Torts Wants Columbus to Play Tough

I thought this was an interesting post from Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. This would explain why the Blue Jackets spend a lot of time in the penalty box.

The Blue Jackets are the most-penalized team in the NHL and the team with the most major penalties for fighting.

But those are crude ways to measure their physical nature.

“We talk every game, that if somebody’s in trouble, someone gets in there,” coach John Tortorella said. “If someone’s on our goalie, someone gets in. Everybody gets in the blue (paint) to protect our goaltender. That’s the mindset we’re trying to build here.

“But are we over the top? Are we cheap? Are we dirty? Absolutely not. Do we want to injure people? Hurt people? Absolutely not.”

There will be no apologies forthcoming for the hard-nosed style, even as recent opponents have taken exception.

This can be entertaining hockey for the fans, but it can tax a team's penalty kill.

Hobey Baker Award: 10 Finalist Announced

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee announced their 10 finalists for the award. You can see that the CCM line has all made the top-10. Only one players west of the Mississippi River. I suppose none of us should be shocked though.

F JT Compher, Jr., Michigan
F Kyle Connor, Jr., Michigan
G Thatcher Demko, Jr., Boston College
F Zac Lynch, Sr., Robert Morris
G Alex Lyon, Jr., Yale
F Tyler Motte, Jr., Michigan
F Alex Petan, Sr., Michigan Tech
F Andrew Poturalski, So., New Hampshire
D Ethan Prow, Sr., St. Cloud State
F Jimmy Vesey, Sr., Harvard

UND Bids Farewell to Dan Hammer

This past weekend, UND big farewell to play-by-play announcer Dan Hammer. Personally, I am going to miss his call of UND football and hockey. I think he's a fair, talented announcer and is very prepared when he steps into the booth.

Now, I know there are some fans that are happy that Hammer will no longer be doing UND hockey. However, I can say that I have enjoyed talking and interacting with him over the past four years. I would like to wish him luck.

Comparing him to some of the other NCHC.TV announcers, it's not even close. I would rather listen to him any day of the week, compared to some of the announcers we have, just in the conference alone. Good luck to Hammer.

Who would you like to replace Hammer in the booth next season? Personally, I would like to see Scott Williams from Lake Public TV replace him.

A Couple of Thoughts on the NHL's GM Meetings

I was kind of shocked by this, but I guess the GM's are cool with the current head rule that is known as NHL Rule 48.

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The NHL’s general managers didn’t see any reason to expand Rule 48 at their annual meetings.

A sub-group met with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety to go over the topic, amongst other issues. Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was reportedly bullish on adding blindside hits to the rule, which was made to curb headshots. According to general managers who were part of the group, this was shot down.

”Watched a lot of video and unanimously felt the rule is working. And they’re doing an excellent job of having it policed,” Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello said. “I don’t have any numbers. There were no statistics presented in there. You look at isolated incidents and try to see how they could have been prevented, if they could have been prevented and is it part of hitting in the game. But certainly everybody’s concerned about the safety. We had a lot of people in the room today.” (Josh Cooper, Puck Daddy)

The goalie equipment in the NHL is going to get smaller. I would say it's about EFN time. I am very happy about this. I think you will see the goalies numbers go down a bit and the players stats actually improve. So, there are some good things coming out of the NHL's GM meetings.

“The question was asked today, ‘Well, what’s different this time around?' Well, we are attacking it together,” Whitmore said. “You are hearing from some of the best goalies in the game and they think this is what is right. They want a level playing field within their ranks.”

Whitmore said that the league will be “cutting away all the fat, the parts that extend out past the body and don’t wrap” in the chest, pants and upper body area.

He noted that goaltender safety won’t be compromised by changing equipment.

NHL hockey operations director Colin Campbell said there is currently a rule that goaltenders will be suspended two games and fined $25,000 if they cheat with equipment. Campbell said the rule will be better enforced for next season.

“When Kay makes a decision on the goaltending equipment now in place and suspends a guy, don’t holler and scream,” Campbell said. “Believe in the process.” (puck daddy)

UND no. 1 USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll

March 14, 2016

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	North Dakota	(35)	30- 5-3	982	2
2	Quinnipiac	(14)	27- 3-7	943	1
3	Providence	( 1)	27- 5-4	888	4
4	St. Cloud State		29- 8-1	837	5
5	Boston College		26- 6-5	830	3
6	Denver		23- 8-5	749	6
7	Michigan		22- 7-5	679	9
8	Massachusetts-Lowell		23- 8-5	662	11
9	Harvard		18- 9-4	560	12
10	Yale		19- 8-4	517	7
11	Boston University		21-12-5	497	8
12	Michigan Tech		23- 8-5	461	13
13	Notre Dame		19-10-7	408	10
14	Northeastern		20-13-5	296	NR
15	Minnesota State		20-12-7	218	16
16	Minnesota-Duluth		17-14-5	217	20
17	St. Lawrence		19-13-4	202	18
18	Cornell		16-11-7	172	15
19	Penn State		20-12-4	137	14
20	Minnesota		19-16-0	89	19
Others receiving votes: Robert Morris 48, Nebraska-Omaha 45, Dartmouth 31, Bowling Green 28, Air Force 2, Clarkson 2.

 

I musty admit that I am shocked that UND returned to the number one spot in the latest USCHO poll. Also, the national college hockey media has been fawning and slobbering all over Quinnipiac this season. And they're a good team no doubt. Anyways, there still are 30 percent of the media that believes that QU is the top team in the nation. The nice thing about college hockey is that tourney is settled on the ice and not on paper.

 The rankings really means nothing since next weekend, they NCAA Ice Hockey Committee will look at the Pairwise Rankings and make their selections.

BTHC Brackets Are Set: But Will Anyone Watch It?

Question: If a tree falls in the forest, and there's nobody around to hear, does it make a sound?

The conference tourneys are moving on to the Semifinals and the Big Ten will be taking over the Xcel Energy Center. Word has it that tickets sales aren't very good at all. No one is shocked. I can't imagine that too many fans will go out to watch the afternoon game between the PSU Nittany Lions take on the hapless Wisconsin Badgers. Then the night game isn't any more intriguing.

I imagine that the Big Ten Hockey Conference is hoping that the Gophers don't get bounced the first game that they play in.

Frozen Faceoff: The Brackets are Set

Updated #NCHCHockey Tournament bracket with #FrozenFaceoff field set: https://t.co/ac6Y2BpQhb

Semis on Friday, 3/18 pic.twitter.com/OtP4lIWkJt

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) March 13, 2016

With the win, UND improves to 30-5-3 (.828). This is the first time since the 2010-11 season that UND has won 30 games.

UND hasn’t lost a game this season when they’ve entered the third period with a lead. With the win, UND improves to 23-0-2 when they lead after two periods.

Over the past three seasons, UND has a 15-1-1 record against the Tigers.

With three assists, freshman forward Brock Boeser now is two points shy of 50 points.

With the win, UND goalie Cam Johnson improved to (20-3-1, 1.58 GAA and .938 save percentage). Johnson is leading the nation in goals-against average and is second in save percentage.

(Final Box Score)

Jack Eichel is Good at Hockey

Eichel. So clutch. So easy. So beautiful.https://t.co/IiJP5NHHS0

— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2016

Buffalo Sabres rookie forward Jack Eichel makes scoring a clutch goal look really easy. I also love the call of the goal by hall of fame announcer Rick Jeanneret. This guy is one of the best in the business. Jeanneret is set to retire at the end of the 2016 NHL season.

Jayson Moy has UND in the Xcel Center

Jayson Moy of USCHO fame does a weekly column on NCAA hockey bracketology and UND fans will like this week's brackets.  This week Moy now predicts that UND traveling south to St. Paul to play in the West Regional. 

East Regional (Albany):
13 Minnesota-Duluth vs. 4 Providence
12 Massachusetts-Lowell vs. 5 Boston College

Northeast Regional (Worcester):
16 Robert Morris vs. 2 Quinnipiac
10 Notre Dame vs 7 Yale

Midwest Regional (Cincinnati):
14 Michigan Tech vs. 3 St. Cloud State
11 Harvard vs. 6 Denver

West Regional (St. Paul):
15 Minnesota vs. 1 North Dakota
9 Boston University vs. 8 Michigan

(Link to USCHO)

Big Hit: Ryan Reaves Blows up Christian Ehrhoff Christian

I see a few fans on Twitter calling for more supplementary discipline for St. Louis Blues forward Ryan Reaves.

Get of the track if you don't want to get run over by the train. I think the on-ice officials are penalizing players for being hard hitters. Reaves absolutely blows up Christian Ehrhoff. I don't think this hit was worthy of a five-minute major. Thoughts?

Flawed Logic: Take Checking out of High School Hockey

In yesterday's StarTribune letters to the editor, one writer from Minneapolis suggested that they take checking out of high school hockey. How about no. People watch hockey for the contact and collisions on the ice.

Another great Minnesota boys’ hockey tournament is behind us. I celebrate the effort of the players, the strategy of the coaching and the unshakable spirit of the loyal fans.

I wonder, however, if it isn’t time to eliminate checking from the game. With growing evidence of the disabling effects of concussions, sensitivity to the damage that violence inflicts across our society and several highly publicized injuries of late, I submit that the Great State of Hockey would be better for this civilizing change.

As a longtime supporter of girls’ and women’s hockey — as a fan, a parent and a former player — I assure you that the game can be fast, thrilling and just as spectator-friendly without potentially paralyzing blows. Along with the score, the shots on goal and the time remaining on the clock, boys’ hockey still includes one chilling statistic: hits. As one TV announcer boasted during the Wayzata-Eden Prairie game: “If you’re on the ice, you either hit, or you’re gonna be hit.”

Let’s let these athletes’ explosive speed, puck-handling finesse, and undeniable grace and power under pressure be their lasting legacy. Let’s leave the roughneck bashing behind. These boys are too good not to be able to walk off the ice with their heads high and their bodies and futures intact.

Tracy Nordstrom, Minneapolis

First, to suggest that there's no hitting in women's hockey is short sighted and just wrong. I have covered women's college hockey for the last five season and I would say that the women's game is physical and at times rough. Go back and watch the Olympic games between the USA and Canada. Then come back and talk to me.

Apparently, this author has a short term memory loss. If you've watched a Women's College Hockey game between UMN vs. UND game you will know that there's a lot of body contact. You just can't cream the opponent in the open ice. The refs let a lot of contact around the net go as well as along the boards.

I think the biggest problem facing hockey today some coaches and trainers aren't as proactive as they should be with the concussion protocol. There are risks in life, even for our children.

So, I am going to say no. Let's not remove checking from high school hockey. Maybe the author should find another sport to watch if she's so concerned about it.

Former Teammates: Adam McQuaid vs. Shawn Thornton fight

Two former teammates fight after a questionable hit. The combatants Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid and Florida Panthers forward Shawn Thornton. McQuaid didn't even look like he wanted to fight Thornton.

Fighting is and should remain part of hockey. Thornton fight and subsequent comeback just more proof why.

— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) March 8, 2016

The NCHC Playoffs are Here

The four quarterfinal series are set. 

No. 8 seed Colorado College at No. 1 seed North Dakota

No. 7 seed Western Michigan at No. 2 seed St. Cloud State

No. 6 seed Omaha at No. 3 seed Denver

No. 5 seed Miami at No. 4 seed Minnesota Duluth

Predictions:

UND in 2

SCSU in 2

DU in 3

UMD in 2 

I don't see C.C. or Western Michigan getting past the top seeds. UNO is in a tailspin and Denver is smoking hot right now. The Bulldogs have won four games in a row since being swept by UND. 

It "should" be UND vs. UMD and SCSU vs. DU in the Frozen Faceoff.

New York Times: The Sioux Nickname Is Gone, but North Dakota Hockey Fans Haven’t Moved On

I was reading my facebook stream today when I came across this article from the New York Times. No matter where you stand on the nickname, this is a good read.

I predict, the Sioux jersey's and chants aren't going away anytime soon.

I am not sure if anyone should be shocked. You don't change 80 years of tradition and history overnight.

It's going to take a while to move on from the Fighting Sioux Nickname. I just ordered a new Fighting Sioux jersey. (Click to read the article)

When Sandelin opened his remarks with, “Always nice to be back among the Fighting Sioux fans,” he received immediate and prolonged applause.

“I knew that would get a rise,” he said, smiling.

Several minutes later, Sandelin concluded this way: “Once a Sioux, always a Sioux. I can still say that.”

Let's just say... there are more than 4,000 Sioux jersey's. That's not going to change anytime soon. I had a few of my fellow fans tell me that they're set for life. The Dacotah Legacy Collection is one way to keep those Fighting Sioux jersey's stocked up.

“When I go to that hockey game and I see 4,000 Fighting Sioux jerseys in a 12,000-seat arena, hear the chants and see the rituals and hear the booing and cheering and all that stuff, that bothers a lot of people at the university,” said the interim university president Ed Schafer, a former two-term governor and briefly the agriculture secretary under President George W. Bush.

He added: “I look at it and say, What’s the alternative? What do the students have to turn to instead of that? We don’t have that right now.”

I had a conversation with someone this past weekend about the University getting the new logo right. They're convinced that the UND administration understands what is at stake. I am very skeptical.

Fighting Hawks

I want to clear a few things up. First, the official nickname of UND's sports team is Fighting Hawks. The writers that I know and have contact with use the nickname in their articles in one form or another. The TV channels that broadcast UND hockey use Fighting Hawks in their broadcast and in their graphics.

Back in 2012, UND asked the various media entities that cover UND sports to no longer use the Fighting Sioux nickname. I've complied with their request and Fighting Sioux is no longer used in writing about UND sports. UNLESS, I am writing about a player that wore the Fighting Sioux logo.

I have been told by a few readers that I shouldn't use the Fighting Hawks nickname. I disagree. I write for two syndicated blogs with thousands of readers. My managing editors would expect me to honor UND's request as well.

So, I have to comply with UND's wishes. I think it's a fair request on their part. I am not trying to shove the new nickname down anyone's throat. However, it's easier to write when the team you cover has a nickname. I never, ever stopped admiring the Fighting Sioux nickname, but I have to move on. That being said, Sioux forever.

Finally, I took my daughter to a game and sat in the stands, I was yelling Sioux just like everyone else.

Video: UND vs. WMU (UND Goals)

I would have had this out sooner, but my computer was acting up. I guess you need to take a can of air to your computer every once in a while. I think we're okay now. We will see. I am in the process of finding a new computer so I will take suggestions if you have one.

A couple of things that I noticed this weekend. The freshman are starting to get it. All you have to do is look at the score sheet.

The story of the game was the play of the fourth line. Coach Berry put Shane Gersich, Coltyn Sanderson, and Chris Wilkie on the fourth line and they showed a lot of chemistry together. That line had a banner night on the score sheet (4g-3a—7pts).

This past weekend, Gersich has (1g-1a—2pts), Wilkie (2g-2a—4pts). On Friday night, Haden Shaw made two really nice plays that ended up in the back of net. This lead to Shaw having s a solid night on the score sheet (0g-2a—2pts). Christian Wolanin who was scratched on Friday night, replaced Shaw on Saturday night and also made a contribution on the score sheet (0g-2a—2pts).

UND vs. WMU Game 4

Per UND, senior forward Colten St. Clair in for freshman forward Joel Janatuinen. On defense, Christian Wolanin takes Hayden Shaw's place in the lineup. Tonight's game is on FCS.

Reminder that tonight's game is on MidcoSN2, not MidcoSN. Also available on FCS Atlantic, DirecTV and DISH Network. Consult local listings.

— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) March 5, 2016

(Video) UND 8, WMU 1 (Penrose Cup Champs)

First, last night was a total team effort.

Also, the CBS Line was dialed in. That line accounted for three of UND’s eight goals and scored (3g-6a—9pts) and were a (+12). During the first period, Boeser and Schmaltz again added two more goals to the highlight reel collection.

The story of the game was the play of the fourth line. Coach Berry put Shane Gersich, Coltyn Sanderson, and Chris Wilkie on the fourth line and they showed a lot of chemistry together. That line had a banner night on the score sheet (4g-3a—7pts).

“There’s obviously other stuff out there for us for sure,” Sanderson said. “It’s obviously a huge accomplish especially with the league that we play in. It’s tough every night to get wins. Anybody can beat anybody.

“Obviously, that makes it much more difficult to win a championship. At the same time, we can be happy about that, but this program hasn’t won a national championship for a long time. I think that been on our minds. I know for the last four of my career and now with the opportunity and the skill in the room. I think that’s the only thing that we will be satisfied with.”

North Dakota Brock Boeser (Troy Stecher, Nick Schmaltz) 12:20
North Dakota Nick Schmaltz (Drake Caggiula, Brock Boeser) 14:07
2nd Period
North Dakota Brock Boeser (Nick Schmaltz, Tucker Poolman) 0:30
North Dakota PP Chris Wilkie (Rhett Gardner) 2:43
North Dakota Paul LaDue (Brock Boeser, Nick Schmaltz) 7:04
Western Mich. PP Sheldon Dries (Corey Schueneman, Frederik Tiffels) 12:43
North Dakota Coltyn Sanderson (Hayden Shaw, Chris Wilkie) 19:09
3rd Period
North Dakota Chris Wilkie (Rhett Gardner, Shane Gersich) 16:47
North Dakota Coltyn Sanderson (Hayden Shaw, Chris Wilkie) 18:34

UND vs. WMU Game 3 Lines

Not a lot of changes from last game. Colten St. Clair is still out. One new change, Trevor Olson is also out. Freshman forwards Shane Gersich and Chris Wilkie are on the fourth line with Coltyn Sanderson.

Austin Poganski, Making an Impact at UND https://t.co/eUfWYeRLKD #THW

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) March 4, 2016

A Couple of Things that Should Concern You

In reading Anna Burleson's article in today's Grand Forks Herald, I see a couple of things that concern me and should concern other UND fans and alumni. First, Hawks are birds and they have feathers. When I read comments like the one below, this only makes me think that his is how we're going to end up with a very bad logo that none of us can get behind.

But former UND legal counsel Julie Evans, who attended the forum, suggested caution in using Native American imagery, like feathers, from the old logo, given the NCAA's agreement with the school.

I am also concerned when I read the paragraph below. This is how we end up with a chicken hawk logo with an uff da  taco in his talons.

Ideas varied widely during discussion, with some people wanting to avoid using pink — one of the school's official colors — while others support embracing it. Other ideas included depicting the state's Norwegian heritage, reflecting North Dakota's winter weather and adding the state's geography.

"We have a lot we can work with and this is the first part of this process," O'Flaherty said.

Moving on, I also love how these anti-fighting Sioux people lecture the pro-nickname people. You better not do that. Don't do that. Oh, that's a violation.

Anyone that thought there was going to be a quick transition to the new nickname is unrealistic. It's going to take time. You don't undo an 80-year tradition in three-four months.

Designing a logo that all of us can get behind is going to be very important if the administration wants the pro-fighting Sioux crowd to move on. Blow the logo design, and the fans will still be yelling Sioux 30 years from now.

I have gotten and I've seen hundreds of comments on social media. Rough estimate, I would say that 50-75 percent, maybe even higher despise/hate the Fighting Hawks nickname. If SME and the UND administration fumble or boggle the creation of the new logo, that number will grow.

Matthew and Candace Predict that UND sweeps WMU

Candace Horgan and my buddy Mattew Semisch have been pretty accurate this season in their weekly predictions. So, if haven't seen it, they break down the NCHC's weekend matchups.

Western Michigan at No. 2 North Dakota Candace: North Dakota gets a sweep and wins the Penrose outright. North Dakota 4-1, 3-1 Matthew: Difficult to see anything other than a UND sweep here. North Dakota 3-1, 3-1. (USCHO NCHC Blog)