Phil Kessel back skating.

I would hope that this means that the Bruin forward is going to be playing for the Boston Bruins soon. The Bruins will need his offensive imagination in the second half as the Bruins make their run to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Kessel skates for 35 minutes
Kevin Paul Dupont --- Globe Staff

Phil Kessel skated for approximately 35 minutes under the watchful eye assistant coach Doug Houda, but based on coach Claude Julien's summation, it did not sound as if the third-year forward is on the verge of returning to the lineup.

''He can't take any contact,'' said Julien, noting standard practice for someone recovering from mononucleosis. ''That's why he stayed on after [the rest of the group worked out]. His condition can change, day-to-day. But he is obviously feeling much better.''

Gabby to Vancouver?

Props to the illegal curve for this find. I could see the Wild and the Canucks being up for this trade. Maybe the Minnesota Wild could get something of value in return? The Wild need to get players that can put the puck in the net. Getting something is better than just having Gabby walk after the end of the season.

In Minnesota, the oft-injured Marian Gaborik is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and it's believed the Wild would like to jettison him by the deadline rather than get nothing back in the summer.

The Vancouver Canucks definitely have the cap room to add a forward like Gaborik, and it's a good bet GM Mike Gillis would like to add more offensive punch to go up against Western Conference powerhouses San Jose and Detroit.

League office to review incident(s)

The WCHA league office is going look at the video of the Dasher Trolls walk across the ice and the incidents from last Friday's game between the Sioux and Pioneers. If the WCHA is going to start looking at game film to hand out additional penalties and suspensions maybe the league office needs to look inward and start looking more closely to their on ice official's job performance. While Gwozdecky was wrong to show up the officials and walk across the ice and delay the game there is a reason he performed these antics. The fans get it George the officials in the WCHA are sub par and they down right suck. Until the coaches and the league schools complain nothing will change.

While we are looking at film I hope that the league Commish sees the blatant spears by J.P. Testwuide on Sioux forward Chris VandeVelde, that should have been a major penalty.

AWAITING THE JURY: Not that he wouldn't have reviewed the video anyway, but University of Denver's melee against North Dakota on Friday did not go unnoticed by WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod, who watched the fights unfold live on television from the World Arena press box during CC's tie against St. Cloud.

McLeod said any disciplinary action resulting from the episodes, including coach George Gwozdecky's ejection from the game Saturday, wouldn't be determined until he receives a review from Greg Shepherd, the WCHA's supervisor of officials

CCHA investigating incident.

The CCHA is investigating the incident from Saturday night's game. It will be interesting to see how many games Tropp is suspended I think that 2-3 games is about right. Slashing a player while they lay on the ice is unacceptable. Also, I agree with the announcers wanting to fight a guy for a legal hit is bush league and Conboy should get some kind of punishment for his tactics as well.

CCHA investigating incident that landed Michigan hockey player Steve Kampfer in hospital; statement expected this week...
by Kevin Ryan | The Ann Arbor News
Monday January 26, 2009, 11:17 AM
The in-game actions of Michigan State University hockey players Andrew Conboy and Corey Tropp, the two who sucker-punched and slashed Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer during Saturday's game at Yost Ice Arena, are being reviewed by the Central Collegiate Hockey Assocation, and the league is expected to announce its findings before this weekend's games, associate commissioner Fred Plech said Monday morning.

With 53 seconds remaining in Michigan's 5-3 victory Saturday, Kampfer, a junior, was clothes-lined and sucker-punched from behind by Conboy along the boards. As he lay motionless on the ice, Tropped whacked at Kampfer's neck area with his stick. Moments earlier, Kampfer had knocked Tropp off his feet with what appeared to be a clean open-ice hit.

Tropp was ejected from the game after being assessed a five-minute major penalty for slashing, two 10-minute misconducts and a double game-disqualification, all of which carry a minimum suspension of three games, per CCHA rules. Conboy was given a double minor roughing penalty.

Poll Monday.

USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll

January 26, 2009
Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Notre Dame (37) 19-3-3 987 1
2 Boston University (13) 18-5-1 963 2
3 Northeastern 17-5-2 867 5
4 Cornell 14-2-3 831 3
5 Minnesota 12-5-5 791 6
6 Vermont 14-5-4 716 7
7 Denver 15-7-3 696 4
8 Michigan 18-8-0 692 8
9 Princeton 13-5-0 582 9
10 Miami 14-8-4 553 10
11 Boston College 11-8-3 450 14
12 North Dakota 15-10-3 432 15
13 New Hampshire 11-8-4 353 11
14 Ohio State 16-7-3 347 12
15 Wisconsin 13-10-3 279 16
16 Minnesota-Duluth 13-7-6 271 17
17 Colorado College 13-9-6 244 13
18 Yale 13-5-1 158 NR
19 Air Force 17-6-1 97 20
20 Dartmouth 10-7-2 67 18
Others Receiving Votes: St. Cloud State 42, Nebraska-Omaha 24, RIT 23, Alaska 17, Minnesota State 5,
Massachusetts 4, Quinnipiac 4, St. Lawrence 4, Niagara 1
----------------------------

USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
Jan. 19, 2009
Rank School (first-place votes) Record Points Last week
1 Notre Dame (22) 19-3-3 496 1
2 Boston University (6) 16-5-1 464 2
3 Cornell (6) 13-1-3 434 4
4 Denver 15-6-2 394 7
5 Northeastern 15-5-2 386 6
6 Minnesota 12-5-5 336 8
7 Vermont 13-5-3 304 7
8 Michigan 16-8-0 280 6
9 Princeton 13-5-0 222 10
10 Miami (Ohio) 13-8-3 188 9
11 Ohio State 16-6-2 156 14
12 New Hampshire 11-6-4 154 13
13 Colorado College 13-8-5 132 11
14 Boston College 9-8-3 46 12
15 North Dakota 15-10-3 45 NR

Others receiving votes:
Wisconsin 17, Alaska 9, Nebraska-Omaha 9,
Air Force 2, Michigan State 2, Quinnipiac 2, Yale 2.
----------------------------

INCH Power Rankings

1. Notre Dame
2. Boston University
3. Cornell
4. Northeastern
5. Vermont
6. Denver
7. Michigan
8. Minnesota
9. Princeton
10. Miami
11. North Dakota
12. Ohio State
13. Boston College
14. Wisconsin
15. New Hampshire
16. Colorado College
17. Air Force
18. Minnesota Duluth
19. Yale
20. RIT
Dropped out: Dartmouth, Alaska
Bubble-licious: St. Cloud State, Dartmouth, Nebraska-Omaha

In the INCH power ranking UMD could be higher. USA Today didn't even have UND's record right the Fighting Sioux are 15-10-3.

Internet Trolls.

There are a few people that take themselves way, way, way too serious. When I started this blog it was to have fun. At this current time I am still having fun. Most of us write blogs because it is a hobby. Now we have these self appointed narcissistic experts that think they are the hockey blog police. You know these people; they are people that are insecure in their skin that need to cut others down to feel better about their pathetic self. These are the people that sit in their mother’s basement with oatmeal on their shirt parsing every word and phrase that bloggers write. They also comment on every misspelled word and punctuation mark that is missed, then when you go to their blog they have misspelled words and pictures that of woman’s hockey players when the article is about a men’s hockey team. Sorry but you really need to get a life, I am not quitting because you take issue with what I write.

Always brave when hiding behind a fake name on the net

These trolls are always brave when they can hide behind a moniker or fake name using multiple email addresses and log in names. It is pretty easy to figure out who they are because use the same phrases and say the same things. These trolls have multiple login names on college hockey message boards and are an administrator’s night mare, one name is deleted and banned another name will sprout up almost instantly. These guys are real brave when they are anonymous and write anything; nothing is out of bounds because they know they don’t have to pay for their comments. Yet in public they wouldn’t dare say this stuff to you because they are gutless punks.

Now we have a few morons that have dedicated a blog to Brandon, BrettB and my blog (I will not link their blog because it isn’t worth mentioning plus they are just trolling for hits) they are going to focus on every article and point that we make. Now! Talk about your basic losers. If that isn’t a text book definition of loser I don’t know what is? Let’s review; you think our bogs are that bad, so you’re going to waste your time pointing out how bad you think these blogs are? WTF is that? So let me get this right; your life is really that pathetic and that bad that you have to focus on us? If that isn’t pathetic I don’t know what is? If you think our blogs are that bad don’t read it. Why lower yourself?

Sioux7 not going anywhere

Now to some house cleaning issues. Our friend from RWD's suggested that I give Sioux7 his pink slip. Come on now! that is not going to happen. Sioux7 is a great friend of mine and I personally hired him to jinx the other teams around the WCHA. Unfortunately the Badgers have thrived under Sioux7's predictions

Profanity

From time to time posts have been removed for objectionable content. I have many family and friends that read my blog and I am not having them wade through vile filthy, horrible, objectionable comments. If you can't use the language you're posting in a letter to a business colleague or your mother it shouldn't be posted. If you can't comment without being respectful and with out cussing don't comment. Again, its the common courtesy thing. Notice how people are really brave while hiding behind a fake name. These are people from the same ilk that caused Brad to have to moderate his hockey blog. The lack of class that some people ooze is mind boggling.

There should be a suspension

Props to LetsGoDu. This is why Sioux fans affectionately call Denver Coach George Gwozdecky the Dasher Troll. While this Gwozdecky meltdown added some good theater to Saturday's game, the leauge must suspend Gwozdecky for this antics during the game, this is unacceptable and can't be tolerated. There should have also been another penalty when Gwoz walked out on the ice. Hey George we get it, Todd Anderson is a horrible hockey ref, no disagreement there.

Scores from 1-24-2009

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Atlantic Hockey
Bentley 4 at Sacred Heart 3
Army 2 at Air Force 3
Connecticut 0 at Mercyhurst 6

Analysis
Air Force swept their 2 games series again Army.

CCHA
Michigan State 3 at Michigan 5
Lake Superior 8 at Bowling Green 4
Western Michigan 4 at Ohio State 1
Miami 6 at Nebraska-Omaha 1
Alaska 2 at Northern Michigan 2 ot: NMU wins shootout

Analysis
Michigan sweeps MSU and things got way out of hand last night(video included on top). MSU player Andrew Conboy went Todd Bertuzzi on Steve Kampfer after Kampfer legally checked Corey Tropp. While Kampfer was laying on the ice MSU player/thug Corey Tropp hacked him on the back of the neck with his stick. That folks is my definition of a bush league move. Seriously! Your opponent has been cheap shoted ans is laying on the ice motionless while another player comes and slashes him in the back of the neck. The Michigan State thug Corey Tropp should be gone for the rest of the season, that isn't acceptable in any league.

The blog that Yost Built has a run down of the incident as well as Michigan Victors. The CCHA has to suspend Corey Tropp for a very long time. There will be suspension for both Michigan State players.

CHA
Niagara 1 at Bemidji State 3

Analysis
Beavers and Purples Eagles split this weekend's series.

ECAC
Brown 1 at Cornell 5
Rensselaer 3 at Clarkson 4 ot
Yale 5 at Colgate 4 ot
Union 2 at St. Lawrence 5

Analysis
Clarkson has won 4 games in a row after having a very rough season. Cornell beats Brown, but then everyone has anyways.

Hockey East
Mass.-Lowell 3 at Merrimack 2
Maine 3 at Boston College 6
Massachusetts 1 at Vermont 1 ot
Providence 3 at Northeastern 6
Boston University 3 at New Hampshire 1

Analysis
Since being swept by Vermont, Boston University is 11-1-1, that is a pretty impressive run. Not a good showing by New Hampshire this weekend as they give up 8 goals to the Terrirers and score one.

WCHA
Minnesota State 4 at Minnesota-Duluth 7
St. Cloud State 6 at Colorado College 1
Denver 2 at North Dakota 2 ot
Michigan Tech 3 at Alaska-Anchorage 3 ot

Analysis
Two sister kissings in Anchorage this weekend. Like I told someone MTU is better than their record. The real Huskies play tough and clog up the neutral zone. MSUM is going through a very rough stretch right now they have 3-10-0 record since the December.

Non-Conference
Robert Morris 8 at Quinnipiac 5

Eidsness saves UND: UND 2 DU 2

Tonight the Fighting Sioux escaped with a point and took three out of four points from the WCHA leading Denver Pioneers. Last night the Fighting Sioux ran the Pioneers out of the building. Tonight's game the tables were turned and the ice seem to be slanted in the Pioneers direction. The Fighting Sioux's young goaltender kept them in the game and allowed them to gain a point in the game.

After last night game you expected the Pioneers to have a better effort and the Pioneers were the better of the two teams. To say that the Sioux were flat tonight would be an understatement, Fighting Sioux goalie Brad Eidsness played his best game of the season and kept the Fighting Sioux in the game, this very well could have been a10-3 game. Brad Eidsness made many point blank saves throughout the game and got lucky as a few of his rebounds were of the juicy variety. The Sioux cannot win games against good teams like DU if they don’t move their feet. Tonight the Sioux didn’t move their feet, they were a step slow and beat to the puck all night. It was obvious that DU made the proper adjustments in tonight’s’ game. When this team moves it feet and plays an up-tempo game they can skate with anyone and out skate most teams in the country.

Observations

After watching this weekend's series Denver and UND are the two best skating teams in the WCHA in my opinion. I predict they will meet again.

With his play on the weekend Brad Eidsness improves to 15-7-3 GAA 2.5048 Sv% .910.

The dasher Troll George Gwozdecky was back tonight. Coach Gwozdecky should be suspended from the next two games for his unprofessional behavior in tonight's game. Walking across the ice was unacceptable. I mean we get it George the refs in the WCHA suck but coaches are expected to be professionals. After jumpinig up on the dasher and making a walk across the ice the Pioneers got the next 5 power plays in a row. The WCHA officials and their supervisor should be sanctioned/disciplined. This season the NCAA mandated that the officials focus on the obstruction and clean the game up. They league officials are in violation of that mandate and are back to calling game like they did in the past.

I think from reading the article in the Rocky Mountain News you can tell that Gwoz was not the only one that was upset with the officating of tonight's game. Here is coach Hakstol on the Denver Coach's antics.

UND coach Dave Hakstol wouldn’t comment about Gwozdecky’s ejection or the possibility of further punishment by the league.

But, he said, “My question is why he didn’t get another penalty (for going on the ice). A 5-on-3 would have been key for us.”

There was no scoring in the third period or five-minute overtime, although the Pioneers had the majority of the chances.

That was due in part to Denver having five power plays and UND none after Gwozdecky’s ejection.

“We have to take some responsibility for some of the penalties,” Hakstol said. “But five in a row?”

BOX SCORE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NDK 1 - 0 6x6 Matt Frattin (12) (Chris VandeVelde) 4:44
NDK (+): 21,29,14,6,19,G31 DEN (-): 6,8,28,22,17,G1
DEN-1 Dustin Jackson (2-Hooking) 6:34
NDK-1 Mario Lamoureux (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 6:34
DEN 1 - 1 6x6 Anthony Maiani (8) (Chris Nutini, Brandon Vossberg) 11:21
DEN (+): 6,27,24,14,16,G1 NDK (-): 5,11,20,14,8,G31
DEN-2 Brandon Vossberg (2-Hooking) NDK 0x1 16:18

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

DEN-3 Dustin Jackson (2-Hooking) NDK 0x2 1:31
DEN-4 Joe Colborne (2-Roughing) 6:37
NDK-2 Chay Genoway (2-Roughing) 6:37
DEN-5 Tyler Ruegsegger (2-Hooking) NDK 0x3 7:03
DEN-6 BENCH (10-Game Misconduct) 9:30
DEN-7 BENCH (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) (Served by Matt Glasser) NDK 0x4 9:30
NDK-3 Brett Hextall (2-Cross-Checking) DEN 0x1 14:49
NDK 2 - 1 6x6 Evan Trupp (5) (Darcy Zajac) 16:52
NDK (+): 19,11,25,3,26,G31 DEN (-): 28,9,15,12,16,G1
NDK-4 Chay Genoway (2-Interference) DEN 1x2 18:27
DEN 2 - 2 6x5 PP GT Patrick Wiercioch (8) (Anthony Maiani, Rhett Rakhshani) 19:00
DEN: 28,16,9,12,15,G1 NDK: 25,20,11,3,G31

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

NDK-5 Joe Finley (2-Interference) DEN 1x3 1:56
NDK-6 Matt Frattin (2-Roughing) DEN 1x4 5:58
NDK-7 Ryan Duncan (2-Tripping) DEN 1x5 8:51
Timeout - Denver 19:43

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overtime (5:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NO SCORING

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

Watkins on the breakaway.

SIoux fans are smiling ear to ear today after last night's game. This goal should get Sioux fans in the mood for tonights game. This the Matt Watkins many of us were expecting when he arrived at UND from the BCHL, this was a pretty goal.

Check out the beginning of the clip as Denver Punk player Rhett Rakhshani squirts water at the REA fans.

Friday night at the REA.

Since 2005-2006 the Fighting Sioux have a 7-5 record against DU. The 8-3 score means nothing today. This has become one of the most contested series that UND plays in. While I don't expect a full out donny brook I think there will be some high emotions in tonights game. I watched this video a few times and J.P. Testwuide speared Vandy.
I am surprised the refs didn't give him a five minute major for it.

Check out PCM's write up in the Rocky Mountain News. Wow, he has gone from being a pseudo reporter to the big time. :)

North Dakota scored four goals in the first period and three in the second en route to the victory, handing the Pioneers their biggest defeat in Grand Forks since 2000 and their worst defeat in more than four years.

Going 12-3-1 since late December, 15th-ranked North Dakota followed a familiar formula to down the fourth-ranked Pioneers, getting goals from eight players.

“They’ve got good depth and good balance. They played with good speed tonight,” Denver coach George Gwozdecky said of North Dakota. “I thought we practiced well, but it’s very difficult to spend as much time away from games as we have since mid-December and try to simulate the speed and especially the intensity of game in practice.”

DU’s Marc Cheverie, who entered the contest as the WCHA’s top goalie, was pulled from the game not once, but twice.

This season the Sioux have chased some great goaltenders from the game; let's review the line up; Marc Cheverie, Ben Scrivens, Jase Weslosky and Alex Kangas.

Scores from 01-23-2009

Friday, January 23, 2009

Atlantic Hockey
Army 1 at Air Force 5
Connecticut 2 at Mercyhurst 7
Bentley 5 at Sacred Heart 6 ot

Analysis
Air Force beats Army after losing three games in a row.

CCHA
Miami 2 at Nebraska-Omaha 2 ot: UNO wins shootout
Alaska 0 at Northern Michigan 2
Michigan State 2 vs. Michigan 6
Lake Superior 3 at Bowling Green 4
Western Michigan 2 at Ohio State 2 ot: Ohio State wins shootout

Analysis
A couple of more shootouts in the CCHA. Michigan continues to dominate Michigan State University.

CHA
Niagara 4 at Bemidji State 3

ECAC
Union 3 at Clarkson 4 ot
Yale 4 at Cornell 3
Rensselaer 7 at St. Lawrence 6 ot
Brown 4 at Colgate 1

Analysis
Well, well, well, what do we have here? Cornell loses to Yale and drops from 1st to 5th in the pairwise. As Jason Moy said: "We saw last night just how volatile and fragile Cornell’s top position in the PWR was. We also saw how volatile a position Yale was in too."

Hockey East
Northeastern 3 at Providence 1
Massachusetts 1 at Vermont 2
New Hampshire 0 at Boston University 5

Analysis
Boston University continues to play tough shutting out the Wild Cats 5-0.
Northeastern remains hot right now.

WCHA
Denver 3 at North Dakota 8
Michigan Tech 3 at Alaska-Anchorage 3 ot
Minnesota State 0 at Minnesota-Duluth 4
St. Cloud State 4 at Colorado College 4 ot

Analysis
Colorado College continues to struggle on Friday night 3-5-5 in thirteen games.
UAA finds out that MTU is tough to play.

Non-Conference
Robert Morris 4 at Quinnipiac 5

Mike Check:
I guess some might need to rescind their predictions/statements that North Dakota is going to is going to finish seventh in the WCHA. — Eric, Grand Forks, N.D.

Nice wins this past weekend for the Fighting Sioux. Of course, they are just three weeks removed from scoring a total of two goals in consecutive losses to the 11th-place team in the CCHA (Michigan State) and the last place team in the WCHA (Michigan Tech). Just something to bear in mind.

Sioux 8 DU 3

If I had to describe the game in two words it would be; total domination. The Sioux out worked, out hustled and out scored the first place Denver Pioneers. The Fighting Sioux needed to come out strong and set the tone early, they did and scored four goals in the first period and never looked back.

No power outage for the Sioux

At the beginning of the season the Fighting Sioux were having trouble scoring goals, in their last 5 games the Sioux have scored; 6, 6, 3, 5, 8 the Sioux are averaging over 5.6 goals per game. There isn't just one line scoring like Sioux teams of years past. On this year's team there are four lines contributing and scoring goals. Everyone seems to be buying into their role. There are 15 guys on the Sioux roster with double figures in points. That folks is balanced scoring. When we say the Sioux are winning games, the Sioux aren't winning close games they are beating good teams and great goaltenders by big margins. The Fighting Sioux are jumping on teams early and often. The Fighting Sioux remind me of the piranas with their current play.

How big is the return of Big Joe Finley? Finely 1g-3a-4pts on the night was a major offensive force to be reckoned with. Ryan Duncan continues to contribute at a high level as he had 1g-2a-3pts. Jake Marto continues his torrid pace 1g-2a-3 pts and has six points in three games.

BOX SCORE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Period (20:00)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEN-1 Jesse Martin (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) NDK 0x1 2:25
DEN-2 J.P. Testwuide (2-Hooking) NDK 1x2 6:35
NDK 1 - 0 6x5 PP LL Chris VandeVelde (9) (Jake Marto, Ryan Duncan) 7:29
NDK: 29,25,19,8,21,G31 DEN: 19,25,9,5,G1
NDK 2 - 0 6x6 Ryan Martens (10) (Matt Watkins, Joe Finley) 8:35
NDK (+): 20,8,11,25,3,G31 DEN (-): 8,25,22,28,19,G1
NDK-1 Brett Hextall (2-Slashing) DEN 0x1 9:46
NDK 3 - 0 6x6 Jake Marto (5) (Brad Malone, Evan Trupp) 11:52
NDK (+): 25,22,19,26,14,G31 DEN (-): 18,19,14,7,11,G1
NDK 4 - 0 6x6 GW Ryan Duncan (11) (Joe Finley, Matt Watkins) 13:37
NDK (+): 16,2,17,5,18,G31 DEN (-): 12,7,14,18,11,G1
DEN-3 John Lee (2-Tripping) NDK 1x3 14:07
DEN 1 - 4 6x6 Rhett Rakhshani (11) (Patrick Wiercioch, Tyler Ruegsegger) 19:57
DEN (+): 9,28,15,25,16,G35 NDK (-): 2,8,11,20,5,G31
DEN-4 Stephen Cunningham (2-Slashing) NDK 1x4 20:00

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

NDK-2 Ryan Martens (2-Hooking) DEN 0x2 2:39
NDK-3 Matt Watkins (2-Hooking) DEN 0x3 6:02
DEN-5 Rhett Rakhshani (2-Slashing) 10:16
NDK-4 Ben Blood (2-Unsportsmanlike Conduct) 10:16
NDK 5 - 1 5x5 Matt Watkins (4) (Darcy Zajac, Joe Finley) 10:41
NDK (+): 20,11,2,5,G31 DEN (-): 7,28,12,14,G1
NDK-5 Ryan Duncan (2-Slashing) DEN 1x4 12:13
DEN 2 - 5 6x5 PP Tyler Ruegsegger (9) (Rhett Rakhshani, Anthony Maiani) 12:28
DEN: 15,9,16,12,28,G1 NDK: 20,3,25,11,G31
NDK-6 Jake Marto (2-High-Sticking) DEN 1x5 12:28
DEN 3 - 5 6x6 Luke Salazar (12) (Jesse Martin, Joe Colborne) 19:20
DEN (+): 18,14,12,28,11,G1 NDK (-): 8,11,5,2,20,G31

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

NDK 6 - 3 6x6 David Toews (5) (Andrew Kozek) 2:19
NDK (+): 18,10,22,25,3,G31 DEN (-): 18,12,7,25,14,G1
NDK-7 Matt Frattin (2-Hooking) DEN 1x6 2:52
DEN-6 Dustin Jackson (2-Slashing) NDK 1x5 5:06
DEN-7 John Lee (2-Roughing) 6:01
NDK-8 Chris VandeVelde (2-Roughing) 6:01
NDK 7 - 3 6x6 Matt Frattin (11) (Evan Trupp, Chris VandeVelde) 8:20
NDK (+): 21,19,29,2,5,G31 DEN (-): 7,12,6,25,18,G1
DEN-8 Rhett Rakhshani (2-Elbowing) NDK 2x6 9:59
DEN-9 Anthony Maiani (10-Misconduct) 9:59
DEN-10 Dustin Jackson (2-Slashing) NDK 2x7 9:59
DEN-11 Dustin Jackson (10-Misconduct) (Served by Matt Glasser) 9:59
DEN-12 Patrick Mullen (2-Roughing) 10:14
DEN-13 J.P. Testwuide (10-Misconduct) 10:14
DEN-14 Brandon Vossberg (2-Roughing) 10:14
DEN-15 Brandon Vossberg (2-Roughing) 10:14
DEN-16 J.P. Testwuide (2-Roughing) 10:14
DEN-17 J.P. Testwuide (2-Roughing) 10:14
DEN-18 J.P. Testwuide (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 2x8 10:14
NDK-9 Brad Miller (2-Roughing) 10:14
NDK-10 Chris VandeVelde (10-Misconduct) 10:14
NDK-11 Chris VandeVelde (2-Roughing) 10:14
NDK-12 Chris VandeVelde (2-Roughing) 10:14
NDK-13 Brett Hextall (2-Roughing) 10:14
NDK-14 Brett Hextall (2-Roughing) 10:14
NDK 8 - 3 6x4 PP Joe Finley (2) (Ryan Duncan, Jake Marto) 11:18
NDK: 2,16,25,22,11,G31 DEN: 19,6,28,G35
DEN-19 Joe Colborne (2-Roughing) 18:29
DEN-20 Chris Nutini (2-Roughing) 18:29
DEN-21 Brandon Vossberg (2-Roughing) 18:29
DEN-22 Jesse Martin (2-Roughing) 18:29
NDK-15 Chay Genoway (2-Roughing) 18:29
NDK-16 Joe Finley (2-Roughing) 18:29
NDK-17 Darcy Zajac (2-Roughing) 18:29
NDK-18 Ryan Martens (2-Roughing) 18:29
NDK-19 Darcy Zajac (2-Cross-Checking) DEN 1x7 18:29

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

Last time DU and UND faced off.

Last time UND and DU got together Kyle Radke was one of the few people I have ever seen in the modern era of college hockey get into two fights in the same game. That feat was accomplished last year during the DU and UND series at Ralph Englestad Arena. I expect to see more of this kind of action, lots of goals and up and down the ice action.

Here are some interesting points going into this week.

Power Surge: UND has scored at least one power-play in each of the last six games. The Sioux power-play is converting at 19.4 percent this season to rank fourth in the WCHA.

Record:---- Overall---- Home---- Away---- Neutral
ALL GAMES--- 14-10-2---- 8-3-0--- 6-4-2--- 0-3-0
CONFERENCE-- 9-5-2------ 6-2-0--- 3-3-2--- 0-0-0
NON-CONFERENCE 5-5-0---- 2-1-0--- 3-1-0--- 0-3-0

Did DU's Cody Brookwell predict a fight this weekend?

In reading the Denver Post article on the Sioux and Pioneers; is the Denver defenseman Cody Brookwell predicting a fight this weekend when the Sioux and Pioneers meet on the ice? In watching the Sioux play this season they are not the type of team that is going to goon it up.

Check it out --- Last season in Grand Forks, the Sioux swept DU in a chippy series that included three full-fledged fights in the finale. In the final brawl between North Dakota's Kyle Radke and Brandon Vossberg, Gwozdecky was furious his players remained spectators when Radke took Vossberg down to the ice and pummeled him in defenseless fashion.

Radke has since graduated, but the Sioux still like to fight, an illegal NCAA tactic that complements their legal physical play. Two weeks ago in Grand Forks, North Dakota and Minnesota combined for 98 penalty minutes to cap the Sioux's two-game sweep. Afterward, Gophers defenseman R.J. Anderson said North Dakota "came to a war with guns and we came with butter knives."

"We've talked about it, that we're going to take the physical play to them right away, to let them know we're not intimidated," DU junior defenseman Cody Brookwell said. "There is a time and place (to fight), and there are guys on this team willing to go with a guy. That's part of the game, and sometimes it needs to be dealt with."

The Rocky Mountain News seems to be expecting some shenanigans as well. I highly doubt we are going to see a lot of after the whistle stuff nor do I expect to see a donny brook this weekend. UND is hardly a team full of goons the Sioux are ranked 18th over all in penalty minutes when in years past they had been ranked number one.

The University of Denver hockey team has left its balmy hometown for frigid North Dakota, where Brandon Vossberg and the rest of the Pioneers know their reception will be even more chilling.

DU opens a series against its Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival Friday night at the Fighting Sioux's Engelstad Arena, returning to the venue for the first time since a brawl almost one year ago led to foul moods and suspensions.

DU coach George Gwozdecky, though, said the chaos paled when compared with the encounters his college teams with Wisconsin endured against the Fighting Sioux three decades ago.
-----Snip------
As in past years, most notably in the seasons after former DU forward Geoff Paukovich delivered a hit on North Dakota's Robbie Bina in 2005 that left Bina with a neck injury that kept him sidelined for more than a year, the Pioneers are bracing for a rude welcome from the Fighting Sioux faithful.

"I think that's what we like about the game," Vossberg said. "We understand the history, and to be honest, I think that motivates us even more. That's part of the game - the physical aspects, the rough-and-tough stuff. For some reason with them it definitely tends to come out a little more, but we like that. We've been preparing all week for it."

Interesting perspective on head shots.

Here is an interesting article about head shots and the league and the players association going after the offenders that are committing these fowls. Mike Peca has an interesting perspective on head shots. You change your opinion of them once it happens to you a few times. Peca is almost saying, "I was for them before I was against them."

Hunting the headhunters- Mike Peca will admit it: Early in his NHL career, when it came to hitting and concussions, he was the one who played hard and fast and wasn't overly worried if the opponent he'd just hammered in the head needed help getting off the ice.

Then it started happening to him — the head shots, concussions and all those lingering effects — and now he has a different view on what has become the primary safety issue among the NHL's more than 800 players.

"Once you receive a couple [of concussions], it kind of changes your perspective on what the rules should be in the game," the veteran Columbus Blue Jacket said. "In our game, a lot of stuff is reactionary, but there are a lot of hits where guys have plenty of time to make a decision … should I check the puck back or should I pulverize this guy regardless of the position he's in? And far too often, it's the latter."

While many in and around the game vigorously debate the merits of fighting after the death of senior hockey defenceman Don Sanderson, the majority of NHL players are concerned with how to reduce the number of head shots that have crumpled the likes of Patrice Bergeron, Simon Gagné and Andrei Kostitsyn, to name just a few.

I think one of the biggest issues in the NHL is a players lack of respecting for their opponents when they are in a vulnerable positions. The Jones hit on Bergeron last year concerns me, Jones could have let up in that situation instead of hammering his opponent into the boards. Jones got a 2 game suspension, Bergeron was out for the rest of the season.

I think the NHL league office should start hammering the players harder in the wallet and suspending the players that don't back off the head shots before they get way out of hand. There is also the old saying live by the sword and die by the sword eventually a dirty player gets what is coming to him. You just hope that guy doesn't ruin a couple of players careers on the way.

Some guys intentionally go for the head shot, but I think its bad karma," Vancouver Canucks forward Darcy Hordichuk said. "You know, what goes around comes around. I try not to hit anybody when they're in a vulnerable position, and I'd hope that guys respect that with me if I'm ever in a vulnerable situation."

"There's no place for it," Eric Nystrom of the Calgary Flames added. "You've got to put yourself in the other guy's position."

We Are North Dakota

I think Mr. Lang nails it today in his letter to the Grand Forks Herald. Why do we need rush to immediately replace the Fighting Sioux name? There is no logical reason in my opinion. Why not drop the name and have a dialog on its replacement? Is there is any reason why the University of North Dakota's sports teams can just simply be "North Dakota" during the transition period? When the University, students and Alumni find a suitable name then we can make the transition to that nick name and logo. I like most Sioux fans know that political correctness will not allow us to keep our nick name and logo, however there are 60+ years of history connected to the Fighting Sioux name and a replacement may take time. I have seen a few nice replacements that I like but we shouldn't make a rash decision.

GRAND FORKS — I agree with the Herald’s Jan. 11 editorial, “It’s time to drop the Sioux nickname and logo” (Page D1), and with its suggestion that the Fighting Sioux nickname should be dropped but not changed. Deciding on a new nickname so soon after dropping “Sioux” would create hard feelings for everyone who cares about the matter (which, based on the sheer volume of letters-to-the-editor over the past few years, is a lot of people), with the exception of the one person or group whose idea for a new nickname gets chosen.

Once the legal aspects of the matter have been finished up, UND can concentrate on the things it needs to focus on — things such as seeking admittance to a Division I athletic conference and recruiting, both athletically and scholarly.

Also, maybe we fans need to change our views of what dropping the nickname means. It does not mean that we lose the constitutional right of freedom of speech. We can still wear the old gear on which we’ve spent so much money. They can still be “Sioux” athletes in our hearts, if not in law.

Plus, who knows? After a generation of no nickname representation, the state’s Sioux tribes may want the name reinstated.

For now, we are North Dakota.

Dustin Lang

INCH Chat

Here is the latest from the boys at INCH. Just a couple of things that have to be addressed. I guess when a hockey team has 7 seniors in the line up it's seen as having just enough leadership. What the hell is that?

I guess Jess is starting to realized that his prediction that UND will finish in 7th place might be a little off and is probably going to have to back track from it and possibly retract it.

Our goaltender that Jess has questions about has better numbers than the goalie from UMN. Let compare Brad Eidsness 14-7-2 GAA 2.51 and SV% .908 > Alex Kangas 12-5-5 GAA 2.68 and S% .906. D'oh! I guess Minnesota has goalie issues then? In the last four games Alex Kangas has given up 6,5,2,6 goals.

Lastly, if Minnesota is the best of the rest how come the Sioux took them apart, piece by piece? I don't buy the logic anymore because UND went through Minnesota with ease and is also the only team to beat Cornell. I wonder if Jess even watched the games between the Sioux and Gophers? Let me guess; coach was gone, the WJC players were tired. Hey Jess; just come and say it, you hate UND. I am sure a lot of us wouldn't have a problem with that, because you can't claime you're being objective.

Andrew: (Denver, CO): How do you think the gophers will do for the rest of the season? Do you think that they can pull it together and finish off how they started off and win the WCHA? Who is the strongest team in the WCHA?

Jess Myers: I'd pick Denver as the strongest team in the WCHA, and the Pioneers have a chance to prove that this weekend at North Dakota. Minnesota is definitely behind Denver in my book, but is the best of the rest, from what I've seen. So I don't see them winning the regular season barring a slip-up by Denver, but Minnesota is a very good hockey team.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam: Mandan ND: What do you think about the Sioux and Pioneers series this weekend, and what impact will it have on the outcome of the WCHA for the remainder of the season?

Jess Myers: If Denver sweeps this weekend, the Sioux are in the Pioneers' rear-view mirror for good. Frankly, I don't see that happening, with the way North Dakota is playing right now. Denver is a better team, but the Sioux are hotter. That should make for some great hockey.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert-Denver-CO: Its hard to put a handle on North Dakota this year. History says it will not happen but if ND sweeps a very good Denver team this weekend and sits alone atop the WCHA what will you guys think of this team? It appears they could be turning into something special with a bunch of blue chippers "and" still enough talent with playoff experience. What say you??

Jess Myers: North Dakota is awash in young talent, and has just enough veteran leadership to succeed right now. I may have had the Sioux a bit
underrated early in the season (I picked them for seventh in the WCHA while some were calling them a top five team in the nation) but I figured it would take that young talent a little bit of time to mature. And I was unsure then (and still am a little bit) about their goaltending. Right now they're on the bubble for an NCAA invite, which is quite an accomplishment after the rough start they had.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave (Grand Forks,ND): Do you think it is a down year in the WCHA or are the teams just beating up on each other?

Jess Myers: I definitely think this is a down year overall. Most of the elite teams in the nation are playing in other conferences. Denver and Minnesota are near-locks for the NCAA tournament, and the league will get one or two more teams in (North Dakota and Wisconsin, maybe) but this is not going to be an all-WCHA Frozen Four by any means.

Tim Thomas hits Jason Blake.

Watch Bruin's goalie Tim Thomas lay a hit on former Sioux forward and current Toronto Maple Leaf Jason Blake during last night's game. At the end of the play you can hear Blake say the F' is that. Oh by the way the Bruins won the game 4-3 in a shootout.

NHL testing new goalposts.

This is something that I am not in favor of and a place the NHL should not go. I like other hockey fans are not in favor of this move at all. We have the new rules, we have made the goalies smaller and now they want to screw with the dimensions of the net. What next? I don't think there is a problem with scoring in the NHL right now. This would be a gimmick in my opinion.

NHL tests net result of new goalposts
Maybe this is something that will finally allow the Maple Leafs to score a goal on home ice.

The NHL is experimenting with different-shaped posts and crossbars to see if more shots that normally clang off the iron might instead be directed into the net.

It's a way the league might be able to increase scoring without changing the size of the nets.

Mike Murphy, the league's vice-president of hockey operations, described the new post as a "teardrop" shape, like the rim of a paper coffee cup that has been squeezed.

The league did its first testing of the new nets at the Air Canada Centre during yesterday's Leaf practice, filming the workout to see how pucks reacted when they hit the posts. A DVD of the experiment will be studied internally and then passed on to the league's general managers.

"It's a little bit of research and development to see if, without changing the size of the nets, we can make the nets more rewarding offensively," said Murphy.

This hit warrants a two game suspension?

Props to RPI Hockey. This is the hit that everyone is talking about in the ECAC. Apparently the ECAC refs instructed the Big Red to skate off the ice and not shake hands with the RPI Engineers. Correction: I watched the hit a few times I dunno, I have seen worse go uncalled before. I just don't know if this hit warrants a two game suspension. It definitely isn't a boarding call, but the argument could be made that it was probably a high stick. What do you think?

ALBANY, N.Y. -- ECAC Hockey today announced that Rensselaer junior defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer has been suspended for two games by the League as a result of incidents in the Engineers' contests versus Colgate Friday, January 16 and Cornell Saturday, January 17 at the Houston Field House in Troy, New York.

Burgdoerfer was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for hitting from behind at the 15-minute mark of the third period versus Colgate; and a five-minute major and game disqualification for boarding at the 20-minute mark of the third period versus Cornell. The disqualification penalty automatically carries a one-game suspension as mandated by NCAA ice hockey rules