Sioux nickname and I am not happy that the University of North Dakota has to kowtow to political correctness.

As I have said in the past, I am proud supporter of UND athletics, I think the Fighting Sioux nickname is a honor. My question is; how long do we continue to fight the NCAA? They aren't fooling around either... The only chance we have of winning is the Spirit Lake Law Suit. If anything I suggest donating money to their cause so they can fight the NCAA.

UND lost the Fighting Sioux nickname the minute the North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem signed the surrender agreement with the NCAA. Because of Stenehjem signing that surrender agreement I will no longer vote for him as long as he runs for public office, he is useless to me and far as I am concerned not worthy of receiving my vote anymore.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Changes coming to NCAA Hockey Recruiting?

Image via WikipediaRWD favorite beat writer Brad Elliott Schlossman has a very good article about the letter of intent and the college hockey recruits being poached by the CHL teams until after they have played their freshman year.

I honestly don’t know how they are going to get the CHL to honor those agreements? I don’t think the NCAA is going to get the CHL to agree to that. Why should they? I can’ t see the London Knight’s caring about a blue chip recruit signing a letter of intent to play for a division I college hockey team. It didn't seem to stop the Plymouth Whalers, because J.T. Miller had signed an LOI to play for UND. How did that end up working out for us? Obviously, they didn't care one bit. The thing I would want to know is how much money changed hands on that deal.

Brad Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald --- College Hockey Inc., is working to enact legislation — either with the oversight of the NHL or through the transfer agreement between USA Hockey and Hockey Canada — to bar Canadian major junior teams from stealing a player who has signed a letter of intent until after the player’s freshman year.

And while this is happening, there is a behind-the-scenes movement by some coaches to try to ditch the longstanding gentleman’s agreement between coaches that they won’t recruit players that have made verbal commitments.

If either happens, letters of intent will become big deals to the college hockey world.

The Canadian Hockey League, which routinely tries to poach college players and recruits, is driving these developments to an extent.

I am going to get some flak for this because there are a lot of fans college hockey fans that are against CHL players playing in NCAA Division I hockey once they have played in the CHL.

I am all for it. Why not let them play in the NCAA? I think the NCAA should reevaluate this stance, I think that this policy is out dated and wrong.

I would have no problem with allowing a player that has played hockey in the CHL play in the NCAA if they haven't reached their 19th birthday. The CIS teams don't seem to have a problem with these players playing for their teams and NCAA teams play them in the exhibition games at the beginning of the season.

Maybe that kid was recruited to go to the CHL when he is 16 and he has a change of heart and decides that he would like to play in the college ranks and get his college education. Why not allow him to play for an NCAA Division I team?

Personally, I would have no problem with an NCAA college team going up to Canada or to a CHL team in the USA and recruiting one of their players to play in Division I hockey. The CHL is actively recruiting our players right now as we speak.They don't seem to care what our players have signed.

Poll Monday - UND moves up to 15/16

Brooks Orpik hammers Daniel Paille

Disclosure: I am a Boston Bruins fans, but this is an awesome hit, this is a text book legal check by former B.C. Eagle and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik on Boston Bruins forward Daniel Paille. I also like the fact that a hard hit didn't cause an immediate fight or retaliation by someone on the opposition team.

The Stretch run is upon us.

Coming down the stretch you can see that both UND hockey teams are close to making the NCAA tourney “if” they take of business and string some more wins together. After their win on Saturday night, the UND Women’s team moved from 6^th place to 4^th in the PairWIse Rankings.

INCH Power Rankings

1. Minnesota
2. Minnesota Duluth
3. Boston University
4. Union
5. UMass Lowell
6. Merrimack
7. Michigan
8. Ferris State
9. Boston College
10. Colorado College
11. Notre Dame
12. Maine
13. Denver
14. Cornell
15. North Dakota
16. Colgate
17. Miami
18. Harvard
19. Michigan State
20. Western Michigan

Dropped out: Ohio State, Nebraska-Omaha
Bubble-licious: Air Force, Lake Superior State, Ohio State

As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because I find them amusing, especially ranking UNION in fourth place, if you look at the PairWise Rankings you will see that they are ranked 10^th, I think fourth is a big stretch.

Sunday, February 05, 2012

The Gloves are off version III - UND vs. UMD

It's UND vs. UMD hockey week. UND

The University of North Dakota (11-9-0 WCHA, 15-10-2) Travels to Minnesota Duluth – (12-5-3 WCHA, 18-6-4). UND will be the underdogs this weekend.

Zach Parise on the P.A. show.

Former Fighting Sioux forward Zach Parise was on Paul Allen's show 2/2/2012. At the 21:00 mark of the podcast you can hear Zach and Paul Allen discuss Zach's future.

Incidentally, since the interview Zach Parise has been on fire and scored four goals to raise his total for the season to 20 goals, this all since the Paul Allen interview.

I really hope that Zach Parise comes home to play for the Minnesota Wild in the state of Hockey. In my opinion Zach could probably be one of the final pieces for a Wild Stanley Cup.

Goon's WCHA Power Rankings 2/5/2012

This is my weekly WCHA Power Rankings for INSIDE HOCKEY, Zack Friedli from Hockey State of Mind and I do a weekly WCHA Power Rankings.

1. Minnesota – (15-5-0 WCHA, 19-9-1). The Minnesota Gophers were idle this past weekend. This weekend the Gophers travel to Denver to play the Pioneers.

2. Minnesota Duluth – (12-5-3 WCHA, 18-6-4) The Bulldogs split with the UAA Seawolves (4-1 W, 2-3 L) this past weekend in Anchorage, Alaska. This weekend the Bulldogs entertain UND at Amsoil Arena. Since the 2004-05 season, UMD has a 6-17-2 record against UND.

2. Colorado College – (12-7-1 WCHA, 15-9-2) The Tigers took three of four points (2-0 W, 2-2 T) against their cross state rivals the Denver Pioneers. This weekend the Tigers travel to Bemidji to play the Beavers at the Sanford Center.

4. Denver – (10-6-4 WCHA, 15-9-4). The Denver Pioneers took one point (0-2 L, 2-2T) in a home and home series with the C.C. Tigers. This weekend the Pioneers entertain the Minnesota Gophers.

4. North Dakota – (11-9-0 WCHA, 15-10-2) The University of North Dakota was idle last weekend. This weekend the University of North Dakota makes the drive down highway two to play the high flying Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Since the 2004-05 season, UND has a 17-6-2 record against UMD.

6. Michigan Tech – (10-8-2 WCHA, 13-13-2) The Michigan Tech Huskies split with the Minnesota State Mavericks this past weekend (3-5 L, 7-3 W) in Mankato, Minnesota. This weekend the Huskies entertain the UNO Mavericks.

7. Nebraska-Omaha – (9-7-4 WCHA, 12-11-5) The Mavericks took one point against the (1-1 T, 4-6 L) Bemidji State Beavers. The UNO Mavericks have won a grand total of one game in 10 tries, over the course of two seasons, against the Beavers 1-6-3. This includes a record of 1-1-2 this season. This weekend the UNO Mavericks travel to Houghton, Michigan to play the Tech Huskies.

7. Bemidji State – (7-10-3 WCHA, 13-12-3) The Beavers took three of four points this past weekend series with the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (1-1 T, 6-4 W) in Omaha, Nebraska. The Beavers have a 6-1-3 record against the UNO Mavericks in 10 games over the course of two seasons, against the Mavericks. This weekend the Beavers entertain the C.C. Tigers in the Sanford Center.

9. St. Cloud State – (9-10-3 WCHA, 12-14-4) The Huskies wept the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison this past weekend (5-1 W, 2-1 W). The depleted Huskies only dressed 11 healthy forwards on Saturday night. Huskies junior goalie Mike Lee returned from a hip injury last weekend. This weekend he was stellar in net stopping 72/74 shots this weekend against the Wisconsin Badgers. Lee has only given up four goals in three games since his return from injury.

10. Wisconsin – (7-13-2 WCHA, 12-14-2) The Wisconsin Badgers were swept by the Saint Cloud State Huskies this past weekend (1-5 l, 1-2 L) at the Kohl Center. The Badgers are idle next weekend.

11. Minnesota State – (6-15-1 WCHA, 10-19-1) The Minnesota State Mavericks split their weekend series Michigan Tech Huskies (5-3 W, 3-7 L). The Mavericks travel to Anchorage, Alaska to play the UAA Seawolves.

12. Alaska-Anchorage – (4-17-1 WCHA, 7-17-2) The Seawolves split with the UMD Bulldogs at home (1-4 L, 3-2 W). With their win against the Bulldogs on Saturday night the Seawolves halted an 8 game losing streak. Before last night’s win the Seawolves had not won a game since December 9, 2011. This weekend the Seawolves entertain the Minnesota State Mavericks.

Saturday, February 04, 2012

UND Sweeps BSU 3-1

Grand Forks, ND – Coming into tonight’s game the University of North Dakota’s Woman’s Hockey team had given up a goal on the first shot of the game six times since Thanksgiving.

Tonight was a different story, as Bemidji State would not score the first goal of the game; on the first shot of the game, this time around.

Tonight for a change, UND would score the first goal of the game, and at the 01:20 mark of the first period Josefine Jakobsen would score a gritty, hardworking goal.

It didn’t take long for Bemidji state to answer the UND goal. While it wasn’t the first shot of the game, Bemidj State Beavers would get the equalizer on their fifth attempted shot of the game two minutes and 26 seconds later; with a goal from freshman forward Nathasha Kostenko.

The rest of the first period would be all UND, as the quartet of Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux-Kolls, Michelle Karvinen, and Josefine Jakobsen put on an offensive display. Each of those players would record two points during the opening period.

Unfortunately, that is all of the scoring we would see for the rest of the game. The game would become more of a grind it out game that had little flow, due to the amount of penalties that were called.

Special teams play would take over in the second period and UND and BSU would begin a parade to the penalty box.

UND came into the game as the most-penalized team in Division I Women’s hockey. That stat wouldn’t change after tonight game either.

On the evening, UND’s Penalty kill was air tight and successfully killed all nine Beaver power plays. That was the story for the weekend. UND did not give up a single power play goal to the BSU Beavers all weekend long. When it was all said and done, UND had successfully killed 18 Beaver power plays.

UND wasn’t much more successful than BSU on the power play as they went 2/12 on the weekend.

UND defenseman Monique Lamoureux-Kolls talked about their successful penalty kill and how they killed all 18 Beaver power plays.

“The one thing is we wanted to do was get pucks deep. I think a little bit yesterday we struggled, but today when we had chances to get it out, there was maybe one time that we might not have gotten it out, but the second time we got it deep,” Lamoureux-Kolls said. That’s the key, once you don’t get it out once, twice and three times, that’s when they score on you.”

Brian Idahlski was also impressed with his penalty kill’s play on the weekend.

“It was excellent! Obviously, holding them without a power play goal in 18 chances is pretty good stuff,” Idahlski said. “It starts in net; Steph [Ney] was very good for us. It just thought that unit did a good job.“

Tonight was also the last regular season game of the year and was also senior night. All six seniors that started their career with UND were all in the starting lineup for UND and took the opening faceoff.

Idahlski reflected on his senior class after the game.

“I took a little time afterward and spoke to them as a group, and just reiterated; that’s a special group. When I came here with the program, it was where it was. That was the first class full class that bought into what we were doing, when a lot of other people didn’t,” Idahlski said.

“ …The coaches at the time, they did a great job of recruiting. I know how many calls we had to make, just to get a couple of people that were even interested in coming here during that time frame.”

“They bought in, laid the foundation, they told them it wasn’t easy and we told them as a group we had our ups and downs.”

“Through it all they worked hard and stayed the course. Hopefully we send them out with some special memories down the stretch and being a part of a lot of firsts in this program.”

With the win against the Beavers tonight UND improves to 18-9-2 overall, 14-8-2-1 in the WCHA. With the win UND is now sitting in sixth place in the PairWise Rankings, UND needs to finish in 8^th place or better to make the NCAA tourney. Next weekend UND travels to Mankato to play the Mavericks.

With the loss Bemidji State drops to 14-13-3, 8-13-2-0 in the WCHA.

Box Score

Cross Posted at INSIDE HOCKEY....

UND vs. BSU game 4 lines

Bemidji State Forward Lines

64 Natasha Kostenko – 17 Sadie Lunquist – 10 Emily Erickson

11 Whitney Wivoda – 16 MacKenzie Thurston – 6 Kristin Williams

18 Rachael Kelly – 19 Tess Dusik – 59 Danielle Williams

13 Molly Arola – 3 Abby Williams – 22 Lauren Williams

Defensive Pairing BSU

25 Montana Vichorek (C) – 15 Marlee Wheelhouse (C )

14 Erika Wheelhouse – 29 Kimberly Lieder

91 Jamie Hatheway – 27 Kayleigh Chapman

BSU Goalies

88 Zuzana Tomcikova

35 Jessica Havel

BSU Player Stats

UND Forward lines

8 Michelle Karvinen – 63 Josefine Jakobsen – 17 Jocelyne Lamoureux

13 Alyssa Wiebe – 2 Mary Loken – 10 Andrea Dalen

21 Kelsey Ketcher – 26 Monique Weber – 6 Allison Parizek

22 Sara Dagenais – 91 Ashley Furia – 15 Megan Gilbert

UND Defensive Parings

19 Margot Miller – 18 Monique Lamoureux-Kolls

9 Kayla Berg – 32 Candace Molle

16 Tori Willaims – 12 Ashley Holmes

UND Goalies

29 Stephanie Ney

30 Jorid Dagfinrud

33 Michelle Bonapace-Potvin

UND Player Stats

NCAA Women's Division I Stats

WEBCAST: www.UNDSports.com

Radio/Audio - : The Fan 1440 AM and WDAY 970 AM & www.UNDSports.com

LIVE STATS: www.UNDSports.com

Ramage Hit On Oliver

s/t to Chuck Schwartz... This is the hit that the Wisconsin Badgers John Ramage put on SCSU Husky Nick Oliver. The on ice officials gave Ramage a five minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct. That was a bad call by the officials in my opinion, it looks from the video that this was a shoulder to shoulder hit.

UND vs. BSU Highlights

Check out UND's Jocelyne Lamoureux Spin-o-rama goal at the 3:07 mark of this video. I can imagine that it will be a YouTube sensation soon. Jocelyne's goal was a thing of beauty. That was her 28th goal of the year, which is a school record.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Karvinen leads UND past BSU

Grand Forks, ND – If you haven’t followed the University of North Dakota Women’s hockey team recently you have missed out on quite a bit.

This season, under UND head coach Brian Idalski, University of North Dakota has become a high scoring hockey team. Currently, UND has the third best scoring offense in the country.

Part of that potent UND offense is the highly talented, world class tandem of Jocelyne Lamoureux and Monique Lamoureux-Kolls. The Lamoureux’s twins are second and third in the nation in points respectively and log a ton of ice time. The twins play even strength, on the power play and also kill penalties.

It’s not an understatement to say that they usually play about half the game and most times are double shifted.

UND also has the nation’s top scoring rookie in Michelle Karvinen from Rodovre, Denmark who leads the nation with (21g-27a—48pts) in points.

Tonight, Karvinen would add three goals and an assist to her already impressive point total. Karvinen would draw an assist on UND’s game tying goal in the first period and then lead UND with a natural hat trick during the second period of tonight’s game, to help UND run past BSU.

Unfortunately, Karvinen’s night would be cut short by a questionable checking from behind penalty at the 05:22 mark of the third period, her night would be over and she would watch the rest of the game from the showers.

None the less, Karvinen’s four points would help lead UND to a 5-2 victory of their WCHA rival the Bemidji State Beavers.

Fortunately for UND, they were able to kill the Karvinen major. In fact, UND’s penalty kill was spotless on the night as they killed all nine Beaver power plays.
After the game, UND Coach Brian Idalski had this to say about his freshman forward Karvinen and her four point night.

“She was terrific! Obviously that is the kind of impact player we expected when she came in,” Idalski said. “She is feeling comfortable and she has chemistry with a lot of players, and she definitely played at a high level for us this evening.”
After the game the freshman forward Karvinen was asked about the five minute checking from behind penalty.

“I was a bit surprised. It wasn’t my intention to hit her in the back but we were skating back at the same time,” Karvinen said.

“When I tried to call her off, she turned around and I accidently hit her in the back. It wasn’t my intention to hit her from behind. Stuff like that happens, but I don’t think it was a five minute penalty. Maybe two minutes. It was an accident and it wasn’t my intention to hit her in the back.”

In the third period, while killing a Bemidji State power play, UND would add a beautiful spin-o-rama goal by Jocelyne Lamoureux; that is bound to be an instant YouTube sensation.

Jocelyne Lamoureux would also have a strong night in all three zones on the ice and would finished the game with three points (1g-2a—3pts) as well.

UND came into the game as the countries most penalized team in the country in Division I Women’s hockey, that statistic would not change after tonight as UND had to kill nine Beaver power plays.

After the game UND head coach Brian Idalski was asked about the amount of penalties and if it threw off his team’s rhythm.

“I am going to take the high road with that. Yeah, I mean it’s hard to get into a flow when they keep calling some of the stuff they were calling down the stretch.” Idalsk said. “I am not sure it was overly necessary. I didn’t see a lot of them, especially the Karvinen penalty. So, it is what it is, we have to be more disciplined coming down the stretch, because we did need to do that in the third period with all of the penalties both ways.”

The same two teams play game two of the series tomorrow night at 07:07pm at Ralph Englestad Arena.

Box Score

Through These Doors Episode 13

Here is this week's Through These Doors Episode another master piece by the UND Sports.

UND Women’s Hockey vs. BSU Women’s Hockey game 3 lines

Bemidji State Forward Lines

64 Natasha Kostenko – 17 Sadie Lunquist – 10 Emily Erickson

11 Whitney Wivoda – 16 MacKenzie Thurston – 6 Kristin Williams

18 Rachael Kelly – 19 Tess Dusik – 59 Danielle Williams

13 Molly Arola – 3 Abby Williams – 22 Lauren Williams

Defensive Pairing BSU

25 Montana Vichorek (C) – 15 Marlee Wheelhouse (C )

14 Erika Wheelhouse – 29 Kimberly Lieder

91 Jamie Hatheway – 27 Kayleigh Chapman

BSU Goalies

88 Zuzana Tomcikova

35 Jessica Havel

BSU Player Stats

UND Forward lines

8 Michelle Karvinen – 63 Josefine Jakobsen – 17 Jocelyne Lamoureux

13 Alyssa Wiebe – 2 Mary Loken – 10 Andrea Dalen

21 Kelsey Ketcher – 26 Monique Weber – 6 Allison Parizek

91 Ashley Furia – 15 Megan Gilbert

UND Defensive Parings

19 Margot Miller – 18 Monique Lamoureux-Kolls

9 Kayla Berg – 32 Candace Molle

16 Tori Willaims – 12 Ashley Holmes

3 Madison Kolls

UND Goalies

29 Stephanie Ney

30 Jorid Dagfinrud

33 Michelle Bonapace-Potvin

UND Player Stats

NCAA Women's Division I Stats

Game Information - Friday's game on FCS and Midco.net
Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) Ralph Engelstad Arena - Grand Forks, N.D.

TELEVISION (Friday): UND Sports Network and Midco Sports Net3 (ch. 323), Fox College Sports Central

WEBCAST: www.UNDSports.com

Radio/Audio - : The Fan 1440 AM (Saturday and Sunday)/WDAY 970 AM (Sunday)
www.UNDSports.com

LIVE STATS: www.UNDSports.com

No UND Mens Hockey, time to head to the Ralph for UND Women's hockey

Since there is no Men’s UND hockey this weekend, if you live in Grand Forks, ND you can watch the UND women live at the Ralph Englestad Arena this weekend and record these collee hockey games on your DVR and get your of college hockey. This is the last regular season home game for the UND women of the season as well.

Starting in 2013-14 CBS Sports network will become the home to NCHC Hockey I thought I would include this press release that they sent me in my email.

Number 18-ranked Miami at Number 7-ranked Michigan highlights college hockey action on CBS Sports Network

CBS Sports Network airs a slate of three college hockey games this weekend, highlighted by *No. 18-ranked Miami at No. 7-ranked Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 4 (7:30 PM, ET). Ben Holden and Dave Starman handle the call, along with Shireen Saski reporting rink side from Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The puck drops with a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 3 beginning with Providence at New Hampshire (7:30 PM, ET). Eric Frede, Dave Starman and Shireen Saski announce. RIT at Air Force (10:00 PM, ET) follows from Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo. Matt McConnell and Jim Paradise call the action.

For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to CBS Sports Network.

EDIT: Game Information - Friday's game on FCS and Midco.net
Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) Ralph Engelstad Arena - Grand Forks, N.D.

TELEVISION (Friday): UND Sports Network and Midco Sports Net3 (ch. 323), Fox College Sports Central

WEBCAST: www.UNDSports.com

Radio/Audio - : The Fan 1440 AM (Saturday and Sunday)/WDAY 970 AM (Sunday)
www.UNDSports.com

LIVE STATS: www.UNDSports.com

Goon's World Extras

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

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Friday, February 03, 2012

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