Scores from 01-16-2009 (Happy Hockey Day)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Atlantic Hockey
American Int'l 3 at RIT 5
Sacred Heart 1 at Mercyhurst 2
Canisius 5 at Air Force 4

Analysis
Air Farce just keeps on tumbling after the loss to Canisius. Notice you don't hear anymore talk of the Falcons making the NCAA tourney or the Frozen Four? One win does not make a program folks. The Falcons will be lucky to get out of their conference tourney. Since going 13-0-0 the Falcons are 2-5-1. There is no award for great first half of the season records. I think RIT will be heard from in the AHA before it is all said and done.

CCHA
Michigan State 4 at Miami 1
Bowling Green 3 at Michigan 0
Notre Dame 3 at Lake Superior 2
Ohio State 6 at Ferris State 2
Nebraska-Omaha 0 at Alaska 2

Analysis
Miami has lost an unimpressive 5 games, last night the RedHawks lost to the MSU Spartans night 4-1. We will hope and pray that our buddy RedHawkman from the Miami fan base doesn't jump off a bridge. Michigan lost to middle of the road team BGSU last night you can say that I was midly surprised by that result. Notre Dame keeps winning as they are now 17-0-2 since they last lost. The biggest question remains has Notre Dame peaked too fast? Last year they backed into the NCAA playoffs and went to the Frozen Four before losing to the Eagles.

EZAC
St. Lawrence 6 at Brown 1
Cornell 4 at Union 1
Clarkson 4 at Yale 3
Colgate 2 at Rensselaer 3 ot

Analysis
Yawn! Boring!

Hockey East
Mass.-Lowell 4 at Boston College 3 ot
Vermont 1 at Northeastern 3
Boston University 4 at Merrimack 1
Providence 5 at Massachusetts 4

Analysis
The Boston College Eagles must be feeling the hangover from winning the NCAA title last season because they are not the same team this season. Vermont grounded by NU. BU rebounds after losing earlier in the week.

WCHA
St. Cloud State 1 at Minnesota 5
Colorado College 1 at Wisconsin 6
North Dakota 3 at Michigan Tech 3 ot
Alaska-Anchorage 4 at Minnesota State 2

Analysis
Minnesota runs SCSU out of the building after being slaughtered last week by the Sioux. After last nights game I heard Doug Woog say that SCSU will come out flying tomorrow night, they have their third Jerseys and the place is going to be rocking. Let's see we have three players tired from the WJC, they were missing their coach and now we have the jersey excuse. Last year's star goaltender Richard Bachman was yanked yet again as the Badgers shell the C.C. Tigers on Friday night. It will be interesting to see what Tigers team shows up tonight? Thank God the Sioux aren't going to have to play the MTU Huskies in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. I am also happy we won't see them again after tonight.

Non-Conference
Bemidji State 2 at Minnesota-Duluth 3
Alabama-Huntsville 3 at Western Michigan 4
Bentley 3 at Maine 1
Quinnipiac 6 at Niagara 4

Analysis
Maine losing to Bentley does kind of shock me. You will hear the Maine fans calling for their coach's head soon.

Sister kissing in Houghton Michigan: UND 3 MTU 3

For whatever reason the Michigan Tech Huskies have the Fighting Sioux's number this season, I can’t explain it, the Sioux just can’t win. If you looked at both teams records and after watching UND run the Gophers out of the building last weekend the Fighting Sioux were only able to gain a tie against the MTU Huskies. In retrospect I can’t say the Sioux have played bad against the Huskies they just haven’t capitalized on their opportunities and they haven’t found a way to get in between the circles of the Huskies defense. I guess we have to say hats off to the “Real Huskies”.

I have to give the Huskies credit they played tough defensively and capitalized on some knucklehead defensive break downs the Sioux gift wrapped for them. While our goaltender has played good this year Brad Eidsness has to be better and start making some timely saves at key times in the game. Every game I see him make a mistake he shouldn’t be making. Brad Eidsness should not be letting in goals from the circles. That is unacceptable. Tomorrow night the Sioux need to play with a little more grit if they want to take 3 of 4 points in the series. Losing tomorrow night is unacceptable, the Sioux need to get to the net like they have a purpose in life and keep moving their feet. Tonight during the second period they were not moving their feet and the Huskies jumped on them.

Positives

*Big Joe Finley blast from the point tonight was a beautiful goal. Big Joe is looking more and more like the Finley of old.

*Another big game for Jason Gregoire 1-1-2 for the night, that kid is a gamer and I can't imagine where UND would be without him this season?

*Mario Lamoureux come back after having his appendix removes and get a point.

Box Score
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1st Period (20:00)
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NDK-1 Jake Marto (2-Tripping) MTU 0x1 8:35
NDK-2 Zach Jones (2-Boarding) MTU 0x2 9:35
MTU-1 Jordan Baker (2-Holding the Stick) NDK 0x1 10:21
MTU-2 John Schwarz (2-Holding) NDK 1x2 14:36
NDK 1 - 0 6x5 PP Jason Gregoire (9) (Ryan Martens, Chay Genoway) 15:57
NDK: 17,8,5,21,19,G31 MTU: 20,23,7,18,G37
MTU-3 Ryan Bunger (2-Tripping) NDK 2x3 17:34
NDK 2 - 0 6x5 PP Jake Marto (2) (Jason Gregoire, Evan Trupp) 19:01
NDK: 25,17,19,21,8,G31 MTU: 18,13,12,20,G37
MTU-4 John Schwarz (2-Tripping) NDK 2x4 19:27
NDK-3 Chris VandeVelde (2-Interference) MTU 0x3 19:57

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2nd Period (20:00)
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MTU 1 - 2 6x6 Alex Gagne (5) (Deron Cousens) 4:52
MTU (+): 18,22,26,8,7,G37 NDK (-): 11,19,5,21,2,G31
MTU 2 - 2 6x6 Brett Olson (5) (Bennett Royer, Geoff Kinrade) 8:37
MTU (+): 16,19,12,26,14,G37 NDK (-): 11,6,8,14,20,G31
MTU-5 Drew Dobson (2-Tripping) NDK 2x5 9:15
NDK-4 Ryan Martens (2-HITTING AFTER WHISTLE) 12:19
MTU-6 Alex MacLeod (2-Cross-Checking) 12:19
MTU-7 Alex MacLeod (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) (Served by Peter Rohn) NDK 2x6 12:19
MTU-8 Alex Gagne (2-Hooking) NDK 2x7 19:06

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3rd Period (20:00)
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NDK 3 - 2 6x6 Joe Finley (1) (Mario Lamoureux, David Toews) 2:34
NDK (+): 2,9,18,5,22,G31 MTU (-): 7,18,22,10,16,G37
NDK-5 David Toews (2-TOO MANY PLAYERS ON ICE) MTU 1x4 3:39
MTU 3 - 3 6x5 PP GT Peter Rohn (2) (Jordan Baker, Deron Cousens) 4:07
MTU: 25,22,26,12,16,G37 NDK: 11,5,2,20,G31
NDK-6 Brett Hextall (2-Roughing) 9:00
MTU-9 Mike VanWagner (2-Roughing) 9:00
NDK-7 Chris VandeVelde (2-Roughing) 17:11
MTU-10 Ryan Bunger (2-Roughing) 17:11
MTU-11 Ryan Bunger (2-Roughing) (Served by Peter Rohn) NDK 2x8 17:11

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Overtime (5:00)
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End of Game

UND vs MTU Lines (updated stats)

Brad Elliott Schlossman has the lines up for tonights game against the real Huskies from MTU. Kozek didn't make the trip.

UND's lines

17 Jason Gregoire --(9-9-18)16 Ryan Duncan (10-8-18)--26 Brett Hextall--(8-8-16)
19 Evan Trupp--(4-9-13) 29 Chris VandeVelde(8-10-18)--21 Matt Frattin--(8-7-15)
20 Matt Watkins(3-5-8)--11 Darcy Zajac(2-8-10)--8 Ryan Martens---(9-8-17)
9 Mario Lamoureux(1-1-2)--22 Brad Malone(2-5-7)--18 David Toews---(4-5-9)

2 Joe Finley(1-3-4) --5 Chay Genoway (2-21-23)
3 Derrick LaPoint--25 Jake Marto(2-4-6)
6 Zach Jones(1-0-1)--14 Brad Miller (4-18-22)

31 Brad Eidsness 13-7-1 GAA 2.62 SV% .908
30 Aaron Walski

Michigan Tech's lines

22 Jordan Baker (9-6-15)--18 Alex Gagne (5-2-7)--7 Alex Lord --(0-3-3)
28 Derek Kitti (1-0-1)--13 Ryan Angelow (1-0-1) --21 Ryan Bunger--(0-1-1)
27 Justin St. Louis (0-0-0)--16 Brett Olson (5-8-13)--14 Alex MacLeod--(3-4-7)
19 Bennett Royer (1-3-4)--25 Peter Rohn (2-0-2)--24 John Kivisto--(1-3-4)

10 John Schwarz (0-0-0)--12 Geoff Kinrade (3-4-7)
26 Deron Cousens (2-4-6)--5 Drew Dobson (0-11-11)
23 Ricky Doriott(0-0-0)--20 Eli Vlaisavljevich (0-1-1)
8 Mike VanWagner (0-1-1)

37 Rob Nolan 2-12-1 GAA 2.98 SV% .895
30 Josh Robinson
31 Corson Cramer

Jason Blake scores hat trick.

Jason Blake has had a hell of a time since he showed up in Toronto last season, he signed a huge contract and scored 15 goals for the season, the fans in Toronto were not happy. I read the Toronto Star sports page on a semi regular basis and the fans in Toronto are not huge Jason Blake fans. I just hope they took into account that Blake had cancer last season, from reading some of the comments posted by fans it appears that they didn't. Last night Blake had a hat trick (2nd goal) and (3rd goal). Lastly, its nice to see Blake get the best of his former coach. I have never been a fan of Paul Maurice. For the season Blake has 13-16-29 in 40 games.

Suddenly a Leaf team that was poised to snap a four-game losing skid plunged back into the miserable hockey it had so desperately tried to erase.

On the bench, though, there was no letdown. Every player kept supporting the guy sitting beside him, right through the worst of it. Then Tomas Kaberle cranked home the game-winner on a power play.

Blake notched an empty-netter to complete his hat trick. That goal also bent the spotlight back toward him, and to the issues that have surrounded his time in Toronto.

The point was raised last night that he is a "different" player than he was last season, when he signed a five-year, $20 million (U.S.) free-agent deal, but followed up a 40-goal season in 2006-07 with just 15 under then-coach Paul Maurice.

He now has 13 goals – tied for second on the team – but admits that he was the problem, not Maurice.

Training camp was not quite over in September 2007 when Blake stunned the hockey world with news that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. With the aid of a super pill, he would play through the ailment, but it was clear he wasn't the high-scoring winger the Leafs had hoped for. (Read the whole story here)

The Time is now. (WCHA expansion)

I don't think the WCHA can just sit by and watch four teams wither on the vine. College hockey is going to have to re-align or risk losing at large bids for the NCAA tourney. I don’t think any of us want to go through that. Losing four bids would affect a lot of our teams and some teams may never make the tourney if it came down to that.

I believe that BSU is the perfect fit for the WCHA; the league can find a second team, this has been discussed in much detail. BSU is a perfect fit for the WCHA as they are geographically between UMD and UND. The Beavers are 3 1/2 hours from Saint Cloud and 4 hours from the University of Minnesota and 320 from Mankato. Sure there is going to be push back from some of the teams but maybe they should take a look inward before they think about denying BSU a chance to play in this league.

Seriously! Mankato, SCSU and UMD you guys were looking for a conference for your sports teams after the NCC folded. Do you think UMD could have won the NCAA Division II football championship without a conference? Nope! It could be your school looking for a conference to play in. Something must be done and soon. BSU is college hockey in my opinion; they have won unprecedented 13 national championships (NAIA, NCAA Division II and III). Yeah I am biased as you can tell part of me has a BSU Beaver tattooed to it. You could say that I bleed green and white. Go Sioux and Go Beavers.

MADISON, Wis. – As a result of a unanimous vote of it’s membership, taken at league meetings being held today in conjunction with the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C., the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has lifted the current moratorium on expansion. The lifting of the moratorium will remain in effect until March 31, 2009.

The lifting of the moratorium on expansion means the WCHA can entertain membership applications from any interested institutions who meet the league’s criteria for membership. Meeting the criteria for membership does not, however, guarantee admittance into the Association.

Review of any applications for membership received by the league office by March 31 would then take place at the league’s spring meeting April 26-28 in Marco Island, Fla. A vote on membership may take place at that time or may be delayed pending receipt and review of additional pertinent information.

Membership admittance requires a 75% majority vote of the current membership, there is one vote per member institution and the vote is cast by the institutional Faculty Athletic Representatives

OHL over reacts.

I believe the OHL has over reacted. The league has decided that if you take your helmet off before or during a fight you will be suspended for a game. I think it is a stupid rule. Fighting is a part of hockey. This rule isn't going to stop guys from ripping their opponents helmet off.

OHL bans helmet removal in fighting
TORONTO (CP) -- The Ontario Hockey League has instituted a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension for players who remove their helmets or undo their chinstraps before or during fights.

The OHL, one of Canada's three top juniors leagues, previously fined a team $100 when a player took off his helmet to fight.

But when 21-year-old senior league defenseman Don Sanderson died Jan. 2 after striking his head on the ice during an on-ice fight, OHL commissioner David Branch said his league had to look at stiffer sanctions.

Sanderson played for of the Whitby Dunlops, who are a senior men's AAA league and not part of the OHL.

"I would suggest to you the fine isn't working. It's not enough of a deterrent," Branch said then. "The issue of removal of helmets for the purpose of fighting is something we must address in a much stronger fashion."

Also under the new rules, if a player removes his helmet and releases his chinstrap to fight and the opposing player doesn't, the former gets an additional two-minute minor penalty in addition to the game misconduct and game suspension.

INCH Chat

Here is the latest from The boys at INCH. I actually am thinking about serving Jess Meyers some barbequed crow when he his predictions go dead wrong. I seriously don't expect the Sioux to win the NCAA title this season but I do expect them to make a run at the NCAA tourney. So basically we are to believe the win over UND is a fluke or does Minnesota suck too? What is it Jess?

Billy (Atlanta): Here come the Sioux (I hope)...Nodak is 9-2-0 since the start of December and 4-0 in 2009. What are you thoughts from last weekends spanking of Minnesota, aaaaaand what Sioux team do you foresee heading down the stretch, the back to back 6 goal scoring (20 in the last four) team or the GLI Sioux who couldn't beat my sister and only managed 2 goals on the weekend?

Jess Myers: History tells us that the six-goal version is the one we'll see from now until the opening game of the Frozen Four, when it will all go horribly wrong and Boston College will cruise into the championship game. But more to the point, I stick by my November and December contention that North Dakota is OK, but just OK. They're part of that huge muddle in the middle of the WCHA, and are in the hunt for home ice, but not a lock for home ice.
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Robert/Denver/CO: Will North Dakota make its annual second half (of the season) run and go deep into the playoffs?


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Mark: Fargo, ND: Do you see the UND Fighting Sioux making another second half run, especially with the destruction of the gophers this last weekend or do you think they will still take 7th place in the WCHA?

Jess Myers: I'm someone who admits it when I have it all wrong. But sorry Sioux fans, I'm not convinced just yet that my 7th place prediction was too far off. Of course, after winning four in a row, the folks who bleed
green are certainly convinced that those picking the Sioux in the top five nationally were right on the mark. The key to the recent success North Dakota has had is the improved defensive play, and the on-going maturity of some talented freshmen. In previous years, the second-half surges by North Dakota followed first halves in which they underachieved. If it happens this year it will mean overachieving in the second half.
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Burke is scouting college hockey players.

Props to the illegalcurve.com for this article. Note to Sioux fans if you see Brian Burke in the REA don't let him near the Sioux locker room. You can bet if Tyler Bozak has a successful recovery he is going to get some fat contract offers.

(read the Toronto Star article right here) --- Burke, set to move into his new Toronto house in the next two weeks, caught only the third period of the Nashville loss, having spent most of the evening in Boston carefully watching defenceman Matt Gilroy of the Boston University Terriers, probably the most sought-after U.S. college free agent available this spring.

If fans wonder what exactly Burke is doing these days, there's your answer. Looking for players.

Along with Tyler Bozak of Denver University and Notre Dame centre Christian Hanson, son of Dave Hanson of the famed Hanson Brothers from the movie Slap Shot, the 24-year-old Gilroy might be ready to step right into an NHL lineup this spring.

Weekend Match-ups (Sioux 7)

Before I get into this weeks games, lets take a quick look at the WCHA's meetings at the NCAA convention. It looks like the league will vote on whether or not to lift the moratorium on expansion. Of course, if they vote to lift it, the Beavers of Bemidji State will be extremely happy. Since lifting the moratorium would give them a chance at getting into the WCHA. Just something to keep in the back of your heads, now onto this weekends games.


WCHA Standings
1 Denver...................11-4-1...23
2 Wisconsin............... 9-5-2...20
3 Colorado College...... 8-6-2...18
4 North Dakota.......... 8-5-1...17
4 Minnesota.............. 7-4-3...17
6 Minnesota-Duluth..... 5-6-5...15
7 St. Cloud State........ 7-7-0...14
7 Minnesota State...... 6-8-2...14
9 Alaska-Anchorage..... 4-8-2...10
10 Michigan Tech....... 1-13-2...4


#11 Colorado College at #16 Wisconsin
Can CC win another Friday night game? Can UW hold onto 2nd place in the league, just ahead of CC? These questions will be answered this weekend :) UW sweep UAA last weekend at Anchorage (7-9-2 overall), but got sweep the week before by ex-WCHA member Northern Michigan (6-13-3 overall). UW has only 2 wins over teams, that currently have winning records (UND and UMich). CC wants to prove this weekend that they fully intend to win for the McNaughton Cup, for a second year in a row. I think the Badgers have been beating the "lesser" teams and struggling with good teams. I think everyone could agree that CC is a good team. The Tigers sweep.


St. Cloud State at/home #7 Minnesota
SCSU is coming off a sweep of the UMD, and UM is coming home being swept by UND. With this cold weather, I would bet Huskies wouldn't mind it at all, with their big fur coats, they would be just fine. I think the same goes for their team, some more points this weekend and they will be eyeing a top half finish. For the Gophers, losing a pair this weekend, could sent them into the bottom half. If the Gophers don't get some points, I think the team might feel as ill as their coach :( Get will soon Coach Lucia! I'm going to call it a split.


Alaska-Anchorage at Minnesota State
UAA trails MSUM by 4pts in the standing, but has 2 games in hand on them, can the Seawolves move into a tie with the Mavericks, and pass them up. Or will the Mavericks get some more wins and distance themselves from the 9th place Seawolves?
The Purple Pucksters entered the Christmas break on a 6 game losing skid, but since the New Year are 2-1. UAA has lost it's last 4 games, all to UW, but a month apart between the series. MSUM took 3pts from the Seawolves in Anchorage earlier this season, and no doubt the Seawolves would like to return the favor. I think UAA grabs some points, SPLIT.


#17 North Dakota at Michigan Tech
The Sioux appear to have started their now customary second half run, going 8-2 in their last 10. However, both losses where at the GLI and one was to MTU. MTU on the other hand has only 3 wins since the 1st of November, 2 versus Northern Michigan and 1 versus UND. I see the win over UND as a blip in the Sioux system. The Sioux where firing on all cylinders last weekend, and the Gophers were not helping themselves, which makes them look even worse. The Sioux are healthy going into the 2nd half, Trupp is back, as well as Finley. I see more points in the Sioux future, put those shovels away and break out the brooms, again, Sioux Sweep.



NON-CONFERENCE

Bemidji State at Minnesota-Duluth
Both the Bulldogs and the Beavers enter this weekend on 3 game losing skids, so both want to get back into the win column. BSU is wanting to have a strong showing against, which could be a conference foe in a couple of years, the Bulldogs. The Beavers own a 6-4 record agains the Bulldogs in their last 10 games. I'm going the safe way call on the series, SPLIT.


#4 Denver is on a bye week

Pronger hit on Zach Parise.

This is the Chris Pronger elbow on Zach Parise that everyone was talking about, by the way the NHL is not going. Pronger has been suspended 8 times by the NHL for his bush league tactics. I think the NHL was wrong in not suspending Pronger and should have given him a game. Doesn't the NHL want to limit head shots?

I am going to say not...

I saw this God awful hockey jersey over on Puck Daddy I am going to say I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that thing. First it is dissing the great 8 Alex Ovechkin and second its a Crapitals jersey. Two wrongs don't make a right. Talk about the cult of personality. Yesh!

You also have to wonder if this clowns ears are cold he is wearing a stocking cap in doors.

Seems you forgot part of the story.

First off; this isn't the first time I have been disappointed with the Herald's coverage of local sports, (I am not unhappy with the Fighting Sioux Hockey coverage) more specifically I am unhappy with the high school hockey coverage of this newspaper.

Last night Seth Lang making his first start in a month after sitting out with a lower body injury makes a return to the ice for the Central Knights and plays a really great game in net for the Central squad. Nary is a word mentioned about his performance by the coach and or the Heralds reporter that filed the story. WTF? I guess the goalie holding his team in the game at a crucial point in the game is not important?

Hockey is supposed to be one of the biggest sports in Grand Forks, North Dakota and the Herald finds the Basketball game between Red River and Central more important and places the story on the front page of the sports page. A Hockey game between the defending state champion and the Central Knights is placed on the third page of the sports page.

This is the reason many of us have canceled our Herald news paper subscriptions in the past. The only reason I renewed my subscription was I was tired of driving to Valley Dairy in the cold to pick up the newspaper on Sundays. I may have to rethink my decision because I can read the paper on line.

Boys hockey: Central tops Spoilers
Virg Foss Grand Forks Herald
Published Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sophomore Jordy Aamot can’t recall if he’s ever scored a shorthanded goal. It’s likely he’s never been part of a goal eight seconds into the game, either.

All that changed Tuesday night in Fido Purpur Arena.

Aamot’s assist on Jake Plutowski’s goal eight seconds into the game and his shorthanded breakaway goal at 2 minutes, 18 seconds of the second period were key in Grand Forks Central’s 5-2 North Dakota East Region boys hockey victory over Grafton-Park River.

One of Central’s top players, Casey Purpur, was called for a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind at 15:27 of the opening period.

Just seven seconds later, Grafton’s Ryan Mohagen banged in a rebound on the ensuing power play to tie the game.

Injuries pile up in Boston. (Kessel out)

Boston got some bad news as their star forward Phil Kessel has mono. Lets hope that Phil won't be out too long. The Northeast division leading Bruins are starting to rack up the injuries --- Patrice Bergeron concussion, Manny Fernandez wrist, Milian Lucic upper body injury, Andrew Ference broken leg, Aaron Ward unknown.

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins placed forward Phil Kessel on injured reserve Monday, as the emerging young star is battling mononucleosis.

Kessel had played in all 42 of Boston's games this season, posting a team-best 24 goals with 17 assists for the top club in the Eastern Conference

More bad news Marco Strum is out for the year after surgury on his knee.

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Boston Bruins forward Marco Sturm underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair the meniscus and ACL in his left knee.

Sturm will miss the remainder of the season after recording 13 points in 19 games this season for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins. Sturm led the team last season with 27 goals.

In 11 seasons with the Sharks and Bruins, Sturm has 212 goals and 429 points, eclipsing the 20-goal mark in each of the previous six years.

Lucia doesn't have cancer.

Here is some good news that just came out. While the Sioux and Gophers are heated rivals and even after all of the stuff that went on out on the ice we are all human beings. We wish tDon a speedy recovery.

"I don't have cancer."

So said University of Minnesota men's hockey coach Don Lucia, speaking extensively today for the first time about the undetermined illness that has forced him to miss four games in the past two weeks and has spawned numerous rumors.

Lucia, who has "one more round of tests" from doctors scheduled Wednesday, added, "The good thing is right now it sounds like the nasty stuff has been eliminated, and they're trying to pinpoint what type of treatment plan."

Since falling ill on Dec. 27, Lucia has been forced to deal with a private and uncertain medical situation while also being a daily topic of discussion in the media because of his public persona.

NCAA Round up. (Going Five Hole)

Here is the weekly NCAA round up posted at Sean Leahy's Going Five Hole

There aren’t a lot of great College Hockey match-ups to watch this week that really do anything for me. I want to return to a point that I touched on earlier this season, the perceived strength of Princeton, Cornell and Air Farce Academy all of these team have or are ranked pretty high in the college hockey rankings for most of the season. I believe that these teams are not as good as some would like to believe.

Air Farce Academy: At the beginning of the season Air Farce was the talk of college hockey going an impressive 13-0-0, this schedule was at the expense of the cup cakes teams and the weak sister of the poor. During that 13-0-0 streak the Falcons had one semi-impressive win a 4-1 victory at Colorado College, the next night they were beaten by Denver University. Rightfully so, Air Farce has since fallen off after a fast start and has since gone 2-4-1 pretty much squelching any premature talk of the Falcons going to the frozen four, but I digress. See, I told you so.

Cornell University: Sure it’s a nice story that Cornell is 11-1-3 but seriously folks who have they beaten? Cornell has played the least games out of anyone in the top 20 and has a very questionable schedule the rest of the way, its stuffed full of horrible teams except Princeton if you believe the hockey pundits. I see another number one seed exiting the first round NCAA tourney early, ala Clarkson two seasons ago.

If Cornell is such a national power house why did they lose 7-3 to North Dakota? According to the hockey experts like INCH the Fighting Sioux are a mediocre team. The Big Red won the next game 2-1 because UND had a goal waved off on a very questionable call (Cornell should have given props to the WCHA official that gift wrapped them the game). The Big Red also played SCSU in the Florida College Classic Championship. In the first game of the tourney the Big Red were out shot 38-26 and barely beat SCSU 3-2. SCSU was all over the Big Red in the third period and the Big Red escaped with the win thanks to Cornell goalie Ben Scrivens.

In the Championship game of the Florida College Classic the Big Red needed a shootout to beat a poor Colgate team (6-9-5) in the championship game. So; either Colgate is one of the best 6-9-5 hockey teams in division one hockey or Cornell is highly over rated. I am thinking the later.

Princeton University: During the past 2 weekends the 5th ranked Princeton Tigers (13-5-0) lost three games in a row, two of these games to very questionable teams; Union 11-8-1 and Rensselaer 4-15-2. This weeks the same two teams play media darling Cornell University. It will be interesting to see if Cornell can escape with a victory. I could also see RMU beating Princeton in two weeks when the two teams play in a single nonconference game.

Goon’s Top Ten

1 Notre Dame
2 Boston University
3 Northeastern
4 Denver
5. Michigan
6. Ohio State University
7. Vermont
8. Boston College
9. New Hampshire
10. Colorado College

Subject: Dear Abby... (hockey joke)

I had this sent to me in an email and I think it is funny on this cold winter day.


Dear Abby,

I have never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I
have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me.
The usual signs; phone rings but if I answer, the caller hangs up.
My wife has been going out with "the girls" a lot recently although
when I ask their names, she always says, "just some friends from work,
you don't know them". I try to stay awake and look out for her when
she comes home, but I usually fall asleep. Anyway, I have never
broached the subject with my wife.

I think deep down I just did not want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to finally check on her. Around midnight, I hid in the garage behind my hockey equipment so I could get a good view of the whole street when she arrived home from a night out with the girls. When she got out of the car she was buttoning up her blouse, and she took her panties out of her purse and slipped them on. It was at that moment, crouching behind my hockey gear, that I noticed a hairline crack where the blade meets the graphite shaft on my new one piece hockey stick. Is this something I can fix myself or should I take it back to the pro-shop where I bought it?

A few things from the Sioux Gophers series.

I re-watched both games today while my car was in the shop. Here is a couple things that I noticed.

*The last time that the Gophers had 6 or more goals scored against them was 1-27-2007(North Dakota 7-3) that was 80 games ago. The Sioux accomplished that feat two nightS in a row.

*The Rug said, "that UND has a dismal power play." Yep the Fighting Sioux are so bad that they are ranked 12th nationally.

*Woogism -- Woog said "it would be a 5-4 game during the radio show at the Long Haul Saloon; I don't know how Minnesota gets four. "Instant classic right there."

*Gophers fan like to call Sioux fans "halos" because they think Sioux fans whine about the officials excessively. I watched the two games on FSN twice each. Doug and the Rug spent a lot of time talking about how the refs weren't calling the new rules and complaining about the officials not making calls. I dont' know how many times I heard there's a hook, or there is a high stick. So, do we call them halos as well?

*3 coaches have lead their team to 4 straight frozen fours: Jack Parker, BU; Doug Woog, UMN and Dave Hakstol, UND.

Here is a break down of the Fighting Sioux records the last four and half seasons.
before Christmas 2008-2009 9-10-1 | after Christmas 4-0
before Christmas 2007-2008 9-7-1 | after Christmas 19-4-3
before Christmas 2006-2007 10-10-1 | after Christmas 15-4-4
before Christmas 2005-2006 13-8-1 | after Christmas 16-8-0
before Christmas 2004-2005 13-8-2 | after Christmas 12-8-3
The last five years before Christmas the Fighting Sioux have a .503 winning percentage and after Christmas the Sioux are have a winning percentage of 700 percent.

Poll Monday (Sioux ranked 17)

USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll
January 12, 2009

Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Notre Dame (46) 18-3-2 993 1
2 Boston University ( 2) 14-4-1 943 2
3 Northeastern 14-4-2 868 4
4 Denver 15-6-2 827 5
5 Cornell ( 2) 11-1-3 790 8
6 Michigan 15-7-0 692 10
7 Minnesota 10-5-5 674 3
8 Vermont 12-4-3 669 12
9 Miami 12-7-3 525 6
10 Princeton 13-5-0 510 7
11 Colorado College 12-7-5 483 10
12 Boston College 9-6-3 474 9
13 New Hampshire 10-6-4 420 13
14 Ohio State 15-6-1 380 16
15 Air Farce 15-4-1 295 14
16 Wisconsin 12-9-3 235 17
17 North Dakota 13-10-1 173 NR
18 Dartmouth 10-6-0 161 15
19 Yale 11-4-0 114 NR
20 Nebraska-Omaha 13-7-3 108 18
Others Receiving Votes: St. Cloud State 48, Minnesota State 30, Quinnipiac 24, Alaska 22, Maine 15, Minnesota-Duluth 8, Michigan State 7, Union 5, RIT 4, Massachusetts 2, Ferris State 1

Notre Dame has gone 16-0-2 in their last 18 games. UND moves up with it's sweep of the Gophers. Surprisingly media darling Princeton hasn't fallen further by losing to couple of cup cakes over the weekend. Cornell still at 5, I don't get it? Cornell hasn't even played 15 games yet.

USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
Jan. 12, 2009
Rank School (first-place votes) Record Points Last week

1 Notre Dame (30) 18-3-2 501 1
2 Boston University (2) 14-4-1 475 2
3 Northeastern 14-4-2 421 4
4 Denver 15-6-2 389 7
5 Cornell (2) 11-1-3 385 6
6 Michigan 15-7-0 323 11
7 Vermont 12-4-3 317 10
8 Minnesota 10-5-5 275 3
9 Miami (Ohio) 12-7-3 199 8
10 Princeton 13-5-0 180 5
11.11 Colorado College 12-7-5 158 12
12 Boston College 9-6-3 135 9
13 New Hampshire 10-6-4 129 13
14 Ohio State 15-6-1 95 15
15 Air Farce 15-4-1 46 14
Others receiving votes: University of Wisconsin, 18; Yale University, 9; University of North Dakota, 8; Quinnipiac University, 6; University of Maine, 4; Dartmouth College, 3; University of Nebraska Omaha, 3; Rochester Institute of Technology, 1.

Sioux finally crack the INCH power rankings

INCH Power Rankings
January 11th 2009

1. Notre Dame
2. Boston University
3. Cornell
4. Denver
5. Northeastern
6. Vermont
7. Michigan
8. Minnesota
9. Princeton
10. Boston College
11. Miami
12. Ohio State
13. Colorado College
14. Air Farce
15. New Hampshire
16. Dartmouth
17. Wisconsin
18. North Dakota
19. Yale
20. Nebraska-Omaha

Dropped out: Quinnipiac, Minnesota Duluth
Bubble-licious: Quinnipiac, St. Cloud State

Some of us had wondered if UND sweeps the Gophers would they actually make the INCH power rankings or not. We did it. With the Sweep this weekend the Fighting Sioux have moved up to 17th in the (Pairwise Rankings). The Sioux need to keep winning against the REAL HUSKIES this weekend. QUinnipiac dropped out of the Power Rankings and is still bubble-licious why isn't UMD?

Chay Genoway for Hobey.

The voting for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award has started fan voting on line. Sioux fans here is your chance to vote for Fighting Sioux defenseman Chay Genoway. I know there are a few people that are going to roll their eyes and say Chay isn't a legitimate candidate but looking at the numbers I believe he is. Genoway is tied for 4th place in points nantionals with often mentioned Kurt Davis. Like the Habs fans I plan on stuffing the ballot box. No! I am not a fan of the Montreal Canadians.


Points Per Game (Defensemen): GP G- A- P P/GM
1 Greg Flynn Air Force SR D 20 4-20-24 1.20
2 Jamie McBain (CAR) Wisconsin JR D 24 5-23-28 1.17
3 Eddie Del Grosso Nebraska-Omaha JR D 22 5-19-24 1.09
4 Kurt Davis Minnesota State SO D 23 5-18-23 1.00
Brad Miller North Dakota SR D/F 22 4-18-22 1.00
Chay Genoway North Dakota JR D 23 2-21-23 1.00
7 Dan Ringwald RIT JR D 22 2-19-21 0.95
8 Cade Fairchild (STL) Minnesota SO D 18 4-13-17 0.94
9 Garrett Raboin St. Cloud State JR D 22 6-14-20 0.91
10 Patrick Wiercioch (OTT) Denver FR D 19 7-10-17 0.89