Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts

Thursday, February 04, 2016

PSU's Andrew Sturtz Suspended one Game



The Big Ten has suspended PSU's Andrew Sturtz one-game for this nasty hit this on Michigan Wolverine forward Tyler Motte (video above).

For his efforts, Sturtz was given a five-minute major penalty for interference and a two-minute minor for roughing.  Sturtz hit Motte long after the puck was gone. (box score).

First, I believe the Big Ten blew it by not giving Sturtz a longer suspension. This hit eems worthy of a two-game suspension. In my opinion, this is a predatory hit and the kind of hit that hockey is trying eliminate from the game hockey.

If you watch the video, You will notice that Sturtz leaves his feet to make contact with Motte, you can't do that. The pucks is long gone when Sturtz makes contact with Motte. Obviously, if you're from PSU, you might see the hit differently.

You may also disagree with what PSU's head coach Guy Gadowsky has to say about the hit.
Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky addressed the suspension during his weekly media interviews but noted that while the suspension was the correct application of the rules that the severity of the hit was unintentional.(Ben Jones, State College)
I am not sure how you can say that the severity of the hit was unintentional. This is the end of a game when the score is out of reach. You have a player taking a run at a star player, maybe to send a message. I think I can see the intent.  Right call or not? Should the suspension be longer?

Saturday, February 21, 2015

UND vs. WMU - Game Two Lines



No changes from last night's lineup. From today's NCHC press release: With a 3-1 win at Western Michigan Friday night, top-ranked North Dakota moved into sole possession of first place in the NCHC after No. 6/6 Miami and No. 5/5 Omaha both fell as the three entered the weekend tied for first. UND also extended its unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1) and improved to 9-3-0 on the road this season with its .750 road win percentage fourth nationally and first in the NCHC. UND is now 8-6-1 on Fridays this year but an NCAA-best 13-0-2 on Saturdays (.933).


Monday, October 20, 2014

UND Ranked 3rd in Both National Polls

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

Rk.      School (First place votes)       
1.         Minnesota (39)                         
2.         Union (11)                                
3.         North Dakota                           
4.         Colgate                                    
5.         Providence                                
6.         Boston College                          
7.         Massachusetts-Lowell                 
8.         Ferris State                               
9.         St. Cloud State                          
10.       Miami     
11.       Denver                                  
12.       Boston University                       
13.       Minnesota State                           
14.       Michigan                                           
15.       Quinnipiac                                         
16.       Alaska                                                
17.       Vermont                                            
18.       Cornell                                               
19.       Minnesota Duluth                             
20.       Alaska Anchorage                           

Others receiving votes: Omaha 78, Robert Morris 67, Notre Dame 62, Bowling Green 47, Michigan Tech 36, Merrimack 27, Northern Michigan 24, New Hampshire 21, Princeton 17, Ohio State 14, Yale 10, Dartmouth 6, Harvard 6, Northeastern 6, Bemidji State 2, Clarkson 1, Mercyhurst 1.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

Rk.      School (1st place)                     
1.         Minnesota (23)                                 
2.         Union (10)                                        
3.         North Dakota (1)                        
4.         Colgate                                              
5.         Providence                                      
6.         Boston College                                
7.         Ferris State                                        
8.         Massachusetts-Lowell                                     
9.         St. Cloud State                                  
10.       Miami                                                
11.       Boston University                            
12.       Minnesota State                               
13.       Denver                                              
14.       Michigan                                           
15.       Quinnipiac                                          

Others receiving votes: Alaska 45, Vermont 33, Cornell 27, Notre Dame 18, Robert Morris 15, Minnesota Duluth 14, Omaha 14, Yale 9, Alaska Anchorage 8, Bowling Green 6, Merrimack 6, Michigan Tech 5, Ohio State 3, New Hampshire 1, Bemidji State 1.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

UND vs. WMU NCHC Third Place game

UND Forward lines
9 Drake Caggiula–16 Mark MacMillan–15 Michael Parks (A)
28 Stephane Pattyn (A) –19 Rocco Grimaldi–27 Luke Johnson
21 Brendan O'Donnell –13 Connor Gaarder–11 Derek Rodwell
25 Mitch MacMillan – 29 Bryn Chyzyk–17 Colten St. Clair

North Dakota Defense Pairings
5 Nick Mattson–6 Paul LaDue
18 Dillon Simpson (C)–24 Jordan Schmaltz
4 Keaton Thompson–2 Troy Stecher

UND Goalies
31 Zane Gothberg
33 Clarke Saunders
Out: 7-Wade Murphy (Fr., F), 20-Gage Ausmus (Fr., D), 22 Andrew Panzarella
 (Jr F), 26-Coltyn Sanderson (So., F), 30-Matt Hrynkiw (Fr., G)
Western Michigan’s lines
8 Sheldon Dries–29 Will Kessel–28 Sam Mellor
14 Colton Hargrove–16 Nolan LaPorte–27 J.T. Osborn
2 Mike McKee–10 Josh Pitt–17 Justin Kovacs
24 Shane Berschbach–13 Chase Balisy–25 Mike Cichy
Western Michigan defense Pairings
3 Thomas Nitsche–7 Kenney Morrison
9 Chris Dienes–20 Taylor Fleming
15 Jordan Oesterle–11 Dennis Brown

Western Michigan Goalies

1 Frank Slubowski
35 Sam Bloomberg
55 Lukas Hafner
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Friday, March 21, 2014

Western Michigan goal that was waived off - GIF



s/t @cjzero... Western Michigan's Mike McKee mows over the Denver defender, and Sam Mellor appears to score the second goal of the game for the Broncos. The refs reviewed the play and waived off the goal.  I believe this is the right call on this play.

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

UND Hockey: SJHovey Nails it...

Like I have mentioned on Twitter, Last March, I started a tongue in cheek post on Sioux Sports. The title of the thread "Time to Fire Hakstol". The thread in question has kept growing, by the day. For those that don't red Sioux Sports, SJHovey is one of the more level headed posters from Sioux Sports and he absolutely nails it... Check it out.  I feel the same way, I wouldn't trade out situation at UND either. 

I ask this question, in all seriousness, to those who think that the program has fallen on hard times, below our standards, or that it's time to start thinking about coaching changes.

Look back over the past 9 seasons (I'm excluding the present season primarily because we don't know how it will turn out).  If you could magically substitute the performance of another college hockey program for our own, would you?  Whose?

UND is 235-119-37 over that span, with no losing seasons, 2 regular season crowns, 4 conference tourney titles, appearances in all 9 NCAA tournaments, but admittedly no national titles.

So who do you wish we were, over Hak's tenure, if not our own performance?

BC?  Obviously.  3 national titles, 3 regular season titles, 6 conference tourney championships, appearances in 8 of 9 NCAA tournaments and a 238-97-33 record.

But now who?

Michigan?  The supposed greatest college hockey program of all time?  No national titles, 3 regular season titles, 3 conference tourney titles, 8 of 9 NCAA tourney appearances (and one losing season), with a win/loss record virtually identical to ours at 237-116-25.  I'm not trading.  That's the same car I'm driving without the 1 missed tourney.

How about Miami?  3 regular season titles, 1 conference tourney title, 8 of 9 NCAA appearances, but no national titles and a record no better than ours at 222-107-39.  No thanks.

Minnesota?  No national titles.  4 regular season titles but 1 conference tourney title.  Only 6 of 9 in NCAA appearances with one losing season and a considerably worse record at 210-120-39.  Plus, you're Minnesota.  Forget it.

How about last year's champs, Yale.  They have the almighty national title.  But 2 regular season titles, 2 conference titles and only 4 NCAA appearances out of 9 seasons, to go along with 3 losing seasons and a pedestrian 153-129-24 record.  I don't make that swap.

Duluth won a title, too.  But not a single regular season title, one tournament title and made the NCAA's a paltry 3 of the 9 seasons, with 5 losing seasons and a barely .500 record of 161-149-47.  Go ahead if you want to be a Bulldog.

How about Michigan St. and their national title?  Zero regular season titles.  1 conference tourney title.  3 losing seasons.  Only 4 NCAA appearances in the 9 years and a very average 173-150-42 record.

So far I'm not impressed.

So what about Wisconsin, BU or Denver?

Lot of baggage with Wisconsin.  They have that title real early in the stretch of these 9 seasons, but no regular season titles, one very unexpected conference tourney title, 5 of 9 on NCAA appearances, a couple of sub-.500 seasons and a 196-133-39 record a long way behind UND.  It might be for some of you, but not me.

BU?  One great season with a national title.   A couple of HE crowns to go with a couple of HE tourney titles.  But they only made the tournament half the time and their overall record is still a long way behind UND, at 204-117-39.

Denver?  For me this would be a maybe.  2 regular season crowns, 2 Broadmoors and appearances in 7 of the 9 NCAA tournaments.  Pretty good record at 220-115-33.  A bit of a toss up, but I might be persuaded to take that record for these past 9 seasons, understanding that the title did come at the very beginning of the run and there has been a generally downward progression.

Anybody that I missed?

So, of course I would love to have BC's record the past 9 years.  Who wouldn't?  Denver's?  Maybe, although I don't like the direction they're going.  Who else would you rather be?

Unless someone else has some good answers, I'm not sure I'd be jumping ship right about now. 

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Friday, December 27, 2013

WMU's Josh Pitt goes Coast To Coast Goal vs Michigan



Sweet goal by Western Michigan forward Josh Pitt, as he goes coast-to-coast against the Michigan Wolverines. That was also the game-winning goal in overtime, to vault WMU a 3-2 win. WMU will face MTU in tomorrow's championship game of the Great Lakes Invitational. That's goal number seven on the year for Pitt.
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Boston Bruins: Torey Krug O.T. thriller



Thank you Michigan State. Torey Krug has become kind of a rock star in Boston. The Boston Bruins (16-6-2), first in the Eastern Conference are 7-0-2 in their past nine game at home. Torey Krug also has points in three straight games (1g-2a—3pts) and has scored (7g-8a—15pts) on the season and is fourth on the Bruins in scoring.
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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)


NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T………Points
Nebraska-Omaha……...…3-1-0…………..9
St. Could St……………….3-1-0…………...9
Miami……………………...2-2-0……….…..6
Western Michigan………..2-0-0…………...6 
North Dakota……………..2-4-0……….…..6
Denver………………….....1-2-1…………...5
Colorado College………...1-4-1…….….….4
Minnesota-Duluth…………1-1-0……….….3


NCHC Games


#20 Minnesota-Duluth @ #13 North Dakota

Last weekend the Bulldogs were on a bye and NoDak split with the Mavericks in Omaha, 4-2L and 3-2W.

These teams last meet in Duluth (Nov. 16/17 2012) with both games going into overtime, the opener ended in a 4-4 tie and the closer ended in a 4-3 win for NoDak.

But that was last year and this is this year, new year, new players, new chances.  NoDak has had some trouble finding the back of the net, and they need to find ways to generate more offensive if they want some points.  SPLIT


Western Michigan @ Denver

Last weekend the Broncos salvaged a point against Northern Michigan (5-4L, 2-2ot) in Kalamazoo, and the Pioneers got a tie and win over arch-rival CC (1-1ot, 2-1W).

The “Omelet Series” as I will call it - all it needs are some pancakes, bacon, and OJ to be a complete breakfast - takes place in the mile high city of Denver this weekend. Now we just have to find out which chef/coach has the best recipe for victory.  I see each teams gets a piece of the pie.  SPLIT


Non-Conference Games


#12 Wisconsin @ #8 Miami

Last weekend the Badgers tied and beat the Lakers (LSSU) in Madison (3-3, 8-1) and the RedHawks split (2-0W, 2-1L) with the SCSU Huskies in St. Could.

The Badgers are 0-2-0 on the road this season, losing to BC 9-2 and BU 7-3, ouch.  Knowing that Miami is just as good, or better, than those teams, it’s hard to give the Badgers much of a chance this weekend in Oxford.  RedHawks SWEEP


#2 Michigan @ Nebraska-Omaha

Last weekend the Wolverines swept Michigan Tech (3-2ot, 2-1) in Ann Arbor and the Mavericks split (4-2W, 3-2L) with NoDak in Omaha.

These old CCHA members get to rekindle their relationship this weekend in Omaha.

Last time these teams met was in the NCAA West Regional in March of 2011, with Michigan winning 3-2 in overtime on a controversial goal call. The met earlier that season in October of 2010 in Ann Arbor, where they split a pair of games.  However, Michigan is number two (he he, number two) and the Mavericks are not ranked. I’m thinking the Mavericks got a few tricks up their sleeves for this weekend.  SPLIT


#3 St. Could St. @ Alabama-Huntsville

Last weekend the Huskies split (2-0L, 2-1W) with the RedHawks at home and the Chargers got swept by the Seawolves (3-2, 6-1) in Anchorage.

I will modify a quote a few of my friends will understand, “Alabama-Huntsville is NOT a good team.”  I’ve never been to Huntsville, but if they have a wood shed, the Chargers are going to be out behind it this weekend.  This should be a whoopin’…  HUSKIES SWEEP


Air Force @ Colorado College (Tues 11/19)

Last weekend 11/1- 11/2 the Falcons beat RIT 2-0 and lost to Mercyhurst 8-2 on the road on and they host Robert Morris on Saturday and the Tigers managed a tie and a loss to the Pioneers.

The Falcons are 4-0-0 at home and are 1-2-0 on the road. Since this is basically a cross town game, are they really on the road?  The Tigers have been off to a sluggish start going 1-6-1 so far.  I’m going with the visitors here.  FALCONS WIN


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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

2013-14 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Pre-Season Coaches Poll

2013-14 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Pre-Season Coaches Poll

Rank Team First Place Votes Points
1 Minnesota State 9 81
2 Ferris State – 65
3 Michigan Tech 1 64
4 Bowling Green – 58
5 Alaska – 54
6 Northern Michigan – 40
7 Bemidji State – 35
8 Lake Superior State – 25
9 Alaska Anchorage – 18
10 Alabama Huntsville – 10

Predicted order of finish (first-place votes in parenthesis). Based on a 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale; coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team.
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Saturday, July 13, 2013

Tough week for Western Michigan Broncos



If you have been following college hockey on Twitter this week, it's been a very tough week for the Western Michigan hockey team. In a matter of a couple of day, WMU has lost two players. The first defection was incoming recruit Michael McCarron who decided to forgo his college eligibility and play for the London Knights in the OHL.

The other loss for the Broncos, was junior defenseman Garrett Haar, who was supposed to be a returning to WMU, but was released by the university. According to a press release from Western Michigan University, "Garrett has not lived up to his committment to his academics and his Bronco hockey teammates and we have decided to part ways with him," WMU coach Andy Murray.








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Saturday, April 13, 2013

After further review: The ECAC doesn't really equate to the EZAC after at all

ECAC Hockey logo
ECAC Hockey logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So as we sit here on Saturday, waiting for the championship game of the Frozen Four, and I have to admit that there are no “sexy” traditional match-ups, in the 2013 Frozen Four.

So what?

What else are we going to do today? It’s not like it’s nice outside.

That’s not saying that the hockey hasn’t been good this year, because it has. There are just no traditional matchups between historical powers like Michigan vs. Minnesota or North Dakota versus Boston College.  

Does it really matter? Nope!

Tonight, a couple of brainiac schools from Connecticut, that are about 8 miles apart, according to USCHO’s Brian Sullivan, are going to show case their conferences skills, in "pinnacle" of college hockey’s season. 

For the First time in 23 years, a school from the ECAC is going to win the national championship in division I college hockey.

Wait, what?

So in case you’re confused, two teams from the ECAC will take center stage tonight, one of them are going to be National Champions.

In the final game of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I College Hockey season, Yale takes on Quinnipiac University to determine who the best team is for the 2012-13 season. They've earned, and I must offer my congratulations.

While their playing hockey the naysayers will be eating some crow. I will take Caribbean Jerk on my crow.

The Weather map for North Dakota... 


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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Time to move the NCAA Hockey Tourney back on campus

English: National Collegiate Athletic Associat...

It’s that time a year again, Division I college hockey soon will be taking center stage in the NCAA regionals playing in half empty arenas, in venues in cities across the USA.
It’s a yearly occurrence for college hockey, because we can’t have anymore regionals on campus. God forbid, we can’t have playoff games in rowdy arenas stuffed with rabid fans.
The NCAA wants regional games played in arenas posing as quite emotionless mausoleums, all under the guise of  the regional being held at “neutral” sites.
But some of the sites really aren’t that neutral, for some of the schools.
Midsized towns like Grand Rapids, MichiganManchester, New Hampshire, Providence, Rhode Island and Toledo, Ohio, will be hosting this year 2013 NCAA Division I college hockey regionals.
There is a good chance in one or two of these regional, will sparsely attended.
This year, you can pretty much guess that Midwest Regional being held in Toledo, Ohio will be that regional that will be played in front of an empty arena or arena seats posing as fans.
Going on past history, I am betting that this will be that regional that very few fans will see live, unless it’s being watched on television. According to The Blade, a Toledo, Ohio newspaper, tickets remain for the regional. You can get your tickets to the regional for a cool $75.00. Really, tickets remain. I can’t imagine why? That’s way too pricey.
Anyone want to lay odds on the attendance numbers for that regional? If they get 2,000-3,000 fans for the weekend, they will be lucky. That’s what the NCAA want’s half empty arena’s at neutral sites.
The other western regional, the “West” regional, is east of the Mississippi River. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see how anything in the Eastern Time zone is considered the Western part of the USA, at least by my standards, but whatever.
For the West Region, tickets are still available and a little bit cheaper, there going for $65.00.  Want to lay odds, that there will be a fair number of empty seats at this regional as well. Sure, North Dakota and Minnesota are in this regional and their fans travel well.
But let’s get real.
Grand Rapids is 649 miles from the University of North Dakota and the University of Minnesota is 582 away from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
With the cable/satellite television, one doesn’t need to spend money on a expensive last minute plane ticket or gas for 14 hour car trip, hotel room, and ticket package.
Of course, on the flip side of this equation, the Boston College eagles will get to travel a strenuous 50 miles south to Providence, Rhode Island.
Let’s not forget, New Hampshire has an exhausting 45 minute bus trip to the North East Regional in Manchester, New Hampshire.
For the most part the NCAA won’t make the eastern teams travel.
According to Grand Forks Herald beat writer Brad Schlossman, “BU and BC have got on a plane 3 times for a regional in the last 13 years. The teams lost by four goals in 1st round each time.”
Last time Boston College was sent west they got rolled 8-4 by the Colorado College Tigers.
So in essence, yearly, the NCAA is giving the eastern teams in the NCAA Division I hockey tournament home games. It’s no wonder they don’t want to move the regionals back on campus. Why should they? They might have to play a Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Denver at their home arena. We can’t have that, they might not have an easier path to the Frozen Four.
I believe it’s time for the NCAA regionals to move back on campus, soon. Of course, there is not a lot of support for moving the regionals back on campus. I don’t, however, think that’s going to happen, anytime soon.
This year, if anything, I think brings to light, a reason to at least explore that option.
After Notre Dame beat Michigan 3-1, to win the CCHA title, it looked like UND was headed to the East regional. Think again. Instead of going by the Pairwise numbers and putting UND in the East Regional with Quinnipiac, Canisius and Union, the NCAA instead put the Boston College in the easier bracket and doubled up two WCHA teams in the West Regional, all under the guise of Minnesota and North Dakota will sell tickets.
After an all WCHA Frozen Four in 2005, the NCAA didn’t want to have a repeat of that even again. In some fans opinion, the NCAA has pretty much handed Boston College a easy route to the Frozen Four with that regional draw.
According to Tom Nevala, chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee and senior associate athletics director at Notre Dame, it doesn’t sound like the regionals are going to be moving back to campus anytime soon.
According to Tom Nevala, chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee and senior associate athletics director at Notre Dame, it doesn’t sound like the regionals are going to be moving back to campus anytime soon.
Personally, I would like to see us move to an on-campus best-of-three series format for the first round,” Nevala said. “The top seeds would host regardless of size of its building. Right now we do it at the conference level and it works very well. There are upsets even with the home ice advantage and the atmosphere for everyone involved would be better. We have such great campus facilities that are such a part of the fabric of college hockey, it’s a shame that the national tourney isn’t played in them.”
So does Nevala see it happening any time soon?
“The coaching body is so set on having the regional games at neutral sites that before the committee would ever propose something like this we would need to work with them to try and get everyone on board,” Nevala said. “Hopefully we can put something together that they would feel comfortable with. It’s really hard for anyone with an objective view to say what we are doing now at our regionals is great,  so we need to try and do something with them because a great tournament should be our goal.”
Regional sites for the next two years have already been determined so the earliest any change could happen would be for the 2015 championship. The 2013 regionals are at Grand Rapids, Mich., Manchester, N.H., Providence, R.I. and Toledo, Ohio. The 2014 regionals will be held at Bridgeport, Conn., Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Paul, Minn. and Worcester, Mass. [ncaa.com]
I find those comments disappointing, however, maybe there is hope. Being from North Dakota, at least there is some hope in the future. Or at least, UND athletic director Brian Faison is saying some of the things that I like to hear.
“I don’t like the situation we seem to find ourselves in sometimes when we play in empty arenas in regionals,” said North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison, who will join the committee in the fall. “I’d love to be in a situation where you could play on campus sites for the first round. … I’d love to see us get into a different format, and I think it’s better for the sport. It’s a great game.
“And you want that game in the best locations that you can to showcase.” [Lacrosse Tribune]
Don’t count on the NCAA Hockey showcasing the college game in half empty arena’s in towns some have never heard of, nor would ever think of visiting, if it was for the college hockey game. It’s  time to consider moving the NCAA Hockey Regionals back on campus.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

WCHA Hockey: What are we doing here?

2003 WCHA Final Five logo

Saint Paul, Minnesota – Recently, I was listening to a weekly podcast of College Hockey Tonight, and the host Scott Williams and Moose Richards were talking about the break of and reformation of the WCHA.
Shameless plug department. First, if you’re not listening to the College Hockey Tonight on KBUN, I highly recommend that you give them a listen. They both know the game of hockey very well and their podcast sound very good, quality wise. You can listen to their podcast by going to KBUN.COM  and all of their podcast from this season are archived on the site.
You can also listen to the podcasts on you smart phone. I listen to most of their podcasts when I work out at the gym or in the car on longer trips.
The gist of the conversation during the podcast in question, “what are we doing here,” host Moose Richards said.
Come to think of it, that is a really good question.
I mean we can go on and on about the B1G and the NCHC and point fingers, but that discussion is probably counter-productive. I understand that the by-laws of the Big Ten require that Minnesota and Wisconsin join their league once they had a sixth hockey team. I just wish there was a way to preserve what we have now.
It’s like having a relationship with someone that works and dumping them and going off with some unknown less attractive option.
The WCHA in its current form is hands down the best league in Division I college hockey. Top to bottom, there is no better league in my opinion. We have a great league here and that’s basically blowing up after this season.
Obviously, none of us can control that, so let’s enjoy the moment.
Last night, I was having a discussion on this subject with person that is fan and media member of a team that’s not moving to another league, his team is staying in the new WCHA. Our conclusion was that they will never be able to replicate what we have currently with the WCHA Final Five, never, not in Detroit with the Big Ten hockey conference tourney, not at the Target Center for the NCHC conference tourney, or even at the Xcel Center for the New WCHA tourney or for the Big Ten hockey conference tourney. I also don’t think that I am going out on a limb by saying, definitely not for the new WCHA tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s not going to happen.
For good or bad, college hockey landscape will change, as we know it.
Speaking of change, the WCHA is also changing the format of their tourney next season as well; the top eight teams in the WCHA make the playoffs, the bottom two teams will not make the playoffs.
Four teams will advance from the first round of the WCHA playoffs and they will play two semifinal games on Friday night and they have a championship game on Saturday. There will be no more Final Five.
The first WCHA tourney will be in Grand Rapids, Michigan starting in 2015. The Xcel Energy Center will host the 2016 WCHA conference tourney. They will rotate between the two sites, for least the foreseeable future.
Former Fighting Sioux and current Wild forward Zach Parise was asked about his thoughts on the changes the WCHA will go through after the season is over.
“I think it’s brutal, if you ask me,” Parise said. “I don’t like it. I was a big fan of that league, and the rivals that were developed in that league; I think it’s a bad idea.”
When asked who he though would win tonight’s Red Baron WCHA Final Five Broadmoor Championship game between Wisconsin and Colorado College. Parise said, “I would say Wisconsin, but I won’t be watching because North Dakota’s not playing.”
So, one more night of one of the best college hockey tourneys and then we all go our separate ways. No UND and Minnesota aren’t playing tonight, but really, does it matter. There no place I would rather be than right here.

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

UND vs. MTU game three WCHA playoffs


Game is on DirecTV 626 and Fox College Sports

UND Forward Lines

21 Brendan O’Donnell–10 Corban Knight (A) –7 Danny Kristo (A)
19 Rocco Grimaldi–27 Carter Rowney (A)–15 Michael Parks
25 Mitch MacMillan–16 Mark MacMillan–13 Connor Gaarder
Drake Caggiula 9–28 Stephane Pattyn–17 Colten St. Clair

UND Defensive Parings

2 Andrew MacWilliam (C)–18 Dillon Simpson
4 Derek Forbort–24 Jordan Schmaltz
5 Nick Mattson –20 Joe Gleason

UND goalies

33 Clarke Saunders
31 Zane Gothberg
35 Tate Maris

Not In the lineup: 11 Derek Rodwell , Andrew Panzarella (22), Dan Senkbeil (8), Coltyln Sanderson (26),  Bryn Chyzyk (29).

Michigan Tech Huskies Forward lines

19 Blake Pietila–10 Tanner Kero–23 Alex Petan
12 Ryan Furne–8 Jacob Johnstone–14 Chad Pietila
20 Blake Hietala–7 Jujhar Khaira–28 Milos Gordic
18 C.J. Eick–9 Dennis Rix–13 Aaron Pietila

Michigan Tech Huskies Defense Pairings

16 Steven Seigo (A) –34 Riley Sweeney
29 Walker Hyland–24 Daniel Sova
3 Bradley Stebner (A) –25 Carl Nielsen (C)

Michigan Tech Goalies
31 Pheonix Copley
30 Jamie Phillips

Ref Marco Hunt (15) , Derek Shepherd (3)  Lines Andy Kokken (70) Justin Hill (83).

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