Two Ex-UND Hockey Players in Top-10 for Playoff Scoring

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Former UND hockey players Jonathan Toews and Zach Parise are still in the top-10 for scoring during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

2013-14 NHL Playoff Leaders Points
1.	Anze Kopitar	15
2.	Zach Parise	14
3.	Ryan Getzlaf	13
	Evgeni Malkin	13
5.	P.K. Subban	12
6.	Marian Hossa	11
7.	Marian Gaborik	10
	Nathan MacKinnon	10
	Corey Perry	10
	Brent Seabrook	10
	Paul Stastny	10
	Jonathan Toews	10

Full 2013-14 Leaders

Gionta, "For the most part of the series we’ve outplayed them"

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Former Boston College Eagle Brian Gionta is delusional if he thinks that the Canadiens have outplayed the Boston Bruins. For the most part. I think that the Habs have gotten some great breaks, but Boston has been the better team.

Pat Hickey, The Gazette --- We knew what we’re getting into in this series,” captain Brian Gionta said Sunday after the team held an optional workout in Brossard. “They’re a good team. We’re playing at home. For the most part of the series we’ve outplayed them and we feel comfortable.”

“Some of our guys have done this before,” added David Desharnais, who was referring to the last playoff meeting between these teams in 2011, when the Canadiens won Game 6 at home and then lost in overtime in Boston in Game 7. “We’re in front of our fans and we like the way we play at home.”

The confidence in the Canadiens’ dressing room might stem from the fact they never trailed in this series until the loss Saturday gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead. There’s an argument to be made the Canadiens could have swept this series — they had a late two-goal lead in Game 2 and a Boston bounce produced a 1-0 overtime win for the Bruins in Game 4.

Stephane Pattyn named UND's Team Captain

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In a move that should surprise no one, UND has named Steph Pattyn team captain for the 2014-15 season. (Official UND hockey press release)

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota Head Men’s Hockey Coach Dave Hakstol announced today that rising senior forward Stephane Pattyn has been named team captain for the 2014-15 season. In addition, Hakstol announced that classmates Connor Gaarder, Mark MacMillan and Michael Parks have been named assistant captains.  

Pattyn, affectionately dubbed “The General” by his teammates, served as an assistant captain as a junior in 2013-14. He played in all 42 games and established career highs in points (16), goals (7), assists (9), power-play goals (3) and plus/minus (+10). The Ste. Anne, Manitoba, native has missed just one game in his collegiate career and will enter his senior year as UND’s active leader in career games played with 125.

Gaarder also enjoyed a breakthrough season as a junior, appearing in all 42 games and setting career highs in points (17), goals (9), assists (8), game-winning goals (2) and plus/minus (+5). A native of Edina, Minn., Gaarder was named to the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team after scoring the double-overtime game-winning goal in UND’s 2-1 win over Ferris State in the regional final. Gaarder also earned academic all-conference honors for the second time and was recently named UND’s 2013-14 Male Unsung Hero (all sports).

MacMillan appeared in 38 games last season and ranked third on the team in scoring with a career-high 26 points, matching his career high with 16 assists. Four of his 10 goals were game-winners. A native of Penticton, British Columbia, MacMillan was one of 18 national candidates for the 2014 Hockey Humanitarian Award while earning academic all-conference honors for the second year in a row.

Parks, like Pattyn, served as an assistant captain in 2013-14 and earned All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Second Team honors after collecting a career-high 30 points in 42 games. The St. Louis, Mo., native, who will be UND’s top returning scorer in 2014-15, also set a new career high with 18 assists and matched his career high with 12 goals.

North Dakota (25-14-3, 15-9-0 NCHC) qualified for the NCAA postseason tournament for the 12th consecutive season in 2013-14, the longest active streak in Division I men’s hockey, and won the NCAA Midwest Regional to advance to the 20th NCAA Frozen Four in program history.

(Video) Sidney Crosby cup checks Dominic Moore after being mugged by him

First, I am not a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins by any stretch of the imagination, but in this case I don't blame Sidney Crosby for being upset. Shouldn’t the ref call the penalties as they present themselves? The blatant holding the stick, is a penalty in high school, college and in the NHL.

The treatment that Crosby has been given during the playoffs, that has gone uncalled is ridiculous. Does the NHL want their star players out with injuries or concussions?

Also, what is Crosby supposed to do? Dominic Moore has Sid’s stick and won’t let go, that’s should be a penalty, so Crosby stuck him. While we don't want to see players spearing their opponents, sometimes the opponents should expect "something" in return, especially when they do stuff like this.

You have to give kudos to Chris Kunitz for sticking up for his fellow teammate as well. Can you imagine what former Oilers tough guy Dave Semenko would have done, if someone had done this to Wayne Gretzky? There would have been blood on the ice.

20:00 PIT Chris Kunitz Roughing - 2 min against Dominic Moore
20:00 PIT Sidney Crosby Cross checking - 2 min against Marc Staal
20:00 NYR Brian Boyle Cross checking - 2 min against Sidney Crosby

Non Boston Bruins Fans: Why do you hate the Bruins?

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I figured it would be a good day to have an open forum. I might be painting with a broad brush, but I have come to the realization that a lot of NHL hockey fans hate the Boston Bruins, for whatever reason. So, I would like to conduct some informal, nonscientific research to see why. Here's your chance to give your opinion. Comparing the Bruins to other franchises, it’s amazing how much hate the Bruins get from other fan bases. You don't see this reaction to the Minnesota Wild, unless it comes from the Denver Post beat writers.

Some fans call them the dirtiest franchise in the NHL… Those are the exact words of one of my buddies. Who happens to be a Penguins fan.

Bruins pest extraordinaire Brad Marchand seems to draw a lot of hate from opposition fans, some of it earned.

Bruins tough guy Milan Lucic, isn’t well liked by other fan bases, especially by Habs’ fans. I would also be willing to be that Les Habitants' defenseman Alexei Emelin isn’t going to be sending Looch a Christmas card during the holidays. Personally, I can't stand the rouge, blanc, bleu and I am a know Montreal Canadiens hater.

Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton fined for water bottle incident

I know it's not supposed to be funny, but.... I could just see the video now. Saturday night in Boston, in the waning minutes of game five, Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton squirted water from the players bench at Montreal Canadiens Defenseman P.K. Subban, striking him in the visor. This is unsportsmanlike conduct. The NHL Department of Player Safety has decided to fine Thornton $2,820.52.

James Mirtle (@myrtle) tweeted at 10:09 AM on Sun, May 11, 2014: Shawn Thornton fined $2820.52 for "unsportsmanlike conduct" i.e. the water bottle incident with PK Subban. Ho hum.

(Video X2) Shawn Thornton sprays P.K. Subban with the water bottle

It appears that Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton squirted Hab's defenseman P.K. Subban with a water bottle from the players bench. When asked if it was Thornton that squirted him.

“I don’€™t know if it was him, but somebody had squirted water twice at the end of the game there,” Subban said. “Hit me in the visor. I couldn’€™t even see the last minute and a half out there. I was pretty upset about that.”

While Subban doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, the NHL Department of Player Safety might be taking a look at this incident. Shawn Thornton could be looking at a fine from the NHL.

As lame as it may sound, Hockey Ops and safety dept will discuss potential of fine for Thornton squirting water at Subban during play.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 11, 2014

There was a little bit of discussion about the water bottle incident in Subban's post game scrum as well.

Chicago's Brandon Bollig will have a hearing with Department of Player Safety

Looks like Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Bollig's has a date with the NHL's Department of Players Safety. The Chicago forward has a hearing for his dirty, and dangerous hit on Wild defenseman Keith Ballard. After the hit, Ballard was face down on the ice for a period of time before he got up, and skated to the Wild bench. Ballard didn't return.

(@NHLPlayerSafety) tweeted at 12:57pm - 10 May 14: Chicago's Brandon Bollig will have a hearing today for boarding/checking from behind on Minnesota's Keith Ballard.

Minnesota Wild: Putting it all into perspective

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Good morning… I was looking at my favorite new statistics site [hockeyreference.com] and perusing the Minnesota Wild’s playoff stats. I am sure that like many of your, I was surprised to find out that the much maligned Wild forward Dany Heatley has scored (1g-5a—6pts) and is a +7 in nine playoff games. Seriously, a (+7). That’s not a misprint or a typo. Heater was a (-18) during the regular season. Since returning to the lineup, the former Wisconsin Badger has played decent, and hasn't been the usual turnover factory that he was during the regular season. My guess is that Heatley is trying to impress future suitors when July 5th free agent signing period comes around.

Last night, Matt Cooke returned from his league imposed seven-game suspension for his dirty leg check on Tyson Barrie and immediately gave the Wild another dynamic that they lacked while he was gone. Cooke created havoc in the Blackhawks end and assisted on Justin Fontaine’s first period goal.

Justin Fontaine's goal in the first period of last night's game was a thing of beauty. Coming into the season, there were a lot of Fontaine doubters that said the former UMD Bulldog would never get much more than a cup of coffee at the NHL level. Well, I think he's surpassed those expectations. Well, through 66 regular season games and seven Stanley Cup Playoff games, the former Bulldog has scored (14g-9a—23pts). I would think that 73 games would classify as more than a cup of coffee.

Last night, I said on twitter, “When you get past all of the extra bravo sierra Matt Cooke is a really good hockey player.” I thought Cooke’s was a game changer last night, and just proved that when he plays hockey, and doesn’t attempt to decapitate people, he’s a very important asset on the ice. It’s obvious that the Wild missed his play.  As a fan, you just hope that he can behave himself the rest of the playoffs and stay out of suspension trouble.

One of the things that I saw pop up on Twitter last night was that the Wild had six skaters on the ice to open the third period. It's actually pretty obvious that the Wild have way too many on the ice, however, the play went undetected by the on-ice officials. [Here's the link to the video.]

Last night, Wild forward Zach Parise blasted Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane with a stiff, hard, legal check.  I told someone this morning, that I thought that Parise had an extra gear last night.

Brandon Bollig Boards Keith Ballard

Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Bollig absolutely destroyed Minnesota Wild defenseman Keith Ballard with a very dangerous, and unnecessary hit. You can't hit a guy in the numbers, not like that. I think that Bollig should have been tossed from the game for this hit and given a five minute major and a game misconduct. Ballard would leave the game with what appears to be a concussion.

Yeo gave no update on Ballard. More tomorrow
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) May 10, 2014

(Video) Matt Beleskey flips Doughty over the boards into the bench

Anaheim Ducks forward Matt Beleskey absolutely destroys L.A. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. The Kings defenseman goes over the boards into the Ducks players' bench. I have been in awe as I have watched this series. I can't get over how physical these two teams have played against each other. Whoever wins this series, is going to be very beat up. One of the questions that I asked myself, would a college hockey be able to be this physical without spending all game in the penalty box? Definitely the Ducks and the Kings are hard to play against.

Mike Haviland named head coach of C.C. Tigers

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It's an interesting selection, Mike Haviland has been hired as the 14th head coach of the Colorado College Tigers hockey team. Haviland played collegiately at Elmira College a Division III school. Also, it looks to be a good hire, Haviland has coached in the American Hockey League and the National Hockey league as an assistant.

Colorado College Tigers --- Mike Haviland has agreed to become Colorado College's next head ice hockey coach. The highly regarded veteran coach with experience at the NCAA, ECHL, AHL and NHL levels will take over as the 14th coach of the Tigers later this month.

Haviland, most recently head coach for the Hershey Bears, the oldest franchise in the AHL, owns an impressive record. He earned a Stanley Cup as assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL in 2010. He was honored with the AHL's Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Coach of the Year Award for the 2006-07 season while serving as head coach of the Norfolk Admirals. He won ECHL championships as head coach of Trenton Titans in 2004-05 and the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2002-03. From 1996-1998 as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Elmira College, Haviland helped guide that team to two ECAC championships.

Haviland has more than 20 years of hockey coaching experience, and became head coach of the Hershey Bears in 2013. Prior to arriving at Hershey, he served as associate head coach at Norfolk. From 2008-2012 he served as an assistant coach for the Blackhawks. Haviland got his start in the Blackhawk organization by serving as head coach of Rockford in 2007-2008. He also served as head coach for Norfolk in 2005-2007; of Trenton in the ECHL from 2004-2005; and Atlantic City of the ECHL from 2001-2004. Prior to 2001 Haviland served as assistant coach for several organizations.

Matt Fraser celly (GIF)

s/t to Steph @myregularface.... Check out Matt Fraser's Celly... That was a sweet goal. The last time that he scored a goal was on January 9, 2014, against the L.A. Kings.

Boston Bruins: Matt Fraser scores the game winning goal against Montreal in game four (Video)

Boston Bruins forward Matt Fraser was recalled yesterday, and this was only the fourth NHL goal of his career. His first in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You have to love his quote though.

“I said earlier today that I have played for the Stanley Cup 100 times,” Fraser said. “On an outdoor rink – on my buddy’s outdoor rinks, but to do it on a place like this is pretty amazing.”

Fraser special night congrats it's a series lets gooooooooo
— marc savard (@MSavvy91) May 9, 2014

Jarome Iginla drills Max Pacioretty hard

Boston Bruins forward Jarome Iginla drills Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty with a clean, hard, legal check. Pacioretty looked like he was a bit woozy after the hit. Pacioretty would return to the game.

Grimaldi Takes Talents to South Beach

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Ok, I know I am a day late on this on, but I needed to figure out how I wanted to word this post. As it was announced yesterday, UND Junior forward, Rocco Grimaldi signed with the Florida Panthers yesterday. The California native would sign a three year entry level deal worth around $3.2 million. Rocco was drafted 32nd overall, which is the second pick of the second round, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I myself have some memories in the two full seasons I was able to see him skate at UND, but my favorite memory is probably when he scored his first goal against Minnesota back in November of 2011. It was a game I was fortunate to be attending while back home for a weekend my freshman year, but what made it most memorable was his celebration. Replicating his idol, Tim Tebow, it possibly was the best celebration in college hockey that season. However, Rocco would miss most of this season due to a knee injury, and was forced to take a medical red shirt for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season.

Rocco was by far the fan favorite in his time at North Dakota, and with good reason. He was fast, and would dazzle the crowd with his great hands. However, his likeness to pull the flashy moves would cost UND at times where taking the shot would be the better option. However, when they did work they were all highlight reel goals that would leave the entire crowd speechless.

Grimaldi would lead UND in points this year with 37 and would make a statement in the NCAA tournament as well. His presence was well felt on the ice greatest in the Wisconsin game when he would earn his first collegiate hat trick, leading UND to a 5-2 victory.

It is hard for me to say if Rocco will have success in the NHL, or even make it into the NHL, but we wish him the best of the luck in whatever his career has in store for him.

Z is for Zane (Gothberg)

What a really nice story by WDAZ's Dan Corey on UND sophomore goalie Zane Gothberg. I think this really shows how the younger kids look up to the UND hockey players as well.

Z Is For Zane: The story of Zane Gothberg and his incredible friendship with a Thief River Falls second grade class. http://t.co/EUDdZJIV5K
— Dan Corey (@DanCorey8) May 8, 2014

Related articles

• UND Hockey: Zane Gothberg NCHC Goaltender of the Week
• UND Hockey: Schmaltz, Gothberg and Parks to return to UND for the 2014-15 season
• UND Hockey: Clarkes Saunders Fills in for the Injured Zane Gothberg
• UND Hockey: Gothberg's Strong Finish Propels Team
• UND Hockey: Goalie Zane Gothberg out Indefinitely with Lower-Body Injury

(Video) Marc Staal Cross-Checks Sidney Crosby

I was on YouTube looking for something else when I came across this video. Anyone wonder why some of the star players like Sidney Crosby might not be scoring as many goals as they do during the regular season.

#becauseitsthecup ... Even thought it's the playoffs, cross-checking your opponent in the head is still a penalty, right? It should be. This should be called, this is a dirty hit and should be a five-minute major in my opinion. Thoughts?

Is Milan Lucic playing with fire?

First, Milan Lucic will not be fined, suspended or even slapped by the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety for his latest stick transgression. That being said, the Montreal Canadiens, and their fans were up in arms with the Boston Bruins tough guy and his latest cup check of his favorite dance partner Hab's defenseman Alexei Emelin. Let's just say, those two have a history.

No hearing or fine for Milan Lucic after "spearing" Alexei Emelin in 3rd period last night. #canadiens #bruins #nhl #tvasports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) May 7, 2014

Another game, another Lucic cup check. We got quit a history starting to develop here. Emelin isn't going to fight Lucic or anyone else. There's a reason for that, and Taylor Shire from the Bleacher Report tells us why.

During a 2009 playoff game, while playing with Kazan AK-Bars in the Kontinental Hockey League, Emelin got into a fight with Alexander Svitov, who rearranged Emelin’s face. Emelin was left face down, bleeding profusely on the ice after taking a couple solid punches to the face.

Emelin had a concussion, a broken nose and needed facial reconstruction. Now he has several metal plates under his left eye. So, that’s a good enough reason not to fight Malone. Why risk more injury to your already-injured face? There could be long-term effects.

Last night,  at the 12:05 mark of the third period, Lucic again stuck his stick in Emelin's nether region. Like most of us watching, it was so subtle that we didn't see it. For the most part, the play went undetected, even by the television announcers. After the play in question, the two separated without incident and went their separate ways. After the whistle, Looch whispered sweet nothings in Emelin's ear. I am sure they weren't exchanging phone numbers.



I would say that Lucic is starting to develop a nasty reputation of having a way ward stick. This way ward stick, seems to keep connecting with his opponents' testicles. In my opinion, that's bush league, Lucic is better than that.

After reading the book "The Code" - one might say that Lucic has broken the hockey code by doing these types of bush league tactics. Let's not forget, that turnabout is also fair play. Someday, someone is going to catch him with a retaliation type hit. Lucic brought this on himself.



Lastly, I am a Boston Bruins fan, for that I make no apologies, but I must say that these incidents are starting to become a regular occurrence. This is disappointing. Again, Lucic is better than this, he doesn't need to resort to these types of dirty, cheap hits.

At what point does the NHL step in and sanction him a punishment that more teeth to it, it's not like he hasn't been warned. Before we go there, the Hab's aren't a bunch of saints and they don’t hold the moral high ground, either. Last night, Zdeno Chara was caught with a vicious slash by a Hab’s player as well.

Related articles

• (Video) Bruins Milan Lucic cup checks the Habs Alexei Emelin, again

Rocco Grimaldi signs with NHL’s Florida Panthers

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Rocco Grimaldi was an absolute gem to cover, and I am going to miss him. Grimaldi is an electrifying player that can change a game with his speed and offensive imagination. Good luck to him.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota sophomore forward Rocco Grimaldi has signed an entry level contract with the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers and will forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility. The Panthers selected Grimaldi in the second round (33d overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Grimaldi led North Dakota in points (39) and goals (17) in 42 games in 2013-14, establishing career highs in both categories. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 NCAA Midwest Regional in Cincinnati after recording his first collegiate hat trick in UND’s semifinal win over Wisconsin. His performance helped lead UND to its 20th appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four.

The 5-foot-6, 172-pound Grimaldi also earned Academic All-NCHC honors in 2013-14 and won the team’s Virg Foss 3-Star Award for accumulating the most 3-star voting points during the regular season.

In 2012-13, Grimaldi was named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team and was voted UND’s Rookie of the Year after leading all WCHA rookies in points (36) and assists (23), while also topping the nation’s rookies with 147 shots on goal. That same season, Grimaldi helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Russia. He was named U.S. Player of the Game in the gold medal win over Sweden after scoring both the game-tying and game-winning goals.

Grimaldi’s initial freshman season at UND in 2011-12 was cut short after just four games due to a season-ending knee injury. He finished his collegiate career with 31 goals and 46 assists and a plus-22 rating in 86 games.

A native of Rossmoor, Calif., Grimaldi is UND’s second player to sign an NHL contract since the end of the 2013-14 season, joining senior defenseman Dillon Simpson, who signed with the Edmonton Oilers.

.@RGrimaldi23 Agrees to Entry-Level Contract with #FlaPanthers http://t.co/r6H0hW61kF
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 7, 2014