Sister kissing in St. Cloud, Sioux 3 - Huskies 3

They say a tie in hockey is like kissing your sister, while I won’t argue that fact because I have no idea, tonight’s tie between the UND Fighting Sioux and SCSU Huskies feels almost as bad as a loss. I feel like the Sioux let one point slip away tonight. It was a missed opportunity and luckily for the UND Fighting Sioux the teams below them in the standings lost as well. UMD, UNO and DU all lost tonight so their tie tonight against the SCSU Huskies isn’t as costly as it could have been.

I guess the vaunted Black Jerseys weren’t enough for the Fighting Sioux to break the “jinx” that is Friday nights in the National Hockey Center in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. They say that all streaks eventually must come to an end, this was a streak that I would have like to see ended tonight, the Sioux are something like 25-1-3 in the black jerseys since 2007.

Michigan Tech ended their streak of futility by winning their first hockey game since October 15th, 2010; Denver University was the unlucky recipient of that streaking ending win. I am glad that MTU has that elusive win out of the way, because I would hate to see UND be that team that loses to the Michigan Tech Huskies the last weekend of the regular season March 4th and 5th in Houghton, Michigan. That's why they play the games, there is no give mes in the WCHA. Sucks to be Denver and it couldn't have happened to a better team. Yeah I would love to see the morning skate in Denver tomorrow, I would be willing to bet that morning practice won't be fun tomorrow.

Back to clichés again, there are no mails in points in the WCHA and while the SCSU Huskies aren’t a very good hockey team this season, you still have to play hockey for 60 minutes to beat them, your team can’t a period of hockey off and still expect to win the hockey game. I thought the Sioux took a few shifts off tonight and were caught not moving their feet during the middle part of the game.

I thought the Sioux had trouble with turnovers as well and failed to get pucks deep at key times in the game, twice this lead to goals for the Huskies. The Fighting Sioux defense also left their goaltender in vulnerable situations at key times in the game, the power play goal that SCSU scored the Ben Hanowski was a perfect example of what not to do while killing a penalty, the Sioux defenders were standing and not clearing out the front net and Aaron Dell was screened on the shot, that can't happen in the post season. That's unacceptable the coaching staff will make adjustments.

The game started out well tonight, the Sioux raced to a 2-0 lead before they kind of fell off of the quick pace they set in the first period and stopped moving their feet. I thought that the Sioux had a really good chance at ending their unimpressive winless streak in the National Hockey Center as well, but it wasn’t to be tonight. My reason for optimism, was two fold, SCSU isn't having a very good season and that SCSU starting goalie Mike Lee had been dismal against the Fighting Sioux, Lee has an 0-4 career record against the Fighting Sioux and an unimpressive 5.32 goals-against average and a lackluster.863 save percentage against the UND Fighting Sioux. Tonight it wasn't meant to be I guess. On the flip side of that equation, the Fighting Sioux have an 8-1-1 record the last ten games at the National Hockey Center on Saturday nights.

Here are some stats for you on how valuable Matt Frattin is to the Fighting Sioux, according to the UND SID, UND's Matt Frattin has four goals and three assists in his last four games. He has scored 35 goals in 45 games dating back to last Feb. 13 at SCSU.

Goon's three stars of the game

1.) Matt Frattin (2g-0a-2pts)
2.) Corban Knight(0g-2a-2pts)
3.) Brett Hextall (1g-0a-1pts)

Box Score

SCSU vs UND lines

RWD favorite college hockey beat writer Brad Schlossman has posted the lines for tonight's game between the Fighting Sioux and the SCSU Huskies. The Fighting Sioux are an uninspiring 0-7-3 in their last 10 Friday night games at the Concrete Center National Hockey Center...

UND’s Forward Lines

19 Evan Trupp–22 Brad Malone–21 Matt Frattin
17 Jason Gregoire–10 Corban Knight–26 Brett Hextall
14 Taylor Dickin–29 Brock Nelson–27 Carter Rowney
15 Brent Davidson–9 Mario Lamoureux–11 Derek Rodwell

Defense

2 Andrew MacWilliam–25 Jake Marto
4 Derek Forbort–24 Ben Blood
3 Derrick LaPoint–20 Joe Gleason

Goalies

32 Aaron Dell
31 Brad Eidsness

[UND Stats]

St. Cloud State’s Forward lines

10 Ben Hanowski–9 Garrett Roe–22 David Eddy
11 Jared Festler–17 Aaron Marvin–12 Travis Novak
23 Cam Reid–19 Drew LeBlanc–26 Nic Dowd
28 Mitch MacMillan–13 Jordy Christian–16 Nick Oslund

Defense

25 Oliver Lauridsen–14 Nick Jensen
7 Kevin Gravel–6 Brett Barta
3 Sam Zabkowicz–4 Taylor Johnson

Sieves Goalies

30 Mike Lee
44 Dan Dunn

[SCSU Stats]

Bruins get Tomas Kaberle in a trade with Leafs.

Before you start laughing with this statement; so I am busy for a couple of hours this afternoon and then I come back to computer to find out that the Boston Bruins have made some major moves. There’s a couple of big trades for the Boston Bruins this afternoon. First the Tomas Kaberle was traded to the Leafs for Joe Colborne and two draft picks. This trade wasn’t that big of a shocker because it was being talked about most of the week. The Boston Bruins get their high end defenseman they have wanted and needed for some time now, the Bruins give up former DU Pioneer Joe Colborne who I think is a more talented version of Blake Wheeler big soft forward that’s not very physical, the Bruins also give up “their own” 2011 first-round draft pick, and a conditional 2012 second-round draft pick.

The Bruins also traded former Golden Gopher Blake Wheeler and former C.C. Tiger Mark Stuart to the Atlanta Thrasher for Boris Valabik and Rich Peverley. Rich Peverley has 14 goals and 20 assists in 59 games and will add some offensive talent to the Bruins attack.

As a Bruins fans I am very happy because that the Boston Bruins get rid of two big soft forwards... They also got a big time puck mover on the back end that they needed desperately. I am sadden by the Trade of Mark Stuart, he wais one of my favorite Bruins defenseman because he was tough and has a lot of grit and wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves.

Links to the Story

Bruins acquire Peverley and Valabik for Wheeler and Stuart [Boston Globe]

Kaberle trade official [Boston Globe]

Leafs deal Kaberle to Bruins for prospect, picks [NHL.COM]

Kaberle to the Bruins? UPDATED...

It looks like the Bruins and Leafs might be making that trade they have been talking about according to Damien Cox, unfortunately, it appears that former Gopher forward Blake Wheeler is not one of those on the way out of Boston. I also see that former DU Pioneer Joe Colborne might be on the move which really wouldn’t be that big of a loss for the Boston Bruins since I think is just a bigger version of Blake Wheeler, a big soft forward that doesn’t like to hit.

All signs are pointing to Tomas Kaberle becoming a Boston Bruin today.

This could change, either in a league trade call that has yet to take place between the Leafs and Bruins, or if the teams miscommunicate in the way they did back in June, 2009 when a deal involving Kaberle for Phil Kessel literally fell apart on the draft floor because Brian Burke and Peter Chiarelli believed they were talking about different deals.

Or, of course, the B's might feel better about their prospects after pounding the Islanders last night.

But right now, it's believed the Leafs would get Boston's first round pick this June (not the second of two first rounders sent to the Bruins in the Kessel deal) and a prospect. Winger Blake Wheeler is apparently not in play, but the Leafs might be zeroing in on one of two good Boston prospects, Ontario junior Ryan Spooner or Providence centre Joe Colborne.

For Leaf fans, Colborne might be the prospect they'd be happiest with, given that he's 6-foot-5 and was Boston's first rounder back in 2008. Spooner has been a more prolific offensive player, particularly this year with Doug Gilmour's Kingston Frontenacs, but he's not as big as Colborne.

I am still holding out hope that the Maple Leafs still get Blake Wheeler, he played with Phil Kessel in college at Minnesota for one year and it would be nice to see those two reunited again. Before Minnesota fans jump down my throat, I am not anti Wheeler as a person, I just am not impressed with his game, he is a big soft forward that doesn’t like to hit and he doesn’t fit the big bad Bruins mold. During the playoffs last spring his game was uninspiring and he couldn’t have hit water if he was standing in a boat.

This is from the Boston Globe hockey blog --- According to a league source, Tomas Kaberle is on the verge of being a Bruin. The Bruins would acquire Kaberle from Toronto for former DU Pioneer Joe Colborne and their own 2011 first-round pick.

Friday morning links - the dog days of winter are upon us

There is a lot of great breaking hockey news going on today… It’s crunch time and shall we say the dog days of winter in the NHL and NCAA hockey and there are a lot of great story lines developing.

Huskies record post Christmas and what to make of it?

First there is a lot being made of the SCSU Huskies going 7-3-2 since Christmas, what hasn’t been talked about is who the SCSU Huskies have played. The Huskies while having won seven games since Christmas the Huskies have only beaten two hockey teams with a winning record (Miami and UMD) and have gone a lack luster 1-3-2 their last six games. I am not saying the Huskies won't beat the Sioux I am just saying that for the most part the Huskies wins have come against bad teams.

Story lines for this weekend's games

The Pony Express is delivering big time. Here is what Brad Schlossman had to say about the all senior line.

UND’s top line of Evan Trupp, Brad Malone and Matt Frattin has a combined 20 points in the last four meetings against St. Cloud State. Prior to Feb. 13, 2010, in St. Cloud, Frattin had 17 goals in 96 career games. On that day, he started a stretch of 33 goals in 44 games.

In the rumor mill department, apparently there is some question on whether Wisconsin Defenseman Jake Gardiner is going to go pro or not after this season. It will be interesting to see how this plays out but I would be willing to bet that we won’t see Jake back at Wisconsin next season. Just a hunch… [Madison.com]

Over at USCHO our favorite EZAC writer Brian Sullivan has the Sioux in third in his weekly top 20 poll… [USCHO.COM]

Predictions

Goal Gophers has Chris Miller back with him this week making predictions and I must say that this guy must be a real hoot. I have enjoyed reading Goal Gophers predictions the past few weeks.

Old Charlie. He pretended he was enjoying his stay in the Red River Valley, but you know dang well he was on the next phone screaming at his agent for booking him anywhere north of St. Louis. Roman has established the Sioux (are they still the “Fighting Sioux?”) as the team to beat down the stretch, and who am I to argue? The Huskies will steal one this weekend, though, for a ... Split

Roman: The Sioux have clinched home ice, now they want to win the MacNaughton Cup which goes to the regular-season champion. They have a one point lead, a three-game win streak and a hot, hot player. Jason Gregoire, since returning from an injury, has eight goals and four assists in eight games. No wonder Dave Hakstol said he did backflips when he heard Gregoire was healthy again. The Huskies are coming off an impressive three-point weekend at UMD, but finish with a brutal sked: NoDak, Wisconsin and Denver. The Sioux swept SCSU 3-1, 6-2 at the Ralph earlier. ... UND sweep

USCHO gives us their weekend predictions Let's hope that both writers are wrong in their predictions again this week. Both WCHA writers are predicting a SPLIT in the series between the Fighting Sioux and the SCSU Huskies.

No. 2 North Dakota (21–8–2, 16–6–0 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (12–14–4, 8–11–3 WCHA)
Theresa: This has developed into a nice little rivalry over the past two years and should prove to be an interesting weekend. Despite injuries, the Sioux have been rolling along just fine (as coach Dave Hakstol has said, they’re not technically short-handed). The Huskies, meanwhile, may have found their stride at the perfect time in the season. I believe home ice is a stretch for them (don’t quote me on that), but, like BSU above, they can make their league positioning a lot more favorable. As a result, I believe we’ll see a split — SCSU Friday, UND Saturday.

Tyler: UND’s key injuries (Genoway and Kristo) make it a little more of an even playing field with the series played in St. Cloud. This is probably the last bump in the road for the Sioux before they end the season with Bemidji State and Michigan Tech. Meanwhile, centers Garrett Roe and Drew LeBlanc are finally making strides for SCSU. Split.

Jess Meyers has a nice story about the Big Ten Hockey Conference and I am sure we will see more of these stories as the calendar turns to the 2012-2013 season. Like I have previously said, I think the Big Ten Hockey Conference is ill conceived and hasn’t been thought out yet and could cause more damage than good for NCAA Hockey.

The Hobey Tracker is up at INCH and not a lot of love for the Western College Hockey players, Western being WCHA hockey players. [INCH.COM]

Mike Eidelbes from INCH has their yearly 4 X 4 and he is predicting that the Fighting Sioux are going to be in St Louis and with a first round match up against Dartmouth followed by the winner of the UNO and Union game. I guess Mike is assuming that Union would get by UNO, I don't know if I would bet against Dean Blais.

The NCAA purportedly doesn’t care about attendance in favor of “bracket integrity”, but it almost seems like North Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha have to end up in St. Louis in order for anyone to show up. The thought of a NoDak-Union regional final is quite appealing.

It looks like the DU Pioneers have decided on their starter in net as freshman Sam Brittain will make his third start for in a row for the DU Pioneers. Last Saturday night DU goalie Sam Brittain was shelled against the Gophers giving up 4 goals on 14 shots.

Fans want Canadiens to acquire some muscle

Apparently the Montreal Canadian fans are tired of seeing their team getting pushed around physically on the ice and would like to see their team add an enforcer to their line up. Seems logical after the Boston Bruins handed them their ass earlier this month.

MONTREAL -- As the NHL trade deadline draws nearer, Montreal Canadiens fans believe their inconsistent and undersized squad should ply the market for more muscle.

A QMI-Leger Marketing poll suggests 50% of Habs fans believe the team needs to pick up a bigger, tougher player if they hope to return to the Eastern Conference final. Hard-nosed Ottawa Senators winger Chris Neil was at the top of the fans' wish list.

The Canadiens, who haven't had an enforcer since Georges Laraque was bought out in January 2010, are noticeably smaller than such rivals as the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. Defenceman P.K Subban is the team's leader in penalty minutes, but ranks only 31st in the league with 86 minutes in the box.

Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

We have 6 league series this weekend again. The top 4 teams are separated by only 2 points. Also 6th place thru 10th place is only separated by 4 points. It looks like the last home ice playoff spot will come down to the last weekend of play, the way things are going. Just think, in one month (March 17th) the Final Five will be starting in St. Paul. I think it is safe to say the current top 4 teams will be hosting a first round playoff series. UND is the first team to officially lock-up a home playoff series.

I figured it’s that time of year again, conference playoffs are just around the corner and the NCAA tournament is lurking in the background. So, I’m changing my ranking numbers this week. Previously I was going off the USCHO poll, now I’ll be using the PairWise Rankings. Since the PairWise mimics the selection process of who does and doesn’t make the tournament.

WCHA Standings

TEAM……………..…....W-L-T...Pts
1. North Dakota……….16-6-0…32
2. Denver………………14-5-3…31
3. Minnesota-Duluth.....13-5-4…30
3. Nebraska-Omaha…..14-6-2…30
5. Wisconsin……..….…11-9-2…24
6. Colorado College…11-11-0…22
7. Minnesota……..……9-10-3…21
8. Alaska-Anchorage….9-13-2…20
9. St. Cloud State…......8-11-3…19
10. Minnesota State……7-13-4…18
11. Bemidji State……….7-12-3…17
12. Michigan Tech………1-19-2…4

WCHA

#19 Minnesota @ #15 Wisconsin
Last weekend the Badgers were swept by the UNO Mavericks in Omaha and Gophers split with the DU Pioneers in Minneapolis.

These teams met earlier in the season in Minneapolis with the Badgers taking 3-points with a 6-0 win and a 3-3 tie. By going pointless last weekend the Badgers are now in fight for a home ice spot. The Gophers by getting points again last weekend are only a point out of the last home ice spot. The Gophers have played well in 2011 against the upper half teams, so they have hope. The Badgers have not fared well against top teams, but have taken care of business against the lower teams this season. The Badgers are good at the Kohl Center posting a 13-4-1 home record and the Gophers sport a 5-4-1 road record this year. It is interesting that the Gophers have scored more goals in WCHA play than the Badgers, 67 versus 60. But the Badgers are the best defensive team, allowing a league low 49 goals, where the Gophers have let in 64 on the season (middle of the pack). SPLIT

Michigan Tech @ #4 Denver
Last weekend Huskies got a point playing the BSU Beavers in Houghton and the Pioneers split with the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis.

The Huskies are closing in a dubious record, that the CC Tigers own, the longest winless streak. MTU is up to 25 games, going abysmal 0-23-2 since October 16th, they only need to go winless in their next 4 games to tie the record. The Pioneers have cooled down, going 2-2-0 in their last four games. The Pioneers need to take MTU seriously and take care of business and not look ahead to their next series, a road trip to Omaha. PIONEERS SWEEP.

#7 Nebraska-Omaha @ Alaska-Anchorage
Last weekend the Mavericks swept the UW Badgers in Omaha and the Seawolves were swept by the UND Fighting Sioux in Grand Forks.

This being the Mavericks first year in WCHA action, has them sniffing at a league title with three weeks to go. UAA has been in the league for over a decade and has yet to finish in the top half. But the Seawolves are in the hunt to host a first round series, just 2 points out of 6th place. This will be the second meeting between UNO and UAA, they played Oct. 14, 2006 in Anchorage (Nye Classic) and tied 2-2. The Mavericks have taken a long plane ride before, when they had to visit Alaska, in Fairbanks, their old CCHA foe. The Mavericks will need points this weekend if they want to keep on the heels of the WCHA leaders. UNO plays their “neighbors” the last two series, DU and UMD. After this weekend, the Seawolves only have 1 WCHA series left, a trip to Mankato, to play the other Mavericks (UAA plays Alaska next weekend). Omaha has dropped some games to teams that they probably shouldn’t have this year, namely BSU, QU, and UAH. The Mavericks are 6-7-1 on the road this year. I don’t think the Seawolves are throwing in the towel this year. I think coach Shyiak will have his team ready this weekend. SPLIT


#3 North Dakota @ St. Cloud St.
Last weekend the Sioux swept the UAA Seawolves in Grand Forks and the Huskies took 3-points from the UMD Bulldogs in Duluth.

These teams met in early December with the Sioux sweeping that series, 3-1 and 6-2 in Grand Forks. The Huskies got their first win over a top half of the league team last weekend. This year SCSU has not lived up to preseason expectations, they started off this year’s campaign ranked #4 and have slid since then. Home ice for the first round is still possible, but not likely, since they need to make up 3 points and play UW and DU after this weekend. The Sioux have officially locked up a home ice spot and are now looking to put a lock on the league’s top spot. UND has an easier schedule then SCSU does down the stretch, the Sioux host BSU and travel to MTU to end the season. The Huskies have squandered a pair of 3-goal leads in two of their past three games. The Sioux will need to continue their style of play this weekend to grab more points. SIOUX 3-POINTS

#18 Colorado College @ Bemidji State
Last weekend the Tigers split with the MSUM Mavericks in Colorado Springs and the Beavers took 3-points for the MTU Huskies in Houghton.

The Tigers are clinging to the last home ice playoff spot by a point, and the Beavers are clinging to hopes of climbing into that spot. BSU still has a chance at home ice, but they need to sweep CC to keep that chance alive. The Tigers control their own fate, put together some wins and they can maintain their spot, drop too many games and, well, others will control their fate. The Beavers have struggled in their first year as a WCHA member, but have been in most of their games. For instance in 2011, the Beavers have played 5 overtime games in their 8 league games. BSU is a more defensive minded team this season, as their numbers show, scoring 47 goals and giving up 56 goals. If the scores remain low this weekend, they have a chance of winning. SPLIT

#6 Minnesota-Duluth @ Minnesota State
Last weekend the Bulldogs got 1-point against the SCSU Huskies in Duluth and the Mavericks split with the CC Tigers in Colorado Springs.

The Bulldogs have only 1 win in their last 4 games, going 1-1-2, since their sweep of the hapless (MTU) Huskies. The Mavericks need to sweep this weekend if they want any shot at home ice, since they have only 1 WCHA series after this weekend (UAA Mar.4-5). UMD slipped from a first place tie into a tie for third (with UNO) last weekend, thanks to SCSU making themselves at home in Amsoil arena. The Bulldogs are an impressive 9-2-3 (overall) away from Duluth this season. Both teams know the end of the season is near, and points are becoming expensive, it’s just a matter of which is willing to pay the price. SPLIT.

Thursday afternoon links - crunch time!!!

I was thinking about the Fighting Sioux record against the SCSU Huskies which is 0-7-3 in their last ten Friday night games at the National Hockey Center, so according to the record books the UND Fighting Sioux haven’t won a game against the SCSU Huskies on Friday nights in National Hockey Center since the 1998 season. That is kind of unheard of based on how good UND has been since 1998.

So on the flip side of that equation, the Fighting Sioux have been an impressive and almost unbeatable 8-1-1 on Saturday Night in the National Hockey Center since the 1998 season. I believe that something has to give this weekend, Mike Lee has never won a game in two seasons against UND and he has been the better of the two SCSU goalies. SCSU senior goalie Dan Dunn has a 2-4-1 record, .887 save percentage and G.A.A. of 3.27. Sophomore goalie 10-10-3 record, .905 save percentage and a G.A.A. of 2.83

Sioux have dominated the SCSU Huskies

The Sioux have dominated the Huskies as of late, the Fighting Sioux have a 12-4-4 record in the last 20 games dating back to the 2006-2007 season. The Sioux have also won the last four games against the Huskies.

Links of interest

Devils Lake Freshman defensman Keaton Thompson would like to play for the Fighting Sioux one day. [Slightly Chilled]

Husky Hockey Time; has their series preview for Sioux vs Huskies [Husky Hockey Time]

Former DU Pioneer defensman William Wrenn was accidentally given credit for being in the fight against Gopher Jake Hanson. Wrenn left the Pioneers back in January to play in the WHL. [Denver Post]

DU, North Dakota lose captains at crunch time in WCHA [The Denver Post]

There has been some debate about the SCSU Huskies wearing black this weekend but apparently it’s next weekend that the SCSU Huskies are having a Throwback Jersey Night on February 26, 2011 when the Huskies play the Wisconsin Badgers at the National Hockey Center. [SCSU Athletics]

As always, here is the audio from Ryan Cardinal's appearance on 1130 the KFAN [Click to Listen]

Sioux fans favorite hockey analyst Kevin Gorg was on KFAN during the yesterday talking hockey as well with the PA. Personally, I don’t mind Kevin Gorg because I like his take on the game on hockey. I can’t fault someone for being a homer or fan of their favorite team. [click to listen]

Is Tomas Kaberle coming to Boston?

According to the Darren Dreger of the Dreger report , he's reporting that the Boston Bruins are very close to trading for Toronto Maple Leafs offensive defenseman Tomas Kaberle. The Boston Bruins are also close to getting rid of former Golden Gopher Blake Wheeler as well. According to CSNNE's Joe Haggerty the possible deal with Toronto Maples Leafs is likely to include Blake Wheeler and a draft pick for Tomas Kaberle.

Dreger Report TSN --- Failing a complete meltdown - which has scuttled at least one previous trade involving the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tomas Kaberle, and the Boston Bruins - there's strong belief that Kaberle will be traded to Boston.

It's unlikely the deal gets done today, but sources say it's close and say the deal doesn't hinge on Kaberle signing an extension with the Bruins.

The dynamics of the trade haven't been entirely worked out and sources indicate the Leafs are waiting for Boston to put the final pieces of the puzzle in place - a process which may take another day or two to finalize.

Cap space is somewhat of an issue for the Bruins - who are believed to be working on a secondary trade (not involving Toronto) to create some cap flexibility.

With the addition of Chris Kelly, Blake Wheeler has become a likely target - primarily because of his $2.2 million salary.

Wheeler is a versatile forward who's comfortable playing both the wing and at centre and is believed to be drawing interest from other teams.

Stay tuned.

Also, it looks like former C.C. Tiger Mark Stuart might be headed to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Stuart was a healthy scratch in eight straight games before playing in the last two games for the Boston Bruins.

The B's are discussing sending rugged defenseman Mark Stuart to the Chicago Blackhawks, who are looking for a little more toughness around their net.

The Stuart deal would net the Bruins a draft pick, and would be strictly for salary cap relief rather than instant roster improvement.

Thrasher's Owner: ‘Sense of urgency' to keep Thrashers from moving

One cities loss could be another cities gain. Here is an interesting story that could affect hockey fans that live close to Winnipeg Manitoba. Roseau native Dustin Byfuglien has a new contract with the Atlanta Trasher but will he be playing closer to home? According to the Atlanta Constitution the Thrasher are losing a boat load of money and they probably won’t be able to continue losing millions every year.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution --- Atlanta Spirit co-owner Michael Gearon said there is now a “sense of urgency” to find additional investors or a buyer willing to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. If the ownership group does not get additional financial help in the near future the franchise could be sold and moved to another city.

“If we are faced with that as the only alternative, that’s what’s going to happen,” Gearon told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview Tuesday. “I don’t think there is an ability to stomach another $20 million in losses. We just can’t do it.

“The reality is we need fans showing up and we need investors, or a primary investor.”

There is no buyer currently lined up to purchase the Thrashers, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Thrashers have long been the subject of speculation that the franchise would be sold and moved with Canadian cities Winnipeg, Quebec and Hamilton most often mentioned

Atlanta Spirit has been trying to sell the Thrashers for six years – starting almost immediately after purchasing the team – according to the Jan. 21 lawsuit filed in Fulton County Superior Court against Atlanta law firm King & Spalding.

The group filed a $200 million malpractice lawsuit against the firm saying a “fatally flawed” and “botched” contract written to buyout former partner Steve Belkin prevented any Thrashers sale the nearly five years before that suit was finally settled in December.

Before the current litigation, the Atlanta Spirit stated publicly that it was looking for investors for the past two years for the Thrashers, Hawks or both franchises. According to the lawsuit, ownership reported more than $130 million in operating losses since 2005. The Thrashers value also has dropped by more than $50 million, the document says.

“I want to see this team in Atlanta,” Gearon said. “We are working to keep it in Atlanta. We need others to step in and help and, as of now, no one in the Atlanta community has.”

UND Fighting Sioux hockey: A lengthy drought on Friday nights

Looks like it’s time for the Fighting Sioux hockey team to wear their black jerseys on Friday night in St Cloud when they open their away series with the SCSU Huskies. I think it’s also time for the Fighting Sioux hockey team to end their futile drought on Friday nights.

Grand Forks Herald --- The last time UND won a Friday night game in St. Cloud, defenseman Dillon Simpson was 5 years old.

Yes, it has been that long.

The Sioux are 0-7-3 in their last 10 Friday night games in the National Hockey Center, dating back to a 4-3 victory on Nov. 27, 1998. On that night, the Sioux escaped with a win after Adam Calder broke a 3-3 tie with 5 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the third period.

Since then, it has been more than a decade of struggles to open series in St. Cloud. The Sioux will try to break that streak at 7:07 p.m. Friday, when the teams open a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series.

Some of the best recent UND teams haven’t been able to snap the skid. Consider:

- The 2000 national championship team was blanked 3-0 in its Friday night attempt. It was the only time that team was shut out that season.

- The 2004 MacNaughton Cup champion team tied 4-4. It tied Jordan Parise’s season high for goals allowed in a game.

- The 2009 MacNaughton Cup champion team lost 3-0, snapping the team’s eight-game unbeaten streak. It was one of two second-half losses for that team.

- And the Frozen Four teams from 2005-08 all stayed within a goal of the Huskies on Friday nights, but none of them managed to squeak out a victory.

“It’s a really tough building to play in,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said of the near 6,000-seat facility that has seating on two sides, box seats on one end and a walkway on the other.

Hump Day pontifications; time for an NCAA Center Ice

Recently while I was on KNOX 1310 with R.J. Richards; I was asked why we can’t see more college hockey on television. It was one of the first questions out of the box and at the time I wasn’t really prepared for that question because I thought we were going to go another direction and gave R.J. the generic answer that hockey is a niche/regional sport that doesn’t get as much attention or focus that some of the major sports like basketball and football receive and not every program is equal in their focus on hockey. I recovered by saying that I would pay extra money each year like I do to receive NHL Center Ice to watch more college hockey.

Since that radio show I have been pondering that question for a couple of weeks now. What are we really talking about here? Most serious sports fans that I know from this area already probably receive the extended sports package (MidcoNet) where they can watch FCS, BTN, ESPNU and CBS College Sports. Multiply the fee of $5.00 - $10.00 by X = Number of hockey games purchased and a lot of college hockey fans are probably already paying an extra $60.00 - $100.00 dollars every hockey season to watch college hockey not available to them on television, or they are traveling on the road to watch these games in person. Why not just give college hockey fans an NCAA College Hockey Center Ice?

Personally, I know I have spent many of hours and probably hundreds of dollars huddled next to my lap top attempting to watch the Fighting Sioux play opponents away from the Ralph on the low quality B2TVnetwork. That’s all we have right now but it’s better than nothing. That’s why I think there would be a demand for a NCAA Center Ice package that college hockey fans could purchase to watch games from other parts of the country. I think western college hockey fans would like to see for themselves just how good Yale, Union, RIT or Boston College really are is instead of having some hockey pundit tell us they are really good and there is no need to debate the premise.

Give me the Bean Pot Please

Every year in Boston they play a Bean Pot hockey tourney and all of the Division 1 college hockey teams from the city of Boston (Boston College, Northeastern, Boston University, Harvard) play in a college hockey tourney over the course of two weeks. The Bean Pot title is for bragging rights in the city of Boston. This is a very prestigious tourney and would be nice to see all over the college hockey fandom. On a national scene why is it that we can’t see this tourney on television in Grand Forks, ND without having to buy Direct TV? I don’t want to buy Direct TV because if I am not able to make the Fighting Sioux hockey games at home I don’t want to be at the mercy of Fox College Sports.

The next question I would potentially ask; is ESPN, ESPNU, CBS College Sports too busy showing their crappy Monday through Thursday programming that they can’t show the Bean Pot hockey games on their channel? They wouldn’t have to do anything out of the ordinary; they might be able to just take the feed from NESN anyways. There wouldn’t be a lot of labor involved or effort on their part to have this game shown on their network.

B.C. Interruption has a great blog post on how the Bean Pot tourney is mismanaged from a marketing perspective. That quote couldn’t be closer to the truth, it’s sad really. There is a lot of potential money to be made off of that hockey tourney that isn’t being realized.

Last night, BC sports marketing professor Lou Imbriano tweeted "The Beanpot a great event and tradition that is clearly mismanaged from a marketing/sponsorship perspective."

While I think the importance of the Beanpot is overstated, I tend to agree with Professor Imbriano.

The Beanpot Tournament usually marks the time of year when the casual Superfan starts to really take notice of Jerry York and the men's hockey program. And Superfans take extra special notice any time the Eagles face the Terriers.

Think about this, next season there is a very strong possibility that the Fighting Sioux will open with an Ice Breaker Tourney at the REA in Grand Forks, ND the guest list for this potential show case could include high profile teams like UND, Michigan, Boston College and Air Force Academy. Wouldn’t that be a good tourney to have on television? Isn’t there a lot of potential money to be made off of this hockey tourney? Wouldn’t this be a great season opener to get everyone ready for the NCAA hockey season by being able to watch these games on Television? Maybe this is why the Big Ten wants to have their hockey conference? The product is there already and prime for picking. We don’t need a new hockey league to maximize this potential money just sitting out there.

Tortorella wants Kreider soon

If I was Jerry York the coach of the Boston College Eagles I would be a little bit worried because an NHL coach is trying to get one of my top/key players from my hockey team to sign a professional contract. That’s the breaks you get sometimes when you recruit top notch blue chip players. According to Rick Carpiniello Torts would like to see Kreider get into their system as soon as possible.

Ranger Report Blog --- “I’m not sure if (he’s ready for) the National Hockey League, and even next year I’m not sure if it’s the National Hockey League if he does turn pro. But I think the sooner that you get into that grind of the American League, if that’s where you start, the better, because that’s where you learn to play the game. It’s a different game than college hockey. And I can understand. I don’t get into the personal matters as far as education. I think education’s important. I think this is a family decision. But as a coach, we want to sink our teeth into him as quickly as possible as far as getting him into a situation, to a Ranger, as quickly as possible.

“I had conversations with Ryan (McDonagh), I had conversations with (Derek Stepan) over the summer, and I had conversations with Kreider also. McDonagh and Step decided to come out, and I think that’s their call, and it’s Kreider’s call also as far as staying in (college). Selfishly for us, we want to get him to us and get working with him immediately.

“And even us, our discussions with him, are we going to hurt him by trying to get him in too quickly? So you’ve got to be careful. So we felt in watching Kreider, and all three of those guys when we talked to them, that we felt they were ready and we weren’t going to hurt them. McDonagh and Step decided to come and they’re playing with us right now. Kreider decided not to, which is fine. I’m sure he learned more going through the Beanpot and all these things, and all the World Championship games and stuff like that. It’s still a good training ground. So you’ve got to be really careful who you’re trying to get to turn pro because you may hurt them as a player, too, if you don’t allow them to develop where they’re at.”

This is what former Wisconsin Badger Ryan McDonagh had to say about playing in the AHL. I find these comments to be very interesting, not really an endorsement for college hockey coming from Torts or McDounagh… I guess I was a little off on my prediction about Ryan McDonagh as well; Goon's World thinks he can make the team out of training camp. [Puck Daddy]

On McDonagh saying his brief time in the AHL was invaluable:

“It’s hard (as a defenseman). It’s hard. That’s the toughest position, and down there everybody’s chasing that little black thing, and just to learn the grind of the gam at that position, the quick reads you have to make—and I think he handled himself very well. We were very patient as far as … he struggled at first and he just kept on coming on, coming on, and that’s why we felt we could make a deal in getting a forward when we were struggling with so many injuries and lacking offense. As I said, we let a pretty good defenseman go in Rozy (Michal Rozsival) because we felt McDonagh was ready to take the next step, and we feel he’s played very well for us here. He’ll go through some growing pains, but he’s played very well.”

Kessel gets first goal in 14 games sinks former team.

Former Boston Bruins and current Maples Leaf Phil Kessel had one assist in nine games against his former team the Boston Bruins. Tonight miraculously the young Leaf forward Kessel regained his scoring touch and scored two goals against his former team. The two goals that Kessel scored were of the high light variety. With the two goals Kessel snaps an unimpressive 14-game scoreless drought. Kind of a big ef you from Phil to his former team the Boston Bruins... Also, earlier today it was rumored that Tomas Kaberle had waived his no trade clause so he could be traded to the Boston Bruins. I must say no thank you!!!

Sioux vs Huskies on MidcoSN3 Friday night...

Jayson Hajdu the Assistant Athletics Director/Media Relations at the University of North Dakota confirmed on Twitter.com this afternoon that Friday's game between the Sioux and Huskies will be on Midco Sports Net 3 that's channel 323 in Grand Forks, ND. Unfortunately, Saturday's game between the UND Fighting Sioux and SCSU Huskies will not be televised on any Midco channel but will only be seen on Charter.You can watch Saturday's game on B2TV.com

02.18.11 7:00 PM CST

Men's Hockey Location: UND @ St. Cloud State

Available on MidcoSN3

NHL Rant (RW77)

ESPN.com (yeah, ESPN!) columnist Scott Burnside gets it.

I'm proud to say that there is SOMEONE at ESPN who sees through the NHL Front Office smokescreen that is their PR campaign and sees the light when it comes to the professional ranks of the sport in general. What did he do?

He sees the league as more than just Pittsburgh and Washington. AND he's not afraid to tell the Pens to go stuff it.

Recently, there was a kerfuffle (as Paul Allen of Vikings and KFAN fame would often say) between the Islanders and the Penguins in which one Pen (Godard) and 2 Isles (Martin and Gillies) were each suspended as a result. The Islanders were even fined.

I didn't watch the game so I'm not going to sit here and say that what happened was right but... Mario Lemieux is a crybaby. And Burnside called him on it. I like this guy.

Lemieux issued a statement contending that the league was too soft and did not send a clear enough message... yet the league suspended two guys a combined 13 games and one Penguin 10 games AND fined the Islanders $100,000.

Burnside alleges, and I concur wholeheartedly, that Lemieux's stance comes from the same stance that has me so derisive towards Sidney Crosby: Since the League makes such a big deal of the Pens/Crosby, they should take extra care to protect us. Like they're something special and the rest of the league is not.

Here's a small blurb I find extremely awesome:

Lemieux apparently didn't mind the state of the game so much when Matt Cooke, a player his Penguins signed to a new contract this past summer, put Marc Savard's career in jeopardy last season with a blindside check a thousand times worse than the one that recently felled Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby.
And Lemieux must have been too busy working on his short game last week to defend the game he loves when Cooke was suspended again, this time for four games, for drilling Columbus defenseman Fedor Tyutin headfirst into the boards.
Nope, Lemieux was pretty much silent on that one, too. Funny.

I agree. 1 million percent. And what's worse, some of their fans even feel the same way as Lemieux!
Lemieux goes on to talk about how the league needs to do a better job stating that the integrity of the game must be upheld and that hostile actions should not be tolerated.
Sure, I agree... and the league did take action. But what about the Penguins? Burnside enlightened me on some interesting statistics:
The Penguins lead the NHL in major penalties assessed as well as penalties per game!
Yet the only embarrassment that really happened that night was the score. A down and out, talentless Islanders team dropped 9 goals on the awesome Penguins!

Look, the points Lemieux made weren't exactly awful, but they did, as Burnside stated, come across as that of a spoiled little boy who didn't get what he wanted. The fact is, Lemieux is a hall of famer and when he speaks, people listen. This is not how you treat a league who bailed out your team and basically got you where you are today.
If you want those problems fixed then do two things:
1. Propose solutions and present them in the proper channels
2. Call out everyone... INCLUDING players like Matt Cooke, who deserve a hellova lot worse than a stupid 4 game ban.

In any case, read the article. It's DEFINITELY worth reading if you want to understand where I come from on the Penguins and Sidney Crosby.

VIVA the League, baby... NOT just the Penguins.

College Rinks

I found this little article at the Wall Street Journal - Sioux 7


Why College Hockey Arenas Are the Cathedrals of Sports
From Yale's 'Whale' to North Dakota's Palace, Quirkiness Reigns.

Most sports arenas being built these days are big on luxury boxes, videoboards and "retro" architecture. The conventions of the medium have become so entrenched that if you're not looking at the team names on the scoreboard, it may be difficult to know what city you're in.

Unless, of course, you walk into a college hockey arena.

For a number of reasons, this niche sport, which is concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest, has become a showplace for unusual stadium architecture—and on many campuses, the best fan experience going.

As the sport grows in size and stature, schools like Michigan, Northeastern and Yale have maintained the character of their grand old buildings while another crop of schools like Notre Dame, Boston University and Minnesota-Duluth have built, or are planning to build, distinctive new venues.

So here's a question: What are these arenas like? And what are their coolest attributes? With award season upon us, The Wall Street Journal has joined the party with a new prize: the Golden Zamboni. Based on visits to 10 unique hockey campuses, here are the winners and (losers) in 10 categories.

BEST HISTORY: Northeastern
Northeastern might never overtake its local rivals, Boston College and Boston University, in winning games: It's been 23 years since the Huskies last won the Beanpot, Boston's annual college-hockey tournament. But when it comes to Northeastern's Matthews Arena, no other building comes close. Opened in 1910, Matthews (known as Boston Arena until 1982) claims to be the world's oldest existing ice hockey arena—and is the original home of both the Boston Bruins and Celtics. It's even two years older than Fenway Park, the beloved home of the Red Sox.

Don't be fooled when you see it: the brick building's age is concealed by a recent renovation that brought a new scoreboard, upgraded seats and a refurbished lobby.

BEST ICE: New Hampshire
A major difference between college and NHL arenas is that the ice-surface dimensions of college rinks can vary. NHL rules specify that rinks must measure 200 feet by 85 feet wide.

The bigger the surface, the more wide-open the game. New Hampshire's Whittemore Center uses the dimensions for international play (200-by-100). One further distinction about the Whittemore ice: Students toss a dead fish onto it after UNH's first goal. "Because the goalie has to fish the puck out of the net," explains a spokesman.

LEAST LIVELY: Princeton
In fairness, we caught Princeton on a tough night—a Tuesday game against overmatched Sacred Heart while the student body was on break.

Still, Princeton's ancient Hobey Baker Rink (opened in 1923) is well known for both looking and sounding like a library. The building itself is a jewel: a tiny, roughly 2,000-seat rink with exposed brick throughout that's named for the legendary early-1900s Princeton football and hockey star. It's also in a good spot across from the recently built Whitman residential college and next to a train station. But the fans lack passion. In the Sacred Heart game, the visiting goalie got yanked midway through the first period yet heard nothing from the crowd.

BEST DESIGN: Yale
Not everyone appreciates the "Yale Whale," Yale's distinctive Ingalls Rink. According to an old newspaper clipping on display at the arena, Harry S. Truman called it a "nightmare" during a visit to campus.

In a sports world filled with cookie-cutter arena designs, though, the Whale is a welcome break. Designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen, the arena has a soaring, humpback-shaped roof, and every seat in the 3,500-capacity rink has an unobstructed view.

The best place to watch the game, though, is the standing-room ramp that encircles the rink—which fills up before the seats. Stuart Comen, a chef at Yale who has been attending games for over 20 years, has two season-ticket seats, but he doesn't use them. "After standing nine hours in the kitchen, I stand three hours here," he said.


MOST INTIMIDATING: Wisconsin
Wisconsin's Kohl Center, which doubles as a basketball arena, may feel a bit soulless. Built in 1998, it lacks the historical character and hockey-shrine feel of some of the sport's other venues. But Badgers fans, the most committed of whom are known as "Crease Creatures," are perhaps the scariest bunch of fans for visiting teams—especially since more than 15,000 of them can fit in the building. (Wisconsin boasts the best attendance in college hockey.)

North Dakota fan Rick LaFleur admitted recently that when it comes to the intimidation factor, North Dakota's home ice is "vanilla" in comparison to the supercharged atmosphere at Badgers' games, which he described as "double chocolate mocha."


BEST CROWD: Michigan
Michigan's intimate 6,600-seat Yost Ice Arena isn't flashy—it's chilly with narrow corridors, wood paneling that's reminiscent of a ski lodge and a skate rental window that makes it feel like a community rink. Students fill nearly half the arena for every game and their enthusiasm, coordination and ruthlessness makes it our pick for the best hockey student section in the country. Never mind that they stole most of their cheers from Cornell, says a team spokesman: the myriad expletives that Wolverine fans have added over the years "are vintage Michigan."


MOST OPULENT: North Dakota
At Ralph Engelstad Arena, the air is sweet with the smell of roasting Bavarian almonds. The floors are marble, chandeliers dangle from the ceilings, mirrors are framed in gold and fireworks go off whenever the Sioux score. Every seat—even in the student section—is extra wide with armrests and cushioning. It's the luxurious experience you'd expect from the late Mr. Engelstad, a former UND player who owned casinos and clearly had a taste for the finer things. Suiteholders have tricked out their boxes with leather couches, pinball machines and vintage jukeboxes. The coaches' locker room has a sauna. Since the arena opened in 2001 there have been a dozen wedding receptions a year held in the lobby.


BEST LOCAL FLAVOR: Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth's new Amsoil Arena, which opened this winter, doesn't have the same harbor views of Lake Superior, but it oozes local flavor. Bar tops in the fireplace-warmed "Bulldog Lounge" are made from local taconite rock, flecked with red iron ore; walls are inlaid with Minnesota stone and the decorative panels are made of wood salvaged from old grain elevators. On the walls are quotations from Duluth's two biggest local celebrities: frozen-pizza impresario Jeno Paulucci and Bob Dylan.


MOST SOBER: Minnesota
The cavernous Mariucci Arena, built in 1993, has become the stuff of legend. It features international-sized ice and 10,000 seats that slope steeply upward for optimum views. But ever since the University's decision to ban alcohol sales in premium sections, suites have been a tough sell, says arena manager Craig Flor. Minnesota President Bob Bruininks said this fall he might start talks to get liquor back for the VIPs.


BEST ATMOSPHERE: Maine
Games at Maine's Alfond Arena feel like the hockey version of Friday Night Lights. The crowd is a mix of diehard locals and feverish students (one of whom hangs a referee doll in effigy when the officials skate onto the ice. At one end of the 5,445-seat arena, a section of fans sits in an ear-splitting site directly below the band. "There's nothing like Maine hockey," said Melissa Cross, who's been attending games since she was 8. "What else are you going to do when it's 20 below?"

Corrections & Amplifications: It's been 23 years since the Huskies last won the Beanpot, Boston's annual college-hockey tournament. An earlier version of this article misstated the name as the Terriers.

Bruins last team Kessel wants see...

Toronto Globe and Mail

Wow! I would not want to be Phil Kessel right now, since being traded to the Toronto Maples Leafs from the Boston Bruins; Kessel has scored one assist against his former team in nine games, that is not very good at all for a player that has made a living scoring goals. Check out this article about Kessel in today's Toronto Globe and Mail, sounds like Phil is having a rough go at it. 

Globe and Mail ---- With reporters and cameras beginning to gather around Phil Kessel for his latest words of wisdom on Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs winger looked over at his neighbour in the dressing room and said: “They’re here for you.”

Former C.C. Tiger Joey Crabb simply grinned.

Alas, that was wishful thinking for Toronto’s notoriously withdrawn goal scorer, who again becomes the reluctant centre of attention with the Leafs facing his former team, the Bruins, in Boston on Tuesday night.

Such is the problem when you’re dealt to a division rival: You see them six times a year and it makes for an easy storyline every time you do.

“How many times have I played there?” Kessel asked as he walked away from the mass of media. “It feels like 35.”

That it’s only four speaks to just how memorable those trips have been. Kessel’s only other visit to Boston this season ended with a 2-0 Toronto loss and the Beantown fans serenading him with a mocking “Thank you,” a response to the 2009 trade that gave them three high draft picks.

Including five games at the Air Canada Centre, Kessel has now played his former team nine times, going scoreless with one assist for his worst points-per-game output against any NHL team in his 348-game career.

Making matters worse this time around is the worst goal-scoring slumps of his career. If he fails to break his current string against the Bruins, Kessel will match a career high of 15 consecutive games without a goal.

“Right now, it’s a tough stretch, I guess, to say the least,” Kessel said. “I gotta be better. I gotta figure out a way to get them in the net.”

Teammates keep an optimistic view. “It’s exciting to play with him right now,” Joffrey Lupul said of his new linemate, “because you know any one of these games he’s going to break out.”

Kessel’s apparent frustration with his coach, meanwhile, has become a cause for debate in Toronto, but it hasn’t persuaded the Leafs bench boss to limit his criticisms. Asked Monday about the continued funk the team’s highest paid forward is in, Ron Wilson didn’t hold back.

I for the life of me can’t understand why anyone would want to play hockey in Toronto. Second, I also would not want to be an American hockey player playing in Toronto either, sounds like a night mare waiting to happen. In my humble opinion Toronto fans are the worst fans, they sound like entitlement hockey fans. Third Toronto Maple Leaf's fans are very hard on their team and their favorite team's players. It seems like they are focusing extra hard on the Americans players and or players that played college hockey in the USA.

I don't see this same thing happening in Montreal where they have two Americans as their captains; Brian Gionta "C" as well as Hall Gill "A" both are Americans as well as former college hockey players.

I don’t know what the problem in Toronto is, maybe it’s because they have sucked so bad for so long and they are just scape  goating the Americans players, I remember watching the same thing when Jason Blake played for the Leafs.

Fighting Sioux Hockey WCHA playoffs series ticket packages on sale

Time to get those WCHA first round playoffs series tickets... Get your ticket so you can watch the drive for number 8.

Grand Forks Herald ---- Ticket packages for UND’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association first round playoff series will go on sale to UND students and the general public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Playoff ticket packages include tickets for all three potential games in the series.

The best-of-three series will be played at Ralph Engelstad Arena on March 11, 12 and 13 (if necessary). Game times are 7:37 p.m. on Friday, and 7:07 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).

Ticket packages for the series are $40 for adults, $20 for youth and $14 for UND students with a valid UND student identification card.

Public playoff ticket packages can be purchased at the UND box office at Ralph Engelstad Arena, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com.

David Backes vs Clayton Stoner Feb 12, 2011

What a way to end Hockey Day in Minnesota. The Minnesota boy David Backes probably bit off more than he can chew by fighting Clayton Stoner but Backes doesn't back down from a fight. Ouch!!! Cayton Stoner catches Backes in the face with a bomb.

There were a couple other fights in the game as well.

Matt D'Agostini vs Cam Barker

Cam Janssen vs Brad Staubitz