UND vs. UMD - With Links

North Dakota linechart: pic.twitter.com/dFdPvdh73A
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) January 9, 2015

Minnesota Duluth linechart: pic.twitter.com/T4j8vY3BRR
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) January 9, 2015

UMD vs. UND, A Series Preview - http://t.co/51uCzDxlO8 #hockey #THW pic.twitter.com/lmmQD9cFKV
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) January 9, 2015

Dave Hakstol tells UND Fan Luncheon injured D Troy Stecher skated for the first time yesterday. Skated lightly on his own, did not practice.
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) January 9, 2015

Potent North Dakota Blue Line Leads Top-Ranked Team in Country | The Ciskie Blog | http://t.co/fQLavYa85l
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) January 9, 2015

Some Friday morning reading before this weekend's UND-Bulldogs series http://t.co/BVUMwW5ndE
— Brad E. Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) January 9, 2015

Blame lies with Wild Goalies

I think that Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo should direct a majority of his anger at the Minnesota Wild goaltenders. No sugar coating it, they've been absolutely brutal. Maybe the Wild front office should have gone out and signed a starting goalie in the offseason, too? Backstrom and Kuemper couldn't stop a beach ball if they had to.

#mnwild now has allowed a league-low 26.8 shots per game with a 29th-ranked .893 save percentage
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) January 9, 2015

Minnesota Wild: Thomas Vanek Boards Marcus Kruger (Video)

First, I want to be clear, I think Minnesota Wild forward Thomas Vanek is a good hockey player that's having a tough season.

Hoever, this is a stupid penalty that cost the Wild a goal. There's no reason for Vanek to hit Chicago Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger in the numbers like that. Kruger doesn't even have the puck. For his efforts, Vanek received a five-minute major for boarding.

I wouldn't be shocked if Vanek has a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

12:05 Thomas Vanek Boarding (maj) - 5 min against Marcus Kruger

He Said What? Comparing the CHL and the NCAA

Recently, I wrote Comparing BU’s Jack Eichel to Other College Hockey Greats for the Hockey Writers and apparently one of my comments in a post caught the eye of a CHL fan.

Since McDavid plays in the OHL and Eichel plays in college, it’s almost impossible to compare the two players’ stats. First, Eichel is playing against older players in college hockey. Second, McDavid is racking up points against younger players in the OHL. This is not a slam on either league. Both college and Major Juniors are good routes for development and both players are great talents.

However, we can compare their WJHC numbers. In his first five games for team Canada, McDavid scored (2g-5a—7pts). On the flip side, in five games Eichel scored (1g-3a—4pts). For the sake of comparison, Dylan Larkin who scored (5g-2a—7pts) was the top player on team USA.

Comparing Eichel to the other first round draft choices on the USA WJC team, Alex Tuch scored (1g-1a—2pts), Sonny Milano (2g-2a—4pts).

One of the questions that I wanted to explore was how does Eichel compare to other college hockey greats? Since Eichel has only played 16 games, I am not sure how much of a comparison we can make. In my opinion, the only statistic that we can use to compare him to the others college hockey greats is points per game. (read the rest of the post)

Nevertheless, college hockey players are playing against older, stronger players in college hockey. The players in the CHL are playing against younger players, there's statistics to back this up.

I found this article and it does a good job of explaining it. Most college hockey fans know this as well. The person in question, didn't

“The game is more intense,” Gadowsky said. “I think that makes it more difficult to put up a lot of points. The rosters in college dictate that every player that’s on the ice, is going to be at a very high level.”

The disparity in size and ability between a 16 and 20-year-old is much different than that of a 21 and 25-year-old, he said.

Though there is no fighting in college hockey as there is in major junior hockey, older college-aged players will be more equally developed in strength and stature than their younger counterparts in the CHL. (Matt Nestor, the Daily Collegian) 

 The fact remains, the CHL and the NCAA are both great routes for development. There's no debating this. The CHL is a great route to the NHL if you're a high draft pick. If you're a late bloomer, the NCAA route is probably better.

Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron's Controversial Game-Winning Goal (Video)

I think that the on-ice officials made the right call in this situation. I think Patrice Bergeron's stick was below the cross bar when the puck touched his stick. Nonetheless, this was a hard all to make and I am glad that I am not the official that had to make this call tonight. As you can see in another blog post, the refs blew the call earlier in the night on Craig McAdam's no-goal.

...and there you go. Ruling conclusive that puck hit the stick below the crossbar. #Bruins win in OT vs. #Pens
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) January 8, 2015

In 100% honesty, they got it right. Bergeron's stick was moving downward, and was at, or below the cross bar when the puck was deflected.
— Andy Dudones (@ADudones) January 8, 2015

Pittsburgh Penguins: Craig Adams No Goal, Goalie Interference (Video)

The Boston Bruins caught their second break of the game. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Craig Adams appears to have scored a legit goal. The goal is waved off by the on-ice official. In my humble opinion, this is not the correct call in this instance. Adam McQuaid appears to have pushed a Penguin into Tuukka Rask.

Looked like the Bruins caught a break on the no goal call for Pens. Adam McQuaid pushed Sill into Rask to create the contact with Rask
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) January 8, 2015

(Video) Pittsburgh Penguins: David Perron No Goal

The on-ice officials made the right call in this situation. From the video, you can't actually see if the puck even crossed the red line.

After review, NO GOAL. The score stays 1-1 with 25.2 seconds left in the 1st period. #RivalryNight
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) January 8, 2015

#PIT #BOS review only to see if puck crossed the line. Closing hand on puck ineligible for video review. #Pens #Bruins
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) January 8, 2015

Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo Goes off on Team

This was long over due. Finally, Mike Yeo has seen enough garbage and bravo sierra from his hockey team.

After losing 8-of-10 games, Yeo went off on his team at practice today. You can tell by the video, that Yeo uses a lot of course language. Yeo explained his emotional out burst after practice.



Again, I think this response is long over due. This should have happened about five games ago. There is way to much talent on this team to be sitting out of a playoff spot. If the Wild don't pick it up soon, they're going to miss the playoffs. I also believe if the Wild don't recover soon, Yeo is going to be the former head coach of the Minnesota Wild.

Phil Kessel goes off on Reporter

I don't blame Toronto Maples Leafs forward Phil Kessel for going off on that reporter. Reporters and media people ask difficult or silly questions sometimes, that's the nature of the game

That question sounded insulting, condescending  and I would classify it as a garbage question meant to upset Kessel.

Phil Kessel goes off on Toronto reporter who insinuates he’s to blame for Carlyle’s firing.. http://t.co/pIKIZGW18c #NHL #NEWS
— NHL News (@TRACK_NHL_News) January 7, 2015

NCHC Hockey: Taking a look at the KRACH and Pairwise Rankikngs

By Eric Burton

3	Minnesota-Duluth	562.6	.8067	16	12-6-0	0.6667	2.000	1	281.3
5	Miami	443.8	.7722	9t	14-6-0	0.7000	2.333	6	190.2
6	North Dakota	438.8	.7705	6	13-4-2	0.7368	2.800	9	156.7
7	Nebraska-Omaha	435.4	.7693	13t	12-5-3	0.6750	2.077	3	209.6
13	Denver	287.3	.7010	12	11-5-1	0.6765	2.091	20	137.4
21	St. Cloud State	164.5	.5980	37t	7-10-1	0.4167	0.714	2	230.4
29	Western Michigan	107.2	.5137	36	7-9-2	0.4444	0.800	21	133.93
48	Colorado College	28.76	.2687	56	3-13-1	0.2059	0.259	30	110.9

Here’s the NCHC teams from the KRACH rankings. You can see that Minnesota-Duluth has the hardest strength of schedule to date. St Cloud State University has the second toughest SOS. Nebraska-Omaha comes in with the third toughest.  

You can also see from the Pairwise Rankings that the NCHC is doing pretty well right now and that the top-10 is full of NCHC teams. This weekend's match-up between UMD and UND is going to be important for the Pairwise Rankings. While a weekend doesn't make a season, a sweep for either team would be huge. 

3	Minnesota-Duluth	56	12-6-0	.6667	16	.5983*	3
4	Miami	55	14-6-0	.7000	9t	.5899*	4
6	Nebraska-Omaha	53	12-5-3	.6750	13t	.5861*	6
8	North Dakota	51	13-4-2	.7368	6	.5805	8
15	Denver	44	11-5-1	.6765	12	.5587	15
26	St. Cloud State	33	7-10-1	.4167	37t	.5180	26
36	Western Michigan	24	7-9-2	.4444	36	.4919	36
46	Colorado College	13	3-13-1	.2059	56	.4445	46

UND Spends $126,261.95 on Nickname Change So Far

By Eric J. Burton -- This story popped up this past weekend. I was going to comment on it earlier, but forgot.

Hey, I know the Fighting Sioux nickname is going to be changed, that's not really up for debate. However, stories like this are just going to fuel the fire on the blogspehere.

This isn't chump change and there seems to be a lot of money from UND going out to other places that aren't in the state of North Dakota.

Anna Burleson, Grand Forks Herald -- As of Dec. 30, the university had spent a total of $126,261.95 on everything the Nickname and Logo Process Recommendation Task Force required, including food, IT equipment rental, various office supplies and printing, consultants, room rentals for community forums, travel and IT systems.

The task force is considering recommending appointing another committee that, through a series of public polls, would ultimately choose a permanent name for the school. UND’s Fighting Sioux name was retired in December 2012 after the NCAA threatened sanctions.

Moving forward, university officials are hesitant to say how much they’re willing to spend on the endeavor.

According to the article a majority of the money has gone to Marie Miyashiro, president of the consulting firm Elucity Network, and Kelly O’Keefe, professor of advertising at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter.
Thoughts?

Oshie named NHL's First Star of the Week

View image | gettyimages.com

Former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie was named the NHL's first star of the week. Oshie had one heck of a week last week, including a hat trick against the San Jose Sharks.

FIRST STAR – T.J. OSHIE, RW, ST. LOUIS BLUES
Oshie paced all players with five goals and shared the League lead with seven points to power the Blues (23-13-3, 49 points) to two wins in four starts. He collected one assist in a 3-0 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche Dec. 29. Oshie then found the back of the net in a pair of losses – a 3-2 defeat to the Nashville Predators Dec. 30 and a 4-3 decision to the Anaheim Ducks Jan. 2. He capped the week by registering his second career hat trick (also March 27, 2014 vs. MIN) and second career four-point performance (also Nov. 14, 2013 vs. COL: 0-4—4), notching 3-1—4 in a 7-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks Jan. 3. He also potted his 19th career game-winning marker (third this season) and eclipsed 100 NHL goals (101-174—275 in 402 GP) in that contest. The 28-year-old Everett, Wash., native has compiled 10-10—20 in 31 outings this season, including 5-3—8 during a five-game point streak. (NHL.COM)