Guest writer Heidi Sioux and her take on The Goons of NCAA Hockey

I was inspired by your name and decided to write a little something about “Sioux Goons”. I have spent the last few days reading articles on hockey web sites and their comments, blogs, and message boards regarding the UND/Denver series this past weekend. For the most part I have found the majority of it quite humorous. The venom, passionate hatred, and hypocrisy that the Sioux are totally at fault for everything that happens on the ice has been absolutely hilarious.

There is an amazing amount of revisionist history. One of the ones I like the best is that the squad this year is somehow “worse” than previous Sioux teams. I especially like the comment in the comment section of the Western College Hockey that insinuated that Blais’ teams were angels.

Color Me Surprised
Anonymous said...
“Hakstol is a far cry from what Dean Blais was at that school. Blais may have had some tough players but they generally didn't act like a bunch of goons.”
3:58 PM

I have been attending UND hockey games since I was a baby (my folks brought me up right) but didn’t really start paying attention to it until the late 70’s when my obsession was born and from that time the teams have consistently stayed the same. The Sioux have always been a “hard hitting, in your face, don’t mess with me or my teammates or you will sorely regret it” team. Gino and Dean’s teams were always that way and Hakstol has just followed the tradition.

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane. Gino’s teams included such notable “goons” as Jim Archibald, Landon Wilson, Marc Chorney, Dean Dachyshyn, Justin Duberman, Craig Ludwig, Russ Parent, Gary Valk, Micky Volcan, Howard Walker, Dixon Ward, Marty Schriner and Chris Jensen. Dean’s teams have also included their fair share of notable “goons” - Mike Commodore, Matt Greene, Matt Jones, Matt Smaby, Andy Schneider, David Hale, Tim O’Connell and Mike Prpich (I know there are more than this for both coaches, but these are the ones I remember off the top of my head). Throughout this period of goonery, the Sioux have amassed 5 National Championships, 9 WCHA Championships and have sent more than 75 players on to actually play in the NHL. Not bad for a bunch of “thugs”.

Two of my favorite “goons” are Jim Archibald and Mike Commodore. Archie, who was a winger, played in 154 games had 248 penalties for 540 minutes and – wait for it – had 75 goals and 69 assists for 144 points. Although he averaged approximately 3.5 minutes of penalty time per game, he also contributed .93 points per game. Mike Commodore, who is one of my other favorite players, contributed 151 penalties for 382 minutes in 106 games. This is the same Mike Commodore who has played in two Stanley Cup Finals, has a Stanley Cup ring and was recently traded to the top NHL team in the East, the Ottawa Senators, as they prepare to make a run at the Stanley Cup.

Puck Swami on the USCHO board had an interesting take on the Sioux physicality ( – post 350), I am not sure I totally agree. The one quote that I did chuckle at though was:

“It starts at Level 1 "check-them-cleanly-but-violently-all-the-way-through-the-boards philosophy (Kris Porter/Matt Smaby/Mike Commodore)" that tries to establish the Sioux as masters of the physical domain.”

This is the same Mike Commodore that took offense to Alex Brooks of Wisconsin taking “liberties” with one of our skilled players and beat him so bad he had to have plastic surgery. I’m pretty sure that it was after this fight that the “Commodore Rule” was established which gives increasing DQs for repeat offenders.

Our current “goon” (according to all the comments on various web sites) Joe Finley has a career total (including this year to date) 87 penalties for 231 minutes in 113 games (he’s got a ways to go to catch up with Commy). For this year his stats are 22 penalties for 63 minutes in 29 games and is a plus +22. He is tied for major penalties with one with several of our other “goons” – Ryan Duncan, TJ Oshie, Rylan Kaip, Kyle Radke and trails the biggest goon on the team Derrick LaPoint who has 2. Boy oh boy, are these guys a bunch of thugs. Would hate to meet any of them in a dark alley – OK, Radke pissed might make me shake in my boots a little.

While I really like the physicality that this years team is playing with and I am tremendously proud that they are willing to stand up for each other and take their punishment like men, these kids couldn’t hold a candle to the “brutes” that came before them. This is by far the least physically intimidating team the Sioux have had in a very long time. What they may lack in size however, they more than make up for it in HEART and PRIDE.

Milan Lucic goes two times.

I really like this kids and so do the Boston Bruins. Last night Milan Lucic got into this fight with Carolina's Wade Brookbank and then Milan finished the night going with with Carolina's Tim Gleason after he took exception to a hit that Gleason put on Bruins star Marc Savard.

According to Hockeyfights.com Lucic has not been in a fight since January 3rd. One of the reason he has not been in a fight was because of a facial injury he sustained in a game against the Flyers.

WCHA gives out additional penalties...

You knew it was coming and I don't have a problem with the decision that should have been made after the first fight. IF the referee Marco Hunt had given Radke and Testwuide a DQ for the first fight then there is a good chance that there is not another fight in that game.

North Dakota, Denver Receive Additional Penalties
by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor

Watch the Video

After the second period, as the teams were leaving the ice, a full-scale fight broke out between North Dakota's Kyle Radke and Denver's Brandon Vossberg. That followed a fight earlier in the game between Radke and Denver's J.P. Testwuide, which was broken up quickly and only resulted in 10-minute misconducts.

The between-periods fight caused a lengthy melee on the ice between numerous players, though Vossberg bore the brunt of up to a dozen punches by Radke.

Radke and Testwuide have each received a one-game suspension. WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod said that the referee, Marco Hunt, should have given a game disqualification for the earlier fight, which was the rationale for these suspensions. Radke already received an automatic suspension for the game disqualification penalty he received for the fight against Vossberg. That means Radke will sit out this entire weekend against Bemidji State, while Testwuide and Vossberg will each sit Friday against Alaska-Anchorage.

North Dakota swept the two-game series against the Pioneers, rallying from 4-1 down to win 5-4 on Saturday.

It's not the first time this year North Dakota has been involved in such an incident. Just three weeks ago, the Sioux got into a number of altercations with Minnesota, including a near-fight in the post-game handshake line. North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol was suspended for two games for an obscene gesture towards referees that was caught by television cameras during the game.

North Dakota leads the nation in penalty minutes at 22.2 per game.

"The same culprits that have been involved with previous issues from North Dakota were perhaps the catalyst to get this started," said Denver coach George Gwozdecky to the Denver Post.

"In a game like that, and to have that break out, was disturbing. I thought the officials that were very prompt earlier when Testwuide and Radke got into it, were very prompt in jumping in and breaking that up.

"And yet, in this instance with Radke and Vossberg, they did the exact opposite. I was very worried about Brandon. He was certainly on the wrong end of receiving those punches."

Sioux Traveler mentioned over on Siouxsports.com So if they can have make up calls on fights why not make up calls on the missed goals from earlier on?? They have opened up a large can of worms.

Yes they have; I think Sioux Traveler is right what stops the league from looking at every game after the fact because one of the head coaches is unhappy. I wonder if Gwoz is happy now that he got one of his players suspended for the next game that wasn't originally suspended. I think the Pioneers are getting a little thin, I read on line that the Pioneers are down to something like 17 skaters.

What next? I am all for this if after reviewing the films, however, if it is determined that the league officials made the wrong call the league office needs to hold the on ice officials publicly responsible. I am sick and tired of this shroud of secrecy in the WCHA. Like Running with the Dog's said this is nothing new for reviewing the tape but lets not be silly the officials need to make the right calls. I am all for making the game better but it starts with Refs also and not just the players.

In case anyone forgot.

There has been a lot of squabbling and complaining on what did or did not happen this past weekend. We have a coach in Denver complaining to whoever will listen to him about how the mean Sioux kicked the snot out of the Pioneers.

After it was all said and done, lost in all the complaining and arguing is the fact that UND got another sweep on home ice and now the Fighting Sioux sport a 11-4-0 record on home ice and have a 13-3-1 record over the last 17 games if my math is correct.

The What if
WCHA Final
Team GP Pts
UND 28 39
CC 28 38
Denver 28 35
Mankato 28 30
UW 28 29
UMD 28 28
SCSU 28 24
UMN 28 23
MTech 28 22
AA 28 12

Yep; no one else does it.

In case any of HALO wearers thinks that fights don't happen in college hockey take a look at this collection of COLLEGE HOCKEY fights that I have compilled.

This is a recent fight that happened last season in Duluth between Mavericks and Duluth I wonder if Chris Dilks colored himself surprised.

Seems George Gwozdecky has forgot that even his teams have managed to gets involved in the fights as well. Oops, seem as if it was the same player J.P. Testwuide gets mixed up with a Gopher player Ben Gordon.

Funny its not just the WCHA schools, it's also the CCHA schools as well.

Even the Ivy League schools do it as well as the AHA schools.


This has to be one of the best college hockey fights I have seen; Scott Williams thinks so as well.

This Week in the WCHA (Sioux 7)

This weekend in the WCHA there are 4 league series, MSU-M is on a bye week, and UND is in non-conference play against Bemidji State.

Wisconsin at Minnesota

This series is usually important and billed as the "Border Battle" however, this year UW is battling for home ice and UM is just trying to get some wins. The Gophers now have the chance to play the "spoiler", a role they are not use to playing. The other cliche is that they are a wounded animal and are dangerous and unpredictable. UM cannot continue to just score 1 goal per game, that has to end sometime and I think that will be this weekend. UW has been good as of late, not great, but good. The badgers have been splitting with all the teams they are fighting with for home ice. I say this weekend hurts them with a split againts the Gophers, a team with little chance of getting home ice.
THEE CALL - SPLIT.

Michigan Tech at St. Cloud

It's the Huskies versus the Huskies, the dogs are gathering for the Iditarod race, but not in Alaska, it is in Minnesota instead. Currently both teams have a shot at home ice, SCSU in 7th with 20-pts, and MTU is in 8th with 18-pts. If SCSU gets a sweep, they can put the hurt on MTU and almost guarantee them a road trip to start the playoffs. If MTU gets a sweep they still need some help but still would have a chance at home ice. SCSU has won 3 games in a row against, CC, UAA, UAA and have got some momentum going. MTU has been splitting games or only getting a point a weekend. I'm saying SCSU is going up the rankigs and MTU is going down.
THEE CALL - SCSU SWEEP

Colorado College at Minnesota-Duluth

The Tigers had a bye week and should be well rested for their big road trip to Duluth. The Bullydogs are returning home after splitting a pair last weekend in Houghton with MTU. The Sioux have caught up to the Tigers and the pressure is on them to try and use these two games (in hand on UND) to gain some distance between themselves and UND. On the other side of the ice, UMD is in 6th spot. The Dogs need to get some wins and stay on pace for at least a 5th place finish and avoid a road trip in the playoffs. The Dogs have 2-games in hand on UW and MSUM who are tied for 4th, right ahead of them in the standings. The Tigers are a .500 team on the road and I think they will stay that way.
THEE CALL - SPLIT

Alaska Anchorage at Denver

Denver comes limping back home after getting beat up at Grand Forks. The Seawolves faired no better as they were swept at home by SCSU. The Pioneers look like they had gotten off their slide last Friday, but blew a 3 goal lead and left UND without getting a point. The goalie, Mannino, suffered a bad save percentage last weekend managing a lower than normal .849 average for the weekend. The Pioneers are struggling, however, they did take 3-points from the Gophers a couple of weeks ago, who are just above the Seawolves in the standings. I think DU will get some points this weekend and UAA will once again end up in 10th.
THEE CALL - DENVER 3-pts

Bemidji State Beavers (CHA) at North Dakota

In the past 6-games between these teams UND is 5-0-1. BSU normally plays WCHA teams really well, but this year the Beavers are having a down year against the WCHA, going 1-7-0 (their win was versus UMD). With Sioux on the nations longest unbeaten streatk, 11-games, it doesn't get any easier for the Beavers.
THEE CALL - SIOUX SWEEP

Its better to be the hammer than the nail (2nd addition)

Dustin Strand has a saying on the back of his DTRA Midwest Modified, "If It Doesn't Make you Whine It Aint Mine." I think that saying goes a long way in explaining how the Fighting Sioux's season is going. The Sioux are 10-0-1 in their last 11 games and have caused a wake of destruction on their way to the top of the WCHA standings.

With each weekend comes new complaints about UND's rough and tumble style of play. It almost makes you think we should change the UND Fighting Sioux team name to Murder INC. Funny thing was no one was really complaining about the Fighting Sioux until the Sioux got hot and went on a 11 game unbeaten streak. Also, I have not heard a lot of complaining about UND from its non-conference opponents.

The one complain that I find the to be the most humorous is big Joe Finley legal check on DU player Marcuzzi.

dggoddard "Clean hits" that result in concussions are not acceptable IMO. The hit needs to be looked at by the league office.

Yeah! Right, now fans want the WCHA to suspend people for legal hits, they don't even suspend people for illegal hits. I don't think that is going to happen, and it shouldn't. No one seemed that concerned Brady Murray or Jason Blake were hurt by legal hits. Injuries are a part of the game.

This should be taken as a badge of honor. I am actually glad that UND has finally gotten the moxie back, when the Ralph first opened teams seemed too giddy or comfortable coming in to play the Sioux. Teams should not want to come play the Sioux whether it is in the REA or in the other team's rink. I think Hakstol and company have the Sioux going in the right direction. Seems the better they get the more complaints they get.

Puck Swami said; think it's even a bit more than just 'not backing down' or 'sticking together'. Many teams have that. With UND, there are escalating levels of a more proactive violent edge to the Sioux game that all is about violence as intimidation.

Here's how..What makes the Sioux so effective over the years is that they have three more advanced levels of pro-active violence that they can draw upon to intimidate and win. It starts at Level 1 "check-them-cleanly-but-violently-all-the-way-through-the-boards philosophy (Kris Porter/Matt Smaby/Mike Commodore)" that tries to establish the Sioux as masters of the physical domain. Nobody checks harder than UND, and this is often enough to keep opponents in check.

If that's not enough to win, the Sioux will then often go to Level II, which is a more irritating, psychological/physical escalation. This of this level as a "stick-em-in the-nuts" or "bump em in their face after the whistle" - a kind of old school, brute force intimidation. This is the kind of play we see from guys like Mike Prprich or a Joe Finley. The message here is "don't mess with us or we'll hurt you, badly. ." Level II pushes the line from legal to illegal, but it's highly effective.

If that doesn't do the job, the Sioux have no problems going to Level III, which is good, old-fashioned, beat-down punch you in the face until you bleed. This is the domain of a Jim Archibald or Kyle Radke.

The Sioux can, and do, recruit players that can fit all three levels, and escalate this up the chain as needed to win. And they do it better than anyone else.

Chris from Western College Hockey has created a flame feast with his post; color me surprised.

The Gophers fans didn't want to be left out so they got into the act as well.

This weeks picks

FRIDAY:

Michigan Tech at St. Cloud State
Alaska-Anchorage at Denver
Wisconsin at Minnesota
Colorado College at Minnesota-Duluth


SATURDAY:

Michigan Tech at St. Cloud State
Alaska-Anchorage at Denver
Wisconsin at Minnesota-Tie
Colorado College at Minnesota-Duluth

Non-Conference:
Bemidji State at North Dakota


SUNDAY (Non-Conference):

Bemidji State at North Dakota

Last Week 7-1
For the Year 97-65

WCHA Playoff Picture (Sioux 7)

Another weekend is in the record books, and Sioux have caught the Tigers. Albeit, they have caught them by the tail, CC has two games in hand on the Sioux. This will create some pressure on CC, they now need to keep winning, if, they want to win the WCHA title. CC has a tough schedule left, at UMD, MSU-M, and DU (home/away). The Bulldogs and Mavericks are looking to get home ice advantage, so they need points too. UND has BSU (non-confernce), then at UMD, and wrap up at home against SCSU. Both CC and UND have wrapped up home ice advantage for the first round, and will not have to play in the Final Five play-in game, the worst either can finish is in a tie for 3rd place (that only happens if they lose all their remaining games, and UMD sweeps them all). Who the Sioux and Tigers will play is yet to be decided, since the 4th through 9th place is only separated by 7 points. Lets take a look at the current standings, shall we.

Team..............games..points..record
1 Colorado College....22..33..16-5-1
1 North Dakota........24..33..16-7-1
3 Denver.................22..27..13-8-1
4 Minnesota State....24..24..10-10-4
4 Wisconsin............24..24..10-10-4
6 Minnesota-Duluth...22..21..8-9-5
7 St. Cloud State......22..20..9-11-2
8 Michigan Tech.......22..18..7-11-4
9 Minnesota.............22..17..6-11-5
10 Alaska-Anchorage...24..11..3-16-5

Lets look at the numbers and what we know. UAA can't finish higher than 8th place, and UND and CC can't drop lower than a 3rd place tie with UMD which is as high as they can get. UW and MSUM can both move up a spot in 3rd place. The Gophers can be anywhere between 10th and 3rd place, same goes for MTU, SCSU 9th up to 3rd.

I think that SCSU, MTU, and UM are going to finish in the bottom five. If DU keeps stumbling (they could drop as low as 7th place) it would make an interest race for the final 3 home ice spots.

It looks like homce ice race will come down to the final week of the season.

Mite Hockey brawl.

A friend of mine sent me this story in an email with the quip that they must be future UND fighting Sioux players. Typical Gopher fan.

From Geulph Ontario Canada. Kids as young as eight years old, along with their coaches, duke it out on ice after a hockey game between the two teams. Global National's Lauren McNabb reports...

Miami in need of the Heimlich

All season long we have been hearing from the CCHA-loving media experts how Miami is such a great hockey program. One Skippy even used the term dynasty. Fast forward to Sunday and Miami's bubble is starting to burst. The schedule stuffed with cupcakes is finally coming back to bite the RedHawks in the butt. One could say that the cupcakes are getting lodged in their throats.

As college hockey fans will tell you, championships are won in March and April, not November, December and January. There isn't a Virg Foss or a Sid Hartman media award for winning first half of the season. To be successful and make a run deep into the post season, your hockey team needs to winning at the an end of the season, not limping into the playoffs. The key to being successful is having your team winning in February and March. Miami seems to be in full meltdown mode and is falling faster than a prom dress at a senior prom.


Adam Wodon sums it up best:

Ferris State 3, Miami 1
CHN: Uh-oh. Ferris State did it to Miami again, and, soon you won't have to worry whether Miami is overrated, because they won't be rated very highly anyway. This two-game sweep at the hands of the Bulldogs has to sting Miami, which needs to get out of this funk in a hurry. First place is lost, now with Michigan five points ahead. And Michigan State tied the RedHawks for second with its two-game sweep. The losses have dropped Miami to fourth in KRACH and tied for fourth in the Pairwise.

Brian Rolston vs Alexandre Burrows

My advice for former LSSU star and Current Minnesota Wild player Brian Rolston is keep your day job as a top 5 forward with the Minnesota Wild. I have to give Rolston credit for taking matters into his hands by answering Burrows. I would not call Rolston a goon because that was only his second fight of his NHL career www.hockeyfights.com

From www.hockeyfights.com

There were two scraps in last night’s game against the Wild. Nathan McIver had a good bout with Aaron Voros early in the first period. In the second, Alex Burrows took exception to a hit Brian Rolston put on Willie Mitchell. Rolston got Mitchell hard from behind, no call was made, and Burrows wasn’t giving Rolston any option. It was Rolston’s first major since 1994-95 when he had a fight with Ken Klee. Klee picked up the instigator in that one, something the Star Tribune also noted.

UND 4 DU 1

DeJevu; Saturday night at the fights as the Sioux and Pioneers slug it out in a good ole fashion grudge match. As a fan I think this was a great series to watch. As a fan this is what I expect from a UND and DU game, both teams got after it all game long.

The Fight(s)

I do think the ref Marko Hunt made a grave mistake by letting Radke and Testwuide continue in the game, both players should have been given game disqualifications for fighting, both players were definitely throwing punches. It was also unanimous as the guys sitting around us agreed as well. That is the first time I have ever seen a college hockey player get into two fights in ONE game. I think if you look back at the fights UND has been involved in they were a direct result in the way the games were called. Call me a halo but if the refs start giving penalties for all unnecessary stuff (face washes, cross checks, punches etc)eventually the message will make its way down to the players involved in the game. Again call the games like the NHL and the game will clean itself up in about three weeks. The UND Fighting Sioux has now had three players receive game disqualifications for fighting this season.

~UND is 15-8-2 against nationally ranked teams.

~Oshie and Duncan are tied with Lasch for the league lead in points.

~In the last 10 games UND has given up more than one goal only twice.

~The last time UND swept DU in Grand Forks was 1999

Box Score
Goals Scoring/Penalties Time

1st Period (20:00)

DEN-1 J.P. Testwuide (2-Holding) 11:15
NDK-1 Brad Malone (2-Roughing) 11:15
NDK 1 - 0 5x5 LL Joe Finley (4) (Chay Genoway, Evan Trupp) 13:04
NDK (+): 2,5,21,19,G1 DEN (-): 22,17,4,5,G29
DEN-2 J.P. Testwuide (2-Interference) NDK 1x1 13:38
NDK 2 - 0 6x5 PP GW Evan Trupp (8) (Chay Genoway, Andrew Kozek) 15:01
NDK: 5,25,19,21,10,G1 DEN: 16,14,25,4,G29
DEN-3 Matt Glasser (2-Roughing) 16:08
DEN-4 Matt Glasser (2-Roughing) 16:08
DEN-5 Dustin Jackson (2-Roughing) 16:08
NDK-2 Matt Frattin (2-Roughing) 16:08
NDK-3 Matt Frattin (2-Roughing) 16:08
NDK-4 Brad Malone (2-Roughing) 16:08
NDK-5 Brad Malone (2-Hooking) DEN 0x1 16:08

2nd Period (20:00)

DEN-6 Chris Butler (2-Holding) NDK 1x2 0:30
NDK-6 Robbie Bina (2-Hooking) DEN 0x2 3:33
DEN-7 J.P. Testwuide (2-Slashing) 6:38
DEN-8 J.P. Testwuide (2-Roughing) 6:38
DEN-9 J.P. Testwuide (10-Misconduct) 6:38
NDK-7 Kyle Radke (2-Slashing) 6:38
NDK-8 Kyle Radke (2-Roughing) 6:38
NDK-9 Kyle Radke (10-Misconduct) 6:38
NDK-10 BENCH (2-Too Many Players) (Served by Ryan Martens) DEN 0x3 8:10
NDK 3 - 0 6x6 Andrew Kozek (13) (T.J. Oshie) 11:46
NDK (+): 10,7,16,28,4,G1 DEN (-): 12,25,7,19,16,G29
DEN 1 - 3 6x6 Brian Gifford (2) (Tom May, Zach Blom) 13:14
DEN (+): 22,14,17,7,4,G29 NDK (-): 6,25,17,11,20,G1
DEN-10 BENCH (2-Too Many Players) (Served by Brandon Vossberg) NDK 1x3 18:26
DEN-11 Tom May (2-Roughing) 20:00
DEN-12 Stephen Cunningham (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 20:00
DEN-13 Stephen Cunningham (10-Misconduct) 20:00
DEN-14 Brandon Vossberg (5-Fighting) 20:00
DEN-15 Brandon Vossberg (10-Game Disqualification) (Served by Zach Blom) 20:00
DEN-16 Peter Mannino (2-Roughing) (Served by J.P. Testwuide) NDK 1x4 20:00
NDK-11 Joe Finley (2-Roughing) 20:00
NDK-12 Evan Trupp (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 20:00
NDK-13 Evan Trupp (10-Misconduct) 20:00
NDK-14 Kyle Radke (5-Fighting) 20:00
NDK-15 Kyle Radke (10-Game Disqualification) 20:00

3rd Period (20:00)

DEN-17 Andrew Thomas (2-Roughing) 9:41
NDK-16 T.J. Oshie (2-Roughing) 9:41
NDK-17 Rylan Kaip (2-Interference) DEN 0x4 17:47
Timeout - Denver 17:47
NDK 4 - 1 5x6 SH EN T.J. Oshie (13) (unassisted) 18:50
NDK (+): 7,5,2,29,G1 DEN (-): 21,19,4,7,9,14


Check out this post from USCHO.COM

Gordwiser said: w t f? What a bunch of pansies complaining about bumping, gooning, and physical play... has no one played organized sports? That is why there are rules and penalties. If the Sioux (or any team) continue to muck it up, it's going to cost them with penalties, DQ's, etc. and eventually it will catch up with them. Even with all the physical play, I haven't seen any play with an intent to injure... that's a different story and do not condone that at all. I'm sick of all the BS about it all being on the Sioux and never the other team. If you have ever played any team sport of any kind, it's going both ways to some extent. We aren't on the ice to hear what is actually going on.

Kozy's sweet goal.

For those of you that don't read Siouxsports.com or surf youtube.com here is Andrew Kozek's third goal in last nights game. Look like the new top like is the DOK line (Duncan, Oshie Kozek).

Miami chokes on a cup cake.

All season long we have been discussing Miami's less that challenging schedule. A schedule lined with cream puffs and cup cakes. All the while the media pundants have lectured and have become defensive in telling the know nothing fans/hockey bloggers how great of a team the Miami RedHawks are. Okay, the Miami RedHawks are a good team not great and they are better than than about 9-10 teams in the CCHA. We have been told that we can't fault them for the played a very weak schedule because they have beaten the teams they had to play well except Michigan and three softies. Well that weak schedule came back to bite the paper champion Miami RedHawks again. So now the Miami squad has lot to CCHA powerhouses Alaska, Bowling Green and Ferris State.

Big Rapids, MI - Miami extended its winless streak to three games Friday night, dropping its opening contest with Ferris State, 6-5.

Senior captain Ryan Jones netted his third hat trick of the season, scoring goals number 25, 26, and 27 on the year, pushing Jones in front of Michigan's Kevin Porter for the nation's lead in goals scored.

Junior forward Justin Mercier scored twice and added an assist for the RedHawks, extending his point streak to five games. Mercier has four goals and four assists during that span.

Ferris State came out with plenty of pressure, out shooting the RedHawks, 9-0, through the first seven minutes of the game. FSU forward Cody Chupp opened the scoring early in the first period, when he picked up a rebound off of the leg pad of senior netminder Charlie Effinger and put the loose puck into the RedHawks' net. The score was Chupp's sixth of the season.

Ferris State extended its lead to 2-0, when forward Aaron Lewicki picked off an errant Miami pass while the RedHawks were on the power play, and wristed a shot past the stick of Effinger.

Just 44 seconds later, as the Bulldogs returned to full strength, sophomore Blair Riley skated in alone on Effinger, putting his shot through the Miami goaltender's legs. Junior goalkeeper Jeff Zatkoff came into the game after the third goal, his first action in relief this season.

(Read the Rest of the Story)

UND 5 and DU 4

UND dug themselves a hole before the Fighting Sioux scored 4 unanswered goals to win the game 5-4. Andrew Kozek had a career game as he scored a hat trick as the Sioux came from behind to win the game.


First Period

Denver-1 Anthony Maiani (Brian Gifford, Dustin Jackson) PPG 13:29
North Dakota-1 Andrew Kozek (Chay Genoway) PPG 16:00

Second Period

Denver-2 Jesse Martin (Kyle Ostrow) 0:56
Denver-3 Tom May (Tyler Bozak, Patrick Mullen) 2:27
Denver-4 Matt Glasser (Brian Gifford) 8:09
North Dakota-2 Chay Genoway (Ryan Duncan, Ryan Martens) 19:00
North Dakota-3 Ryan Duncan (Andrew Kozek) 19:33

Third Period

North Dakota-4 Andrew Kozek (Ryan Duncan) 10:58
North Dakota-5 Andrew Kozek (T.J. Oshie, Ryan Duncan) GWG 15:15
Goaltender Saves
Denver-1 Peter Mannino (59:42 L) 7 9 5 21 (5 GA)
North Dakota-1 Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (60:00 W) 3 5 6 14 (4 GA)

Referee(s): Marco Hunt
Asst. Referee(s): Nathan Freeman, Kile Bergren

Goon's World meets Greg Sheppard.

Greg Sheppard, the head of officials for the WCHA, was at the Green Mill tonight in Grand Forks and we had the opportunity to talk with him. I must say that Greg Sheppard was a lot of fun to talk to and a real trooper.

Game time

The results from the latest poll are in:
Question: Number of points the Sioux take from DU?
4 Points (144) 51%
3 Points (68) 24%
2 Points (44) 15%
1 Point (5) 1%
0 Points (19) 6%

You have got to love Patrick Reusse

You have got to read this PATRICK REUSSE article Mavericks no longer are a WCHA pushover From yesterday's Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Lets Go Mav's had it linked on her blog and this article is your classic Patrick Reusse article. You can bet that the Gopher fans will take issue with it and probably flood his email box with nasty grams.

The Gophers are off this weekend, giving Lucia, his players and their smug followers extra time to contemplate how the college hockey program with the most money, the widest-ranging television exposure and its choice of elite recruits can find itself in seventh place and with six victories in 22 WCHA games (6-11-5).

Here is another interesting statement.

The WCHA schedule has taken a different turn in Mankato, where the Mavericks don't have a sparkling and fabulously equipped arena in which they play and practice, but rather a modest rink called All Seasons in which they practice before moving down the hill to play games in the 5,000-seat Alltel Center.

Commodore glad to be a Senator.

Mike Commodore talks about the trade to the Ottawa Senators. I guess I am going to have to watch the Senators more often this spring with this trade the Sens got a lot tougher and Stillman will add experience and scoring touch.

(Read the rest of the story)

After getting over the initial shock of being traded Monday, newly acquired Ottawa Senators defenseman Mike Commodore began to rationalize.

”I remember playing against this team (Ottawa) in Carolina the last three seasons and how tough it was to slow them down,’’ Commodore told NHL.com. “It’s an offense capable of moving the puck and creating opportunities very quickly. As a defenseman, I never had any fun trying to keep up with this group. So I began to think how exciting it would be to become a part of it all. It’s always fun playing with a team that is this dynamic. I understand my role, which is to get the puck to our forwards as quickly as possible and allow them the freedom to do the rest. I’m looking forward to helping this team get on a little run moving forward into the playoffs.’’

Of course, Commodore is referring to Ottawa’s triple threat of Daniel Alfredsson (34 goals, 39 assists), Jason Spezza (23, 49) and Dany Heatley (28, 35), who sit snugly among the League’s scoring leaders.

Commodore and Cory Stillman were acquired by Ottawa in exchange for defenseman Joe Corvo and forward Patrick Eaves. Stillman, 34, who is only the sixth player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup in two consecutive seasons with two different teams (Tampa Bay and Carolina) and Commodore, 28, each bring a wealth of playoff experience to Ottawa.

”The two guys we lost were big parts of our team, so it’s always kind of a different mix-up when you have a trade at this time in the season,’’ Ottawa goalie Ray Emery said. “But we’re pretty familiar with the guys (Commodore and Stillman) we were getting and realize that in a playoff run and, short term, they have experience and are more than likely going to be a big part of any success we have down the stretch.’