Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Andy's College Hockey Extravaganza Week #11
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #11
College Hockey Weekend would like to send their condolences to the family and friends of former Denver coach Murray “The Chief” Armstrong. Armstrong passed away in Florida Wednesday night at the age of 94 after complications following a series of strokes. During his twenty-one year stint with the Pioneers, Armstrong posted a 460-215-31 mark alongside five national championships and numerous awards and honors including the 1977 Lester Patrick Award.
Moving on to this week in the WCHA, including Thursday’s Tech/UNO contest, here are your WCHA first round playoff matchups if the season ended today:
#12 Michigan Tech vs. #1 UMD (UMD leads season series 2-0-0)
#11 St. Cloud State vs. #2 UND (UND leads season series 2-0-0)
#10 Bemidji State vs. #3 Denver (DU leads season series 2-0-0)
#9 Alaska Anchorage vs. #4 UNO (Have yet to play each other)
#8 Wisconsin vs. #5 Minnesota (UW leads 1-0-1)
#7 MSU-Mankato vs. #6 Colorado College (Series tied at 1-1-0)
Also, don’t forget about yours truly moderating the live chat here on Collegehockeyweekend.blogspot.com this weekend for UND/MSU-Mankato. Can the Mavs and Phil Cook continue their four game winning streak, or will the stout Sioux defense stop them in their tracks? Coverage begins at 7 PM CST Friday night and 6:30 PM CST Saturday night. Also note this is the last extravaganza for 2010; we’ll be back for the weekend of January 14th and 15th. Now, let’s get to the series:
#5 North Dakota (11-5-2, 9-3-0 WCHA) at MSU-Mankato (6-6-4, 4-6-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: CHW (Regional Coverage; Southern MN)
Players to Watch: Chay Gennoway (UND), Phil Cook (MSU). If there was a WCHA Comeback Player of the Year, Gennoway has it in the bag. Not only does he lead the Sioux in assists with 12, but he has yet to skip a beat after missing most of last season. As for Cook, if you read last week’s Extravaganza, you saw I said that Cook “Has yet to prove he can handle the pressures of the WCHA this season.” After seeing Cook playing his best hockey while in a Maverick uniform last weekend in the Minnesota sweep, he can play with the WCHA. However, with another week the hypothetical bar gets higher with a Top 5 Sioux team in town.
Analysis: How the Mankato crowd comes out this weekend will be key. Last weekend despite the divided crowd and snowy weather, the Maverick faithful were very much the 6th man in an emotional series sweep against Minnesota, especially the student section. This weekend, however, the students are on their way home after finals, another winter storm is headed straight for Mankato and a Sioux fan base that travels well will make for an interesting combination.
On the ice, the Sioux bring seventeen NHL draftees to Mankato, including two players that have been named to the preliminary US Junior team roster for the world championships in Buffalo in two weeks; freshmen Brock Nelson (NYI) and Derek Forbort (LAK). The Sioux also bring a potent scoring attack including six 10 point scorers so far this season. The question for the Mavs is whether they can stop the deep Sioux scoring attack and if they can keep up.
Prediction: UND 3 point weekend
#2 Minnesota-Duluth (12-2-1, 9-2-1 WCHA) at Minnesota (8-7-1, 5-6-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: FS North
Players to watch: Mike Seidel (UMD), Gopher goaltending. Seidel leads the Bulldogs in penalty minutes with 21, while Don Lucia faces a tough choice tonight back home: Who will be his starter in net? I think it’ll be akin to last weekend where Kangas takes one night and Patterson takes the other. It’s a good thing too that the Gophers have this depth; this Bulldog offense has proven time and again this season that they can light up the lamp numerous times in a game. Patterson is the better goalie by miles, and unless he gets shelled tonight, Lucia should start him both games.
Analysis: It’s something that’s used all the time in sports, but both teams in this series have something to prove after a couple of shaky weekends: UMD trying to show the country that they should reclaim the #1 spot following the split with Denver while the Gophers just looked sluggish in Mankato.
Prediction: UMD sweep. Unless Lucia does a heck of a coaching job this weekend, I don’t see how this Gopher team keeps up to speed with the Bulldogs.
#10 Denver (11-5-2, 8-3-1 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (5-9-2, 4-7-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM AST Friday and Saturday, No TV
Players to Watch: Drew Shore (DU), Tommy Grant (UAA). Both Shore and Grant had game winning goals in dramatic fashion Friday night in upset victories. Shore’s came at 3:02 in the extra session against then-#1 UMD. Grant scored with 8.2 seconds left against Wisconsin.
Analysis: Even though the Seawolves sit in ninth place so far in the conference, they’ve surprised me to this point. Their offense, led by Grant and Matt Bailey, has improved tremendously. Grant had 9 goals all of last season. He and Bailey currently stand at 6, while Bailey is just is just a freshman.
Prediction: Despite liking the improvement I’m seeing out of Anchorage, it’ll be a DU sweep.
Bemidij State (5-8-1, 4-7-1 WCHA) at #16 Wisconsin (8-7-3, 4-6-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: FS Wisconsin/WPT
Players to Watch: Dan Bakala (BSU), Justin Schultz (UW). Bakala shared Red Baron Defensive Player of the Week honors with the aforementioned Phil Cook this past week. Bakala made 64 saves on 65 shots en route to the Beaver sweep over UNO. Schultz had a big game Saturday night in Anchorage racking up 2 goals and 3 points in the Badgers 3-1 win over Alaska-Anchorage.
Analysis: Much like the MSU Mavs, the Beavers have a lot of momentum coming off an upset sweep. The real question will be if the Beavers’ performance last weekend was real or if it was a fluke. As for the Badgers, they had a decent weekend in Anchorage last weekend, minus the Grant goal.
Prediction: Split
Colorado College (8-7-1, 5-5-0 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (4-6-1, 2-4-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday
Players to Watch: Jaden Schwartz (CC), Husky defense. This is going to be a key matchup in my eyes this weekend. Not only does Jaden have almost double the amount of goals any Husky has, but St. Cloud’s been giving up goals left and right.
Analysis: If the Huskies want any shot whatsoever of staying in this series, they must stop the Schwartz and Schultz line. They have 58 combined points on the year and can score almost as well as the Fontaine-Connolly line in Duluth.
Prediction: CC sweep.
-Andy Sorensen, CHW blogger
College Hockey Weekend would like to send their condolences to the family and friends of former Denver coach Murray “The Chief” Armstrong. Armstrong passed away in Florida Wednesday night at the age of 94 after complications following a series of strokes. During his twenty-one year stint with the Pioneers, Armstrong posted a 460-215-31 mark alongside five national championships and numerous awards and honors including the 1977 Lester Patrick Award.
Moving on to this week in the WCHA, including Thursday’s Tech/UNO contest, here are your WCHA first round playoff matchups if the season ended today:
#12 Michigan Tech vs. #1 UMD (UMD leads season series 2-0-0)
#11 St. Cloud State vs. #2 UND (UND leads season series 2-0-0)
#10 Bemidji State vs. #3 Denver (DU leads season series 2-0-0)
#9 Alaska Anchorage vs. #4 UNO (Have yet to play each other)
#8 Wisconsin vs. #5 Minnesota (UW leads 1-0-1)
#7 MSU-Mankato vs. #6 Colorado College (Series tied at 1-1-0)
Also, don’t forget about yours truly moderating the live chat here on Collegehockeyweekend.blogspot.com this weekend for UND/MSU-Mankato. Can the Mavs and Phil Cook continue their four game winning streak, or will the stout Sioux defense stop them in their tracks? Coverage begins at 7 PM CST Friday night and 6:30 PM CST Saturday night. Also note this is the last extravaganza for 2010; we’ll be back for the weekend of January 14th and 15th. Now, let’s get to the series:
#5 North Dakota (11-5-2, 9-3-0 WCHA) at MSU-Mankato (6-6-4, 4-6-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: CHW (Regional Coverage; Southern MN)
Players to Watch: Chay Gennoway (UND), Phil Cook (MSU). If there was a WCHA Comeback Player of the Year, Gennoway has it in the bag. Not only does he lead the Sioux in assists with 12, but he has yet to skip a beat after missing most of last season. As for Cook, if you read last week’s Extravaganza, you saw I said that Cook “Has yet to prove he can handle the pressures of the WCHA this season.” After seeing Cook playing his best hockey while in a Maverick uniform last weekend in the Minnesota sweep, he can play with the WCHA. However, with another week the hypothetical bar gets higher with a Top 5 Sioux team in town.
Analysis: How the Mankato crowd comes out this weekend will be key. Last weekend despite the divided crowd and snowy weather, the Maverick faithful were very much the 6th man in an emotional series sweep against Minnesota, especially the student section. This weekend, however, the students are on their way home after finals, another winter storm is headed straight for Mankato and a Sioux fan base that travels well will make for an interesting combination.
On the ice, the Sioux bring seventeen NHL draftees to Mankato, including two players that have been named to the preliminary US Junior team roster for the world championships in Buffalo in two weeks; freshmen Brock Nelson (NYI) and Derek Forbort (LAK). The Sioux also bring a potent scoring attack including six 10 point scorers so far this season. The question for the Mavs is whether they can stop the deep Sioux scoring attack and if they can keep up.
Prediction: UND 3 point weekend
#2 Minnesota-Duluth (12-2-1, 9-2-1 WCHA) at Minnesota (8-7-1, 5-6-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: FS North
Players to watch: Mike Seidel (UMD), Gopher goaltending. Seidel leads the Bulldogs in penalty minutes with 21, while Don Lucia faces a tough choice tonight back home: Who will be his starter in net? I think it’ll be akin to last weekend where Kangas takes one night and Patterson takes the other. It’s a good thing too that the Gophers have this depth; this Bulldog offense has proven time and again this season that they can light up the lamp numerous times in a game. Patterson is the better goalie by miles, and unless he gets shelled tonight, Lucia should start him both games.
Analysis: It’s something that’s used all the time in sports, but both teams in this series have something to prove after a couple of shaky weekends: UMD trying to show the country that they should reclaim the #1 spot following the split with Denver while the Gophers just looked sluggish in Mankato.
Prediction: UMD sweep. Unless Lucia does a heck of a coaching job this weekend, I don’t see how this Gopher team keeps up to speed with the Bulldogs.
#10 Denver (11-5-2, 8-3-1 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (5-9-2, 4-7-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM AST Friday and Saturday, No TV
Players to Watch: Drew Shore (DU), Tommy Grant (UAA). Both Shore and Grant had game winning goals in dramatic fashion Friday night in upset victories. Shore’s came at 3:02 in the extra session against then-#1 UMD. Grant scored with 8.2 seconds left against Wisconsin.
Analysis: Even though the Seawolves sit in ninth place so far in the conference, they’ve surprised me to this point. Their offense, led by Grant and Matt Bailey, has improved tremendously. Grant had 9 goals all of last season. He and Bailey currently stand at 6, while Bailey is just is just a freshman.
Prediction: Despite liking the improvement I’m seeing out of Anchorage, it’ll be a DU sweep.
Bemidij State (5-8-1, 4-7-1 WCHA) at #16 Wisconsin (8-7-3, 4-6-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: FS Wisconsin/WPT
Players to Watch: Dan Bakala (BSU), Justin Schultz (UW). Bakala shared Red Baron Defensive Player of the Week honors with the aforementioned Phil Cook this past week. Bakala made 64 saves on 65 shots en route to the Beaver sweep over UNO. Schultz had a big game Saturday night in Anchorage racking up 2 goals and 3 points in the Badgers 3-1 win over Alaska-Anchorage.
Analysis: Much like the MSU Mavs, the Beavers have a lot of momentum coming off an upset sweep. The real question will be if the Beavers’ performance last weekend was real or if it was a fluke. As for the Badgers, they had a decent weekend in Anchorage last weekend, minus the Grant goal.
Prediction: Split
Colorado College (8-7-1, 5-5-0 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (4-6-1, 2-4-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday
Players to Watch: Jaden Schwartz (CC), Husky defense. This is going to be a key matchup in my eyes this weekend. Not only does Jaden have almost double the amount of goals any Husky has, but St. Cloud’s been giving up goals left and right.
Analysis: If the Huskies want any shot whatsoever of staying in this series, they must stop the Schwartz and Schultz line. They have 58 combined points on the year and can score almost as well as the Fontaine-Connolly line in Duluth.
Prediction: CC sweep.
-Andy Sorensen, CHW blogger
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #10
The month of December is traditionally where one will reflect on the year that will end and the New Year on the horizon. Oftentimes it will be a team who makes a positive turnaround ahead of the conference tournament, or a player who gets his big break. This picture could not be truer in Duluth: The Bulldogs bid adieu to the DECC Arena after 45 seasons after this weekend’s series against the Pioneers and move across the building to the state of the art AMSOIL Arena in time for the December 30th game against North Dakota. Also, a couple of reminders for next week: I’ll have my first weekly look at probable WCHA first round playoff matchups, and next weekend I’ll be live blogging from the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato for both games of North Dakota/Minnesota State Mankato.
#10 Denver (10-4-2, 7-2-1 WCHA) at #1 Minnesota-Duluth (11-1-2, 8-1-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday, TV: My 9 Northland
Players to Watch: David Makowski (DU), Travis Oleksuk (UMD). Makowski has come into his own as a freshman after a slow start while Oleksuk is another layer to the potent Bulldog offense.
Analysis: It’s my “series of the week” for more reasons than one: Not only do you have the emotion of the DECC’s final series, you also have two top ten teams on the ice but two very different teams as well: UMD’s depth on the offensive side of the puck against Denver who is more of a defensively minded team led by lights-out goalie Sam Brittain. Push will come to shove and it will be fun to see which school of play will come out on top.
Prediction: Split.
#17 Minnesota (8-5-1, 5-4-1 WCHA) at Minnesota State Mankato (4-6-4, 2-6-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, TV: FS North
Players to watch: Taylor Matson (MIN), Chase Grant (MSU). Matson had a goal in what was a spotty offensive performance by the Gophers in the College Hockey Showcase last weekend against Michigan State and Michigan. Grant was awarded WCHA Rookie of the Week honors with his four point performance last weekend at UMass Lowell.
Analysis: This is a hard series to read; the Gophers are coming off an inconsistent weekend after their rally against Michigan State on Friday came up short then beating a nationally ranked Michigan squad Sunday. The Mavericks picked up their first sweep of the season over an appallingly bad Riverhawk squad helps to remove some of the bad aftertaste from a 3-4-1 road trip. Coach Jutting does have every right to be confident in his squad after that series, but they aren’t in Lowell anymore. While they do return home for a rivalry series with the Gophers, this Gopher team can score at will in WCHA games, or so it seems. They’re tied with UMD for the most goals scored so far in the WCHA season while starting goalie Kent Peterson is unbeaten in WCHA play.
Prediction: Gopher sweep. The Mavs are tied for 11th in goals scored in conference play so far with Michigan Tech, and Phil Cook has yet to prove he can handle the pressures of the WCHA this season.
St. Cloud State (4-5-1, 2-2-0 WCHA) at #7 North Dakota (9-5-2, 7-3-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, FSSN both nights
Players to Watch: Ben Hanowski (SCSU), Chay Genoway (UND). Hanowski is tied for the Husky scoring lead with 5 goals while Genoway had a two point weekend against Notre Dame last weekend.
Analysis: The Sioux are coming off a three point weekend against a nationally ranked Norte Dame squad and looked strong while at it. The Huskies continue to have a disappointing season. They were idle last weekend after a split in Anchorage.
Prediction: UND sweep.
#15 Wisconsin (7-6-3, 3-5-2 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (4-8-2, 3-6-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 AST Friday and Saturday, no TV
Players to Watch: Jordy Murray (UW), Luke Vidmar (UAA). Murray leads the Badgers in goals with 10. Vidmar leads the Seawolves in penalties with 10.
Analysis: The Badgers had a strong weekend taking a win and a tie from Michigan and Michigan State and look to continue the momentum on their trip to the Last Frontier. The Seawolves are coming off a split against Colorado College and look to climb the WCHA standings with a strong weekend.
Prediction: Wisconsin sweep.
#4 Nebraska-Omaha (9-2-1, 6-1-1 WCHA) at Bemidji State (3-8-1, 2-7-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, no TV
Players to Watch: John Faulkner (UNO), Emil Billberg (BSU). Faulker is one of the WCHA’s best goalies suffering only one conference loss. Billberg had a three point game Saturday night in a win over Northern Michigan.
Analysis: The Mavericks will have an easy go of things up at the Beaver Dam. If the WCHA gave out grades, the Beavers should get points for participation.
Prediction: UNO sweep.
Colorado College (6-7-1, 3-5-0 WCHA) at Michigan Tech (3-6-2, 1-6-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM EST Friday and Saturday, no TV
Players to Watch: Jaden Schwartz (CC), Ryan Furne (MTU). The younger Schwartz brother and St. Louis Blues prospect leads WCHA freshmen in scoring with nine goals while Fume has two power play goals on the season.
Analysis: On paper this leans CC’s way. However, the main question I have of the Tiger squad is Joe Howe. He has a less than impressive 3-5-0 mark in the conference with a .894 save percentage. This is a weakness the Huskies can exploit if they can find the offense to beat Howe.
Prediction: Split
Andy Sorensen
College Hockey Weekend Blogger
Friday, November 19, 2010
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #7
For the first time this season, a WCHA team is the number one team in the land. It’s UMD in a squeaker (26 points separate UMD and #2 Boston University). Other WCHA teams in the polls include UNO at #4, UND is 7th, Denver checks in at #14, while Wisconsin ranks 15th. And finally, from all of us at College Hockey Weekend, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving and remind you that the CHE will return for the weekend of December 3rd and 4th.
#7 North Dakota (7-4-1, 6-2-0 WCHA) at #4 Nebraska-Omaha (8-1-1, 5-0-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, no TV
Players to watch: Corban Knight (UND), Matt White (UNO). Knight leads the Sioux in points with 13 points so far while White is second in goals with 7 for the potent Maverick offense.
Analysis: A rivalry will be born at the Qwest in Omaha this weekend; the Sioux head down to face their old coach in Dean Blais. Both teams are coming off winning weekends; UND swept UW at the Kohl while the Mavs picked up three points up in St. Cloud. To continue their momentum, the Sioux need to at least split after their rise from 10th last weekend. The last team UNO played that was ranked this high was Michigan, where they split against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last month.
Prediction: Split.
#1 UMD (6-1-1, 9-1-2 WCHA) at #15 Wisconsin (6-4-2, 3-3-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday; TV: FS Wisconsin Friday, regional coverage Saturday
Players to Watch: Jack Connolly (UMD), Michael Mersch (UW). Connolly took home WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors last week with a five point weekend over Michigan Tech last weekend. Mersch has been a steady contributor for the Badgers with eight points so far.
Analysis: The Badgers took two steps back last weekend after being swept by UND. While they were close results (4-2 and 1-0), the Badgers need more offensive depth; only four players have five or more goals at this point. The Bulldogs on the other hand, have five players with ten or more points. If the Badgers want to keep pace with this fast paced and talented Bulldog offense they need to score and score often.
Prediction: Split.
St. Cloud State (4-6-2, 2-3-1 WCHA) at Alaska-Anchorage (2-6-2, 1-4-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM AST Friday and Saturday TV: None
Players to Watch: Drew LeBlanc (SCSU), Matt Bailey (UAA). LeBlanc has registered 11 assists on the season while Bailey is tied for the leading scorer for the Seawolves with 4.
Analysis: Once again, a rather uneventful series involving the Seawolves and an outstate Minnesota series should be playing out. The Huskies are coming off a point weekend against UNO while the Seawolves got a split against Bemijdi State. Unless you’re a fan of either team, it isn’t worth staying up late to watch this series.
Prediction: Split.
Minnesota (5-4-1, 3-4-1 WCHA) at Michigan Tech (3-2-2, 1-2-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM EST Friday and Saturday TV: None
Players to Watch: Kent Patterson (MIN), Kevin Genoe (MTU). The goalies will be the stars of the show this weekend in Houghton. The junior from Plymouth, MN and Colorado Avalanche prospect has taken the starting job from former starter Alex Kangas and has impressed with his numbers: a record of 4-0-1, and a 2.45 GAA. Genoe is another talented goalie as he has put up similar numbers to Patterson in save percentage.
Analysis: While the adage may be “Defense wins championships”, neither team seems to have it as their defenses have not looked strong at all. However, what does give the Gophers the edge this weekend is their strong offensive efforts as they rank tied for second with UNO in goals scored in conference games this season.
Prediction: Minnesota sweep.
Bemidji State (2-5-1) at #14 Denver (6-4-2, 5-2-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, TV: FS Rocky Mountain (Fri)
Players to Watch: Matthieu Dugas (BSU), Nick Shore (DU). Dugas picked up the Beaver win Saturday night against Alaska-Anchorage, while Nick Shore has been named as a “player to watch” by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the NHL Entry Draft in June.
Analysis: Sometimes you have to give a team credit for stepping into the building and attempting to give it a fair shake. That’s the boat the Beavers are in this weekend at Magness.
Prediction: Denver sweep.
CHW Blogger
Andy Sorensen
Friday, November 12, 2010
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #5
It’s a typical weekend for the WCHA, conference matchups across the board except for the #19 Gophers who have the weekend off, while Colorado College travels to crosstown rival Air Force Friday night then hosts #3 Yale Saturday at the World. The big series this weekend is a traditional
WCHA rivalry as the #13 Sioux travel to Madison to take on the #10 Badgers.
As for CHW’s coverage this weekend, be sure to double check your local listings. Our Minnesota viewers get both games of UNO/St. Cloud State. If you’re east of the Mississippi, that’s where it gets a tad tricky. Everyone gets UNO/St. Cloud Friday night, and then it’s regional coverage for Saturday’s action. Northern Wisconsin (Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan and Wausau) receives the encore of UND/UW-Madison, while the South (La Crosse, Madison, and Janesville) will see Game #2 of UNO/St. Cloud. If you want to check out the series, it’s on the Wisconsin Channel for both games while FS Wisconsin carries Friday night’s contest. With that, it’s onto the games:
#10 North Dakota (5-4-1, 4-2-0 WCHA) at #13 Wisconsin (6-2-2, 3-1-2 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST both Friday and Saturday; TV: WI Channel (Both games), CHW (N WI Sat), FS Wisconsin (Friday)
Players to Watch: Evan Trupp (UND), Mark Zengerle (UW). Both players are coming off huge weekends for their teams. Trupp recorded 3 points last weekend in the split against UMD, while Zengerle put up 6 points in a Badger three point weekend against Minnesota.
Analysis: This is by far the biggest and most intriguing series of the weekend. Both teams were oh so close to sweeps last weekend, but Saturday night overtimes did them in. The Sioux lost on a Justin Fontaine bullet 58 seconds in, while the Badgers tied 3-3 against Minnesota. I wouldn’t say this is a “make or break” series this early in the season, but a strong performance by either team will put them up with the leaders of the WCHA in UMD and UNO with a little over a month of the season over.
Prediction: Series split. These are two very strong and talented teams that will play each other well.
Minnesota State-Mankato (2-4-4, 2-4-2 WCHA) at #15 Denver (4-4-2, 3-2-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM MST Friday, 7:07 PM MST Saturday, no TV
Players to watch: Eriah Hayes and Chase Grant (MSU), Jason Zucker (DU). Hayes and Grant share the team lead with three goals apiece through 10 games. Zucker, a Wild prospect, is tied for the team lead with 7.
Analysis: On paper, this seems to been an even matchup. However, the Mavs need offense in a bad way. While Kurt Davis is racking up the assists, they need to find a “go to guy” on offense if they want to stay in the conversation to host a WCHA Playoff series. While UNO is a juggernaut, there are no excuses why, in the words of Channing Boe before the road trip, that the “boys become men.” The Mavs are tied for tenth in both goal scored and goals given up. Phil Cook can only do so much in net, and while he does have okay numbers in light of this, the rest of the team needs to step up in a bad way as the Mavs face their second straight ranked opponent in a row.
Denver on the other hand, needs to get rid of the shock they faced last weekend when they hosted Colorado College and lost 9-2 on Saturday night. Yes, they did pick up the split, but they need to stick with their bread and butter in goal with Brittain. I totally understand pulling Brittain out when Gwozdecky did, but Murray fared no better, giving up 4 goals on 7 shots.
Prediction: Denver sweep. MSU needs to prove that they can step up in the big situations, which is what they have in Denver. Regardless, the bye week next weekend for the Mavs is much needed.
#6 Nebraska-Omaha (7-1-0, 4-0-0 WCHA) at St. Cloud State (4-5-1, 2-2-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST both Friday and Saturday; TV: CHW
Players to Watch: Johnnie Searfoss (UNO), Aaron Marvin (SCSU). Searfoss racked up 3 goals last weekend, including a 2 goal effort Friday night against MSU. Marvin put together a three point weekend against Bemidji State last weekend.
Analysis: To comprehend UNO’s surprising rise to 2nd place in the WCHA, let’s look at their lineup: They have five 10 point scorers and thus rank second in the country in scoring offense to Yale. Their defense is also inside the Top 20. To say that anyone expected this out of the Mavs is right, I sure didn’t. As for St. Cloud, they’re trying to put out the fire before it gets too out of control. To say that the Huskie season to this point is a disappointment isn’t far off. To me, it seems that Garret Roe is trying to do too much with his 5.71 shot percentage. Yes, he does have seven assists, but Roe and Ben Hanowski were supposed to be the cornerstones of the Husky offense this season.
Prediction: UNO sweep.
Michigan Tech (3-2-2, 1-2-1 WCHA) at #2 Minnesota-Duluth (7-1-2, 4-1-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CST Friday and Saturday; TV: My 9 Duluth
Players to Watch: Bennett Royer (MTU), J.T. Brown (UMD). Royer has 7 points on the season (4 G, 3 A), while Brown brings more depth to the Bulldog attack beyond the Connollys and Fontaine.
Analysis: UMD had a good weekend on the road grabbing up a split on the road at UND. They get a much easier weekend with an inconsistent Husky team at home. The Huskies have only played four WCHA games, against MSU and Wisconsin. They played MSU close and got blown out of the building by Wisconsin. I expect the latter outcome at the DECC this weekend.
Prediction: UMD sweep.
Alaska-Anchorage (1-5-2, 0-3-1 WCHA) at Bemidji State (1-4-1)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CST Friday, 7:07 PM CST Saturday, TV: Lakeshore Public TV; MN Channel
Players to Watch: Jordan Kwas (UAA), Shea Walters (BSU) Kwas, a freshman, has 7 assists for the Seawolves so far. As for Walters, he leads the Beavers with 17 PIM.
Analysis: Unless you’re a fan of the teams involved or interested in the WCHA cellar there’s not much to see here. Both teams are ranked last and second to last in offense and defense so it’ll be a see-saw series between the teams.
Prediction: Split.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #5
First off, I wanted to address the Brad Malone hit, for which he was suspended one game for by the WCHA. As you may know, Denver captain Jesse Martin broke his neck last weekend on that hit in Grand Forks. Legal hit? Yes. There’s nothing there to suggest intended malice against Martin. In fact, the Denver Post earlier this week reported that Malone and Martin talked on the phone earlier in the week. Neck surgery on Martin to stabilize the fractures is expected Friday in Minneapolis. CHW’s prayers are with Jesse Martin during his recovery and a hopeful return to the game of hockey.
As for the punishment fitting the crime, as clean as it did look, hits to the head and neck are quickly rising to the top of hockey’s (and football’s) concerns, at every level. The WCHA had to send a message to Malone and the rest of the league as a whole that hits to the head and neck are unacceptable, and that’s why the suspension came down.
While some may balk at the briefness a one game suspension sends, it seems to me that Brad has suffered enough; he’s shown remorse for his actions, it was a clean play by all accounts, and he’s very, very lucky as a hockey player and a human being that Jesse’s regained movement in all of his limbs. Besides, if the WCHA were to throw the book unnecessarily at Brad Malone, there may have been two careers put into jeopardy because of the hit. Good judgment call by the WCHA.
Also, for this week’s public service announcement, remember to fall back an hour to Standard Time Saturday night. Now, onto the matchups:
Bemidji State (0-3-1) at #20 St. Cloud State (3-4-1, 1-1-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CDT both Friday and Saturday TV: CHW (Check local listings)
Players to Watch: Jared Festler (SCSU), Jordan George (BSU). If you guessed Garrett Roe or Ben Hanowski were the Huskies’ leading scorer so far, you’re wrong. Festler leads the team with 3 goals so far. As for George, he hasn’t hit his “sophomore slump” yet. He’s also tallied three goals so far, including a power play goal.
Analysis: What’s been hurting the Husky cause so far this season is that they have yet to win a series. Their series against a struggling Beaver team this weekend should help that. Honestly though, I don’t think the slow start is all BSU’s fault; after all, they did begin the season hosting the aforementioned Fighting Sioux and Bulldogs but did manage to get a point out of this grueling stretch. The key for the Beavers this weekend is to keep showing they can play with the leaders; both of their games with UMD last weekend went into overtime.
Prediction: St. Cloud sweep.
Minnesota State-Mankato (2-2-4, 2-2-2 WCHA) at #8 Nebraska-Omaha (5-1-0, 2-0-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CDT Friday, 7:07 PM CDT Saturday
Players to watch: Corey Leivermann (MSU), Matt White (UNO). These are two freshmen who have made major impacts for their teams so far. Leivermann, who is a Mankato native, leads the MSU Mavs in plus/minus with a +3 and is second to Ben Youds’ 24 PIM with 18 of his own. As for White, he’s tied for the team lead for goals with Matt Ambroz with five goals.
Analysis: I’ve said this before (and will probably say this again for the upcoming Denver and North Dakota series), but this is a big series for MSU to prove they can hang around the top of the WCHA. They proved two weeks ago that they’re as good as anyone can get defensively by splitting with then-ranked Colorado College, but how will they handle such a diversified offensive attack in UNO? As for UNO, MSU is certainly not the tests they’ve seen in such squads as Minnesota and Michigan so far, but anything less than a split will cost the Mavs dearly in the polls.
Prediction: Split. MSU has a knack for playing with their competition this year, but can they play with a Top 10 team?
#15 Wisconsin (5-2-1, 2-1-1 WCHA) at #17 Minnesota (5-3-0, 3-3-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CDT Friday and Saturday TV: FS North Friday, Big Ten Saturday
Players to Watch: Craig Smith (UW), Jay Barriball (MINN). Smith has been an all-around package for the Badgers as a sophomore so far leading the team in points and penalty minutes. If you haven’t been watching Gopher hockey this year, Jay Barriball has rebounded strongly from his injury-riddled season last year. The St. Louis Blues prospect has 8 goals on the year, including two game winners.
Analysis: Both the Gophers and Badgers are coming off of weekend sweeps of Colorado College and Michigan Tech respectively. Don Lucia has done a great job resurrecting this Gopher team after the UNO sweep as they’ve gone 3-1-0 in the two series since then. If you throw out Saturday’s 9-4 goal fest in Colorado Springs, the defense is looking a lot better. As for the Badgers, they’ve looked pretty impressive with their two losses coming against now nationally ranked teams in #3 Boston University and #13 Denver. Look for both teams to come out fighting in what should be a very competitive series in Minneapolis.
Prediction: Split.
#2 Minnesota-Duluth (6-0-2, 3-0-1 WCHA) at #9 North Dakota (4-3-1, 3-1-0 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CDT Friday, 7:07 PM CDT Saturday, TV: FSSN; Fox College Sports
Players to Watch: Aaron Crandall (UMD), Derek Forbort (UND). Crandall has been performing beyond expectations for the Bulldogs between the pipes as a freshman so far. He holds a 3-0-0 record, a shutout to his credit, and a 0.98 GAA. Forbort was a first round draft pick by the LA Kings this past June, and he has been a contributor so far for the Sioux. Although Forbort has yet to score a goal, he leads the Sioux in assists with 5.
Analysis: One of the “series to watch” not only in the conference but in the country is up at the Ralph this weekend. UMD faces its first real test of the year in the Sioux, who have been struggling of late, being swept by now #7 Maine and splitting against #13 Denver. This is a series that both teams need at least a split to keep the momentum going. Yes, it’s early November, but resumes for the NCAA Tournament are already being written and wins in October and November are a lot easier to grab up than those from mid-February on.
Prediction: I’ve been getting a lot of flack from my Duluth readers this season, but I’m a “Bulldog Believer”, at least this weekend. While I would be crazy to project a sweep in the Ralph, with Denver and how close they got to the sweep in that same building last weekend, I will predict a UMD sweep.
Colorado College (3-4-1, 1-3-0 WCHA) at #13 Denver (3-3-2, 2-1-1 WCHA)
Game Times: 7:37 PM MDT Friday, 7:07 PM MDT Saturday TV: FS Rocky Mountain (Fri)
Players to Watch: William Rapuzzi (CC), Sam Brittain (DU). When you play on the same line as the dynamic Schwartz brothers, your numbers certainly get a boost. That’s the case with Rapuzzi. He’s tied for second on the team with three assists. Brittain is much like what Aaron Crandall is but in a Pioneer uniform, but he gets more playing time than Crandall does. The NHL is also following Sam as he is a prospect for the Florida Panthers, an organization known for having good goaltenders, most notably Roberto Louongo and John Vanbiesbrouck.
Analysis: It will certainly be an emotional series for the Pioneers as their minds are on their captain who is recovering in Minneapolis, along with playing their in-state rivals. If anything, last weekend against UND was a confidence boost for the Pioneers. They went into one of the toughest places to play in college hockey and split while being oh so close to the sweep. As for the Tigers, the time to right the ship has to be now as they’ve lost four of their last five, all conference matchups.
Prediction: Denver sweep.
Andy Sorensen, CHW Blogger
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Colorado College vs. MInnesota State Mankato 10/22 Live Blog
Make sure to join us tonight for our Live Blog starting at 7:30pm!
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #3
Yes, I was wrong. Nebraska-Omaha is a good squad and I haven’t given them enough credit so far this season and gave the Gophers too much credit. Meanwhile, for the rest of the WCHA,
#19 Colorado College (2-1-1) at MSU-Mankato (0-1-3)
Game Times: 7:37 PM CDT Friday, 7:07 PM CDT Saturday TV: CHW (Check local listings)
Players to Watch: Jaden Schwartz (CC), MSU’s power play. Schwartz, a first round pick by the St. Louis Blues this past June, has already started to make his mark in college hockey recording four points in four games. As for the Mavericks, as much as you would like to score a goal a man or two up it doesn’t always happen. However, a 9% conversion on the power play is something that can be improved upon greatly if they want to see success this season.
Analysis: This is the Mavericks’ first real test of the season as they host a nationally ranked team while looking for their first win of the season. However, defense will be the name of the game. The Tigers trail only Wisconsin in scoring defense by two goals while the Mavs are tied for dead last with the Gophers and Tech. Also key for the Mavericks: consistency between the pipes. Austin Lee and Phil Cook have put up less than stellar numbers in their two appearances each. It’s my belief that this weekend will help shape whether there is a #1 goalie for the Mavericks or whether this season will be goalie by committee in Mankato.
Prediction: CC sweep.
#10 Nebraska-Omaha (4-0-0) at #3 Michigan (2-0-2)
Game Times: 7:37 PM EDT both Friday and Saturday Webcast: bigtennetwork.com
Players to watch: Joey Martin (UNO), Shawn Hunwick (U-M). Martin is the definition of “team player” as he leads the Mavericks with 7 assists so far. Hunwick is coming off a career high 48 saves in a tie against #9 New Hampshire last weekend and looks to build on the Wolverines’ success so far.
Analysis: If you honestly had Nebraska-Omaha leading the WCHA after two weeks, raise your hand. Yep, my hand’s down too. In what could be the matchup of the week, the Mavericks visit old CCHA rival Michigan in a battle of Top 10 teams. The Mavericks have surprised their way into the Top 10 with a sweep of Minnesota, in Minnesota. The Wolverines have made it through their schedule so far with consistency. Much like their Maverick counterparts in Mankato, the Omaha version will have a key weekend in store for them.
Prediction: Split
#14 Wisconsin (3-1-0) at #13 Denver (1-2-1)
Game Times: 7:37 PM MDT Friday, 7:07 PM MDT Saturday TV: FSN Rocky Mountain (Fri)
Players to watch: Mark Zengerle (WIS), Drew Shore (DEN). Zengerle has racked up 6 assists in his freshman season while Shore has scored 3 goals so far, leading the Pioneer attack.
Analysis: The Pioneers look to rebound from the offensive drought they suffered last weekend as they only put up one goal against BC. If they want to compete deep in the WCHA season, they need a more consistent and potent offense. As for Wisconsin, they’ve looked good so far, but this series is their first series test of the year after dropping to now #8 Boston University in the season opener.
Prediction: Wisconsin sweep.
#2 North Dakota (3-0-1) at #11 Maine (1-1-2)
Game Times: 7:30 PM EDT Friday, 7:00 PM EDT Saturday TV: CBS College Sports (Fri)
Players to Watch: Matt Frattin (UND), Spencer Abbott (Maine). Frattin has lit the lamp 5 times for the Sioux while Abbott has a more balanced attack with 7 points on the year.
Analysis: The Black Bears are coming off a rough series having gotten only one point at Michigan State, while UND has cruised through their early schedule. I don’t expect this weekend to be that different for the Sioux.
Prediction: UND sweep.
#15 St. Cloud State (1-2-1) at Minnesota (2-2-0)
Game Times: 7:07 PM CDT Friday, 2:07 PM CDT Sunday TV: FS North
Players to Watch: Nick Jensen (SCSU), Erik Haula (MIN). Continuing on with the “Fabulous Freshmen” theme, Jensen and Haula are towards the top of offensive leaders for their teams.
Analysis: The Gophers looked lost last weekend as they got swept by Nebraska-Omaha in a series that surprised some observers. Regardless, they find themselves in the WCHA cellar. St. Cloud is in the similar position of being a disappointment as they are also off to a sluggish start. Both teams need this series to keep themselves in the WCHA race.
Prediction: Sweep
Alaska-Anchorage (1-2-1) at #6 Minnesota-Duluth (3-0-1)
Games Times: 7:07 PM CDT both Friday and Saturday TV: My 9 Duluth
Players to Watch: Tommy Grant (UAA), Jack and Mike Connolly (UMD). Grant leads the Seawolves with 5 points on the year while the Connollys have combined for 16 points on the season. Add Justin Fontaine into the mix and they have 24 points among them.
Analysis: It’s the Seawolves first trip to the Lower 48 of the year as both open the conference schedule in Duluth. However, the Seawolves don’t have the firepower to keep up with the Bulldogs.
Prediction: UMD sweep.
College Hockey Weekend Blogger
Andy Sorensen
Friday, October 15, 2010
Andy’s College Hockey Extravaganza Week #2
The WCHA conference schedule kicks off this week for the two newest members of the WCHA as Nebraska-Omaha visits the Gophers while conference favorite North Dakota travels to Bemidji State. The only other conference series this weekend is the Mavericks heading to Houghton to play the Huskies. In non-conference action, there are a couple high quality series as the #1 team in the country and defending national champion Boston College visits #6 Denver while #4 Miami visits #11 St. Cloud State.
#4 Miami (1-1-0) at #11 St. Cloud State (1-1-0)
Game Times: 7:07 CDT Friday and Saturday, TV: CHW (Check Local Listings)
Players to Watch: Alden Hirschfield (MU), Ben Hanowski (SCSU). Hirschfield had a very impressive series last weekend against New Hampshire racking up six points (two goals, four assists). Hanowski returned to the scoring ways that he was known for during his high school days in Little Falls scoring two goals in the Maverick Stampede in Omaha last weekend.
Analysis: Both teams had mixed results last weekend as they picked up Friday night wins while dropping their second games. However, it was more damaging for the Huskies as they plummeted in the rankings from fourth to eleventh with their 7-3 loss to Clarkson. It will definitely be a battle between the pipes as the talented and Hobey Baker finalist Cody Reichard hits the ice for the Redhawks while Mike Lee is expected to be in goal for the Huskies.
Prediction: Split. This is a very good series featuring two very good teams, and it will be one of the better series of the weekend.
Minnesota State (0-0-2) at Michigan Tech (2-0-1)
Game Times: 7:07 EDT both Friday and Saturday, Internet feed: Michigantechhhuskies.com
Players to Watch: Justin Jokinen (MSU), Bennett Royer (MTU). Both Jokinen and Royer lead their respected teams in scoring early on. While Tech has a one game advantage over MSU as they tied Northern Michigan Tuesday night, the Huskies goaltending has looked quite sharp.
Analysis: After MSU’s two draws against St. Lawerence last weekend, the Mavericks are a hard team to read. They can play a good offense and defensive game as displayed by their 5-5 and 1-1 draws, but can they gain and keep control in a game? On the other hand, Tech has looked impressive in their three games. However, Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan are by no means WCHA competition. Will they step up against the Mavericks this weekend? Both teams have important questions to answer this weekend in the young season.
Prediction: Split ties. Hey, it happened last weekend for MSU, so why not?
Nebraska-Omaha (2-0-0) at #13 Minnesota (2-0-0)
Game Times: 7:07 CDT both Friday and Saturday, TV: FS North
Players to Watch: Matt Ambroz (UNO), Jay Barriball (MINN). Both Ambroz and Barriball burst out of the gates contributing offensively. Ambroz racked up three goals and five points in the Maverick Stampede last weekend as the Mavericks beat Clarkson and RPI. Barriball did one better than Ambroz as he lit the lamp four times against UMass last weekend.
Analysis: Similar to Tech, UNO did have an impressive opening weekend but not against strong competition. They will have to rise to the challenge of not only making their WCHA debut but also doing so in one of the toughest venues in college hockey. The Gophers on the other hand have to keep the momentum going after the UMass sweep last weekend and not look ahead to their first major challenge in St. Cloud State next weekend. Oh yeah, longtime Gopher hockey foe Dean Blais returns to Mariucci this weekend for the first time in eight seasons as he is behind the Maverick bench.
Prediction: Gopher sweep. The Gophers will overwhelm the Mavericks on all levels.
#2 North Dakota (1-0-1) at Bemidji State (0-0-0)
Game Times: 7:37 CDT Friday, 7:07 CDT Saturday, TV: Lakeshore Public TV
Players to Watch: Derek Forbort (UND), Ian Lowe (BSU). Forbert, the first round pick by the LA Kings is off to a fast start piling up three assists in the Fighting Sioux’s Alaskan road trip last weekend. Lowe is the leading goal scorer from last year for the Beavers and looks to improve on his stats this season.
Analysis: This series is very important for Bemidji State. Not only is this the season opener, but this is the home and conference debut for the Beavers. You also happen to be playing one of the favorites for a national championship and who have arguably one of the deepest teams in all of college hockey. How they play the Sioux will speak volumes to how their season will go.
Prediction: Split series. I’ll give the Beavers a game in the new Beaver Dam despite the Sioux’s overwhelming strength.
Providence (1-0-0) at #7 UMD (1-0-1)
Game Times: 7:07 CDT Friday and Saturday, TV: My 9 Northland
Players to Watch: Matt Germain (PC), Justin Fontaine (UMD). Germain scored the go-ahead goal last weekend for the Friars in their 3-1 win over Northeastern, while Fontaine put up five points last weekend, including a four point effort in a tie with Northern Michigan.
Analysis: Even though the Friars had a quality win against the Huskies last week, they still have to make a monumental leap to compete with the Bulldogs’ offense.
Prediction: UMD sweep.
Alabama-Huntsville (1-1-0) at #15 Wisconsin (1-1-0)
Game Times: 7:07 CDT Friday, 1:07 CDT Sunday TV: FS Wisconsin (Friday), bigtennetwork.com (Sunday)
Players to Watch: Justin Cseter (UAH), Craig Smith (UW). Both Cseter and Smith are off to quick starts. Cseter had three assists last weekend against Ferris State with Smith had a two goal effort in a 5-0 Badger win over Holy Cross.
Analysis: This isn’t your grandfather’s college hockey series as it’s a Friday/Sunday series due to the Badger football team hosting #1 Ohio State Saturday night. Despite that, it will be an almost walk in the park for the Badgers this weekend.
Prediction: Badger sweep. The Chargers should enjoy their trip to Wisconsin for what it is: The opportunity to play against one of college hockey’s elite programs.
#1 Boston College (1-0-0) at #6 Denver (1-0-1)
Game Times: 7:37 MDT Friday, 7:07 MDT Saturday, TV: FSN Rocky Mountain (Friday)
Players to Watch: John Muse (BC), Drew Shore (DU). Muse is a power between the pipes. He has had three straight shutouts dating back to the National Championship last season. Shore picked up three goals last weekend against Vermont.
Analysis: BC is far and away the number one team in the country, and the majority of the team is back for a repeat. The theme of the weekend is measuring sticks and the Pioneers are no different. It would be a win for the Pioneers in my book if they split with BC.
Prediction: Split series. BC is so dominant, but I like Denver’s youth and spunk.
Andy Sorensen
College Hockey Weekend Blogger
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Andy's Weekly Hockey Spectacular Week #1
All the preseason hype is over, the exhibition games played, and this weekend it finally counts. Every WCHA team is in action except Bemidji State, but a vast majority of teams aren’t playing in traditional series. Nebraska-Omaha hosts a tournament with RIT, #6 St. Cloud State, and Clarkson. #2 North Dakota heads to the Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage to face Air Force, Alaska, and Alaska-Anchorage. #9 UMD and Michigan Tech go to the Superior Showcase to play Northern Michigan and Lake Superior, while #13 Wisconsin goes to St. Louis to play in the IceBreaker with #14 Boston University, Norte Dame, and Holy Cross.
In the traditional series this weekend, Denver visits Vermont, Minnesota hosts Massachusetts, RPI goes to Colorado College, and the Mavs host St. Lawrence. For the brevity of space and numerous possible tournament matchups this week I’ll only analyze the series.
St. Lawrence vs. MSU-Mankato
Game Times: 7:37 PM CT Friday, 7:07 PM CT Saturday; TV: CHW, check local listings for channel. Coverage starts at 7 PM CT both nights.
Players to Watch: G Phil Cook (MSU), F Kyle Flanagan (STL). Both sophomores made great strides last season as they either led or were close to the lead in many positional categories and will be crucial to their team’s successes.
Analysis: This series will be a tale of two programs. The Saints are coming off a 20-15-6 campaign with a fourth place finish in the ECAC Tournament. The Mavericks however are coming off a disappointing 16-20-3 mark while losing to St. Cloud State in the first round of the WCHA Tournament. Look for the strong MSU defensive corps lead by seniors Ben Youds, Kurt Davis, and Channing Boe to help control the tempo of this series for the Mavericks. However, the bigger story line may be the lack of offensive play by both teams. The Saints finished last year with 2.77 GPG, 10th in the 12 team ECAC, while the Mavericks did not fare much better with a 2.82 GPG which ranked 7th in the then 10 team WCHA.
Prediction: Split series, these are two very evenly matched teams statistically.
Massachusetts vs. #15 Minnesota
Game Times: 7:07 PM CT both Friday and Saturday; TV: FS North
Players to Watch: F Mike Hoeffel (MIN), F T.J. Syner (MASS). Hoeffel and Syner are the leading returning scorers for their respective programs.
Analysis: Once again, offense will be at a premium for both teams. While the Gophers do return a majority of their starters, their offense was towards the bottom of the WCHA while suffering their first losing season in over a decade. UMass on the other hand lost a lot of their offense from last year and will be required to pick up the pieces from an already struggling Minutemen team from last year.
Prediction: Gopher sweep. In my opinion, Alex Kangas will be the difference maker in this series as the Gophers try to remove the bad memories of last season.
#11 Denver vs. Vermont
Game Times: 7:05 PM ET both Friday and Saturday; Internet video: CatamounTV ($4.99 per game)
Players to Watch: F Jason Zucker (DEN), D Kyle Medvec (VER). Although the preseason stats don’t count, both Zucker and Medvec had memorable preseasons. Zucker scored a hat trick in his first ever collegiate hockey game in an 8-1 defeat of the US Under 18 team, while Medvec picked up two assists in a 3-2 loss to New Brunswick.
Analysis: As I said in my WCHA season preview, Denver may be one of the more intriguing teams in the conference. The Pioneers lost a lot of talent from last year’s squad but their recruiting class looks very promising with such names such as the aforementioned Zucker, 1st round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Beau Bennett, and Nick Shore. Vermont is a very interesting squad as well. In the preseason Hockey East coaches’ poll the Catamounts got 6th place, a point behind Northeastern. They’re coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance but lost their three biggest offensive playmakers to graduation. While the Catamounts have the core returning to threaten another NCAA appearance, they have to step up in a challenging Hockey East conference to make an impact.
Prediction: Denver sweep. At this point the Catamounts have more questions than the Pioneers do, although a split isn’t out of the question.
RPI vs. Colorado College
Game Times: 7:37 PM MT Friday, 7:07 PM MT Saturday; Internet video: B2 Networks
Players to Watch: Rylan and Jaden Schwartz (CC), Allen York (RPI). The Schwartz brothers are once again reunited after a year hiatus, but its younger brother Jaden, a first round selection by the St. Louis Blues and an incoming freshman who steals the spotlight from Rylan, a sophomore. Jaden is much more of a polished playmaker than his brother, but Rylan is known to make the big play as well. Jaden can also score buckets of goals; in midget hockey he broke team records previously held by NHL scoring machines in Vincent Lecavlier and Brad Richards. The Engineers send out junior Allen York between the pipes, and York has stepped up to the challenge. This Blue Jackets prospect shaved almost half a goal off his goals against average from his freshman year to his sophomore year while also boosting his save percentage by nine tenths of a percent. He could very well be a household name in his own right by the end of the season.
Analysis: RPI has many returning players for an Engineer squad that suffered a first round exit in the ECAC playoffs. Barring injuries, I see them making a deeper run into the conference tournament as along as York stays healthy. As for Colorado College, if they want to stay relevant in the McNaughton Cup conversation, they must rise to the challenge and avoid a collapse much like last season in Colorado Springs.
Prediction: Split. These teams match up quite well. Look for a fun series in the Rockies this weekend.
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