UND Remains 2nd in USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll

February 01, 2016

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Quinnipiac	(35)	20- 1-5	983	1
2	North Dakota	( 9)	22- 3-3	944	2
3	St. Cloud State	( 5)	22- 5-1	895	3
4	Boston College	( 1)	17- 4-4	844	5
5	Michigan		16- 3-4	796	6
6	Providence		17- 5-4	738	4
7	Harvard		12- 4-3	703	7
8	Massachusetts-Lowell		17- 5-4	652	8
9	Boston University		14- 7-4	609	9
10	Notre Dame		14- 5-7	522	10
11	Yale		12- 5-4	502	11
12	Nebraska-Omaha		16- 9-1	432	12
13	Denver		13- 8-5	413	13
14	Rensselaer		14- 8-6	291	16
15	Michigan Tech		14- 7-5	279	17
16	Penn State		16- 7-3	226	15
17	Cornell		11- 7-3	215	14
18	Minnesota State		14- 9-5	176	19
19	Bowling Green		15- 8-6	115	18
20	Dartmouth		11- 9-1	71	NR
Others receiving votes: Robert Morris 46, St. Lawrence 23, Minnesota 7, Northeastern 6, Union 4, Miami 3, Minnesota-Duluth 3, Clarkson 1, Ferris State 1.

Frankly, there aren't any surprises in this week’s USCHO Poll. As I have said in the past, the USCHO Poll is fun to discuss. Also, the only poll that really matters is the one that is announced on Sunday in March after the Conference Championships are over. For the most part, the top six of the USCHO Poll breaks down much like the Pairwise Rankings. There are a few differences.

Taking a look at the USCHO Poll, Quinnipiac remains in first place. No major shock there. The F’NHawks remained in second place this week. The Sterns Community College Huskies are ranked third. Rounding out the top five, the Boston College Eagles are again fourth. Apparently, the voters think that the Michigan Wolverines are worthy of the fifth place position. I think it would be hard to gauge how good Michigan actually is because their conference has been very, very weak this season.

Defending champ Providence College has dropped from fourth to sixth place.

(Video) BSU's Billett knees SCSU's Robby Jackson Share

Bemidji State University defenseman Dan Billett was assessed a five-minute major for this knee-on-knee hit on St. Cloud State forward Robby Jackson. It will be interesting to see if the WCHA suspends Billett for a game or two. Remember, it's the WCHA and they're not known for a lot of suspensions.

UND Beats WMU 2-1 (Video)

Imagine playing without three of your top six forwards. Tonight, that's exactly what happened. UND swept Western Michigan minus Chris Wilkie, Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz. With the win, UND improves to (22-3-3, 13-2-1 NCHC).

I would say, look at it this way, there was a lot of points missing from the lineup. UND bore down and got the much-needed sweep to propel to the top of the NCHC standings. UND now leads St. Cloud State by three points.

The remaining "B" from the CBS line was scored three goals and an assist this weekend.Boeser is now UND’s leading scorer with (18g-13a—31pts). Boeser is also third in the nation for points per game by a rookie with 1.19.

UND junior goalie Cam Johnson improved to (13-1-1, 1.34 GAA, .948 save percentage). Johnson leads the nation in GAA and in save percentage.

UND leads the nation in wins and is second in GAPG with 1.68.

UND vs. WMU - Game 2

North Dakota Fighting Hawks Forward Lines
29 Bryn Chyzyk (A)–27 Luke Johnson–14 Austin Poganski
25 Joel Janatuinen–22 Rhett Gardner–16 Brock Boeser
19 Shane Gersich–10 Johnny Simonson–17 Colten St. Clair (A)
24 Christian Wolanin–26 Coltyn Sanderson–111 Trevor Olson

North Dakota Defense Pairings
20 Gage Ausmus (C)–2 Troy Stecher (A)
4 Keaton Thompson–6 Paul LaDue (A)
28 Hayden Shaw–3 Tucker Poolman

North Dakota Goalies
33 Cam Johnson
30 Matt Hrynkiw
(Official Stats)

Western Michigan Broncos Forward Lines
21 Kyle Novak–8 Sheldon Dries (C)–16 Nolan LaPorte
17 Griffen Molino–29 Colt Conrad–14 Jade McMullen
19 Frederik Tiffels–26 Michael Rebry–12 Aidan Muir
7 Matheson Iacopelli–26 Willem Nong-Lambert–23 Aaron Hadley

Western Michigan Defense Pairings
9 Chris Dienes–20 Taylor Fleming
13 Neal Goff–15 Scott Moldenhauer
6 Corey Schueneman–18 Oliver Kaski

Western Michigan Goalies
55 Lukas Hafner
35 Trevor Gorsuch
(Official Stats)

Tonight, there are no changed for the Western Michigan Broncos. For UND, freshman forward Mike Gornall is out of the lineup and freshman forward Rhett Gardner is back in the lineup after being flown in on Friday. Gornal has been sick this week. For those that have DirecTV sports pack, tonight's game will be on 681-1 Altitude.

WMU No Goal

WMU no goal pic.twitter.com/rYqdNAiMXI

— James Lambert (@rivermen123) January 30, 2016

Tonight, the Western Michigan Broncos were convinced that they had scored a goal and requested that the on-ice officials review the play. Fair enough, that happens.

Moving right along, the on-ice officials reviewed the play in question and spent something like 7-8 minutes reviewing a play that was obviously not a goal. It didn't cross the line. What were the on-ice officials looking for? UND radio play-by-play announcer said he saw the play once and knew that it wasn't a goal.

I know, it's easy to bag on the officials, they're human, they make mistakes. But if you can review something for a few minutes and not see a good goal, there's no need to spend any more time staring at a screen trying to glean if there was a goal scored. It's not there. Personally, I think there are too many reviews in the NCHC now.

Game 1: UND vs. WMU (UND Missing 2-of-3 CBS Line)

Tonight, UND will be without Rhett Gardner, Nick Schmaltz, Drake Caggiula and Chris Wilkie. Three of UND's top goal scorers are out of the game tonight. Tonight, UND gets DShep and Timm "Quick Whistle" Walsh.

Looking Ahead: UND vs. WMU https://t.co/wTLCGMKTlu #THW

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) January 29, 2016

Dennis Wideman Suspended for Cross-Checking Linesman

I don't know if I have ever seen anything like this before. After being check hard by Predators forward Miikka Salomaki, Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman cross-checked linesman Don Henderson on the way to the Flames bench.

For his puzzling efforts, Wideman has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing. Your guess is as good as mine how long of a suspension he will get.

According to NHL rule 40:

40.1 Game Misconduct – Any player who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official, in any manner attempts to injure an official, physically demeans, or deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall receive a game misconduct penalty. In addition, the following (40.2, 40.3, 40.4) disciplinary penalties shall apply.

40.2 Automatic Suspension – Category I – Any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury or who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official with intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official shall be automatically suspended for not less than twenty (20) games. (For the purpose of the rule, “intent to injure” shall mean any physical force which a player knew or should have known could reasonably be expected to cause injury.)

40.3 Automatic Suspension – Category II – Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games.

It's hard to tell what Wideman's intent was. Was he feeling the woozy from the hit, which is very possible. Wideman was pounded by Salomaki.

Finally, Wideman isn't a former UND hockey player like some have suggested. :-)

Former Fighting Sioux All-American Jonathan Toews is sick and will skip the NHL's All-Star game. Because he's not playing in the All-Star game, Toews has been suspended one game by the NHL and won't get to play in the Blackhawks first game after the All-Star break. Personally, I think this is a horrible rule. The man is sick, he can't play. 

Chris Hine, Chicago Tribune -- Jonathan Toews will not participate in Sunday's All-Star game because of an illness that limited his time in the Blackhawks' 5-0 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday.

By NHL rules, Toews will also be suspended one Blackhawks game for pulling out of the All-Star Game.

"Jonathan will not participate in the 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend in Nashville. He was pulled Tuesday's night's third period because of an illness and remains symptomatic (Thursday)," Blackhawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry said in a statement. "At this time, rest over the break is most important for him to properly recover and be fully healthy heading into the rest of the regular season."

But  I digress, I have always been under the mindset if you're sick, you shouldn't go to work. Especially when the Blackhawks team doctor is prescribing rest for the All-Star Toews.

Grand Forks Herald: 3 firms make cut to present UND logo proposals

When I read this, the first thing that pops out, none of these companies are from North Dakota or Grand Forks. I guess that's not important.

There was a company from Grand Forks, Ad Monkeys Inc., that originally applied to be part of the process, but they didn't make the cut.

The three companies that made the cut are Phoenix Design Works Maplewood, New Jersey, SME Inc. Wilmington, NC, and finally Summit Athletics Media, Charlotte, NC .

Brandi Jewett, Grand Forks Herald -- Three firms have been selected to make their case in person on why they should be picked to design UND's Fighting Hawks logo.

Phoenix Design Works, SME Inc. and Summit Athletics Media will be invited to present to the university's Graphic Identity RFP Evaluation and Recommendation Team next Monday or Tuesday on campus.

The team has been vetting proposals from firms since Jan. 15 and assigning initial scores. The three firms had the top scoring proposals, but a frontrunner is unclear because they were announced in alphabetical order.

Regardless of who is designing the new Fighting Hawks Logo, this is an important phase of the transition to a new nickname. Blow the moniker and the University will turn off more alumni and fans. Thoughts?

(Video) Alex Ovechkin hit on Wayne Simmonds

Check out this hit by Washington Capitals All-World forward Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin finished his check on Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds. It was at the end of a tie-game and nothing came out of it.

Its Crunch Time, Seven Weeks to Go

There are seven weeks to go before the NCAA Division I Hockey tournament starts. Looking at this week's Bracketology post by Jayson Moy, UND is going to Cinci. Most UND fans that I have talked to would like to see UND in Minneapolis. For some reason, Moy wants to keep putting UND in Cincinnati. I think that's going to be an empty regional.

This week’s brackets

East Regional (Albany):
13 Denver vs. 4 Providence
12 Massachusetts-Lowell vs. 5 Harvard

Northeast Regional (Worcester):
16 Robert Morris vs. 1 Quinnipiac
10 Yale vs. 7 Boston College

Midwest Regional (Cincinnati):
15 Minnesota State vs. 3 North Dakota
11 Boston University vs. 6 Michigan

West Regional (St. Paul):
14 Minnesota vs. 2 St. Cloud State
9 Omaha vs 8 Notre Dame

(USCHO Bracketology)

Update: Ducks Chris Stewart Fights Bruins Tory Krug

That being said, props to Boston Bruins defenseman Tory Krug for taking on the Anaheim Ducks Nethanderal Chris Stewart. Apparently, Stewart didn't want to fight Krug.

Krug told the Boston media after the game, however, that he was the one who initiated the scrap, which followed a late hit by Ducks winger David Perron on Bruins D-man Kevan Miller. Stewart, he said, wanted no part of it.

Big scrum after Goose makes a stop, and then Krug & Chris Stewart drop 'em. Torey heads to the box to a loud chorus of KRUUUUUUG

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 27, 2016

Chris Stewart having words with Chara after that last whistle. Feeling his oats after his fight with Krug? #NHLBruins #Ducks

— Rhonda R. McClure (@HockeyMaven1917) January 27, 2016

Donald Bruce Beard: UND will move on with nickname

Wow. This letter to the editor was in the Inform.com today. The letter is from Donald Bruce Beard, who wrote a letter earlier this winter about the nickname issue. Funny, I believe he's one of the few to bring up the new REA and not winning any titles.

Unfortunately, die-hard supporters of UND’s previous nickname boo when their Fighting Hawks are announced at hockey games, behavior the Forum decries as “boorish.”

This conduct is the latest bad-foot forward in a march of missteps, the most egregious being the Ralph’s appropriation of Sitting Bull, a medicine chief who despised wasicu/whites (“all liars”), and placing Indian heads adorned with sacred eagle feathers in arena entrances, there to be trampled by thousands; North Dakota’s highest officials dissing a settlement agreement allowing the Standing Rock Sioux to reclaim their own name, then by law permanently assigning that name to UND and backing down only when faced with NCAA sanctions; and supporters wearing Fighting Sioux garb and ending the national anthem with “… home of the Sioux,” thus misidentifying UND teams and disrespecting the Standing Rock Tribe.

Interim President Schafer assures us, “We’re moving forward, we have chosen a new nickname and we’re going to make value to that name.”

Doubtless, he’s right. After all, since the advent of the Ralph, neither have our skaters garnered a single national championship, nor has boorishness rendered us deserving.

For those that don't know who Beard is, he's wrote 100's of letters to the editor against the Fighting Sioux nickname. 

(Video) Wayne Simmonds Goal; Flyers Were Offsides

Even in the National Hockey League, where the on-ice officials are trained professional, they still blow calls. And they blew this call.

Tonight, the linemen in the Boston Bruins Philadephia Flyers game missed a call at the Bruins blue line. If you look at the video, you will see that Flyers forward Michael Del Zotto was offside. He was already in the offensive zone before the puck crossed the blue line. I watched the video 10 times and I agree with Jack Edwards, this was offside.

Simmonds goal looks to be offsides to me, but those dang tablets! pic.twitter.com/GkEWZxxwCI

— StanleyCup ofChowder (@cupofchowdah) January 26, 2016

UND Second in USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll

January 25, 2016

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Quinnipiac	(30)	19- 1-5	975	1
2	North Dakota	(15)	20- 3-3	949	2
3	St. Cloud State	( 4)	20- 5-1	871	5
4	Providence	( 1)	16- 4-4	841	3
5	Boston College		16- 4-4	832	4
6	Michigan		14- 3-4	753	6
7	Harvard		11- 4-3	671	9
8	Massachusetts-Lowell		15- 5-4	627	8
9	Boston University		13- 7-4	554	11
10	Notre Dame		14- 4-7	524	13
11	Yale		11- 4-4	503	12
12	Nebraska-Omaha		15- 8-1	502	7
13	Denver		12- 7-5	398	15
14	Cornell		11- 5-3	361	10
15	Penn State		16- 5-3	278	14
16	Rensselaer		13- 7-6	266	16
17	Michigan Tech		13- 7-4	168	17
18	Bowling Green		15- 7-5	161	18
19	Minnesota State		13- 8-5	110	20
20	Minnesota		13-10-0	72	NR
Others receiving votes: Dartmouth 25, Robert Morris 25, Minnesota-Duluth 14, St. Lawrence 9, Union 4, Alaska-Anchorage 3, Northeastern 2, Holy Cross 1, Miami 1.

The University of North Dakota remained in second of this week’s USCHO.COM poll. So, for another week, we won’t have to listen to fans complain about UND being in the number one position. J In the only poll that matters, UND is currently third place in the Pairwise Rankings.  

College Hockey: Goals per Game by Conference

Recently, there's been a common theme beginning to emerge in college hockey. The teams in the WCHA aren't scoring very many goals. Some of this might be due to the way the games are being called by the on-ice officials. The WCHA officials are letting the obstruction go.  I have been following some of the beat writers and fans in the WCHA, and they aren't happy. Stats are for the season and are current as of January 21, 2016. Thoughts?
s/t @SWilliamsLPTV

conference	in conference	all games
Big Ten	7.5	6.52
AHA	5.73	5.93
NCHC	5.6	5.46
HE	5.48	5.58
ECAC	5.01	5.45
WCHA	4.81	4.91

                    

(Video Highlights) UND vs. C.C. (1/23/2016)

Here are all six goals that were scored tonight. I also included the major penalty. I think the player from Colorado College embellished the hit. I also thought it was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit. Again, I would like to see another angle of this hit, just to make sure.

It's was a good weekend hockey for the most part. I thought Friday's game added an element we don't see very often. In the three seasons that the NCHC has been in existence, we have only seen three shootouts and one 3-on-3 overtime. UND is 1-2 all-time in the shootout.

That was exciting hockey.

UND has scored 15 goals in their last three games. The last three games they've scored five goals each night. When you scores four or more goals they're 14-0-2.

This past weekend, Rhett Gardner scored four goals. Gardner has five goals in four games.

Checking the other scores, the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are 1-5-0 in 2016. During those six games, the Mavericks have been outscored 25-12.

Minnesota Duluth is 1-3-2 in six games in 2016. If my math is correct, the Bulldogs have been outscored 12-11.In the last four games, the Bulldogs have scored five goals. You can't win any hockey games when you're averaging just over a point a game.