More on the Jason Blake saga.

Here is a little more on the former Fighting Sioux Jason Blake's on going troubles in Toronto. Jason Blake signed a big contract and has not met expectations of the Toronto Maple Leaf's management or their fans. You have to wonder if Jason's days in Toronto are numbered, and one has to wonder how long before he is traded to another team.

CALGARY–Having been scratched for two games this season, an upset Jason Blake publicly mused about leaving the Maple Leafs.

"Maybe it's not meant for me to be here," Blake said yesterday after a Leaf practice here before the team headed to Edmonton. "It obviously hasn't worked out in the year and 16 games we played here.

"If it's not going to work out ... I know I can play, and I love to play. I'm not going to quit. If it's not here, I don't know."

The 35-year-old Blake is stuck on two goals this season, his second with the Leafs after signing a five-year, $20 million U.S. contract in the summer of 2007. He was the team's key signing that free-agent period, a 40-goal scorer the year before with the New York Islanders.

"I'm glad he's upset," said coach Ron Wilson, who has coached Blake on Team USA. "You don't want a guy to roll over and die. I want him to step on the ice, and play with piss and vinegar, which he hasn't done consistently.

"That's the Jason Blake I've watched, and coached, and haven't seen enough of this year, or last year in reviewing the tape

Holy cow check out some of the comments to this article they are harsh.

INCH CHAT...

I wonder if there is anyway to replace Jess Meyers with Mike Eidelbes. From reading today's chat text it does appear that Mike knows the WCHA a little better than his counter part. Heck lets start the movement now Mike Eidelbes for WCHA writer. I sure that Sioux fans true to form will flood his box with Kudos.

james: crow reservation, mt: to what do you attribute north Dakota's slow start? what is your prognosis for the fighting Sioux?

Mike Eidelbes: A lot like Miami, North Dakota lost a bunch of players who are unreplaceable -- is that a word? Guys like J-P Lamoureux, T.J. Oshie, Taylor Chorney ... they're exceptional talents.

Mike Eidelbes: The Sioux are unproven in goal, don't have a lot of scoring depth behind Ryan Duncan, and are banged up on the blue line. I know INCH picked them to finish 7th in the WCHA in the preseason, and I think the ceiling is probably around 4th in the conference.

(SARCASM ALERT) This is sarcasm, it isn't meant to be taken seriously and it isn't meant to be offensive. Its called humor. Some (they know who they are) have trouble determining what is humor and what is not humor.

More on re-alignment.

Here is an interesting article that was over on Goon's favorite hockey site. Seems there has been some discussions about the possibility of re-alignment but nothing is set in stone of course. Kind of like we thought. This stuff takes time and will be an on going discussion.

There have been quite a few rumors spreading on various sites over the past few weeks about the future of the CHA and its teams. Now here are a few facts.

Atlantic Hockey voted to suspend its moratorium on expansion. Robert Morris and Niagara expressed interest in joining and AHA Commissioner Bob DeGregorio has visited both sites with the Niagara visit happening this past Friday when RIT was at Dwyer Arena.

“It would be disingenuous of me to say that we have not had any discussions,” said College Hockey America interim Commissioner and Niagara Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin. “I hate clichés, but it seems that there is a thawing in hockey and it’s a major step that at least someone is looking at expansion.”

Weekend Showdowns (Sioux 7)

Lets start by recapping last weeks WCHA games: CC/UND split, DU swept UMD, UW swept MTU, and MSUM took 3pts from UAA. Now with that out of the way, on to this week.


Wisconsin(3-4-1) at Minnesota-Duluth(1-3-1)
From what I gather UW didn't impress too many people last weekend, and "lucked" their way to 4-pts. UMD didn't fair to well on their trip the rocky mountain state. The Bulldogs need to sweep this series to keep themselves and their coach out of the DOG house. It seems early to say this but, if the Bulldogs want to finish in the top half of the league they need to dispose of the Badgers this weekend. Which leds me to my prediction, I'm throwing these dogs a bone, Bulldogs Beat Badgers Both games.


Anchorage(2-2-2) at #18 North Dakota(3-3-0)
My beloved Sioux are most likely going to be without their top pair of defensemen, Chay Genoway (the little D-man) and Joe Finley (the BIG D-man), ouch. But UAA has fallen back to form, they have only one win in the last five games. In that stretch the Seawolves have only averaged 2 goals/game. I say the woes continue in Alaska, UND sweeps. Hey, at least they have the best looking Governor.


#4 Denver(4-1-1) at St. Cloud State(0-3-0)
Will the WCHA have to issue an apology this year for a blown goal like last year in this series... only time will tell. DU is off to good start again this year, and look to be a top contender for the league title. Huskies on the other hand look like they need to be whipped into shape. Motzko will probably cracking the whip more if his dog sled team doesn't get some points this weekend. A DU sweep here give SCSU an inside track on 10th place. The Pioneers will take advantage of the sleeping dogs and take 3pts.


Michigan Tech(1-5-0) at #2 Minnesota(4-0-2)
It might be possible that the bottom four teams in the league are canines? A pair of Huskies, a Bulldog, and a Seawolf? Well, it doesn't look good for these Huskies either, on the road for the second week in a row. They now face a much better team in the Gophers. I'm thinking this series might look like a show I watched on TV, where a ground squirrel was running around, because it was being chased by a dog... I'm guessing this is what's going to happen in this series, the Gophers will stake around the Huskies and have fun doing it. Gophers sweep. (This is a Sat/Sun series)


#3 Colorado College(4-1-1) at #11 Minnesota State(2-2-2)
This should be the best series of the weekend, both teams are playing good hockey, both are ranked, and both want more points. The Tiger, though not native to Colorado, much less North America, seems to thrive their, but does have problems outside of Colorado. The Mavericks want to establish themselves this year an upper echelon team, well, now is their chance. If the purple people want some pollster pouting, they need to take at least 3pts this weekend from the Tigers. Which is my call the Mavericks stampede the Tiger and get 3pts.

I know this is a couple of days late, but I would like to say THANK YOU to ALL our VETERANS. Thanks for serving this great country.

Thanks Goon, you old Veteran you :)

Lamoureux article on NHL.COM

Here is a really nice article on former Fighting Sioux Goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux Lamoureux has made a smooth transition to professional hockey from the colege ranks and is doing quite well with the Alaska of the ECHL.

Jean-Philippe Lamoureux is puzzled, and it's not difficult to understand why.

Despite a stellar four-year collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, he was never drafted by an NHL club and never received any contract offers after putting up big numbers in his senior season, numbers that were so good he was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Lamoureux, 24, though, has taken everything in stride. After signing a deal with the Alaska Aces in early September, he has won seven of his first 10 games as a professional while posting a 2.26 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. His efforts are a major reason why Alaska currently sits atop the West Division standings at 7-2-1.

The Code works.

This is a perfect example of the code working in professional hockey. L.A. King Dustin Brown lays a dirty hit on Dallas Star's forward Mike Ribeiro. Brenden Morrow exception to this dirty hit and comes to the aid of his teammate. The response to the hit is Brenden Morrow fights Dustin Brown. The incident is over and Brown pays for his objectionable act.

The league could have suspended Brendan Morrow for one game for getting an instigator penalty and into a fight with under five minutes to play in a game. The league made the right decision and decided that it would not suspend Morrow because of Brown's dirty hit on Ribeiro.

Here is the rule as defined by the Dallas News

Rules state that instigating a fight in the final five minutes carries an automatic one-game suspension and a $10,000 fine to the coach. The rule was implemented to deter coaches from sending out goons to administer frontier justice. The league rescinds such penalties if it is determined they were within the "spirit of the game."

What's a Seawolf?

This weekend the Fighting Sioux 3-5-0 take on the Seawolves 5-3-2 from Alaska Anchorage. Every year there is an on going discussion on what the heck is a Seawolf? Personally, I am not sure we have ever been given a definative concrete explanation on this subject. So does anyone know what the hell a Seawolf actually is?




Siouxman gives this definition of What a Seawolf is.

Well, he is a mythical creature. But what is more exciting is that the legend of the Sea-Wolf could be told from the perspective of many different Indian tribes from British Columbia to the Nazca Plain in Peru.

According to the original legend, the Sea-Wolf was the head of totem poles for many different tribes -- the only other honor given to the thunderbird.

What makes it seem likely that the Sea-Wolf was far more than just a myth was that every tribe that has seen the creature from North America down to the south has described it in the same way. The Sea-Wolf could be described as having dog-like limbs with a crocodile-like snout and large eyes. Legend also says that when you see the Sea-Wolf he will bring good luck

I checked on Wikipedia and there is also a fish that is named a Seawolf.

The Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus), also known as the Seawolf, Atlantic catfish, wolf eel (the common name for its Pacific relative), or sea cat, is a marine fish, the largest of the wolffish family Anarhichadidae. The numbers of the Atlantic wolffish are rapidly depleting due to overfishing and by-catch, and is currently a Species of Concern according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)[1].

The Match up

The Sioux have a record of 4-3-1 against the Seawolves over the course of the last three season. The Sioux have beaten UAA three straight games in a row. This is not going to be an easy win the last four games have been close hard fought games.

Genoway and Finley doubtfull...

To quote Jim Carey, "so you say there is a chance." It also doesn't look good.
The Sioux desparately need big Joe back in the line up soon.

Per Brad Elliott Schlossman: As posted on the Herald site, coach Dave Hakstol said today that Joe Finley and Chay Genoway are doubtful this weekend.

Brad Miller will play on defense again.

Jess Meyers of INCH on KFAN.

Here is an interesting conversation that took place on Paul Allen's show this morning
with Jess Meyers from Inside College Hockey (about 11 minutes in). Pretty much the same stuff when Jeff Dubay "aka Puffy" was on the show, the usual Gophers love feast and the obligatory shot at UND. True to form Jess defends his 7th place finish prediction and then Jess didn't even know the name of the goalie from UND Brad Eidsness.

Blake on his way out of Toronto?

Puck Daddy had this story on his blog today. It appears that Former Sioux Jason Blake's miserable stay in Toronto is coming to an end. Blake is having another rough season and was benched last night.

Blake approaching end in Toronto?
TheFourthPeriod.com

Moments after hearing the news that he was to be benched for the second-time this season, Jason Blake erupted into a sequence of profanities, reports the National Post.
Blake sat out of last night's game, a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames.

"I don't know what's going on ... we'll try to figure it out sometime today," Blake told the paper.

"It's just extremely frustrating. To be honest, I was very, very upset in Boston [first benching], but I didn't really know what to say because I was caught off guard. It was the first time in nine years that I was a healthy scratch.

Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson hasn't been afraid to bench his players. Along with Blake, those who were scratched for a game or more include Matt Stajan, Mike Van Ryn, Jonas Frogren, Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo.

With a surplus of defensemen, the Leafs have been trying to make a move to free up a spot on the roster.

Blake, whose contract doesn't expire until after the 2011-12 season, could be someone the team tries to trade this season.

"This is twice, now, after never being scratched in nine years," Blake said. "I just don't get it."

More on re-alignment.

This story by Mike Chambers started a avalanche of speculation and more is starting to come out on this story. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out. First, everyone must know there are two kinds of conversations, there is the front stage and the back stage. The front stage takes place in the newspapers and during the radio interviews, this is the information that can be released. Then there is the back stages, this is the discussion that takes place behind the scenes, the fans aren't privy to this discussion.

I believe some where between these two stories is "the TRUTH" or should we say reality. Like I said before I can see realignment coming eventually, much like the shootout.

DULUTH, Minn. – If an expansion moratorium is lifted in the men’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association in January, it could be Bemidji State’s first step toward joining the league.

League commissioner Bruce McLeod confirmed Tuesday that the WCHA executive committee will decide next week if a vote to repeal the existing moratorium should be taken during the NCAA Convention on Jan. 14-17 in Washington, D.C. A simple favorable majority of the 10 league schools would rescind the ban on expansion, which has been in effect for 10 years. That would allow prospective members to make presentations at the WCHA’s annual meeting in May in Marco Island, Fla.

First off, the league members have to go to Marco Island, Florida to make a decision. What can't they do it in Denver or Minneapolis? Looks like Money isn't much of a problem when you living in the WCHA eh?

“We’d like to give Bemidji State a definitive answer, yes or no, about the possibility of joining our league,” McLeod said from his Denver office. “It would be in their best interest to know our intentions so they can make plans for their future.”

The Bemidji State women’s team is already a member of the women’s WCHA.

Bemidji State has never made a formal men’s application to the WCHA because of the moratorium, although the league reached a scheduling agreement with the school in January. The agreement guarantees Bemidji State 12 games with WCHA schools beginning in 2010-11, but the Beavers may be a team without a conference by then.

“Our ultimate goal is to be in the WCHA,” Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore said. “With our present league down to four teams, going to the WCHA would be a logical step for us. It would be good timing. [College Hockey America] might only have one more season as a league after this year.”

If the WCHA lifts its moratorium, the opportunity to join the league may be invitation only, said McLeod, and it’s possible Bemidji State would be the only school on the invitation list. Bemidji State has done relatively well against the WCHA, going 11-24-1, including losses to Wisconsin and Denver in the first round of the Division I playoffs.

College Hockey America lost Air Force to the 10-team Atlantic Hockey conference in 2006-07, while league member Wayne (Mich.) State dropped its program in March.

Tom Kostopoulos pounds Mike Van Ryn into the boards.

This hit by Tom Kostopoulos is the latest dirty check to cause injury to another player in the NHL. There is no reason for Kostopoulos to hit Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn like that. The three game suspension is too light in my opinion.

Hab draws three-game ban, but some Leafs say tougher action needed

Nov 11, 2008 04:30 AM --- Mark Zwolinski
When Montreal's Tom Kostopoulos was suspended three games yesterday for his hit on Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Van Ryn, the reaction from the Toronto camp suggested the time has come for the NHL to crack down on dangerous hits to the head.

"If a guy is vulnerable going into the boards, you have to be aware of that," said Leafs forward Ryan Hollweg, who has been suspended twice this season for hits from behind. "I know what it's like from the other side. It's punishable."

Van Ryn remained in Toronto yesterday while the Leafs left for a three-game western Canadian road trip, still in considerable pain from the devastating hit from behind he took during Saturday's 6-3 win over the Canadiens.

Van Ryn suffered a concussion of as-yet unknown grade, a broken nose, a broken bone in his hand, a gash to the forehead and damage to his teeth and gums.

The NHL, already under pressure to get tough with players who deliver shots from behind, appeared to weigh Van Ryn's injuries heavily when deciding on Kostopoulos's punishment.

Messier wants face masks to be manditory.

Former NHL great Mark Messier is making the case for the NHL players to wear the full cage. First off, I don' think the players union is going to go for this idea. I also think it is a matter of personal rights, if a player chooses to not wear the face shield and or face mask it is their decision and theirs only, do they really need the league telling them what they have to wear. So you’re getting into a personal rights issue. Also, some have made the case that the face masks causes concussions as well... Here is one the helmet that article was talking about.

Messier builds case for mandatory face masks
Veteran's message is 'it's cool to be protected'
Garth Woolsey --- Nov 10, 2008 04:30 AM

Mark Messier broke into the National Hockey League in 1979-80, the same season that the league finally made the wearing of helmets mandatory. Now 47, Messier says it is only a matter of time – finally – until the NHL takes the next logical step and makes facial protection compulsory, too.

"I see the exact same thing happening with face masks," he said yesterday before stepping on to the ice at the Air Canada Centre for the Hall of Fame Legends game wearing a new, possibly safer, line of helmets that he is endorsing. "I would recommend any player that grows up playing with a face mask not to take it off when he turns pro."

Never mind leaving the decision to individuals, he adds. Make facial protection, whether full cages or visors, mandatory.

When Messier speaks on such matters, hockey people tend to listen. He played 25 hard-knock years in the NHL, one of the toughest ever, taking part in more games than anyone but Gordie Howe, plenty long enough to bear witness to everything the sport has to offer, good and bad, the latter including countless head injuries.

Goon goes five hole.

This is my weekly blog post that I wrote for Sean Leahy's Going Five Hole
UND VS UAA

I will also be sitting in the stands this weekend to watch the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux play the University of Alaska Anchorage on Friday and Saturday night in beautiful Ralph Englestad Arena. College hockey fans can watch the game nationally on the NHL network this Friday night starting at 7:30 p.m. central standard time, that is 4:30 Alaska time.

So far this season the Fighting Sioux have been inconsistent and have struggled on defense and between the pipes. After leading the Fighting Sioux in goal Jean-Philippe Lamoureux has since graduated and moved on and is now playing in Anchorage of the ECHL. Now starting in goal for the Fighting Sioux, is rookie Brad Eidsness, who has a 3-3-0 record. His goals against average is 3.52, with a save percent of .883. The much heralded Eidsness has been inconsistent so far this season; at times Eidsness has looked great, at other times has also let in some soft goals. Contrary to some of the naysayers I think there are many reasons why UND Fighting Sioux fans should be excited about their young goaltender.

On the other side of the ice the UAA Seawolves are kind of an enigma. The Seawolves finished the past three seasons dead last in the WCHA and were seen by some WCHA fans as an easy win. This season the Seawolves who were picked to finish 10th again in the preseason poll have played better this year and have a conference record of 2-2-2 is tied with the Fighting Sioux and MSU-M for fifth in the WCHA standings. The UAA Seawolves have 5 forwards with ten or more points in ten games; Paul Crowder (6-7-13), Brian Bales (1-11-12), Tommy Grant (7-4-11), Josh Lunden (6-4-10) In goal the Seawolves have had to goalies split time Jon Olthuis and Bryce Christianson. Bryce Christianson has the better of the record and stats 3-0-2 record of the two goaltenders, his goals against average 1.94 and save percentage of .903.

Goon’s Weekly top 10

1.) Boston University
2.) University of Minnesota
3.) Colorado College
4.) Denver
5.) Boston College
6.) New Hampshire
7.) Notre Dame
8.) North Eastern
9.) Minnesota State Mankato
10.) Michigan

Updates on a former WCHA players.

*Former SCSU player Tyler Arnason was a healthy scratch and his head coach Tony Granato isn't all that happy with his play so far. I have always thought that Arnason was a player that lacked a consistent work ethic to be a great player in the NHL. I am surprised that Arnason has made it this long in the NHL.

Avalanche report: Arnason called out
By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News
Granato said center Tyler Arnason, who was a healthy scratch Saturday, has to play better to return to the lineup.

"The bottom line is we have to dress the 12 forwards that give us the best chance to win, and I didn't think 'Arnie' was one of those 12 forwards for that game," Granato said. "It's pretty simple; there's other guys that deserve to be playing in front of him.

"He has to get into the game and do what he does best, and that is play hard. If he doesn't play hard and doesn't do the little things that we're asking him to do consistently and others guys will, then other guys will play."

Arnason has two goals on 17 shots and a minus-2 rating in 13 games. He had 10 goals and 21 assists in 70 games last season in the first year of a two-year, $3.35 million contract he signed after posting 16 goals and 33 assists in 82 games in 2006-07.

*From the same article former Gophers and Hobey Baker winner Jordan Leopold is enjoying success on the ice again after being hurt for a big part of the last two seasons.

Leopold shining

After missing 106 games during his first two seasons with the Avalanche because of injuries, Jordan Leopold finally is healthy and has been one of the team's top defensemen.

"I feel good. I haven't had any hiccups or anything," said Leopold, who has played in all 14 games and has three goals and three assists. "This is probably the healthiest I've felt probably in four years, since before the lockout. I kind of feel like a kid again.

"It's nice. I can come out and practice and not have aches and pains and stay on the ice the whole time. It's a little bit different, but that's what I used to do when I was younger and I felt better."

*Former Golden Gopher Nate Hagemo is back and playing in the ECHL. While it is not the NHL it is a first step in the right direction.

No points and a minus-2 rating usually isn’t something to write home about, but for Elmira Jackals defenseman Nate Hagemo, there’s another stat that’s much sweeter: four games played.

Hagemo, a second round pick (58th overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005, has been to hell and back – and he’s only been back for a short time. The highly touted blueliner skipped his final year of high school in order to suit up for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, but shoulder problems derailed his career before he was even old enough to buy a beer.

After sustaining a “stinger” in his freshman year, Hagemo was hit in the same place at the 2005 World Junior Championship while playing with Team USA and the injury became too much to bear. He played just three games as a sophomore and despite a comeback attempt in 2006, would never play college hockey again.

“It was the most difficult thing I’ve experienced,” said Hagemo, currently in the ECHL. “Especially then. My mind was set on me being a hockey player; that’s what I was.”

Without game action, or even practice to look forward to, Hagemo’s life began to unravel.

“You feel so isolated,” he said. “When you’re hurt, you’re not part of the team – you’re not in the locker room, so you’re not hanging out with the guys; you feel disconnected.”

*Former C.C. Tiger Curtis McElhinney is getting slivers sitting on the bench in Calgary and has yet to play this season.

The Calgary Flames season is now 13 games old and Keenan has yet to call upon backup Curtis McElhinney for a start or even mop-up duty. Doesn’t the coach realize the 82-game NHL season is a marathon and not a dash?

Doesn’t the coach realize wearing down Kiprusoff by the middle of November probably isn’t a good idea? Doesn’t the coach realize letting McElhinney freeze on the bench for more than a month doesn’t do a whole lot for his psyche and well-being?

*Former Warroad Warrior and Fighting Sioux star T.J. Oshie could be out till December.

The Blues really miss energetic rookie T.J. Oshie, whose high ankle sprain could disable him well into December. Veteran winger Paul Kariya departed Wednesday night’s game with a unspecified “lower body” injury.

The injuries continue to pile up in New Jersey as former Gophers Paul Martin was placed on the Injured reserve.

*Former Sioux Zach Parise and current New Jersey Devil is on fire scoring 13 points in 10 games. Zach Parise is also tied for second over all in the NHL with Alexander Semin for goals scored. Former Gopher Thomas Vanek is number one.

Forget Gaborik: Minnesota should focus on Backstrom

Here is a good story by Sean Leahy on how the Minnesota Wild should forget about Marian Gaborik and focus on getting Niklas Backstrom signed up to a contract. That is a good idea because Wild back up Josh Harding has less than impressive since he became a member of the Minnesota Wild.

Whatever happens to both Gaborik and Backstrom, this is a very important season for the Wild franchise. They have their superstar player and superstar goaltender both on the verge of big raises. Minnesota has $37 million committed for next season, but with eight soon-to-be unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents, how will Doug Risebrough approach the future of the team? Backstrom's future won't be determined until Gaborik is either signed or dealt.

An alternate thought: With the Wild's hot start, does Risebrough roll the dice and keep Gaborik all season and sign Backstrom instead for a run at the Stanley Cup?

It'll be an interesting season in Minnesota, both on and off the ice.

I have to agree on Sean on this Marin Gaborik had played a grand total of two games scoring an eye popping 1 goal, the Wild have managed to win with out Gabby and need to start their life without him. While Gaborik has been on the shelf since October 16th the Wild have gone 7-3-1.

Gary Bettman on head shots.

I saw this story over on Puck Daddy this morning and I was wondering if anyone else thought Bettman sounded like politician? That being said, I do kind of agree with Bettman that this would be a very slippery slope if the NHL goes down this road. If you eliminate legal hits that may or may not lead to a head shot might make the game less physical.

You can watch the interviews in question right here and here. I have never been a fan of Gary Bettman I think he is the wrong guy to lead the NHL an if you watch the video you will see that Bettman really is an abrasive pompous guy. You could put me in the Fire Bettman now camp.

When asked about trying to eliminate head shots from the game, Bettman again urged caution.

"You know, it's interesting to me that when we came back from the work stoppage a lot of our fans complained that we had taken the physicality out of the game by opening up the speed and skill," Bettman noted. "We didn't do that - hitting is actually up. There are more body checks in the game than we had before the work stoppage. But if you say you can't have contact with the head, you are going to reduce the amount of checking in the game and you are going to change the way the game is played."

"We don't like any concussions," Bettman said. "We don't like any hits to the head, but before we run down this road, think about what the consequences to the game are going to be."

Sioux make the USCHO poll.

USCHO.com
1. Boston University (29)
2. Minnesota (12)
3. Colorado College (8)
4. Denver
5. Boston College
6. New Hampshire
7. Northeastern
8. Michigan
9. Notre Dame
10. Miami
11. MSU-Mankato
12. Princeton
13. Air Force
14. Cornell
15. Vermont
16. Clarkson
17. Michigan State
18. North Dakota
19. St. Lawrence
20. Massachusetts

USA Today
1. Boston University (19)
2. Minnesota (10)
3. Colorado College (5)
4. Denver
5. New Hampshire
6. Boston College
7. Northeastern
8. Michigan
9. Notre Dame
10. Miami
11. Princeton
12. MSU-Mankato
13. Air Force
14. Cornell
15. Vermont

INCH
1. Minnesota
2. Boston University
3. Colorado College
4. Denver
5. Northeastern
6. New Hampshire
7. Notre Dame
8. Boston College
9. Princeton
10. MSU-Mankato
11. Michigan
12. Air Force
13. Cornell
14. Vermont
15. Miami
16. Nebraska-Omaha
17. Minnesota-Duluth
18. Michigan State
19. St. Lawrence
20. Massachusetts

Analysis

Just as I predicted the Boston University Terriers are the new team with the bulls eye on their back. While there are no awards for finishing with a great record in October and November they have been the best team in college so far. These polls are all over the place like the CBS/New York Times presidential poll. UMD is ranked in one poll and not in the other ones.

The polls have Air Force ranked 12, 13 and 12, this is based the Falcons beating no one from the big 4 conferences.

Notre Dame Beats Boston College 4-1 on Friday night and moves up only three places in the polls.

Media Darling Princeton is still ranked 12, 11 and 9 after losing to Cornell this weekend.

More on League Realignment

Here are a few perspectives on league realignment. My opinion is that it is coming much like he shootout and there is really nothing so called hockey purist can do about it. The status quo is no longer good enough and there will be changes. Like or not realignment will be coming soon.

Here is what Chris had to say on Western College hockey Seems that Chris kind of predicted this back in February of 2007.

Here is what the Blog that Yost Built had to say on the matter, one of his suggestions is adding Alaska Fairbanks to the WCHA. Yikes get those frequent flyer miles going.

Alternate ideas:
WCHA adds Bemidji, Huntsville, and UNO
CCHA adds Alaska Anchorage

or

WCHA adds Bemidji and Alaska Fairbanks
CCHA adds Huntsville

The Sun Star Sports isn't all that crazy about the idea. Geographically speaking Huntsville Alabama is a long way from Fairbanks, Alaska. According to Google Maps if you drove an automobile from Fairbanks to Huntsville it would be 4096 miles. Yep, I agree that would be a brutal trip even by airplane. So playing in the WCHA might be a better fit for the Nanooks.

Bronco Hockey Blog thinks that Wayne State was short sited in dropping their hockey program. In a way I agree but I also don't blame them because a lot of promises were made but they never came to fruition.

According to by Adam Wodon the Managing Editor of the College Hockey News said that realignment isn't imminent. Well we will just have to see.

Scores from 11-08-2008.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Atlantic Hockey
American Int'l 1 at Army 3
Mercyhurst 3 at Holy Cross 4 ot

Analysis
Yawn!

CCHA
Ferris State 2 at Miami 1
Michigan 3 at Alaska 2
Michigan State 1 at Ohio State 3
Nebraska-Omaha 5 at Western Michigan 2
Bowling Green 4 at Lake Superior 4 ot: Lake Superior wins

Analysis
Michigan splits with Alaska. Miami splits with Ferris State. This is not your normal Ferris State, they are a much better hockey team this season. Michigan State gets swept by tOhio State University. That is not a miss print folks. UNO takes 4 points from the WMU Broncos this weekend. WMU gets one point for a shootout. Check out the standings at the CCHA home page.

CHA
Bemidji State 2 at Alabama-Huntsville 1 ot

Analysis
Who hates Huntsville, we do. Beavers get their second win of the season against CHA rival Huntsville. Beavers get the split on the weekend.

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

Analysis
Does anyone in the EZAC score more than three goals? Cornell back to back shut out this weekend. Cornell makes the trip to Grand Forks, ND on November 28-29.

Hockey East
Vermont 3 at Mass.-Lowell 1
Massachusetts 1 at Merrimack 3

WCHA
Michigan Tech 0 at Wisconsin 6
North Dakota 4 at Colorado College 7
Minnesota-Duluth 1 at Denver 2
Minnesota State 2 at Alaska-Anchorage 2 ot

Analysis
Wisconsin sweeps the MTU Huskies, "ouch". UND splits with C.C. mission accomplished. UMD loses two to Denver University in the Mile High City. Mankato takes 3 points from UAA.

Non-Conference
Notre Dame 4 at Providence 1
Bentley 1 at Northeastern 4
New Hampshire 2 at Minnesota 6
Robert Morris 1 at St. Cloud State 7

Notre Dame wins two non conference games on the weekend. Minnesota stops the Hockey East Tidal Wave. SCSU pound Robert Morris in two games this weekend. Robert Morris scores one goal on the weekend.