Yawn! Sioux 0 Cornell 1

I watched the game on the internet tonight Kudos to Cornell their internet broadcast was top notch. That being said, this is too bad because this was one of the most boring games that I have watched in at least the last three years. UND scored two goals that didn’t count, story of the season.

The one goal was questionable in that it was one of those ref lost sight of the puck/ref blew the whistle early calls, the other one as per Brad Schlossman: UND's video guy says he thinks the puck may have gone in, but like Hajdu said, nobody reacted like they scored.

Here is the way I saw it, UND skated circles around Cornell tonight, they played a collapsing defense and they basically circled the wagons around there goaltender, they got a break and cashed in on it. I don’t think UND would be afraid to play Cornell in the NCAA’s. Cornell is a decent team but they couldn’t skate with UND in an up and down the ice race horse hockey game. The game really wasn't that close in puck possession and UND out shot them 28-14.

For the Fighting Sioux freshman goalie Aaron Dell (.915 SV% 1.34 AA 1- 2- 1)played pretty well, he was square to the puck and not getting caught out of possition and I hope coach Hakstol starts him tomorrow night; I am trying to remain positive but I am tired of watching Brad Eidsness stink up the joint and let in soft goals and over play the puck. I think Eids needs to sit on the bench and watch a few games.

[Box Score]

NON-CONFERENCE SERIES: No. 5 North Dakota at No. 9 Cornell

Here is Elliot Olshansky's pre-game write up from the NCAA blog.

Dave Hakstol's team is regularly one of the best-traveled in college hockey, but a trip to Lynah Rink in Ithaca is no ordinary road trip. Some 4,000 Big Red fans maybe one of the smaller crowds North Dakota plays in front of (coming out of the WCHA), but they'll also be one of the loudest.

The Big Red, meanwhile, is in a tight spot. Despite their high national ranking, their 2-2-1 non-conference record is less than impressive, with a major missed opportunity in a 3-3 tie with Boston University at Madison Square Garden, and a pair of losses to Colorado College and Princeton at the Florida College Classic. A win against No. 16 New Hampshire, the current Hockey East leader, helps somewhat, but with the WCHA as strong as it is, this year, Cornell needs at least one win this weekend to improve its chances at an NCAA tournament berth. Otherwise, it may be "ECAC Title or Bust" for Mike Schafer's team.

Cornell will have the No. 3 scoring defewnse in the nation on its side, allowing just 2.12 goals per game, as well as the No. 5 power play in the nation (24.3 percent), which features a pair of potent scorers in seniors Blake Gallgher and Colin Greening, who have cooled off a bit from their red-hot start to the season, but are still formidable weapons.

Still, Cornell has scored more than two goals just twice in their last seven games, and North Dakota doesn't figure to make lighting the lamp any easier. NoDak is right behind Cornell and Ferris State among the nation's defensive leaders with 2.25 goals per game, and will provide a different kind of test for Cornell at the other end of the ice, with 11 players scoring in double-digits, led by junior forward Evan Trupp (5g, 15a) and sophomore Jason Gregoire, who has seven assists to go with a team-high 12 goals.

The always-intense Lynah Faithful should be especially fired up for this series: in addition to being a key pair of games against a formidable non-conference opponent, it's also Cornell's first home game since Nov. 24

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Here is the information for listening and watching this weekend's game.

Jan. 22-23, 2010 • 6 pm CT • James Lynah Rink (4,267) • Ithaca, N.Y.
RADIO: 96.1 The Fox (KQHT-FM) • TV: Time Warner Sports (N.Y. only)
WEBCAST & LIVE STATS: CornellBigRed.com/Showcase • AUDIO: FightingSioux.com

SECOND-HALF SURGE?: The Sioux are off to a 3-1-2 (.667) start since the Christmas break after a 9-6-3 (.583) first half. In Dave Hakstol's five-plus years as head coach, UND has posted a .688 winning percentage (84-34-15) in games played after Christmas (including playoffs), compared to a .569 mark (49-36-9) prior to Christmas.

In each of the last five seasons, UND has dramatically increased its winning percentage following the holiday break. Below is a year-by-year comparison of UND's pre and post-Christmas records: Year Before After

2004-05 13-7-2 (.636) 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06 12-7-1 (.625) 17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07 7-10-1 (.417) 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08 8-6-1 (.567) 20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09 9-8-1 (.528) 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10 9-6-3 (.583) 3-1-2 (.667)

More on the Daniel Carcillo and Marian Gaborik fight.

I have this game taped on my DVR so I am going to go back and watch this game later on this weekend because it sounds like I missed a good ole fashion donnybrook game. I just caught the highlights from last night's game while watching another game on the tube. Now if you miss a game on NHL Center Ice you will get a second chance to DVR said game after the game is over. Thank You!

Incidents like this is why I hate/loathe the Philadelphia Flyers, the Broad Street Bullies are a bunch of blood thirsty ruffians skating around the ice taking liberties with the opposition team. The two biggest hacks are Scott Hartnell aka “mop head” and Daniel Carcillo. First off Hartnell is you’re going to be a fighter; be a tough guy and take off the shield. Also, get a hair cut you look like a poor mans version of a French poodle. Second Carcillo knew what exactly what he was doing, he know that there wasn’t any tough guys on the ice and he went over and grabbed Gabby, and was looking for an excuse to pummel their top scorer. Here is what Carcillo had to say, "I wasn't expecting him to drop his gloves when he did," Carcillo admitted. "I was pretty much licking my chops."

If you watched the fight (if you want to call that a fight) you will see that Gabby dropped the gloves, but I think it was more out of self preservation. I am sure Gabby saw the the one sided exchange between Carcillo and Bradley and didn’t want to have the same thing happen to him. After the Bradley incident, who knows if Carcillo wouldn’t have just hit Gabby whether he would have dropped the gloves or not. Carcilo’s actions last night might pretty much prove that league top players better beware and are notice because its open season on you if you are playing the Flyers.

PHILADELPHIA -- John Tortorella's sense of honor, an amorphous concept to begin with, was offended last night when Flyers' thug Daniel Carcillo dropped his gloves to throw punches at the Rangers' elegant pacifist, Marian Gaborik, at 5:43 of the second period of the Flyers' 2-0 victory.

Perhaps the head coach should have directed his ire at Dan Girardi and the rest of the Blueshirts on the ice at the time who were bystanders (though hardly innocent ones) to the bout during which their best player was in jeopardy.

Or maybe Tortorella already had done so, because Girardi, who watched from just a few feet away as the unfair fight unfolded in the Rangers' attacking left corner and circle, told The Post that he regretted his decision not to engage on behalf of his teammate.

"I guess I was overthinking it, Girardi said. "I didn't want to take another penalty, because I knew we already had one there [on Brandon Dubinsky], but I should have gotten involved. I should have jumped in. Maybe it was the wrong decision, but it was the decision I made at the time.

"If there's a next time, I would go."

Tortorella, who told the press he already had addressed that issue with the team behind closed doors, did not take kindly to Carcillo's actions.

"There is no honor in that," Tortorella said when asked what he felt about Carcillo, who has 58 career fights in 194 NHL career, going after Gaborik, who had fought once previously in 551 career matches, against Ian Laperriere, then of the Avalanche, on Apr. 6, 2008.

Tortorella expressed further exasperation when told that Carcillo had said something about how he had been licking his chops to get a shot at Gaborik, talked more about honor, how it was embarrassing and all that.
[Read the rest of the story here]

The Guillaume Latendresse for Benoit Pouliot trade

In another blog post I looked at the trade between the Wild and the Habs, (Guillaume Letendress for Benoit Pouliot), at first I thought it was a one sided deal, however, it would appear that both players Guillaume Latendress and Benoit Pouliot have had an resurgence in their hockey careers and are helping both of their respective teams.

Last night the Wild played and beat the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. The Wild victory was fueled a possessed Guillamume Latendresse who led the charge with (1g-3a-4pts). Latendresse is really on a roll, in the last four games he is (4g-5a-8pts)

Incidentally, the guy the Wild traded to the Montreal Canadians to get Latendresse, former Wild player Benoit Pouliot has only scored 4 goals in 9 games. Latendresse surpassed Pouliot's production with the Habs in three periods of hockey. Not hard to see who got the best of that deal?

Since moving over the Montreal Canadians Benoit Pouliot has recorded (8g-1a-9tps) in 13 games. On the other side of the trade Guillaume Latendresse (13g-6a-19pts) in 26 games for the Minnesota Wild. It would appear that the trade is working out for both teams.

On Wednesday I was watching the Habs and the Blues play on my television and I couldn’t believe what I saw, Pouliout scored two goals. It was like Benoit Pouliot was a different player, energized by moving to the Canadians.
[props]

Carcillo proves he is a hack

I know why Gabby dropped his gloves because he probably saw this one sided exchange that Matt Bradley had with uber hack Daniel Carcillo. I don't blame the Ranger coach at all for being upset.

PHILADELPHIA -- Dan Carcillo's bloody knuckles came at the expense of an unlikely victim.

Ray Emery made 24 saves for his second shutout of the season, and James van Riemsdyk and Mike Richards scored in the Philadelphia Flyers' 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.

But Carcillo's fight against Rangers star Marian Gaborik overshadowed another strong effort by the resurgent Flyers.

Rangers coach John Tortorella was furious that Philadelphia's enforcer went after his best player and sarcastically called Carcillo "a brave guy."

"There's no honour in that," Tortorella said. "I don't play the game, I don't wear the uniform, I don't want to say too much about it, but there's simply no honour in that."

Carcillo floored Gaborik with a hard uppercut early in the second period after the two-time all-star surprisingly dropped his gloves first.

"I didn't really expect to fight who I fought, but it kind of worked out," Carcillo said. "I don't know who on that line would have been able to help him though. I wasn't expecting him to drop his gloves, but when he did, I pretty much was licking my chops."
[TSN.COM]

Press conference and coaches show.

Click here to listen to the Fighting Sioux coaches show. I guess I would call this week’s Fighting Sioux coaches show was interesting because Chay Genoway filled in for the coaches who were missing in action.

Chay Genoway filled in for the coaches. First thing that stuck out was that Chay Genoway was recruited by Cornell. Cornell has a lot of players from out west. Chay said that he played against the Nash Brothers and some of the other guys on the team.

Chay was asked if he was recruited to Michigan Tech. Chay said, no he wasn’t recruited by Tech. Tim or Chay didn’t know of anyone on the team or recently who was recruited by Tech.

Chay says still struggling with a lot of things, doesn’t feel like it’s getting much better, the systems have lightened up a bit. Chay really hasn’t thought about a medical red shirt, but there will a time when they come a point, where they might consider it, it’s coming up on ten weeks since he has last played (2 ½ months). Chay, said that we haven’t jumped any conclusions will just trying to get better. Chay really hasn’t looked into the details of it of medical redshirt but has been told he might be eligible.

Weekend Match Ups (by Sioux 7)

If someone would have said UMD would have been on top of the WCHA with ten games to go at the beginning of the season, I would’ve said, “Is that a type-o, don’t you mean UND?” We have to hand it to the Bulldogs they have been a good solid team this year, and are taking advantage of their league schedule (they play MTU, MSUM, & UND 4 games, all are currently in the bottom half of the league).

The playoff picture is starting to take shape, it looks like both UMD and DU will get home ice, and MSUM and MTU will be on the road.

The interesting thing I noticed in the standings is that 6th place UND has a winning record and 7th place Minnesota has a .500 record. If certain games go a certain way, you could see only 6 points separate the top 7 teams in the league, talk about what could be a pile up in the standings.

The WCHA now has 5 out of the top 7 spots in the USCHO poll this week, or 6 out of the top 12, or if you count BSU, then there would be 7 out of the top 14. The pollsters really seem to love the dub.

WCHA STANDINGS

TEAM…………………GP.…W-L-T….PTS
1 Minnesota-Duluth….18….12-5-1..…25
2 Denver……………....16….10-3-3..…23
3 Colorado College…..18…..9-6-3……21
4 St. Cloud State……..16…..9-5-2……20
4 Wisconsin…………..16…..9-5-2……20
6 North Dakota……….18…..8-7-3……19
7 Minnesota…………..16…..7-7-2……16
8 Alaska-Anchorage…18.….6-11-1….13
9 Minnesota State…….18….5-12-1….11
10 Michigan Tech…….18.....2-16-0…..4

WCHA

#7 Colorado College at Alaska-Anchorage
Last week the Tigers split at home against the Badgers, and the Seawolves swept the MTU Huskies in Houghton.

Back around Thanksgiving these teams split a pair in Colorado Springs. The Seawolves are 2-1-1 in their last four WCHA games and the Tigers are 1-3-0 over that same stretch. The boys from Up North are looking to move into contention for home ice by extending their current winning streak, and the CC Tigers need some points to stay in the top five. Are we now seeing the CC team, which many of us predicted to finish in the bottom half of the league? The Tigers gave up 10 goals last weekend, seeing that, they were lucky to get a split. CC needs to limit their opponents scoring, if they want to win some more games. The boys from UAA look to be playing their best hockey of the year right now, a sweep of cellar-dwell MTU, and a tie and one goal lose to DU, in their last outings. I like the Seawolves at home to take some points this weekend. SEAWOLVES 3PTS.

Minnesota away/home #12 St. Cloud State
Last week the Gophers got 3 points at home against the Sioux, and the Huskies swept Quinnipiac on in Connecticut.

Have the Gophers finally righted their ship? This weekend is another big test for them, the Huskies were my pre-season dark horse of the league and they are quietly sneaking up the standings. SCSU is just five points out of first with two games in hand on UMD. I like the way the Huskies are playing right now they are H.O.T. winning 6 in a row and are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. The Gophers set a record on Saturday scoring goals 7 seconds apart. However, the Gophers were outshot and had fewer scoring chances than the Sioux, but did get some “puck luck” as it were. I’m going with the Huskies in this series, SCSU SWEEP.

#1 Denver at #3 Wisconsin
Last weekend the Pioneers were enjoying a bye-week, and the Badgers split with the Tigers in Colorado.

DU has really owned the Badgers in Madison the past six years. The last time the Badgers beat the Pioneers in Madison was Friday October 30, 2004. DU won the next night (Halloween), and has won their last 7 games in the Kohl Center. The Pioneers are three points ahead of Bucky right now in the standings and both teams will want to get some points to secure their spots for home ice. The Pioneers are starting a tough road stretch, next week they are on the road again at “their real rival North Dakota” according to a DU hockey player.
Both teams are playing well right now and I’m going to take the easy way out and call this series a SPLIT.

Non-Conference

#4 Minnesota-Duluth at/home #14 Bemidji State
Last week the Bulldogs swept the Mavericks in Mankato, and the Beavers split at fellow CHA member Niagara.

This should be an entertaining series between two highly ranked teams, and soon to be league foes. It looks be the Bulldogs are trying to send the DECC out with style and a WCHA title this year. I haven’t been to the DECC in a few years but it was a fun building to watch hockey in and I’m sure it will be missed by the faithful UMD fans. I’m looking at the big picture in this non-conference home-and-home series. I’m taking the WCHA here, BULLDOGS SWEEP.

#5 North Dakota at #9 Cornell
Last week the Sioux got a point playing the Gophers, and the Big Red beat Clarkson and tied St. Lawrence.

The Sioux are in the second half of the season and will be looking to get some wins this weekend to start their “second half run” which they have done every year since Hakstol took over as coach. However, is this the year that streak comes to an end? Does UND start calling this a rebuilding year, if they don’t get a win or two this weekend. The Sioux do have 10 freshmen on the team this season. The other issue in Grand Forks has been the injury bug, Genoway has been out since mid November (concussion), Zajac was out for a month but is back now (hernia surgery), Hextall is out for what sounds like another month (leg injury), Knight was out last weekend… I’ll say this when the Gopher fans started to cheer “over-rated” last Saturday, I would have to agree with them. If UND is the 4th best team in college hockey, that doesn’t say much for the state of hockey as a whole. I’m not making excuses, but if I wanted too, there would be a couple to choose from. Okay, enough of my whining about the Sioux.

I’ve never been impressed with teams from the ECAC (Goon is not impressed with ECAC teams either…) even when they are ranked. I have to look at the big picture and go with WCHA in this match up, SIOUX SWEEP.

OFF – BY WEEK
Minnesota State University Mankato Mavericks
Michigan Tech University Huskies

UND still Fighting Sioux for now.

The Fighting Sioux nickname will stay for now.

GRAND FORKS - The state Board of Higher Education voted 5-3 today to keep the status quo with the Fighting Sioux nickname while an appeal is pending.

The board also directed its attorney to request an expedited hearing with the Supreme Court.

Board member Grant Shaft of Grand Forks said although the appeal does not prevent the board from directing UND to retire the nickname, he thinks it is appropriate to wait for the legal matter to be resolved.

Board member Mike Haugen of Fargo argued for directing UND to begin retiring the nickname.

"I don't see it in 10 months being any different than today," Haugen said.

Prior to the vote, UND President Bob Kelley and Athletic Director Brian Faison told board members a resolution is vital for the university to pursue membership in the Summit League.

Board members Shaft, Sue Andrews, Claus Lembke, Jon Jackson and Duaine Espegard supported the motion.

Members Mike Haugen, Minot State University , Rachelle Hadland, NDSU Student and President Richie Smith, Creighton University opposed it.

Does this sound familiar?

I saw a link to this article over on Maverick Puck. Sound Familier? Seems like the UNO Mavericks are having some of the same issues.

“We’re real close,” UNO coach Dean Blais said of his squad. “But we can’t be satisfied with just being close. We’ve got to be team-hungry. We’ve got to do everything a little bit better in practice. We’ve got to be better on the power play, and we’ve just got to be a little bit better in everything we do.”
[WORLD-HERALD]

Changes coming to the 'Final Five'?

Todd D. Milewski looks at the Final Five and what might happen next season. I don't mind the idea of keeping the tourney at five games, albeit now there will probably be two games on Thursday and only one on Saturday. I am also would not be opposed to the WCHA deciding to go ahead and making the it a Final Six or Super Six (6 teams, 6 games), this would allow them to play two games each day. Money drives college hockey and the league could make a little extra money for its member schools. Of course some of the teams wouldn't want to play a third place game. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

It appears that the postseason will include all 12 teams once the WCHA expands to include Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha next season. That would push six teams to the league’s playoff championship and require a reformatting of the three-day tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

Currently, the Final Five includes five games — a play-in contest Thursday night, two semifinals on Friday, a third-place game Saturday afternoon and the title game Saturday night.

The leading thought out of the meeting, the source said, was that the league could still use the Final Five title with a simple redefinition — five games, instead of five teams.

The third-place game has long been a source of contention in the league. While that game can be important — winning the 2006 version gave Wisconsin the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament over Minnesota, which it defeated — it also has been detrimental to some.

In 17 years of the Final Five, the consolation game loser has made the NCAA tournament 10 times. Seven times — including the last four years — that team has lost its first NCAA game.

The third-place game is important to the league’s coffers however, because it is a separate ticket that provides revenue, and therefore the league is reluctant to give it up.

Having six teams involved would allow the WCHA to keep a five-game format — two play-in games Thursday involving the teams seeded third through sixth, two semifinals Friday and the championship game Saturday — and please a vocal group of coaches by dumping the consolation game.
[Read the rest of the article]:

With the Final Five now becoming the Final six it’s time to kill the Minnesota rule, enough is enough. The Final Five is in the Gophers back yard and if they can’t take time off from work or school to see their favorite team play in the afternoon game that their tough luck. Last year proved that even with the Gophers only playing one game the tourney was attended well. I also believe that the “Minnesota Rule” is an unfair advantage; a team should play where they’re supposed to play. If the Golden Boys are supposed to play in the 2:00 pm game than I like other fans feel that is where they should play.

— Whether Minnesota would automatically be assigned to the night game on Thursday and Friday (if it is still alive in the tournament) to maximize local ticket sales. The so-called “Minnesota rule” currently sets the Gophers up with the prime-time semifinal spot, even if it causes the Thursday night winner to play Friday afternoon

Cross Posted on the Sin Bin.

Andy Sutton suspended two games.

Former Michigan Tech Huskie Andy Sutton was given a two game suspension for planting former Wild Pascal Dupuis into the boards. [Note: not a pretty video] Just for the record I don't think Andy Sutton isn't a dirty player, he has only been suspended one other time by the NHL from what I have seen.

TORONTO – New York Islanders defenseman Andy Sutton has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an incident in NHL game #738 against Pittsburgh Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis, Tuesday night, the National Hockey League announced today.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Sutton will forfeit $31,088.08. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Sutton was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding at 17:05 of the third period. Dupuis was injured on the play.

Sutton will miss Thursday's game against Florida and Jan. 23 against New Jersey. He will be eligible to return Jan. 26 against Washington.

Fighting Sioux Nickname Issue Remains Unsettled

I found this article perusing the Ithaca Journal, what I found interesting was this article even made the New York Times. The more I read into the article the more I think Tom Douple, comments that the university would not be considered for admission until it found a solution that made the N.C.A.A. happy. I interpret these comments to mean that the solution that makes the NCAA happy is UND no longer being called the Fighting Sioux.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Some University of North Dakota officials were hoping that a long-running dispute over the university’s Fighting Sioux nickname would be settled this week. Now it appears it could continue for several months.

A state judge ruled last month that the North Dakota Board of Higher Education has the power to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname before a November deadline set as part of a settlement with the N.C.A.A. The board scheduled a meeting this week to officially retire the moniker. But Patrick Morley, the lawyer for a Spirit Lake Sioux group that sued to keep the nickname, filed an appeal late Friday to the state Supreme Court.

North Dakota officials are hoping to get their teams into the Summit League, but the conference president, Tom Douple, said the university would not be considered for admission until it found a solution that made the N.C.A.A. happy.

The nickname issue has been debated since the 1990s. Nearly five years ago, North Dakota was placed on a list of universities the N.C.A.A. deemed to have “hostile or abusive” American Indian nicknames or logos. North Dakota is the only college on that list that has not changed the name or logo or been granted a waiver to keep them.

The Spirit Lake group and other nickname supporters hope a delay will give North Dakota a chance to get approval from the state’s two namesake tribes. A referendum last April on the Spirit Lake Sioux reservation gave overwhelming support for the nickname, but the Standing Rock Sioux tribal council has opposed it, and the tribe has not scheduled a referendum.

Tenative 2010-2011 UND hockey schedule

Brad has the tenative Fighting Sioux hockey schedule for next season. The first three series of the year will be on the road. Looks like no holiday tourney but a series against the ND Fighting Irish on Thanksgiving weekend. Next season we will have 4 games against UNO, BSU, SCSU. 20 games at home next season counting the game against Manitoba and the U-18 team.

Oct. 3 -- MANITOBA (exh)
Oct. 8-9 -- Nye Classic in Anchorage (vs. UAA and UAF)
Oct. 15-16 -- at Bemidji State
Oct. 22-23 -- at Maine
Oct. 29-30 -- DENVER
Nov. 5-6 -- DULUTH
Nov. 12-13 -- at Wisconsin
Nov. 19-20 -- at Omaha
Nov. 26-27 -- NOTRE DAME
Dec. 3-4 -- ST. CLOUD STATE
Dec. 10-11 -- at Mankato
Dec. 18 -- U.S. UNDER 18
Dec. 30 -- at Duluth (Hall of Fame Game)
Jan. 7-8 -- ROBERT MORRIS
Jan. 14-15 -- MINNESOTA
Jan. 21-22 -- OMAHA
Jan. 28-29 -- at Colorado College
Feb. 11-12 -- ANCHORAGE
Feb. 18-19 -- at St. Cloud State
Feb. 25-26 -- BEMIDJI STATE
March 4-5 -- at Michigan Tech

UND and Cornell

Check out what Coach Hakstol had to say about this weekend's game against the Big Red from Cornell.

Here is what I took from the interview; Coach Hakstol is basically challenging his team that now is the time to put the lessons learned to heart and start putting it all together. I also detect a little urgency in Coach Hakstol’s voice that wasn’t there earlier in the season.

#5 North Dakota vs #9 Cornell
•RADIO: 96.1 The Fox (KQHT-FM)
•TV: Time Warner Sports (N.Y. only)
•WEBCAST & LIVE STATS: CornellBigRed.com/Showcase •AUDIO: FightingSioux.com
•MEDIA INFORMATION: All Fighting Sioux men's hockey games, home and away, can be heard on 96.1 FM (The Fox) and on stations across the Fighting Sioux Hockey Network. Veteran broadcaster Tim Hennessy is in his 30th season as the voice of the Fighting Sioux.

Friday night's game will be televised live locally on Time Warner Cable Sports in New York. No further TV coverage has been announced as of Tuesday morning.

A video webcast of this weekend's games can be purchased at CornellBigRed.com. FREE live audio is available at FightingSioux.com and FREE live stats are available at CornellBigRed.com.

Nazem Kadri vs Tyler Cuma

Here is Minnesota Wild's prospect Tyler Cuma fighting Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nazem Kari. Kari was part of the second place Canadian WJC team.

Petr Sykora and Robbie Earl put on waivers.

I have to admit that this really chaps my ass. I was hoping they would put the waste of a uniform James Sheppard on waviers. Robbie Earl had played in 13 games and scored more goals than James Sheppard.

The Minnesota Wild have placed Petr Sykora on waivers, meaning any club can claim the veteran forward prior to Noon et on Wednesday.

The 33-year old has had an injury-riddled season since signing with the Wild as an unrestricted free agent last summer. In 14 games, he has compiled two goals and one assist but has missed a total of 29 games with groin and concussion issues.

Sykora began his NHL career with New Jersey in 1995-96 and has also played for Anaheim, the New York Rangers, Edmonton, and Pittsburgh. He won Stanley Cups with the Devils in 1999-2000 and last season with the Penguins.

If Sykora is not claimed, Minnesota can send him to the minors or place him on re-entry waivers where he could be claimed at half the price of his contract.

The Wild also placed forward Robbie Earl on waivers on Tuesday. The 24-year old has divided his time this season between Minnesota and Houston (AHL), and posted three goals in 13 games with the Wild.
[TSN]

UPDATE: Per Russo's Rants, Veteran Petr Sykora and winger Robbie Earl cleared waivers this morning [Link]

CCHA killing the shoot out?

Here is something that I found interesting. CCHA is thinking of dismantling the shoot out because no one else is currently using them. I thought the NCAA was mandating breaking ties in the future? Personally, I find the shoot out to be exciting and would like to see the NCAA/WCHA break ties that way.

Also, this doesn’t appear to be good news for UAH. I can’t imagine the scheduling nightmare with an 11 team league. Cue the Big Ten Hockey Conference discussion again?

Shootouts out?
Anastos says the future of CCHA shootouts will be discussed in offseason meetings. They could be eliminated, since the rest of the NCAA schools are not using them. The CCHA also must decide whether to keep using four officials for financial reasons, and he doubts another school will be added with Nebraska-Omaha leaving for the WCHA.[Lansing State Journal]

Cormier suspended indefinitely

I think this is the right decision to suspend Cormier indefinately and I hope they throw the book at this guy for his dirty hit on Mikael Tam. I would not be surprised if there will be legal charges against Cormier as well.

MONTREAL -- Junior hockey was making sense of another head-hunting incident Monday after Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts was sent to hospital by an elbow from Rouyn-Noranda centre Patrice Cormier, who captained Canada at the recent world junior hockey championship.

Cormier caught Tam with an elbow while skating through the neutral zone during overtime of Quebec's 3-2 shootout win at Dave Keon Arena in Rouyn-Noranda on Sunday afternoon.

The 18-year-old defenceman went into convulsions and was taken to hospital after the hit, where he is listed in stable condition with brain trauma and several damaged teeth.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League gave Cormier an indefinite suspension on Monday and will continue to investigate the incident. No timeline was provided on when league disciplinarian Raymond Bolduc will issue a ruling.

The discussion that has everyone up in arms.

This is the video that everyone was talking about on Saturday night. Listening to Collin Campbell speak makes my head spin. The The National Hockey League teams need to think twice about Collin Campbell's employment and get rid of him, he is a disgrace. Refs should not be settling scores with players on the ice. I don't have a problem with refs talking to players they should not be telling them I going to get you.

I guess I don't blame Alain Vigneault for being upset with the way things have unfolded. I guess I expected more from Ron MacLean even though as a Minnesota Wild fan I am not a big fan of Alex Burrows, but what MacLean did is border line character assassination.

Again, I am not a big fan of Burrows but I do believe that a ref would try to settle a score against a player and that I do find Burrows story to be believable. Burrows went about bringing it to light in the wrong way.

Poll Monday

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll
[January 18, 2010]

1 Denver (39) 14-5-3 989 1
2 Miami (11) 15-4-5 957 2
3 Wisconsin 13-6-3 863 3
4 Minnesota-Duluth 16-7-1 795 10
5 North Dakota 12-7-5 654 4
6 Yale 10-4-3 651 5
7 Colorado College 13-8-3 641 8
8 Ferris State 16-6-2 633 6
9 Cornell 9-4-3 573 9
10 Michigan State 15-7-4 563 7
11 Boston College 12-6-2 554 12
12 St. Cloud State 14-7-3 523 14
13 Union 13-4-5 485 13
14 Bemidji State 15-5-2 435 11
15 Massachusetts 14-8-0 310 19
16 New Hampshire 10-7-4 220 20
17 Vermont 11-7-2 185 18
18 Lake Superior 14-8-4 118 NR
19 Mass.-Lowell 12-9-2 97 15
20 Maine 11-9-2 83 16
Others Receiving Votes: Michigan 52, Quinnipiac 47, Minnesota 30, Alaska 20, Notre Dame 19, St. Lawrence 2, RIT 1

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USA TODAY/USA Hockey men's poll
[Jan. 18, 2010]
1 Denver (24) 14-5-3 500 1
2 Miami University (Ohio) (10) 15-4-5 483 2
3 Wisconsin 13-6-3 420 3
4 Minnesota Duluth 16-7-1 361 10
5 Yale 10-4-3 304 5
6 North Dakota 12-7-5 295 4
7 Cornell 9-4-3 263 8
8 Colorado College 13-8-3 249 9
9 Ferris State 16-6-2 237 7
10 Boston College 12-6-2 232 12
11 Michigan State 15-7-4 214 6
12 St. Cloud State 14-7-3 173 15
13 Union College 13-4-5 158 13
14 Bemidji State 15-5-2 90 11
15 Massachusetts 14-8-0 58 NR
Others receiving votes: University of New Hampshire, 35; University of Massachusetts Lowell, 3; University of Vermont, 3; University of Alaska, 2.

Analysis: Color me surprised. It would appear that the Pollsters have to be taking the loss of Chay Genoway and Brett Hextall injuries into account in their rankings because I honestly believe that UND is really probably about a 10th ranked team and not a 5th or 6th ranked team nationally. Cornell and Yale ranked high again. It will be fun watching one EZAC team make it into the NCAA tourney and watching them go out in their first game, again.