As always I include the INCH Power Rankings because they are interesting to look at. Sometimes they provide good cannon fodder. I took the liberty of correcting their post for UND, the Sioux are on the dreaded bye week and play the big slow lumbering team from UAA next weekend.
1. Boston College
2. Yale
3. Denver
4. North Dakota 1 Senior defenseman Chay Genoway was hurt in Friday's loss at Colorado College and didn't play Saturday; his replacement, sophomore Joe Gleason, scored his first career goal in Saturday's 6-0 rout. 19-8-2 (14-6-0 WCHA) LAST WEEK: L at Colorado College, 4-2; W at Colorado College, 6-0. THIS WEEK: OFF Next Weekend vs. Alaska Anchorage, vs. Alaska Anchorage
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. New Hampshire
7. Rensselaer
8. Union
9. Michigan
10. Merrimack
11. Wisconsin
12. Notre Dame
13. Miami
14. Western Michigan
15. Boston University
16. Dartmouth
17. Princeton
18. Maine
19. Nebraska-Omaha
20. Colorado College
Dropped out: Ohio State
Bubble-licious: Minnesota, Niagara, RIT, Robert Morris
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Pegula drew violations as gas driller
Buffalo News ---- In the course of making his fortune, the Florida billionaire negotiating to buy the Buffalo Sabres contributed heavily to politicians in a position to advance his business interests and established a less-than-stellar track record in the environmentally dicey business of drilling for natural gas, The Buffalo News has found.
A News review of compliance records found East Resources, the company Terrence M. Pegula sold last summer for $4.7 billion, had a middling record of complying with environmental regulations in Pennsylvania, his base of operations. The company last year paid the largest regulatory fine in its history and was involved in a spill of toxic wastewater that resulted in the first quarantine of cattle in the history of natural gas drilling in the state.
What do you think of people who end Anthem with Sioux instead of brave?
Dave Ramsey Gazette --- Saturday night, North Dakota fans invaded World Arena in force. These fans made more noise than Colorado College fans, which makes sense. They had plenty to cheer about in North Dakota’s 6-0 victory.First off, I wore the uniform of my countries military and I see nothing disrespectful with saying and the home of the Sioux at the end of the national anthem. This is a whole lot to do about nothing and more whining about the Fighting Sioux logo and their fans… Personally, I am not going to stop doing it. Why should I? I don’t need a history lesson to know what our nation’s flag stands for. I am a veteran that answered the call and picked up a weapon to defended this great country so self proclaimed elites like you could have your precious freedom of speech protected. In Chicago the Blackhawks fans cheer and clap through the whole national anthem and the building shakes. So what? What do you want? You want people to be arrested for saying the home of the Sioux? What is this guy and the P.C. crowd going to complain about where there no longer is a Fighting Sioux nickname? The Sioux will still be the big mean ______________!!!
They had fun. They made a lot of noise. And that’s all fine.
But they began the night by shouting “home of the SIOUX” instead of “home of the brave.” Guess the actual words of the anthem aren’t quite good enough for North Dakota fans. And, I guess, in the land of free North Dakota fans can sing the anthem any way they want, even if this behavior offends and saddens those who care about our great country and its great anthem.
Glad my dad wasn’t around to listen to his National Anthem polluted by the North Dakota shouters. Guess it’s just another one of those traditions UND fans cling to so fiercely.
What do you think of this behavior by North Dakota fans?
Let me know.
Wakeup call could prevent CC nightmare vs. DU Read more:
Well this weekend the Fighting Sioux are on the “dreaded bye week” sitting atop of the WCHA standings and now will become score board watchers. The Pioneers and the Tigers will play a home and a home so this might be a preview of things to come. Fighting Sioux logo hater Dave Ramsey has this article in today’s Gazette.
Gazette.com --- Now, Owens can offer a fresh horror film to his youthful Tigers as he prepares for the Pioneers. He can show them footage from Saturday’s debacle against North Dakota.
“You know what? I’m not going to burn the tape,” Owens said. “We’re going to look at it. We’re going to watch it.”
The loss ended a weird weekend for the Tigers. On Friday, after CC muscled its way to a convincing victory over North Dakota, hope was rampant for the Tigers.
They had delivered their most impressive and important victory of the season. They had devoured a North Dakota team that had won 10 of 12.
Could the Tigers keep this up?
Ah, no.
The answer became clear barely two minutes into the second period when Brett Hextall scored from point-blank range to give North Dakota a 2-0 lead.
Following the goal, fans in UND green were standing and shouting all over World Arena while fans in yellow and black sat quietly. It had been bad. It would get worse.
North Dakota, which rides off with a 14-6 Western Collegiate Hockey Association record, revealed itself as a legit national title contender.
“They were really, really good,” Owens said, accurately. “They were physical and tough.”
Sunday morning pontifications - making sense of the senseless
There will be a new number one hockey team on Monday in the three polls as the mighty Yale Bulldogs proved they are a human as they lost to RPI and Union on consecutive nights this weekend. [Yale Daily], [Parting Schotts], [The Record]
After running the UAA Seawolves out of the building the first night, the not so Golden Gophers lost a 1-0snorer game to the UAA Seawolves on Saturday night. Watching both games of this series, I think we can expect more of the same when the UAA Seawolves make the trek to Grand Forks, ND in two weeks on February 11th and 12th. The Seawolves are going to line 4 guys up at their blue line and are going to force the Sioux to break through their defense, some might call it a neutral zone trap, I call it God awful hockey to watch or B-O-R-I-N-G hockey. [Goal Gophers], [Red Star and Sickle], [Delusions of Grandeur]
The SCSU Huskies had a seven game unbeaten streak before losing to the MSU-M Mavericks 6-2 on Saturday night. While the 6 game win streak might be impressive to some fans the Huskies had only beaten on team with a record above .500, the Miami RedHawks. [Puckato], [SCSU Pucks and Stuff]
The Wisconsin Badgers swept the hapless Huskies in Houghton, Michigan and you have to wonder if the Huskies will win another game this season. The Huskies last won a game on October 15, 2010 against the Minnesota State Mavericks. While the Badgers sport an impressive 18-8-3 record they have won one game against a team ahead of them in the standings. The Badgers have gone 0-2 against UND, 1-3 against UMD and 0-1-1 against DU. The Badgers play the UNO Mavericks this weekend in Omaha. [UW Badgers], [Madison.com], [6o minutes, no alibis, no regrets]
The UAH Chargers traveled to Omaha, Nebraska and beat the UNO Mavericks 2-1 in overtime, the Chargers played their freshman goaltender Clarke Saunders and he was nothing short of amazing as he stopped 58 of 59 shots and turned back the high flying UNO Mavericks. According to UNO beat writer Chad Purcell the UNO's Mavericks have an impressive record of 5-3-0 against Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota. Against, Bemidji State, Quinnipiac and Alabama-Huntsville the UNO Mavs' have a not so impressive record of 1-6-1. This is why we play the games folks, anyone can beat anyone at any time. [uahchargers.com], [No college hockey news what-so-ever to be found in Huntsville], [Omaha.com]
After running the UAA Seawolves out of the building the first night, the not so Golden Gophers lost a 1-0
The SCSU Huskies had a seven game unbeaten streak before losing to the MSU-M Mavericks 6-2 on Saturday night. While the 6 game win streak might be impressive to some fans the Huskies had only beaten on team with a record above .500, the Miami RedHawks. [Puckato], [SCSU Pucks and Stuff]
The Wisconsin Badgers swept the hapless Huskies in Houghton, Michigan and you have to wonder if the Huskies will win another game this season. The Huskies last won a game on October 15, 2010 against the Minnesota State Mavericks. While the Badgers sport an impressive 18-8-3 record they have won one game against a team ahead of them in the standings. The Badgers have gone 0-2 against UND, 1-3 against UMD and 0-1-1 against DU. The Badgers play the UNO Mavericks this weekend in Omaha. [UW Badgers], [Madison.com], [6o minutes, no alibis, no regrets]
The UAH Chargers traveled to Omaha, Nebraska and beat the UNO Mavericks 2-1 in overtime, the Chargers played their freshman goaltender Clarke Saunders and he was nothing short of amazing as he stopped 58 of 59 shots and turned back the high flying UNO Mavericks. According to UNO beat writer Chad Purcell the UNO's Mavericks have an impressive record of 5-3-0 against Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota. Against, Bemidji State, Quinnipiac and Alabama-Huntsville the UNO Mavs' have a not so impressive record of 1-6-1. This is why we play the games folks, anyone can beat anyone at any time. [uahchargers.com], [No college hockey news what-so-ever to be found in Huntsville], [Omaha.com]
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sioux 6 Tigers 0
What a difference a night makes, like I said last night, to my buddy that I watched the game with, if C.C. doesn’t clean up the turnover from the neutral zone in that the Sioux will bury them. You cannot turn over shots in the slot and not eventually get burned. A hot goalie (I am not talking about hot or not) can only hold on so long and compensate for their defense’s mistakes before the mistakes compound and bury that team. Adjustments to defensive schemes must be made or the mistakes will eventually catch up with them, that appears to have happened to the Sioux on the Friday game the last three weekends. Then the following game the coaching staff has made adjustments and come back to win in each series. With the Win tonight the Fighting Sioux are 9-4-1 on the road this season.
Tonight the Sioux were all over the Tigers from the drop of the puck to the final horn; the Sioux were aggressive on the fore check and hit the Tigers on every chance. The B2TV announcers commented on how the Sioux were hitting and that the Tigers didn’t want to retaliate and take a penalty. I think that mind set is the problem, last time I checked hockey allows checking and it’s a physical game. When the Sioux smartly fore check and hit legally and stay out of the box they are very hard to play against. Teams that play a finesse game like the Gophers or Huskies don't respond well to that type of hockey. Tonight was an example of what can happen when the Fighting Sioux play that type of a game, hit and hustle and be the first one to the puck, crash the net.
Danny Kristo heating up
Danny Kristo kind of reminds me of a former Gopher hockey player Phil Kessel, not saying it’s a bad thing but he does a lot of the same things Phil used to do. Kristo likes to move the puck up ice but at times has trouble with turnover and that leads to breakaways going the other way. Danny has started playing better cutting down on the turnovers and is starting to make plays and is getting rewarded in the points department. Kristo after starting slowly has picked it up and now sits at (5g-17a-22pts) in 29 games.
Night of streaks and stats
CC hasn't lost a hockey game by six goals since 2006.
Gleason had a 52 game goal-less drought snapped tonight, as he scored his first of his career.
Aaron Dell fourth Shutout of the season and now has five for his career.
The UND Fighting Sioux now have an impressive record of 25-1-2 in the black jerseys since the 2006-2007 season. The Sioux are an impressive 7-0 this season wearing the black jerseys.
The scoring tonight was spread out as six different Fighting Sioux hockey players scored in a 6-0 Fighting Sioux shellacking of C.C.
The UND Fighting Sioux are 13-0-1 when leading after two periods of hockey.
UND has 10 players with 10 or more points, 5 players with 25 or more points.
Goon’s Three Stars of the Game
1.) Aaron Dell 4th shutout of the season.
2.) Danny Kristo (0g-3a-3pts)
3.) Brock Nelson (1g-1a-2pts)
[Live Box Score]
C.C. Beat writer blog
FightingSioux.com
Tonight the Sioux were all over the Tigers from the drop of the puck to the final horn; the Sioux were aggressive on the fore check and hit the Tigers on every chance. The B2TV announcers commented on how the Sioux were hitting and that the Tigers didn’t want to retaliate and take a penalty. I think that mind set is the problem, last time I checked hockey allows checking and it’s a physical game. When the Sioux smartly fore check and hit legally and stay out of the box they are very hard to play against. Teams that play a finesse game like the Gophers or Huskies don't respond well to that type of hockey. Tonight was an example of what can happen when the Fighting Sioux play that type of a game, hit and hustle and be the first one to the puck, crash the net.
Danny Kristo heating up
Danny Kristo kind of reminds me of a former Gopher hockey player Phil Kessel, not saying it’s a bad thing but he does a lot of the same things Phil used to do. Kristo likes to move the puck up ice but at times has trouble with turnover and that leads to breakaways going the other way. Danny has started playing better cutting down on the turnovers and is starting to make plays and is getting rewarded in the points department. Kristo after starting slowly has picked it up and now sits at (5g-17a-22pts) in 29 games.
Night of streaks and stats
CC hasn't lost a hockey game by six goals since 2006.
Gleason had a 52 game goal-less drought snapped tonight, as he scored his first of his career.
Aaron Dell fourth Shutout of the season and now has five for his career.
The UND Fighting Sioux now have an impressive record of 25-1-2 in the black jerseys since the 2006-2007 season. The Sioux are an impressive 7-0 this season wearing the black jerseys.
The scoring tonight was spread out as six different Fighting Sioux hockey players scored in a 6-0 Fighting Sioux shellacking of C.C.
The UND Fighting Sioux are 13-0-1 when leading after two periods of hockey.
UND has 10 players with 10 or more points, 5 players with 25 or more points.
Goon’s Three Stars of the Game
1.) Aaron Dell 4th shutout of the season.
2.) Danny Kristo (0g-3a-3pts)
3.) Brock Nelson (1g-1a-2pts)
[Live Box Score]
C.C. Beat writer blog
FightingSioux.com
Lines for tonight's game - Who is sitting tonight.
RWD's favorite beat writer Brad Schlossman has the lines up for tonight's game between the Sioux and the Tigers. It's looks like either Mike Cichy or Brock Nelson is going to sit tonight, neither player had a strong game last night. Pony express line is still in tact. Joe Gleason is in on defense.
UND’s lines
19 Evan Trupp–22 Brad Malone–21 Matt Frattin
17 Jason Gregoire–10 Corban Knight–11 Derek Rodwell
26 Brett Hextall–27 Carter Rowney–7 Danny Kristo
(29 Brock Nelson or 8 Mike Cichy)–9 Mario Lamoureux–15 Brent Davidson
4 Derek Forbort–24 Ben Blood
3 Derrick LaPoint–25 Jake Marto
2 Andrew MacWilliam–20 Joe Gleason
32 Aaron Dell
31 Brad Eidsness
Colorado College’s lines
23 Tim Hall–22 Nick Dineen–15 Andrew Hamburg
9 Dakota Eveland–12 Archie Skalbeck–17 Tyler Johnson
14 Stephen Schultz–13 Rylan Schwartz–27 William Rapuzzi
16 Alexander Krushelnyski–11 David Civitarese–21 Jeff Collett
24 Ryan Lowery–7 Eamonn McDermott
10 Gabe Guentzel–4 Joe Marciano
28 Mike Boivin–6 Doug Leaverton
31 Joe Howe
39 Josh Thorimbert
1 Tyler O’Brien
UND’s lines
19 Evan Trupp–22 Brad Malone–21 Matt Frattin
17 Jason Gregoire–10 Corban Knight–11 Derek Rodwell
26 Brett Hextall–27 Carter Rowney–7 Danny Kristo
(29 Brock Nelson or 8 Mike Cichy)–9 Mario Lamoureux–15 Brent Davidson
4 Derek Forbort–24 Ben Blood
3 Derrick LaPoint–25 Jake Marto
2 Andrew MacWilliam–20 Joe Gleason
32 Aaron Dell
31 Brad Eidsness
Colorado College’s lines
23 Tim Hall–22 Nick Dineen–15 Andrew Hamburg
9 Dakota Eveland–12 Archie Skalbeck–17 Tyler Johnson
14 Stephen Schultz–13 Rylan Schwartz–27 William Rapuzzi
16 Alexander Krushelnyski–11 David Civitarese–21 Jeff Collett
24 Ryan Lowery–7 Eamonn McDermott
10 Gabe Guentzel–4 Joe Marciano
28 Mike Boivin–6 Doug Leaverton
31 Joe Howe
39 Josh Thorimbert
1 Tyler O’Brien
The hit that injured Chay Genoway
Before you take my head off, I know, I know, it's not a great video because I used my wife's digital camera to record the video, I also don't have a very strong hand either, however, it does show the hit that Chay was injured on. I am in the process of looking to purchase a DVD video recorder so if you have one you would suggest that I buy let me know what you recommend and I will look into purchasing one.
Let me say this, the hit on Genoway was clean and it didn't look good, I am not a doctor, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express but I wouldn't be surprised if Chay is out for a very long time. I hope not.
Tigers 4 Sioux 2 --- Let's get off the ledge...
There wasn’t a lot to be positives that can be taken from last night’s game, the two goals by Jason Gregoire give me reason to remain positive going forward, as I said on the radio on Friday (KNOX 1310) when asked by R.J. Richards who I thought was due to have a big series I said, "that Jason Gregoire is due to break out this weekend" and with his two goals last night Jason Gregoire has 5 goals in the last three games.
I thought that the Fighting Sioux dominated the Tigers to start the game but took an ill advised penalty and as they finished killing Brad Malone’s boarding penalty the Sioux gave up an even strength goal to the Tigers Dakota Eveland. The Sioux put 20 shots on goal in the first period they couldn’t put anything past Joe Howe. I guess we can cue the hot proverbial hot goalie cliché. Later in the game the Sioux missed many great opportunities in the slot as well.
Players standing around
One area of concern was the play of the Brock Nelson, Michael Cichy and Danny Kristo line, that line was a combined -5 last night and that has to improve. Michael Chicy had an opportunity to clear the puck on the Jeff Collet goal and just watched it being shot into the Sioux goal. That has to drive a coach nuts and that cannot happen. Personally, I can see why he was sitting in the stand now, you have to be able to play both ways to be successful.
The Springs a hard place to play?!?
Also before we throw the coach and the players under the bus you might want to consider this blurb from Brad Schlossman. The 1997 NCAA title team didn't sweep in Colorado Springs either. They won 3-0 the first night and lost 8-3 on night two.
World Arena, located in the shadows of Cheyenne Mountain, has typically been a difficult place to play for the Sioux. Last season, UND earned its first sweep in the building since January 1999 thanks to a stirring comeback win in the series opener.
[Box Score]
UND Men's Hockey Travel Blog
Sioux men lose Genoway, game to Colorado College [Grand Forks Herald]
UND Head Hockey Coach Dave Hakstol post game press conference; it's not pretty folks...
CC holds on for 4-2 win over Sioux; Colorado Gazette Springs
Friday, January 28, 2011
UND and C.C. Lines game one
Joe Paisley from the Colorado Springs Gazette had the lines up for tonight's game. Per Brad Schlossman Scratches on trip: Derek Rodwell (coach decision) and Joe Gleason (coach decision). Dillon Simpson is ill and did not travel.
North Dakota Fighting Sioux Lines
Forwards
Trupp-Malone-Frattin
Gregoire-Knight-Hextall
Nelson-Cichy-Kristo
Davidson-Lamouruex-Rowney
Defense
MacWilliam-Genoway
Forbort-Blood
LaPoint-Marto
Goalies
Dell
Eidsness
Colorado College Tigers lines
Forwards
Schultz-R. Schwartz-Rapuzzi
Hamburg-Dineen-Winkler
Eveland-Skalbeck-Johnson
Krushelnyski-Civitarese-Collett
Defense
Guentzel-Marciano
Lowery-McDermott
Boivin-Leaverton
Goalies
Howe
Thorimbert
O’Brien
North Dakota Fighting Sioux Lines
Forwards
Trupp-Malone-Frattin
Gregoire-Knight-Hextall
Nelson-Cichy-Kristo
Davidson-Lamouruex-Rowney
Defense
MacWilliam-Genoway
Forbort-Blood
LaPoint-Marto
Goalies
Dell
Eidsness
Colorado College Tigers lines
Forwards
Schultz-R. Schwartz-Rapuzzi
Hamburg-Dineen-Winkler
Eveland-Skalbeck-Johnson
Krushelnyski-Civitarese-Collett
Defense
Guentzel-Marciano
Lowery-McDermott
Boivin-Leaverton
Goalies
Howe
Thorimbert
O’Brien
Friday links the calm before the storm
Looks like Yale freshman Clinton Bourbonais is a little confident about his teams chances this weekend against conference foe Union. [Yale Daily News] Ah yes! Does it sound like bulletin board material? Maybe!?! Let's see if Union can make the young Bourbonais eat his own words. Union is 10-1-1 on their home ice.
Roman Augustoviz from Goal Gophers has his weekly predictions up on his blog and Roman has the Fighting Sioux splitting with the C.C. Tigers, while Dan Myers of CHN thinks the Sioux will sweep [Goal Gophers]
USCHO has their weekly WCHA predictions up - Tyler and Theresa both pick the Fighting Sioux to sweep the C.C. Tigers this weekend as well. [USCHO.COM]
The Weekly INCH Podcast returned this week and it's worth a listen if you have some time. [INCH Podcast]. It was an interesting Podcast but the boys at INCH really didn't talk about the WCHA all that much this week. I do agree with them on the HD thing, the FSSN broadcasts are like stepping back into the 1980's as far as the quality goes...
The USCHO Hobey Watch is back again this season. Miami Head Coach Enrico Blasi is promoting two of his Miami RedHawks players Andy Miele and Carter Camper [USCHO Hobey Watch]
The INCH Four-Cast is up as well. [INCH.COM]
The weekly INCH Chat is up and you can read it here. Glady has Yale, B.C., Michigan and UND making the Frozen Four.
RWD favorite beat writer has a nice story about the Fighting Sioux's shutdown defenseman Ben Blood and Andrew MacWilliam [Grand Forks Herald]
UND Fighting Sioux Men's Hockey: Tigers find offense minus Schwartz [Grand Forks Herald]
Former Bulldog and current Dallas Star Matt Niskanen finally won an NHL fight check out this video [Click to watch]
Delusions of Grandeur has the game plan on how to beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers up on his blog. It will be interesting to see if the mighty Minnesota Golden Gophers can sweep the UAA Seawolves this weekend since their fans say this is a series their team should win. You can bet that UAA will take it to the Minnesota's Pansies on Ice in the physicality department. It will be interesting to see how many Gophers Jade Portwood smokes this weekend with his body checks. You’ve got to love a name like “Portwood.”
Ryan Cardinal from Gopher Puck Live had this to say about this weekend's up coming series between the Gophers and the Seawolves. [Click to listen]
Over on WEEI hockey analyst Mike Milbury checks in on the Marc Savard concussion situation. [Click to listen]
Over on Versus NHL Overtime they picked their top 10 goalie saves for the first half of the season. Former University of Vermont Catamount's and current Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas had the number one save of the first half of the season.
David Ramsey of the Colorado Springs Gazette has "yet another" article about the Sioux logo... Supporters of Fighting Sioux moniker always talk about Fighting Irish [click to read] It’s pretty obvious that David Ramsey is anti Sioux and he usually uses this weekend to push his liberal P.C. anti Fighting Sioux views down our throats. Good for him…
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)
This is the last weekend in January, which means we only have one full month of the regular season left, February (plus one weekend in March). We'll have to wait and see if a middle of the pack team(s), step up in the following month or so of the season. Currently 5th thru 8th is separated by 5 points with UW leading, but having played 2 more games than the other teams there. The standings looking like teams will need a five-hundred record or better to get home ice in the playoffs. That being said, it appears DU, UND, UMD are locks for home ice, UNO should get home ice, but they have a hard schedule. It also looks likely that BSU, MSUM, and MTU will be on the road come playoff time.
WCHA standings
TEAM……………...W-L-T...Pts
1. Denver………………12-3-3…27
2. North Dakota……….13-5-0…26
2. Minnesota-Duluth.....12-4-2…26
4. Nebraska-Omaha…..10-6-2…22
5. Wisconsin………….…9-7-2…20
6. Colorado College……8-8-0…16
6. Minnesota……………7-7-2…16
8. St. Cloud State….......7-8-1…15
9. Alaska-Anchorage….6-10-2…14
10. Bemidji State……….5-11-2…12
11. Minnesota State……4-11-3…11
12. Michigan Tech………1-14-1…3
WCHA
#8 Wisconsin @ Michigan Tech
Last weekend the Badgers swept the MSUM Mavericks in Madison and the Huskies got swept by the UMD Bulldogs in Houghton.
The Badgers and Huskies played in Madison back in October, with UW getting the sweep (5-2 and 4-1). Bucky has lost only once in their past 10 games going 9-1-0 over that stretch. The Huskies still haven’t won a game since October. The Badgers put some distance between them and the teams vying for the sixth and last home ice spot. They also kind of jumped into the title race. After these games, Bucky’s schedule gets tougher - @UNO, UM, @SCSU, CC. Those are the current teams right around UW in the current league standings. Tech is again playing the role of spoiler. IF they can find a way to win some games they can hurt other team’s chances of getting home ice. BADGERS SWEEP
#4 North Dakota @ #20 Colorado College
Last weekend the Sioux split with the UNO Mavericks in Grand Forks and the Tigers swept the UAH Chargers in Colorado Springs.
The Sioux might have cooled off a little the last two series they played but still are in great shape to win the conference. The Tigers are in good shape to get home ice, but still have some tough series on the schedule. After losing three in a row, CC got some much needed wins against the lowly UAH Chargers. UND can reclaim the top spot in the league this weekend with some points, while DU and UMD are on their bye week (the Sioux are on a bye next weekend). The Sioux have an easier schedule down the home stretch, so getting points now will really help them in the title race and put the pressure back on DU and UMD. I’m going to take the easy way out on this series. SPLIT
Alaska-Anchorage @ Minnesota
Last weekend the Seawolves were swept by the Pioneers in Denver and the Golden Gophers enjoyed a free weekend.
The Gophers are just two points of the Seawolves in the standings, but the Gophers have two games in hand. The Seawolves have a 2-6-0 road record and the Gophers have a 5-6-3 home record. The Gophers have a nasty schedule stretch after this - @UMD, DU, @UW. The Seawolves need to get points this weekend to stay in the home ice race, same for the Gophers. The Gophers have gotten some wins against some of the top WCHA teams, but have also lost to some of the bottom teams too. SPLIT
Minnesota State @ St. Cloud St.
Last weekend the Mavericks were swept by the Badgers in Madison and the Huskies swept the Beavers in Bemidji.
The Huskies are on a roll in 2011 they ended 2010 by winning the Florida College Classic. SCSU is riding a six game winning streak, heading into this in-state rivalry games. The Mavericks are win less in their last four games (0-3-1), and those losses were by one goal. MSUM has gone on four game streaks this season, for better (two 4 game winning) and for worse (two 4 game win less), for what it’s worth. Are the Huskies finally turning into the team everyone thought they were going to be to start the season? SCSU has a rough slate of games after this weekend to end the season (@UNO, @UMD, UND, UW, and @DU). The Huskies are now back into the race for home ice, and getting over the hump isn’t going to be easy. SPLIT
NON-CONFERENCE
Alabama-Huntsville (3-23-2 overall) @ #15 Nebraska-Omaha (13-9-2 overall)
Last weekend the Chargers got swept by the CC Tigers in Colorado Springs and the Mavericks split with the Sioux and Grand Forks.
The Chargers have not won a road game this season going 0-12-2 on the road. The Mavericks are 7-2-1 at home at the Qwest Center in Omaha this year. This should be a nice easy weekend for UNO, as long as they don’t have any let downs. MAVERICKS SWEEP
BYE week
Bemidji State University – Beavers
#3 Denver University – Pioneers
#5 University of Minnesota-Duluth – Bulldogs
WCHA standings
TEAM……………...W-L-T...Pts
1. Denver………………12-3-3…27
2. North Dakota……….13-5-0…26
2. Minnesota-Duluth.....12-4-2…26
4. Nebraska-Omaha…..10-6-2…22
5. Wisconsin………….…9-7-2…20
6. Colorado College……8-8-0…16
6. Minnesota……………7-7-2…16
8. St. Cloud State….......7-8-1…15
9. Alaska-Anchorage….6-10-2…14
10. Bemidji State……….5-11-2…12
11. Minnesota State……4-11-3…11
12. Michigan Tech………1-14-1…3
WCHA
#8 Wisconsin @ Michigan Tech
Last weekend the Badgers swept the MSUM Mavericks in Madison and the Huskies got swept by the UMD Bulldogs in Houghton.
The Badgers and Huskies played in Madison back in October, with UW getting the sweep (5-2 and 4-1). Bucky has lost only once in their past 10 games going 9-1-0 over that stretch. The Huskies still haven’t won a game since October. The Badgers put some distance between them and the teams vying for the sixth and last home ice spot. They also kind of jumped into the title race. After these games, Bucky’s schedule gets tougher - @UNO, UM, @SCSU, CC. Those are the current teams right around UW in the current league standings. Tech is again playing the role of spoiler. IF they can find a way to win some games they can hurt other team’s chances of getting home ice. BADGERS SWEEP
#4 North Dakota @ #20 Colorado College
Last weekend the Sioux split with the UNO Mavericks in Grand Forks and the Tigers swept the UAH Chargers in Colorado Springs.
The Sioux might have cooled off a little the last two series they played but still are in great shape to win the conference. The Tigers are in good shape to get home ice, but still have some tough series on the schedule. After losing three in a row, CC got some much needed wins against the lowly UAH Chargers. UND can reclaim the top spot in the league this weekend with some points, while DU and UMD are on their bye week (the Sioux are on a bye next weekend). The Sioux have an easier schedule down the home stretch, so getting points now will really help them in the title race and put the pressure back on DU and UMD. I’m going to take the easy way out on this series. SPLIT
Alaska-Anchorage @ Minnesota
Last weekend the Seawolves were swept by the Pioneers in Denver and the Golden Gophers enjoyed a free weekend.
The Gophers are just two points of the Seawolves in the standings, but the Gophers have two games in hand. The Seawolves have a 2-6-0 road record and the Gophers have a 5-6-3 home record. The Gophers have a nasty schedule stretch after this - @UMD, DU, @UW. The Seawolves need to get points this weekend to stay in the home ice race, same for the Gophers. The Gophers have gotten some wins against some of the top WCHA teams, but have also lost to some of the bottom teams too. SPLIT
Minnesota State @ St. Cloud St.
Last weekend the Mavericks were swept by the Badgers in Madison and the Huskies swept the Beavers in Bemidji.
The Huskies are on a roll in 2011 they ended 2010 by winning the Florida College Classic. SCSU is riding a six game winning streak, heading into this in-state rivalry games. The Mavericks are win less in their last four games (0-3-1), and those losses were by one goal. MSUM has gone on four game streaks this season, for better (two 4 game winning) and for worse (two 4 game win less), for what it’s worth. Are the Huskies finally turning into the team everyone thought they were going to be to start the season? SCSU has a rough slate of games after this weekend to end the season (@UNO, @UMD, UND, UW, and @DU). The Huskies are now back into the race for home ice, and getting over the hump isn’t going to be easy. SPLIT
NON-CONFERENCE
Alabama-Huntsville (3-23-2 overall) @ #15 Nebraska-Omaha (13-9-2 overall)
Last weekend the Chargers got swept by the CC Tigers in Colorado Springs and the Mavericks split with the Sioux and Grand Forks.
The Chargers have not won a road game this season going 0-12-2 on the road. The Mavericks are 7-2-1 at home at the Qwest Center in Omaha this year. This should be a nice easy weekend for UNO, as long as they don’t have any let downs. MAVERICKS SWEEP
BYE week
Bemidji State University – Beavers
#3 Denver University – Pioneers
#5 University of Minnesota-Duluth – Bulldogs
Textbook embellishment by Ovechkin
My buddy Redwing77 will like this dive by Ovie, this is textbook embellishment by Alexander Ovechkin and If I was the diving judge I would give him a score of 3.5, meaning he could do better. Lol! It was the right call by the on ice official, for that I must say bravo... Shameful! Diving and flopping all over the ice, for what the hopes of getting a power play. I think refs in all levels of hockey should call this penalty more often. s/t Fan House
Matt Frattin on the Pipeline show
Erik Johnson scores on his own net.
If you haven't seen this video, former Golden Gophers defenseman Erik Johnson scores on his own net trying to clear the puck out of the front of the St Louis net.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Phoenix Coyotes Update
This could be good news for the city of Winnipeg.
Bob McCown & David Shoalts ----- Sportsnet Radio FAN 590's Bob McCown has learned from sources that the $100M public bond issue which was a requirement to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix has failed. The future of the Coyotes in Phoenix is now in question and once again the possibility of the club returning to Canada has resurfaced. McCown discussed the story with the Globe and Mail's David Shoalts, who has been covering the Coyotes story intimately.
[click for the audio]
Slashing someone with your stick is considered sticking up for them… Right!
You can't make this stuff up. It’s too bad that Jacob aka C-Piss Cepis isn’t good enough to play in the Swedish Elite league because his bush league tactics would probably be a hit over there, they may swing stick in the Euro Leagues but its frowned upon over here in North America. North American settle their differences on the ice like men. Check out Roman's latest blog post about Jacob Cepis...
The other bush league tactics of cross checking a player when he already had two guys laying on him is looked at as standing up for your teammate; I look at it as being gutless chicken. If you want to stand up for a teammate you do what Mario Lamoureux did when he challenged Tony Turgeon to a fight. You don’t pick out the smallest guy you can find and challenge him you take on the guy that did the hit or act that you took issue with. This is one Gopher hockey player that I wont miss when his eligibility is done.
ELECTRIC PLACEI like I said last Monday on R.J. Richards radio show on KNOX 1310; C-Piss is lucky he doesn’t have to answer for his antics on the ice by having to fight when he does something questionable or bush league. There is also no way C-Piss would fool around with Ben Blood or Andrew MacWilliam if he had to fight, both players would wipe the ice with C-Piss. This is why I refer to the Gopher as “Minnesota’s Pansies on Ice.” They are a bunch of pansies that run their mouth and then hide behind the on ice officials and beg that one of the refs save them.
"You like playing the best teams and North Dakota is probably the best team we've played all year," Cepis said. "No. 2 in the country [at the time]. Don [coach Don Lucia] gave us some pretty interesting stats. Their record at home on Fridays was just ridiculous. How can you not like playing games like that? It is going to be crazy like it was.
"I enjoyed it. It is the best atmosphere to get it going."
Cepis did his part to stir things up, too, at the end of the second period in the first game. After Sioux center Brad Malone checked Gophers defenseman Kevin Wehrs hard into the endboards, Cepis came to his teammate's aid and got a slashing penalty during a big scrum involving almost every player from both teams..
"I just wanted to back up Kevin to prove a point," said Cepis, the smallest Gopher at 5-8, 170. "If a guy gets hits like that whether it is clean or not clean, there has to be some room to say something to somebody and let them know that is not going to happen. I just thought it was the time to get in there and help a guy out."
Cepis liked the way his teammates responded to his lead.
The other bush league tactics of cross checking a player when he already had two guys laying on him is looked at as standing up for your teammate; I look at it as being gutless chicken. If you want to stand up for a teammate you do what Mario Lamoureux did when he challenged Tony Turgeon to a fight. You don’t pick out the smallest guy you can find and challenge him you take on the guy that did the hit or act that you took issue with. This is one Gopher hockey player that I wont miss when his eligibility is done.
The Herald reads Sioux Sports...
Apparently, it takes an 8-4 Nebraska-Omaha pounding on UND at Ralph Engelstad Arena to usher fans to their ledges.
Most goals given up in 19 years in Grand Forks? Hakstol’s a hack.
Mavs start 5-for-5 on the power play? Genoway can go away.
Dumb penalty after dumb penalty? Hextall might as well join Hakstol on that first bus out of Grand Forks.
And it just had to be Nebraska-Omaha, headed by former Sioux coach Dean Blais — the leader of the Sioux during their 1997 and 2000 national titles.
That meant as of Saturday afternoon, it was reaffirmed for a good chunk of Sioux fans that coach Blais does indeed walk on both frozen water and water.
The online message board Siouxsports.com even saw its legendary and laughable “Fire head coach Dave Hakstol” thread re-emerge. It’s five pages of babble and counting.
During each game throughout the season, Herald UND hockey writer Brad Schlossman and UND sports information director Jayson Hajdu conduct a live chat online that includes reader comments.
Instead of strictly providing updates Friday night, Schlossman and Hajdu supplied more therapy than Dr. Phil. Their voices of reason soothed a panicky fan base so often that they should have charged for the session.
Where, oh where, has perspective gone?
You’d think UND was scrounging in a season of mediocrity, fending off Michigan Tech and Alaska-Anchorage to battle back to the middle of the pack in the WCHA.
If you happened to just stumble upon some of these fan meltdowns, you wouldn’t think UND was ranked No. 2 in the country at the time. Or in first place in the WCHA. Or that the Sioux are 14-3-1 in their last 18 games after Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Mavericks. (Oh yeah, those UND bums found a way to somehow pick up a win Saturday).[Read the Whole Article]
What brought Sioux fans to the ledge this time? This time it took an 8-4 thumping loss at the hands of former Fighting Sioux head hockey coach Dean Blais to bring out the fans that wanted Dave Hakstol to be fired as head coach of the UND Fighting Sioux hockey team. I posted this thread with my tongue in cheek because I thought would illustrate how impassioned our fan base can be some times, but it’s also silly to expect a hockey coach that has an 18-7-2 record, that’s sitting second in the college hockey’s toughest league having played the toughest schedule to date to be fired from his job. My friend Amy aka LGM’s thinks Sioux fans are cult followers, maybe she is right?
Will the ECAC get more teams than Hockey East in the NCAA tourney?
This is an interesting article that I found over on UCHCO.COM. In looking at the PWR right now, I know we aren't really supposed to look at it until all of the conference tourney games have been played. The author of the blog post is right, there are three teams from Hockey East (B.C., UNH, MC) in the top 15 of the Pairwise Rankings that would get in today if the NCAA Ice Hockey Selection Committee were picking the NCAA tourney field, barring tourney upsets.
On the flip side of the argument there are four teams (Yale, RPI, UNION, Dartmouth) from the ECAC in the Pairwise rankings, again barring any upsets in the conference tourney there would be four ECAC teams in the NCAA tourney "if the selection was today". I think this discussion is a little early as Dartmouth is sitting on the ledge and could fall out of the top 15 if they lose a few games. Personally, I still see Miami leap frogging over Dartmouth in the end based based on the fact Miami plays a tougher strength of schedule. Also, Maine is sitting on the bubble at 17th and could move up with a few wins. Their sweep of UND would help them a lot. There is a lot of hockey left to be played.
On the flip side of the argument there are four teams (Yale, RPI, UNION, Dartmouth) from the ECAC in the Pairwise rankings, again barring any upsets in the conference tourney there would be four ECAC teams in the NCAA tourney "if the selection was today". I think this discussion is a little early as Dartmouth is sitting on the ledge and could fall out of the top 15 if they lose a few games. Personally, I still see Miami leap frogging over Dartmouth in the end based based on the fact Miami plays a tougher strength of schedule. Also, Maine is sitting on the bubble at 17th and could move up with a few wins. Their sweep of UND would help them a lot. There is a lot of hockey left to be played.
Warning: before you begin to read this blog post, know that it might sound a bit elitist.
And it should. Hockey East is home to the last three national champions. In the last 14 seasons, a Hockey East team has been in the NCAA title game in all but one season (we all remember the infamous all-WCHA Frozen Four in Columbus, don’t we?)
When it comes to the NCAA tournament, Hockey East is likely royalty, a least for the last decade of so.
The antithesis of Hockey East has been the ECAC. It’s been 22 years since an ECAC team won the national title (Harvard, 1989) and 21 years since an ECAC member reached the title game. Heck, the league hasn’t had a team in the Frozen Four since Cornell lost to New Hampshire in Buffalo in 2003.
So what if I told you that there is a decent chance this season that the ECAC could have two times as many entries as Hockey East in this year’s NCAA tournament. A quick look at the current USCHO.com PairWise Rankings indicates that four ECAC teams would qualify for the tournament. Hockey East would get three entries if the season ended today (Boston College, New Hampshire and Merrimack). But the line of demarcation, right now, is very thin.
This isn’t necessarily about Hockey East having a down year, though if the league were to get only two entries to the tournament it would seem that way. It’s equally as much about the ECAC having an excellent season as a whole. [Read the whole article]
Source: UND pushed early resolution of Sioux nickname
FARGO - UND asked an athletic conference it once considered joining to publicly come out against accepting the Fighting Sioux as a member until the controversial nickname and logo issue was resolved, according to Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple.Here is another juicy nugget. Sioux fans were lead to believe that Douple wanted the Sioux logo gone.You can be assured that there are going to be some Sioux fans that are not happy with these revelations. As a Fighting Sioux fan and as an Alumni of the University of North Dakota 1996, 1999 this really upsets me.
UND spokesman Peter Johnson said Monday and repeated Tuesday that university President Robert Kelley “categorically denies” UND officials ever made such a request to the Summit League.
“False. Not true at all,” Johnson said. “Neither the president or the athletic director or anybody else from UND ever talked to (the Summit League) from that angle. In no way, shape or form did we ask (Douple) to make that an issue.”
If Douple’s statement is true, it would be a 180-degree reversal of what has commonly been reported for more than two years: that Summit League officials insisted the nickname issue be resolved sooner than the NCAA-imposed deadline of Nov. 30, 2010, so UND could be considered for inclusion in their conference.
In trying to meet the hurried deadline for the Summit League, the state board of higher education last April moved up the deadline to retire the nickname, not exhausting the timeline earlier given to them.
Commissioner Douple did not want to go into further detail on the issue, but when asked why he agreed to UND’s request — that the Summit League would publicly forward this idea — he said, “In support of the (UND) president. He thought it would help them and the board move quicker.”
The Summit’s message did help the state board of higher education act more quickly.
UND and the Summit League first started having serious membership conversations in 2009 when the Summit said it would make a site visit to the University of South Dakota, but not UND. At the time, Douple was quoted as saying the Summit would not visit UND “until the logo issue is resolved one way or another.”
“He didn’t care if the Sioux name stayed or left,” Smith said of Douple. “He made it pretty clear that until the NCAA said the matter was resolved, that UND would not be admitted.”
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