Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Hobey Hat Trick

This years Hobey Hat Trick has been announced. Wisconsin's Blake Geoffrion, New Hampshire's Bobby Butler, and Maine's Gustav Nyquist make up the final three. The award will be announced on Friday, April 9th at Ford Field in Detroit, MI during the Frozen Four.

Bobby Butler is the national goal scoring leader, with 29, and is second in points (53) to Gustav Nyquist's 61 points this season. Geoffrion is currently sitting at 48 points on 27 goals and 21 assists.

The other finalists were: Northern Michigan forward Mark Olver, Rensselaer forward Chase Polacek, Denver forward Rhett Rakhshani, Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith, Denver goaltender Marc Cheverie, Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens and Miami goaltender Cody Reichard.

Typically, the person who makes it the furthest into the postseason, and continues to score during it, is the winner of this award. Based purely on the numbers, I don't think Geoffrion is top-three material, but the committee saw otherwise. It's this thinking that is making me believe the Geoffrion will probably win the Hobey. Stranger things have happened though, and it could very easily go to either of the other candidates as they're very deserving.

Omaha locks up Blais until 2014-15 season

UNO has locked up Dean Blais until the 2014-15 season by extending his current contract an additional two years. The new deal will pay him at his current salary of $250,000 per year. In his first year at UNO, Blais compiled a 20-16-6 and gave the team its first 20 win season since 2004-05.

“Me and my wife Jackie came here less than 10 months ago and weren’t sure what Omaha was all about,” Blais said. “We didn’t know what kind of community this would be, but we found out this is going to be our home. Instead of renting an apartment, we’ll now hopefully buy a house. We just love the athletic staff — all the coaches — so this is going to be our home.”

There has been much speculation on college hockey message boards that Blais will be targeted to coach the Gophers after the next season is over. Joel Maturi has said more than once that The Don's job is not in jeopardy. He has also denied claims that he contacted Blais to gauge his interest in a job at the U.

Contract extensions don't always mean anything, so it's still possible that he could be targeted for the job at Minnesota if it were to become available... I doubt it at this point. We'll see how next year goes...

Colborne leaves Denver for the Bruins

Joe Colborne has signed a three year entry level contract with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. He will be joining their AHL affiliate in Providence. Colborne had 22 goals and 19 assists this season and was a third-team all-WCHA pick. He was the 16th overall pick in the 2008 draft. Joe had two years of eligibility left with Denver.

Denver Head Coach George Gwozdecky on Colborne, " Joe did a great job representing the Denver hockey program on the ice and in the classroom. He developed into an all-WCHA forward this season and played a major role in our team success the past two seasons. We are certainly proud of Joe and wish him and his family all the best.”

Monday, March 29, 2010

Denver and Mankato Departures?

Today, sophomore defenseman Patrick Wiercioch allegedly signed a contract with the Ottawa Senators. Reports of his signing have not been confirmed. Wiercioch had six goals and 21 assists for 27 points this season. Despite playing in three more games this season, Wiercioch had a bit of a sophomore slump. Last season, Wiercioch scored 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points.

Published reports have also said Joe Colborne may be signing a contract with Boston this week. Other reports say that a contract has been offered, but it is up to him to sign it.

It has also been reported that Mankato freshman forward Tyler Pitlick is considering leaving school early to play in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hold his rights. Sources close to Pitlick are saying that there is only a ten percent chance that he'll be returning to Mankato.

The field is set

The Frozen Four field is finally set. On Saturday night, RIT became the first Atlantic Hockey team to punch its ticket to the Frozen Four with their stunning 6-2 win over New Hampshire. I don't think anyone saw that coming.

Yesterday, the Northeast and Midwest finals were played and Boston College and Miami came out on top in two very different games. In the Northeast final, BC defeated Yale by a 9-7 score. It's interesting to note that Yale was down 9-4 in the third period and still managed to fight their way back to make it a hockey game. Miami and Michigan, on the other hand, played to a 3-2 2OT final that ended on a rather weak goal given up by Michigan.

The match-ups are as follows:

Semifinal 1:
RIT vs. Wisconsin, Thursday, April 8, 5:00 ET (ESPN2)

Semifinal 2:
Boston College vs. Miami, Thursday, April 8, 8:30 ET (ESPN2)

As the weeks progress I'll have more information on each team and what they need to do to win the Frozen Four.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Saturday's Regional Semifinals


From the Associated Press:

Northeast Regional
Yale 3, North Dakota 2
WORCESTER, Mass. — Denny Kearney had two goals, Mark Arcobello also scored, and Ryan Rondeau made 34 saves to help Yale beat North Dakota 3-2 on Saturday in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals.

Yale (21-9-3) will face top-seeded Boston College today for a berth in the Frozen Four at Ford Field in Detroit.

Kearney and Arcobello scored in a 4:57 span in the second period to give Yale a 3-0 lead. Brett Hextall and Matt Frattin scored early in the third period for North Dakota (25-13-5).

Boston College 3, Alaska-Fairbanks 1

WORCESTER, Mass. — Pat Mullane scored the tiebreaking goal 3:46 into the third period, and Matt Price was awarded a goal when he was hauled down breaking toward an empty net with 12 seconds left, lifting Boston College (26-10-3) over Alaska-Fairbanks.

Midwest Regional
Miami (Ohio) 2, Alabama-Huntsville 1
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Curtis McKenzie and Cameron Schilling scored power-play goals for top-seeded Miami of Ohio (28-7-7).

Michigan 5, Bemidji State 1
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Carl Hagelin scored a pair of third-period goals and walk-on Shawn Hunwick made 26 saves to lead third-seeded Michigan (26-17-1) past No. 2 seed Bemidji State (23-10-4).
The Wolverines will face league-rival Miami in the regional final.

Badgers take down Huskies, advance to the Frozen Four

The University of Wisconsin Badgers defeated the St. Cloud State University Huskies 5-3 on Saturday night in NCAA tournament play at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. It was a game dominated by the Badgers, and left little doubt in the minds of the fans who was the better team tonight.

Period one saw Wisconsin jump out to a 1-0 lead 2:31 into the game on a John Mitchell goal. Eleven minutes later, they struck again on a Blake Geoffrion goal. 1:30 later, the Huskies Jared Festler put one home to bring the score within one for the Huskies, but the Badgers struck again less than a minute later to retake their two goal lead. The third goal chased SCSU goalie Mike Lee from the net and saw Dan Dunn come in in relief.

There was no scoring in the second period. Both team scored a pair of goals in the third period. St. Cloud's Jared Festler scored his second of the game, shorthanded, at the 4:16 mark. The Badgers got it back just under three minutes later on John Mitchell's second of the game. Tony Mosey scored on a bad angle shot at the 17:10 mark of the third to get the Huskies back within a goal, but UW's Aaron Bendickson added an empty netter at 18:52 to end the scoring for both teams.

The Huskies were 0-for-7 on the power play and the Badgers were 0-for-6. Scott Gudmandson had 26 saves on 29 shots for the Badgers. The Huskies Mike Lee stopped 8 of 11 and Dan Dunn stopped 31 of 32.

The Badgers will face RIT on Thursday, April 8 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. The time of the game is TBD.

Box Score

A note on the refing this weekend: I, and everyone around me, thought that the refs were absolutely terrible this weekend. Never in my life have I seen such inconsistency in their calls, and I'm not just talking about calls against the Huskies. The refs were equally terrible for all teams involved. I thought the WCHA refs were bad, but they're nothing compared to the incompetent fools we had to put up with this weekend. I honestly don't know how these people have jobs doing what they do.

I'll have more on the regionals and the Frozen Four match-ups on Monday morning. I need to take a day to unwind and get over the end of my teams season. See you Monday!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Huskies get first NCAA win, take on Badgers in Regional Final

The St. Cloud State University Huskies defeated the Northern Michigan University Wildcats on Friday night with a 4-3 2OT victory at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Last nights victory marked the first win in 8 trips to the NCAA tournament for the Huskies and propelled them to a spot where they could compete for a trip to the Frozen Four.

The Huskies got off to a hot start in the game, scoring the first two goals of the game to give the Huskies their largest lead ever in an NCAA tourney game. The Huskies Drew LeBlanc found a wide open Travis Novak streaking down the slot to put the Huskies up 1-0 8:14 into the game. The Huskies struck again four minutes later on a Ryan Lasch power play goal to give the Huskies their first two goal lead of the game. Less than two minutes later, NMU scored a PPG of their own to get back with in one, and that's how the first period ended.

The second period was pretty well dominated by NMU after they got blitzed by SCSU in the first, but no scoring occurred until Garrett Roe sniped a shot into the near corner on the power play to put the Huskies up 3-1. Less than four minutes later, Roe committed a turnover in his defensive zone and Northern's Ray Kaunisto scored to bring them within two goals to close the game.

Period three was mostly dominated by NMU as they desperately were trying to tie the game to send it into overtime. Finally, at the 16:11 mark of the period they did. Northern's Erik Spady took a shot from the blue line and got a lucky deflection off of the skate of SCSU's Taylor Johnson to put the puck into the top near corner of the net and tie the game at three. The Huskies then went into to overdrive to win the game in regulation and had three opportunities to end the game. They just couldn't seem to get a handle on the puck.

The first overtime started out pretty even, but as it wore on the Huskies got stronger and dominated the play. The posted 22 shots in the first OT compared to Northern's 12, but neither team was able to score. The Huskies had one power play in the middle of the OT they were unable to score on and were fortunate enough to draw another penalty with less than a minute remaining in the first OT.

Then, :23 into the second OT, on the PP, the Huskies did it. The got setup on the PP and started working the puck around. LeBlanc and Roe were playing "catch" with the puck and Roe ended up down in the corner where he sent a perfect pass, through sticks and skates, on the blade of Tony Mosey who redirected the puck five-hole on Stewart to seal the victory for the Huskies.

All-in-all, it was a fun game to watch as a casual observer, but as a Husky fan it was a nightmare. I think most of us were thinking "here we go again..." I know I couldn't bear to lose another game in this tournament, and I'm thankful we didn't have to. The monkey is officially off of the Huskies back in the tourney. It's time to take care of business tonight!

Box Score

Badgers defeat Vermont, RIT and New Hampshire upset

The University of Wisconsin Badgers defeat the University of Vermont Catamounts 3-2 on Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The game finished after 11:00 pm due to the overtime game before. The game was up and down, hard hitting, and a pleasure to watch. With the exception of the second period, it was a pretty even match-up.

Period one saw the Badgers get out to a 1-0 lead 5:51 into the game on a Justin Schultz shot on the PP. Less than two minutes later, Vermont's Dan Lawson went barrelling into the goalie, a Wisconsin player on his back, with the puck shot into the goalie. The entire scrum ended up in the net, puck and all. The refs then went and reviewed the play, where it was determined that the puck had crossed the goal line before the whistle blew, thus tying the game at one. Nine minutes later, the Catamounts buried a shot while on the PP to get their first, and only, lead of the game.

Period two was total domination by the Badgers. They outshot Vermont 16-3 and outscored them 2-0. The first goal of the second period was scored by Michael Davies on the PP. It was an amazing sniper shot to the near corner. He had a couple of inches to shoot at and put it just under the crossbar to tie the game at two. Goal three also came on the power play. Justin Schultz shot the puck from the blue line and Blake Geoffrion got a stick on it to redirect it into the cage and put the Badgers up for good.

The third period didn't see any scoring, but it was for lack of effort on both teams. The shots were pretty even, 14-12 in favor of UW, but it seemed like the Catamounts had the best opportunities. Often, the puck would be lying in the slot only to have a UW player get a stick on it, or the Gudmandson would gobble it up with his big glove. It was a fun, up and down, third period. OT would've been fun, but I was very happy when the game ended as it had already been a long day.

Box Score

RIT upsets Denver

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Cameron Burt scored a power-play goal with 7:24 left in the third period and Rochester Institute won its first NCAA Division I tournament game, upsetting top-seeded Denver 2-1 in the East Regional semifinals Friday.

The Tigers (27-11-1) will play New Hampshire, a 6-2 winner over Cornell, on Saturday for a berth in the Frozen Four.

Freshman defenseman Chris Tanev also scored for RIT, and senior goaltender Jared DeMichiel stopped 39 shots as the Tigers extended their win streak to 11 games, longest in the country this season.

Joe Colborne had the goal for Denver (27-10-4), the top seed in the East which ended the season with three consecutive losses.

RIT, the Atlantic Hockey Association champion, is in its fifth season as a D-I program.

Box Score

New Hampshire tops Cornell

ALBANY, N.Y. — Bobby Butler and Paul Thompson each had two goals and an assist, and Mike Sislo also scored twice in New Hampshire's 6-2 victory over Cornell (21-9-4) on Friday night in the NCAA East Regional semifinals.

The Wildcats (18-13-7) will face Rochester Institute of Technology, a 2-1 winner over Denver, on Saturday for a spot in the Frozen Four.

Butler and Sislo scored on consecutive shots 26 seconds apart late in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

They were the first goals allowed by Cornell's Ben Scrivens in more than three games, ending his shutout streak at 267 minutes, 11 seconds.

Brian Foster made 24 saves for New Hampshire.

Box Score

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

TV Coverage (Updated)

All of the games from the regionals and their TV coverage is listed below. All games on ESPN360.com are up for syndication in their local markets. I'll try and keep you updated on the channels they'll be on in those markets, if they're picked up.

*Note on ESPN360: If you internet provider doesn't have an agreement with ESPN to carry the 360 service, you're out of luck. I know, it's maddening when something so simple becomes so complicated. The good news is, all of the games on ESPN360 will be tape delayed on ESPNU at some point. If you're looking for a place in the Twin Cities to watch the ESPN360 games, Joe Senser's in Roseville and Bloomington will be carrying the games.

East Regional (Albany, NY):
(1) Denver vs. (4) RIT, Friday, March 26, 3:00 ET - ESPNU HD
(2) Cornell vs. (3) New Hampshire, Friday, March 26, 6:30 ET - ESPNU HD
Regional Final, Saturday, March 27, 6:30 ET - ESPNU HD

West Regional (St. Paul, MN):
(1) Wisconsin vs. (4) Vermont, Friday, March 26, 8:00 CT - ESPNU HD
(2) St. Cloud State vs. (3) Northern Michigan, Friday, March 26, 4:30 CT - ESPN360.com, tape delay 10:30 pm CT ESPNU
Regional Final, Saturday, March 27, 8:00 CT - ESPNU HD

Midwest Regional (Fort Wayne, IN):
(1) Miami vs. (4) Alabama-Huntsville, Saturday, March 27, 4:00 ET - ESPNU
(2) Bemidji State vs. (3) Michigan, Saturday, March 27, 7:30 ET - Fox Sports North, ESPN360.com, tape delay 11:30 pm ET ESPNU
Regional Final, Sunday, March 28, 8:00 ET - ESPNU

Northeast Regional (Worcester, MA):
(1) Boston College vs. (4) Alaska, Saturday, March 27, 1:30 ET - ESPN360.com, tape delay 9:30 am ET Sunday ESPNU
(2) North Dakota vs. (3) Yale, Saturday, March 27, 5:00 ET - Fox Sports North, ESPN360.com, tape delay noon ET Sunday ESPNU
Regional Final, Sunday, March 28, 5:30 ET - ESPNU

Match-ups by the Numbers

Sorry this took so long, but I was working and haven't had much access to a computer lately. I've posted each match-up below with the pertinent numbers for each team so you can see how your favorite team matches-up with its first round opponent in the tourney.

I have the WCHA teams at the top, and the other match-ups below them. I've included links to each match-up below.

East Regional (Albany, NY):
(1) Denver vs. (4) RIT, Friday, March 26, 3:00 ET
(2) Cornell vs. (3) New Hampshire, Friday, March 26, 6:30 ET

West Regional (St. Paul, MN):
(1) Wisconsin vs. (4) Vermont, Friday, March 26, 8:00 CT
(2) St. Cloud State vs. (3) Northern Michigan, Friday, March 26, 4:30 CT

Midwest Regional (Fort Wayne, IN):
(1) Miami vs. (4) Alabama-Huntsville, Saturday, March 27, 4:00 ET
(2) Bemidji State vs. (3) Michigan, Saturday, March 27, 7:30 ET

Northeast Regional (Worcester, MA):
(1) Boston College vs. (4) Alaska, Saturday, March 27, 1:30 ET
(2) North Dakota vs. (3) Yale, Saturday, March 27, 5:00 ET

Northern Michigan University vs. St. Cloud State University

Records
#2 St. Cloud
#3 NMU
 
  Overall
23-13-5
20-12-8
 
  Conference
15-9-4
13-9-6
 
  Scoring First
10-4-2
17-5-7
 
  Opp. Scores First
13-9-3
3-7-1
 
  When Outshooting
9-1-2
8-0-4
 
  When Outshot
14-12-3
11-12-4
 
  1-Goal Games
9-2
9-6
 
  Home
12-4-5
12-4-3
 
  Away
10-8-0
6-7-5
 
  Neutral
1-1-0
2-1-0
 
  Overtime
1-2-5
3-0-8
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
13-3-2
10-3-1
 
  After 2
11-3-1
12-1-2
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
1-5-3
4-6-2
 
  After 2
6-6-2
1-8-4
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
9-5-0
6-3-5
 
  After 2
6-4-2
7-3-2
 
Power Play
18.8%
19.9%
 
Penalty Kill
80.0%
83.8%
 
Scoring Offense
3.20
3.02
 
Scoring Defense
2.78
2.50
 
Shots Taken
27.7
26.8
 
Shots Allowed
32.2
32.7
 
PIM per Game
14.46
15.62
 
Top Forwards
Ryan Lasch, Sr
19-27-46
19-29-48
Mark Oliver, Jr
Garrett Roe, Jr
19-27-46
16-22-38
Greger Hanson, Jr
Tony Mosey, Jr
12-26-38
11-22-33
Justin Florek, So
Top Defensemen
Garrett Raboin, Sr
8-15-23
3-28-31
Erik Gustafsson, Jr
Oliver Lauridsen, So
6-6-12
4-11-15
TJ Miller, Sr
Top Goalie
Dan Dunn, Jr
12-4-2, 2.63, .912
18-10-7, 2.40, .927
Brian Stewart, Sr

Back to Top

Rochester Institute of Technology vs. University of Denver

Records
#1 Denver
#4 RIT
 
  Overall
27-9-4
26-11-1
 
  Conference
19-5-4
22-5-1
 
  Scoring First
16-2-2
14-5-0
 
  Opp. Scores First
11-7-2
12-6-1
 
  When Outshooting
13-5-3
22-7-1
 
  When Outshot
11-4-1
4-4-0
 
  1-Goal Games
12-4
8-7
 
  Home
15-3-3
15-3-0
 
  Away
12-4-1
9-8-1
 
  Neutral
0-2-0
2-0-0
 
  Overtime
2-0-4
3-1-1
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
13-0-1
16-2-0
 
  After 2
17-1-1
16-3-1
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
4-7-0
1-7-0
 
  After 2
6-5-0
3-6-0
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
10-2-3
9-2-1
 
  After 2
4-3-3
7-2-0
 
Power Play
19.9%
21.5%
 
Penalty Kill
86.8%
84.8%
 
Scoring Offense
3.30
3.58
 
Scoring Defense
2.42
2.08
 
Shots Taken
32.0
35.1
 
Shots Allowed
30.8
26.3
 
PIM per Game
13.47
14.71
 
Top Forwards
Rhett Rakhshani, Sr
21-29-50
15-30-45
Cameron Burt, So
Joe Colborne, So
21-19-40
13-28-41
Andrew Favot, Jr
Tyler Ruegsegger, Sr
16-24-40
12-11-23
Tyler Brenner, So
Top Defensemen
Patrick Wiercoich, So
6-20-26
11-23-34
Dan Ringwald, Sr
Matt Donovan, Fr
4-14-21
9-18-27
Chris Tanev, Fr
Top Goalie
Marc Cheverie
24-5-3, 2.08, .932
25-9-1, 2.00, .922
Jared DeMichiel, Sr

Back to Top

University of Vermont vs. University of Wisconsin

Records
#1 Wisconsin
#4 Vermont
 
  Overall
25-10-4
17-14-7
 
  Conference
17-8-3
9-11-7
 
  Scoring First
11-5-2
9-5-3
 
  Opp. Scores First
14-5-2
8-9-4
 
  When Outshooting
21-8-1
8-6-2
 
  When Outshot
4-2-3
9-7-5
 
  1-Goal Games
6-4
8-3
 
  Home
15-3-3
10-5-3
 
  Away
8-6-1
7-8-4
 
  Neutral
2-1-0
0-1-0
 
  Overtime
0-0-4
1-1-7
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
15-2-1
11-3-2
 
  After 2
21-0-1
9-2-2
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
3-5-3
1-5-2
 
  After 2
1-9-1
2-9-3
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
7-3-0
5-6-3
 
  After 2
3-1-2
6-3-2
 
Power Play
20.1%
16.0%
 
Penalty Kill
85.3%
81.1%
 
Scoring Offense
3.97
2.92
 
Scoring Defense
2.56
2.87
 
Shots Taken
37.6
29.0
 
Shots Allowed
26.6
28.8
 
PIM per Game
18.05
11.74
 
Top Forwards
Michael Davies, Sr
18-32-50
15-19-34
Brayden Irwin, Sr
Derek Stepan, So
10-38-48
11-17-28
Colin Vock, Sr
Blake Geoffrion, Sr
25-18-43
8-18-26
Brian Roloff, Sr
Top Defensemen
Brendan Smith, Jr
15-30-45
5-10-15
Kyle Medvec, Jr
Justin Schultz, Fr
4-14-18
2-9-11
Patrick Cullity, Sr
Top Goalie
Scott Gudmandson, Jr
17-4-4, 2.31, .915
13-12-7, 2.65, .907
Rob Madore, So

Back to Top

Yale University vs. University of North Dakota

Records
#2 North Dakota
#3 Yale
 
  Overall
25-12-5
20-9-3
 
  Conference
15-10-3
15-5-2
 
  Scoring First
15-4-4
13-3-3
 
  Opp. Scores First
10-8-1
7-6-0
 
  When Outshooting
23-8-3
18-6-2
 
  When Outshot
2-2-2
2-3-1
 
  1-Goal Games
6-8
5-6
 
  Home
13-5-3
11-4-1
 
  Away
8-7-1
8-5-2
 
  Neutral
4-0-1
1-0-0
 
  Overtime
1-1-5
3-1-3
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
15-5-1
9-1-1
 
  After 2
16-2-4
10-1-1
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
3-4-2
4-4-1
 
  After 2
2-7-1
4-6-2
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
7-3-2
7-4-1
 
  After 2
7-3-0
6-2-0
 
Power Play
21.0%
23.5%
 
Penalty Kill
86.9%
81.8%
 
Scoring Offense
3.29
4.09
 
Scoring Defense
2.10
2.94
 
Shots Taken
33.8
40.3
 
Shots Allowed
24.1
26.2
 
PIM per Game
18.36
12.94
 
Top Forwards
Chris VandeVelde, Sr
16-25-41
26-14-40
Broc Little, Jr
Jason Gregoire, So
20-17-37
14-25-39
Brian O'Neill, So
Danny Kristo, Fr
15-21-36
21-14-35
Sean Backman, Sr
Top Defensemen
Derrick LaPoint, Jr
2-20-22
6-20-26
Thomas Dignard, Sr
Jake Marto, Jr
5-13-18
2-15-17
Jimmy Martin, Jr
Top Goalie
Brad Eidsness, So
24-9-4, 2.09, .915
7-2-0, 2.37, .901
Billy Blase, Sr

Back to Top

University of Michigan vs. Bemidji State University

Records
#2 Bemidji
#3 Michigan
 
  Overall
23-9-4
25-17-1
 
  Conference
14-3-1
14-13-1
 
  Scoring First
14-3-2
14-9-1
 
  Opp. Scores First
9-6-2
11-8-0
 
  When Outshooting
11-4-2
22-12-1
 
  When Outshot
12-4-2
3-4-0
 
  1-Goal Games
8-4
8-7
 
  Home
12-3-0
12-5-1
 
  Away
10-5-3
9-10-0
 
  Neutral
1-1-1
4-2-0
 
  Overtime
3-1-4
0-0-1
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
17-2-2
18-1-0
 
  After 2
12-0-0
16-3-0
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
0-5-0
2-11-1
 
  After 2
3-7-2
2-7-0
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
6-2-2
5-5-0
 
  After 2
8-2-2
7-7-1
 
Power Play
19.0%
19.6%
 
Penalty Kill
84.8%
86.5%
 
Scoring Offense
3.53
3.28
 
Scoring Defense
2.28
2.28
 
Shots Taken
28.8
33.7
 
Shots Allowed
27.4
23.1
 
PIM per Game
12.25
16.19
 
Top Forwards
Matt Read, Jr
19-21-40
17-30-47
Carl Hagelin, Jr
Jordan George, Fr
13-21-34
20-21-41
Louie Caporusso, Jr
Ian Lowe, Jr
20-10-30
13-25-38
Matt Rust, Jr
Top Defensemen
Brad Hunt, So
7-26-33
3-19-22
Steve Kampfer, Sr
Brady Wacker, Fr
1-9-10
4-14-18
Chad Langlais, Jr
Top Goalie
Dan Bakala, So
19-7-3, 2.27, .919
7-2-0, 1.86, .912
Shawn Hunwick, Jr

Back to Top

University of New Hampshire vs. Cornell University

Records
#2 Cornell
#3 UNH
 
  Overall
21-8-4
17-13-7
 
  Conference
14-5-3
15-6-6
 
  Scoring First
6-5-2
11-7-4
 
  Opp. Scores First
15-3-2
6-6-3
 
  When Outshooting
15-2-1
9-3-3
 
  When Outshot
6-6-3
8-10-4
 
  1-Goal Games
4-4
6-6
 
  Home
12-3-1
10-4-5
 
  Away
7-3-2
6-9-2
 
  Neutral
2-2-1
1-0-0
 
  Overtime
1-1-4
3-2-7
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
10-3-2
8-2-1
 
  After 2
11-1-0
8-4-1
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
1-4-0
4-4-5
 
  After 2
2-3-2
0-5-3
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
10-1-2
5-7-1
 
  After 2
8-4-2
9-4-3
 
Power Play
20.9%
16.9%
 
Penalty Kill
87.8%
82.2%
 
Scoring Offense
3.18
3.32
 
Scoring Defense
1.85
3.08
 
Shots Taken
28.2
29.9
 
Shots Allowed
28.6
33.5
 
PIM per Game
12.21
9.65
 
Top Forwards
Blake Gallagher, Sr
18-19-37
27-23-50
Bobby Butler, Sr
Colin Greening, Sr
15-20-35
17-19-36
Paul Thompson, Jr
Riley Nash, Jr
12-22-34
14-20-34
Peter LeBlanc, Sr
Top Defensemen
Brendon Nash, Sr
2-17-19
9-26-35
Blake Kessel, So
Nick D'Agostino, Fr
4-14-18
3-12-15
Damon Kipp, So
Top Goalie
Ben Scrivens, Sr
21-8-4, 1.77, .937
16-13-7, 2.95, .910
Brian Foster, Sr

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University of Alaska vs. Boston College

Records
#1 Boston College
#4 Alaska
 
  Overall
25-10-3
18-11-9
 
  Conference

16-8-3

11-9-8
 
  Scoring First
16-5-2
10-3-3
 
  Opp. Scores First
9-5-1
8-8-6
 
  When Outshooting
17-7-3
8-7-4
 
  When Outshot
8-3-0
10-3-5
 
  1-Goal Games
11-5
4-5
 
  Home
14-2-0
11-3-5
 
  Away
7-6-3
5-8-4
 
  Neutral
4-2-0
2-0-0
 
  Overtime
2-1-3
2-0-9
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
15-2-2
7-1-4
 
  After 2
18-1-1
10-2-2
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
2-5-0
1-8-1
 
  After 2
2-7-1
4-4-4
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
8-3-1
10-2-4
 
  After 2
5-2-1
4-5-3
 
Power Play
21.4%
19.3%
 
Penalty Kill
85.0%
83.8%
 
Scoring Offense
3.87
2.82
 
Scoring Defense
2.50
2.37
 
Shots Taken
33.1
29.1
 
Shots Allowed
26.5
27.3
 
PIM per Game
12.53
10.05
 
Top Forwards
Cam Atkinson, So
24-22-46
19-23-42
Dion Knelson, Sr
Brian Gibbons, Jr
15-29-44
17-24-41
Andy Taranto, Fr
Joe Whitney, Jr
14-21-35
11-14-25
Dustin Sather, Jr
Top Defensemen
Carl Sneep, Sr
10-16-26
6-17-23
Joe Sova, So
Brian Dumoulin, Fr
1-18-19
6-15-21
Aaron Gens, So
Top Goalie
John Muse, Jr
15-8-2, 2.42, .909
18-11-9, 2.20, .918
Scott Greenham, So

Back to Top

University of Alabama-Hunstville vs. Miami University

Records
#1 Miami
#4 Huntsville
 
  Overall
25-9-7
12-17-3
 
  Conference
19-4-5
6-10-2
 
  Scoring First
17-2-4
9-8-2
 
  Opp. Scores First
10-5-3
3-9-1
 
  When Outshooting
22-5-6
3-6-0
 
  When Outshot
3-2-1
9-11-3
 
  1-Goal Games
10-4
8-8
 
  Home
13-5-2
3-8-1
 
  Away
11-2-5
7-9-2
 
  Neutral
1-2-0
2-0-0
 
  Overtime
1-2-7
2-2-3
 
When Leading...
 
  After 1
12-0-1
3-3-1
 
  After 2
16-2-1
7-2-2
 
When Trailing...
 
  After 1
3-5-1
3-10-1
 
  After 2
2-3-3
3-6-0
 
When Tied...
 
  After 1
12-2-5
6-4-1
 
  After 2
9-2-3
2-9-1
 
Power Play
17.7%
14.7%
 
Penalty Kill
86.9%
87.1%
 
Scoring Offense
3.44
2.25
 
Scoring Defense
1.85
2.72
 
Shots Taken
32.5
25.4
 
Shots Allowed
24.0
34.5
 
PIM per Game
19.93
12.69
 
Top Forwards
Jarod Palmer, Sr
18-27-45
8-14-22
Cody Campbell, So
Andy Miele, Jr
15-29-44
7-15-22
Andrew Coburn, Jr
Tommy Wingels, Jr
17-26-43
5-13-18
Matti Jarvinen, Fr
Top Defensemen
Chris Wideman, So
5-17-22
2-10-12
Brandon Roshko, Sr
Cameron Schilling, So
3-15-18
3-8-11
Davide Nicoletti, Sr
Top Goalie
Cody Reichard, So
18-4-3, 1.79, .924
12-17-3, 2.62, .924
Cameron Talbot, Jr

Back to Top

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Interactive Bracket

The NCAA has setup an interactive hockey tournament bracket similar to the basketball bracket. You can click on any match-up and get team records and game times, or you can sign-in/-up and fill out your bracket to compete with others.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Duluth's Bordson and Anchorage's Baldwin Head to the Pros...

UMD junior forward Rob Bordson has given up his final year of college eligibility and signed with the Anaheim Ducks. Bordson had 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points on the year. He was one of four 40 point scorers for the Bulldogs this season. Rob signed a max-level two-year contract with the Ducks. He is expected to be with the Ducks until the end of the regular season as he is not eligible for the playoffs. Bordson said, "I had a pretty busy day and some tough decisions, but at the end of the day I've always wanted to play professional hockey. It was a tough decision leaving my hometown and college, but it was too good of an offer to pass up. Nothing would have been guaranteed for next year. I think it was time to move on and take that next step in my career. ... It was definitely very difficult. I love everyone at UMD. They were very professional about it, very supportive. They were very helpful. It was tough leaving them. Everyone wants to be a professional hockey player. I think it was the time to do it." This was a career year for Bordson with the Dogs. He had one goal and six assists in his previous two years with Duluth.

UAA freshman defenseman Lee Baldwin has left school early and signed with the NHL's New York Rangers. Baldwin had 1 goal and 9 assists for 10 points on the season.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

SCSU is in the tourney...but will they win?

As every WCHA fan knows, SCSU has never won a game in the National Tourney. In fact, their 0-8 in their attempts. In they're most recent appearance, in 2008, they took on Clarkson in Albany, NY where they took their first lead ever in tourney play. That lead lasted all of ten minutes before Clarkson tied the score at one. They put the game winning goal in with fifteen minutes to play in the game, and the Huskies couldn't get the equalizer. St. Cloud had had success against Clarkson that season in a split at Clarkson. Unfortunately, their familiarity with Golden Nights didn't prove to be useful.

This year, the Huskies drew Northern Michigan, a team they haven't played since the 2005-2006 season in a pair of games at Northern. There are no current Huskies that have played Northern Michigan, so both teams aren't familiar with one another. St. Cloud should have a leg up on Wildcat's, as the game will be played at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The Huskies will have a "home ice" advantage for this game. Not only because they have the last change, but because the crowd should undecidedly be in the Huskies favor.

I'm hoping they'll finally be able the get the proverbial monkey off their backs that have plagued them in the tourney. They have a match-up that is very even. In looking at the team comparison's, they're very equal. The keys for the Huskies are getting out to an early lead and special teams. On paper, the teams look pretty even, with a slight advantage to NMU in scoring defense and an advantage to SCSU in scoring offense.

It should be a good game. I'll have more on this match-up, and the rest of the WCHA teams, as the week progresses.

Garrett Roe update: Bob Motzko told Kevin Allenspach that there was no way Roe was playing in last night's championship game against the Sioux. When asked about whether or not he'll play next weekend, Motzko said, "There's no question he'll play next week, unless there's a setback. Your emotions are high when any of your players get injured. We were trying to figure it out (Saturday). But he'll see the proper people and, from what we know right now, he'll be back next weekend."

That is great news for the Huskies. Roe is one of the most dynamic players for the Huskies. His speed and skill are at the top of the national pool of players. His penalty killing abilities would've been nice last night during the Sioux's 5-on-3 power play. His play making ability was sorely missed in the third period last night. With that said, the Huskies did show a lot of heart in the third last night, and played, what I think, is one of their best, if not the best, periods of the season.

New Final Five Format Revealed

The WCHA announced its new format for the Final Five, which will start next March. There will be six first-round best-of-three series where the winners will advance to St. Paul. The top two seeds will get byes to the semifinals, which will be held on Friday afternoon at 2:00 and Friday evening at 7:00. There will be two play-in games on Thursday. The first game will be at 4:00 and the second will be at 7:30. The third place game will no longer be played. The Wild will have a 1:00 game on Saturday afternoon, this year. The championship game will still be played at 7:00. The Wild have said they will offer some of the remaining tickets to Final Five season ticket holders.

The name of the tourney no longer reflects the amount of teams in the tourney, but now represents the number of games that will be played. The WCHA has also kept the "Minnesota rule" in effect to ensure that the Gophers play in the Friday night semifinal, if they make it that far.

Match-up Dates and Times

East Regional (Albany, NY):
(1) Denver vs. (4) RIT, Friday, March 26, 3:00 ET
(2) Cornell vs. (3) New Hampshire, Friday, March 26, 6:30 ET

West Regional (St. Paul, MN):
(1) Wisconsin vs. (4) Vermont, Friday, March 26, 8:00 CT
(2) St. Cloud State vs. (3) Northern Michigan, Friday, March 26, 4:30 CT

Midwest Regional (Fort Wayne, IN):
(1) Miami vs. (4) Alabama-Huntsville, Saturday, March 27, 4:00 ET
(2) Bemidji State vs. (3) Michigan, Saturday, March 27, 7:30 ET

Northeast Regional (Worcester, MA):
(1) Boston College vs. (4) Alaska, Saturday, March 27, 1:30 ET
(2) North Dakota vs. (3) Yale, Saturday, March 27, 5:00 ET

Here's a printable bracket from USCHO.

NCAA Tournament

Here are the NCAA Regions as announced on the Selection Show on ESPN2 this morning:

East (Albany, NY):
1. Denver
2. Cornell
3. New Hampshire
4. RIT

Northeast (Worcester, MA):
1. Boston College
2. North Dakota
3. Yale
4. Alaska-Fairbanks

Midwest (Fort Wayne, IN):
1. Miami
2. Bemidji
3. Michigan
4. Alabama-Huntsville

West (St. Paul, MN):
1. Wisconsin
2. St. Cloud
3. Northern Michigan
4. Vermont

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Championship Woes Continue for the Huskies

In a game that saw the St. Cloud State Huskies jump out to a 2-0 lead :55 into the game, the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota won 5-3. It was a hard fought game by both teams. The difference in the game was the power play. UND scored three of their five goals with the man advantage to take home the Broadmoor Trophy. Congrats to the Sioux...

On another note, I must say that UND didn't pull any of the cheap crap I thought they may going into the game. It looks as though the feud with Aaron Marvin may be over...for now anyway. I was very impressed that someone didn't take a run at him or any of the other SCSU players. My hat goes off to the Sioux players. Some of the fans are still bitter about it, but many of them are pretty well over it. The Sioux fans that were sitting in front of us this weekend were a pleasure to talk with and banter with.

In other news, BC won the Hockey East title and secured the final number one seed in the tournament. UND will have the 5th seed and probably play out east. The Huskies are now in 6th and will most likely be in the west regional at the X with the Badgers being the number one seed there. Denver will claim another number one seed for the WCHA somewhere out east, most likely. The selection show is Sunday morning at 10:30 CT on ESPN2.

Roe Update

Garrett Roe is a game time decision for the Huskies tonight. They team will be waiting until after five to decide whether or not he will play. If he doesn't, they'll be mixing their lines up. If he does, they'll run with the same lines as yesterday afternoon.

Wisconsin/Denver Skate in the Third Place Game

Wisconsin and Denver faced off at the Xcel Energy Center in the Third Place Game of the WCHA Final Five. Wisconsin won by a 6-3 score in a game they controlled from the opening faceoff. Ben Street, Derek Stepan, and Blake Geoffrion scored for the Badgers in the first period to take a commanding lead after one period. Denver draw to within two goals :25 into the period, but Wisconsin scored two more mid-way through the period to take a 5-1 lead into the third. Denver drew to within two goals, but let Wisconsin score their sixth goal with 3:44 remaining in the game.

Note: Cody Goloubef drew a one game suspension from the WCHA for his hit on SCSU's Nick Oslund. He left his feet and extended his hands on the hit. He sat out this afternoon's game vs. Denver.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Garrett Roe Update

I've taken the liberty of copying Kevin Allenspach's blog and posting it here....

Roe's released from the hospital, X-rays negative (update) Posted 3/19/2010 7:48 PM CDT on sctimes.com

First off, Garrett Roe is OK. According to his father, Larry Roe, Garrett was X-rayed and examined and later released from Regions Hospital in St. Paul after his header into the boards during Friday's 2-0 WCHA Final Five smeifinal victory over Wisconsin. Larry Roe said his son's neck is "stiff and sore," and wouldn't rule out that he would want to play in Friday's championship. The Huskies say that's a game-time decision. I wrote more about this in the game story and a sidebar on Roe for Saturday's paper. (Since this was an afternoon game, I copied the game story and sidebar below so you won't have to wait until midnight to read them.)

Lee, Huskies lock up spot in title game<

Rookie goalie makes 37 saves, Lasch ties career scoring mark with game-winner in 2-0 win over Badgers<

By Kevin Allenspach<

kallenspach@stcloudtimes.com<

ST. PAUL – Mike Lee was as cool in front of the hot lights of the postgame interview room as he was on the ice Friday at the Xcel Energy Center.<

He made 37 saves to lead the sixth-ranked Huskies to a 2-0 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the afternoon semifinal at the WCHA Final Five, then proceeded with his routine “just another game” assessment. As though such shutouts are common for 19-year-old freshman goalies.<

Such an approach was just what St. Cloud State needed, however, especially since the Huskies got only a late power-play goal in the second period by Ryan Lasch, an empty-netter at the end by Travis Novak, and lost their leading scorer, Garrett Roe, to a head injury early in the third period.<

“I think it was just the overall type of game we played – it was sound and a hard-fought playoff game,” said Lee, who allowed seven goals in a loss to Wisconsin a month ago. “They got their chances, as did we, and their goalie was on tonight, too. That’s playoff hockey. I thought we didn’t get much at all through the first two periods and that’s what happens when teams tighten up defensively. That’s what we have to expect from here on out.”<

That path will travel through tonight’s Broadmoor Trophy championship game (7 p.m., Fox Sports Net North), which the Huskies have won once (in 2001) and appeared in two other times (1994, 2006).<

They might be without Roe, who was taken to Regions Hospital for X-rays after he slid into the boards while killing a penalty. His father, Larry Roe, said his son underwent X-rays and an examination but was released.<

“He’s pretty stiff and sore right now,” said Larry Roe, who was watching the game with his wife, Julie. “They’re going to check him out (today). I’m sure Garrett will want to play, but I’m not sure it’s the right thing for him to do right now.”<

As Roe was wheeled off on a stretcher he gave the thumbs up while his teammates tapped their sticks and picked up their play.<

“That was obviously a big loss, and with him out we had to become closer as a team and play harder,” said Tony Mosey, Roe’s left-winger, who had two assists. “He’s always working hard for us and we felt that every guy needed to step up for him. Not just one or two guys. It gave us a spark. We responded pretty well after that.”<

Especially Lee. As the Badgers threw everything they could on net to try and find the equalizer, Lee made pad save after glove save after toe save – with or without his stick.<

“I think we’re going to tape it to my blocker,” Lee joked after it was kicked out of his hands and skidded to the blue line in the third.<

Lee was steamrolled midway through the third by Wisconsin forward Craig Smith, then later had an equipment issue with one of his skates. He finished with 20 third-period saves – and got a little help when Brendan Smith’s point shot with barely a minute remaining clanged the right post.<

“He played well and he was lucky there,” Brendan Smith said. “That’s part of the game, but I think he had a little Irish in him there.”<

Lee, a third-round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes, has a .961 save percentage in his three postseason college games. Tonight, he’ll go for his second title on this rink. He backstopped Roseau High School to the state title in 2007.<

“This is a confidence booster for everybody,” Lee said. “We beat a team that’s highly ranked after we split with them twice this year. It’s a confidence booster for me, for sure. You want to play well in the playoffs and give your team a chance to win. That’s your job. I’ve just got to keep everything out of the crease.”<

That was especially difficult late in the first period. Lee had to go left-to-right and make a toe save on a power-play one-timer by Wisconsin’s leading scorer, Michael Davies.<

“I feel like we made it easy for him in the first period,” Davies said. “We didn’t get traffic to the net and get that many pucks on net. We were good in the third period, and he played well then. You’ve got to give credit to him. But we’ve got to be ready from the drop of the puck.”<

Lee’s save on Davies was especially big after the Huskies failed to stake their goalie a lead on a 57-second, two-man advantage early in the game.<

“I think every save is as important as the next one,” Lee said. “You make a save like that on the power play, though, to get us out of that situation – that’s pretty big. They had good chances all night long.”<

The game looked like it might turn on a major penalty midway through the second period. Badgers defenseman Cody Goloubef leaped into a check of Nick Oslund as the Huskies were breaking out of their own zone. Oslund stayed down on the ice at his own blue line for a few moments before he was helped off.<

The Huskies had three shots during the major penalty before Mosey negated the final 46 seconds of it with a hooking call. But the teams stayed scoreless 4-on-4 and, before Mosey could return, Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith took a tripping penalty the ultimately led to Lasch’s goal.<

As the final seconds of Smith’s penalty ticked away, Mosey got the puck along the right half-wall in the Badgers’ zone. He worked a give-and-go with Roe before firing a shot from between the circles. The puck trickled behind goalie Scott Gudmandson and Lasch got position on Goloubef to shove it over the goal line.<

“On the first couple of power plays, we were working the perimeter and we needed to get more inside,” Lasch said. “Toward the end of the game we needed to get more shots and attack the net. That’s what happened on that goal.”<

Gudmandson finished with 20 saves while Lee joined former SCSU All-American Scott Meyer as the only Huskies to post Final Five shutouts. Meyer stopped 23 shots in beating Minnesota 3-0 in 2001. The next night, he and his teammates hoisted the Broadmoor after a 6-5 overtime win over North Dakota. That remains St. Cloud State’s only postseason championship of the Division I era.<

“This was our fourth time here in five years and we wanted to play on our toes,” Huskies coach Bob Motzko said. “Yesterday’s meeting, we said ‘We’ve got to get after them.’ Tell you a little how much the coaches know, we wanted a shootout … instead, it ends up being 17-17 shots after two (periods) and very hard-fought defensively. That’s how the game settled in. I don’t know if it was because it was an afternoon game, but the ice did tilt on us in the third. Only we had a goalie who stood very tall.”<



Roe removed on stretcher but remains in Huskies’ thoughts<

By Kevin Allenspach<

kallenspach@stcloudtimes.com<

ST. PAUL – Garrett Roe was gone but not forgotten during the final 15 minutes of Friday’s semifinal victory on Friday at the WCHA Final Five.<

Roe slid headfirst into the boards along the left side of his own zone early in the third period while trying to kill a penalty. As the Huskies protected a one-goal lead, he’d lost his stick and was trying to break up a clearing attempt headed for Wisconsin’s Brendan Smith, the top-scoring defenseman in the nation.<

“He was trying to go for my legs and knock me out and I kind of stood my ground,” Smith said. “He hit his head and it looked like his neck kind of bent back. I hope he’s not too bad. It was a weird play, a desperation play. I just wish he’s OK.”<

The latest reports Friday were that Roe had been released from Regions Hospital and had returned to his team at the Crowne Plaza hotel. His father, Larry, said his son – who was moving his arms and legs after he hit the boards – was in good humor.<

“He’s cracking jokes, so that’s a big relief,” said Larry Roe, who returned to the X on Friday night to retrieve his son’s clothes before going back to the hospital.<

St. Cloud State held on for the 2-0 win, but the memory of their scrappiest teammate writhing in pain was no laughing matter.<

“I saw him go down head-first and it was scary for all of us the way he was moving,” said Tony Mosey, Roe’s left-winger.<

Larry Roe said his son will be re-evaluated today. Incredibly, Garrett Roe hasn’t ruled out playing in today’s championship, though it sounds like that might be a longshot.<

“His neck is very sore and stiff,” Larry Roe said. “I won’t be surprised if Garrett does whatever he can to convince them to let him play, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea. The doctors (initially) were concerned there could be something that would crop up later on. When you have an injury like that, they worry about bleeding on the brain.”<

Play went on for several seconds after Roe was down. Eventually, the officials blew play dead at 4:02 of the third period. SCSU athletic trainer Bryan DeMaine and paramedics from the St. Paul Fire Department attended to Roe, who resisted becoming such a spectacle.<

“He was in pain and they brought the stretcher out and he said ‘I don’t want the stretcher,’ ’’ Huskies coach Bob Motzko said. “But at that point it was too late. The medical people take over. He asked not to be carted off, but precaution is always going to be paramount on a neck injury.<

“When he went down, there was chatter going on and we hadn’t seen that,” Motzko added. “We were a little tight at points of the second period. Maybe I’m underestimating it a little bit. It could’ve played a big part in the game. We’ve seen the reverse sometimes, where a player goes down and your team can get quiet. That didn’t happen. It was a charge. And we responded.”<

Roe, who on Thursday was named to the All-WCHA Third Team for the second consecutive season, was SCSU’s leading scorer entering the game and is on pace to supplant Ryan Lasch and Jeff Saterdalen as the school’s all-time scorer next season. Roe had an assist on Lasch’s game-winning goal Friday and is one point behind Ryan Malone (140 points) for sixth place on SCSU’s scoring chart.<

“It was scary for me as a father and a hockey coach,” said Larry Roe, who coached his son, a Los Angeles Kings draftee, back home in Vienna, Va. “That’s the last thing you want to see, going into the boards headfirst like that. I’m just glad everything turned out OK.”<

Huskies forward Nick Oslund also responded and took over Roe’s responsibility between Mosey and David Eddy in the third period as the Huskies cut to three lines. That was despite that Oslund had to be helped off after Wisconsin’s Cody Goloubef delivered a blow to the head that drew a major penalty in the second period.<

“I thought (Oslund) stepped in between me and Eddy and did a great job,” Mosey said. “It could’ve been a big adjustment, because the three of us – with Roe – have been together for half the year now. But Ozzie stepped in and used his big body well. He might not have been able to see straight after he was hit (in the second period), but he was seeing straight (in the third).”<

So were the Huskies, who got an empty-net goal from Travis Novak and 20 of Mike Lee’s 37 saves in the third.<

“Our compete level and how we had to hang on there at the end was something,” Motzko said. “When Garrett Roe left, our emotions picked up on the bench. The players kept standing up more and we kept saying ‘sit down.’ It had a good feel about it, though.”<



HUSKIES QUOTEBOOK:

* Motzko on whether he would seek supplementary discipline for Cody Goloubef's hit on Nick Oslund: (A five-minute major for contact to the head was issued; Wisconsin protested Aaron Marvin's hit on Blake Geoffrion last month and Marvin earned a three-game suspension) “No, nor do I think there should be (a suspension). What’s going to happen is there’s this concern and attention on hits like that from the NHL down. It affects all of us. As coaches, we don’t want anyone hurt. We didn’t want Geoffrion hurt. Our league has too much respect for the other members for that to happen. I do believe we have to take it out of the game. We saw his hands and elbows get up and out from his body. I think a five-minute penalty was appropriate. It’s a tough situation we’re in right now as coaches, players, referees and administrators. But we will figure it out.”


* Tony Mosey, who had two assists, on Travis Novak getting an empty-net goal in the final minute: “It’s always nice to have a two-goal cushion and when the puck went down there we knew we could keep it in but, if we didn’t, they’d have an odd-man rush the other way. Novak had good support there and to score that one was a big relief.”

* Sam Zabkowicz on losing Roe: “He sacrificed his body out there, but that’s what type of player he is. He puts his team first.”

* Motzko on allowing 20 third-period shots: “We had some terrible turnovers later in the game by a couple of young guys and we play a handful of freshmen and sophomores who have never been here before. They were rattled a bit. They were feeling the pressure Wisconsin puts on you – no space, taking hits. We had to persevere and battle through that.”

 

Huskies notebook

      As the Huskies head into their fourth Broadmoor Trophy game, they conquered a team that has given them trouble and solved a few of their own issues in the process. Motzko entered Friday's game with a 6-11-2 (.368) record against the Badgers -- his worst against any league opponent. And, the Huskies got a power-play goal after going 5-for-39 in their previous nine games. They also held the Badgers scoreless on five chances after allowing opponents 14 power-play goals on 39 chances in the previous nine games.

“I thought the key to our night was killing penalties,” Motzko said. “I think it helped us being on the smaller ice sheet. We got a little more aggressive on the sides … I’ve been real happy with our penalty kill for two weeks.”

·         Ryan Lasch will polay in his 159th consecutive career game in the championship. That will tie Nate Dey's career mark for games played. Lasch, presumably, would own the record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 ·         Long after the fact, attendances from last weekend’s first-round playoff games at the National Hockey Center were finally revealed. The attendance from Game 1 on March 12, a 5-4 overtime loss to Minnesota State-Mankato, was revised from the 2,992 reported that night to 3,074 in this week’s SCSU news release. That’s still the smallest Huskies home crowd since they drew 2,950 for a playoff game against North Dakota in 1995. The attendances for Games 2 and 3, which weren’t made available on March 13-14, were 3,526 and 3,501, respectively. The Huskies recorded 111,964 fans for 21 home dates this season, an average of 5,332 per game. The overall total was a slight increase from last season, however the average attendance was SCSU’s lowest since 1995-96 (5,004).
·      Former Huskies forward Andreas Nodl, who would ’ve been a senior this season if he hadn’t left school after his sophomore year, is listed as the Philadelphia Flyers’ No. 5 prospect in The Hockey News’ annual Future Watch magazine. He has already played 48 NHL games, and totaled one goal, but the Flyers still believe he’s in their plans.

“He has the ability to score,” Flyers GM Paul Holmgren told THN. “Defensively, he’s fine. He just needs to gain confidence.”

Huskies forward Ben Hanowski, a freshman from Little Falls, is the No. 8 prospect of the Pittsburgh Penguins. And, former St. Cloud Tech defenseman Michael Sauer is the No. 9 prospect for the New York Rangers. A 22-year-old who has missed the latter part of this season with an injury, he is expected to “get a long look at camp next season.”