UND Gets Highly Sought Recruit Brock Boeser

Today, the University of North Dakota got some very good news on the recruiting front. Brock Boeser from Minnesota has committed to UND. Boeser is a highly sought recruit and was also considering Wisconsin, Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota. (Elite Prospects)

“@BBoeser16: Really excited to play college hockey at the University of North Dakota." Huge get for NoDak; great 2015 draft prospect
— Ryan Kennedy (@THNRyanKennedy) February 13, 2015

Really excited to play college hockey at the University of North Dakota. Can't wait to call this place home! #sioux pic.twitter.com/TaSgLypiiW
— Brock Boeser (@BBoeser16) February 13, 2015

UND set to Take on Pioneers

Gwozdecky is gone, rivalry is not

While you’re checking out some of those YouTube videos, you’ll probably find a video of head coach George Gwozdecky walking across the ice after getting kicked out of a game.

While coach Gwozdecky is no longer at Denver, he wasn’t re-signed after the 2012-13 season. The rivalry hasn’t cooled off in his absence.

If you look over the record books, you will see that there’s a lot of history between the two teams. In their last 15 games against the Pioneers, UND has a 9-5-1 record. Four of those games have been in the playoffs. UND won all four games.

Historically, the games have been entertaining and full of drama. The players from both teams love playing in the series. It’s one of those series that the UND players look forward to playing in.

“I think it’s such a great rivalry between two programs,” sophomore defenseman Troy Stecher said. “It’s an up paced game. Their D-Core is pretty offensive. We like to think that our D-Core can jump up in the play as well. I think it’s going to be a weekend of chances going back and forth.”

“It’s a tradition I think or a history thing,” senior caption Steph Pattyn said. “It’s definitely a rivalry. Something that has always been. A lot of it has to do with the history of the two programs. Denver is a good program. The coaches definitely instill in us to go hard this weekend.”

(Read the rest of the story)

UND vs. DU, College Hockey's Hatfields and McCoys - http://t.co/ys06MZTB4D #NHL pic.twitter.com/R1pqBlI13p
— THW Hockey (@HockeyLinks) February 12, 2015

The Pios are practicing at Joy Burns Arena this morning prior to making the trek to North Dakota later today #DUvsUND pic.twitter.com/QaSgcrrEko
— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) February 12, 2015

UND Hockey: Dave Hakstol mic'd up

I am not so sure that head coach Dave Hakstol would have done this 10 year ago, or even five years ago. I still watch with interest as Hakstol is interviewed on the bench during a hockey game.

Antoine Roussel Has Hearing for Dirty X-Check on Adam McQuaid

Hockey is an emotional game. Things happen at a very high rate of speed. I am sure that the fans that hate the Boston Bruins will say that Adam McQuaid tried to hit Antoine Roussel with a dirty check and missed.

Whatever! These same fans will say that McQuaid deserved it because he plays for the Boston Bruins.

I don't think there's any way that you can excuse what Roussel did, this is a bush-league, dirty hit. Since Roussel has a phone hearing, his suspension will be under five games. I don't see how he escapes at least a two-game suspension for his.

Antoine Roussel To Have NHL Disciplinary Hearing For Cross Check On Adam McQuaid http://t.co/qxoFir8bXY
— NESN (@NESN) February 11, 2015

Minnesota Wild: Zucker and Carter on the IR

Last night’s win against the Vancouver Canucks proved to be very costly. The Wild lost Jason Zucker and Ryan Carter to upper-body injuries. Both players were placed on injured reserve.  

Michael Russo, Startribune – The Wild lost Zucker and Carter to upper-body injuries in the first period.

“We should not expect them back in the lineup in the near future,” coach Mike Yeo ominously said after the Wild’s sixth consecutive regulation win pulled the now 9th-place team (8-1-1 in its past 10 overall) within three points of a playoff spot and six points of Winnipeg heading into Tuesday’s game in northern Minnesota (Manitoba).

I’m told Carter was in a sling after the game and personally it looked to me that Zucker also sustained a shoulder injury. The Wild’s 18-goal scorer (17 even-strength goals) got jolted pretty good chasing a loose puck along the wall by defenseman Luca Sbisa. A few minutes before, Carter crashed hard into the boards after being checked by defenseman Yannick Weber.

The Wild had to use 10 forwards for 50-plus minutes tonight and did look like they started to get gassed late in the game. Jason Pominville credited coach Mike Yeo for helping navigate a convoluted bench as Yeo had to mix and match forward lines all night.

Losing Jason Zucker could prove costly for the Wild.  Zucker's 18 goals makes him the second leading goal scorer for the Minnesota Wild.

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

February 09, 2015

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record		Points	Last Poll
1	Minnesota State	(33)	23- 5-1		975	1
2	North Dakota	(11)	19- 6-2		938	2
3	Boston University	( 6)	18- 4-4		934	3
4	Nebraska-Omaha		16- 7-3		827	4
5	Michigan Tech		22- 7-1		795	5
6	Minnesota-Duluth		17-10-1		733	7
7	Miami		16- 9-1		652	8
8	Bowling Green		17- 6-5		651	8
9	Denver		16- 9-1		573	10
10	Boston College		17- 9-2		499	11
11	Providence		17- 9-2		480	13
12	Michigan		16- 8-0		448	14
13	Quinnipiac		18- 8-2		392	16
14	Harvard		12- 8-2		362	6
15	Yale		13- 7-3		273	15
16	Massachusetts-Lowell		16-10-3		246	12
17	Vermont		16-10-2		166	17
18	Robert Morris		20- 5-5		129	19
19	Penn State		15- 7-4		125	NR
20	St. Lawrence		16-10-2		111	NR
Others receiving votes: Minnesota 78, Colgate 49, Merrimack 42, Dartmouth 11, Western Michigan 5, St. Cloud State 3, Bentley 2, Bemidji State 1.

 

NCHC Hockey: A look at the Pairwise Rankings (Updated)

The NCHC isn't going anywhere but up.

I know I am getting ahead of myself and there's a lot of time left before the NCAA tourney. The Pairwise Ranking are very fluid and they will change some before selection Sunday, but the NCHC is looking real good with about five weeks remaining in the season.

There's a very good chance that one or two of the NCHC teams at the top of the Pairwise Rankings won't make the Frozen Faceoff  but will make the NCAA tourney. That happened to SCSU last season.

Cal Clutterbuck check on Torey Krug (video)

This is the hit that New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck put on Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. If you watch the video, Krug never had possession of the puck at anytime. The hit stunned Krug, but he was able to return to the game.

Should this have been an interference penalty? What do you think?

Jets Evander Kane to Have Season Ending Surgery

View image | gettyimages.com

There’s been a lot of ink written on Evander Kane as of late. Now we find out that he’s going to have shoulder surgery on Saturday and be out 4-6 months. That’s a bad break for the Jets.

Placing Evander Kane on long-term injured reserve does not prevent #NHLJets from a trade. Some believe he'll still be moved before March 2. — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 6, 2015

It also sounds like the Jets could have a bit of a mess in the locker room right now. I wouldn’t be shocked if Kane has played his last game in a Jets uniform.

Chris Johnston, Sports Net -- Earlier in the day, the 23-year-old winger is said to have had a run-in with teammates.

Kane wore a track suit when the Jets players gathered that morning for a meeting — a violation of team policy. Following a brief workout and stretch, Byfuglien is believed to have thrown those clothes into the shower to send a message to his teammate, according to sources.

That was the last the Winnipeg players saw of Kane until the team’s charter flight home.

Byfuglien spoke with reporters on Thursday before Sportsnet’s report surfaced and was asked how Kane’s absence from the game would affect his status inside the dressing room.

This is getting interesting.

Globe and Mail: Are the Refs tough on Subban and the Habs?

View image | gettyimages.com

Here's a great article that I found in the Globe and Mail. Obviously, this article is written from the perspective of a Hab's writer, but it’s still worth the read. That being said,  I do think that Hab’s and P.K. Subban have earned the reputation of being divers. They’re not the only ones, either.

There is an irony to the Subban decision.

In one of the incidents cited on his rap sheet, he was zestily pitchforked in the nether bits by noted miscreant Brad Marchand of Boston. In the second, he fell while turning away on one skate after a light crosscheck from behind by Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers.

Kreider took vigorous exception to Subban falling over, which can happen when ice and skates are involved. Perhaps he would have been more understanding if Subban had barrelled into a goaltender while losing his footing, as Kreider does with alarming regularity.

Neither example is egregious, but trust the NHL and its officials to miss a truly objectionable bit of poor sportsmanship from Subban last month, when he literally dived to the ice after being tripped by Tampa Bay’s Jason Garrison.

Some of the received hockey wisdom about Subban is deserved; he occasionally exaggerates in order to influence the refs (he does it far less than in the past). This does not differentiate him from his peers. (Globe and Mail)

Weekend Hockey Schedule

Ferris State vs. Bowling Green	Feb. 6	7:07 ET	BckSN
Denver vs. Colorado College	Feb. 6	7:37 MT	CBSN	221	152
Wisconsin vs. Penn State	Feb. 6	6:30 ET	BTen	610	439
Ohio State vs. Minnesota	Feb. 6	8:00 CT	BTen	610	439
Niagara vs. RIT	Feb. 7	7:05 ET	TWRoc
Connecticut vs. Providence	Feb. 7	7:00 ET	OSN
Notre Dame vs. Maine	Feb. 7	7:05 ET	WVII
			WPME
			WFVX
			FCSp	623
Ferris State vs. Bowling Green	Feb. 7	7:07 ET	BckSN
Wisconsin vs. Penn State	Feb. 7	2:00 ET	WLYH
Ohio State vs. Minnesota	Feb. 7	7:00 ET	FSN N+	657	444
Michigan State vs. Michigan	Feb. 7	8:00 ET	BTen	610	439
Boston University vs. Northeastern	Feb. 9	7:30 ET	NESN	628	434
New Hampshire vs. Boston University	Feb. 13	7:00 ET	NESN	628	434

 

This weekend, there’s no men’s hockey. There’s many options if you have DirecTV or expanded Cable.  You can also take in the Women’s game against Minnesota this weekend. UND is attempting to break an attendance record that they set last season.