Larry O'ConnorWith the rat-tat-tat of a three-goal second period Saturday, Adrian gunned its way past Elmira to earn its first-ever trip to the NCAA D-III Final Four. Seniors Sam Kuzyk, Brad Houston and Shawn Skelly scored three unanswered goals within an eight-minute span as the host Bulldogs knocked off the Soaring Eagles, 5-3, before a sold-out … Read more
With the rat-tat-tat of a three-goal second period Saturday, Adrian gunned its way past Elmira to earn its first-ever trip to the NCAA D-III Final Four. Seniors Sam Kuzyk, Brad Houston and Shawn Skelly scored three unanswered goals within an eight-minute span as the host Bulldogs knocked off the Soaring Eagles, 5-3, before a sold-out … Read more
Wisconsin-Superior Record: 16-12-1 Ranking: No. 13 USCHO poll Leading scorer: Talon Berlando — 11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points Starting goalie: Drew Strandberg — 10-9-1, 2.24 goals-against, .916 save pct. Coach: Dan Stauber (11th season) In terms of drama, Wisconsin-Superior had it all this season. First, there was an ice-making malfunction at the team’s Wessman … Read more
St. Norbert Green Knights Record: 22-4-1 Ranking: No. 1 USCHO poll, Leading scorer: Johan Ryd — 9 goals, 16 assists, 25 points Starting Goaltender: B.J. O’Brien — 19-2-1, 1.62 goals-against, .930 save-pct. Coach: Tim Coghlin (18th season) Such is the single-minded purpose of the Green Knights that winning a second-straight Northern Collegiate Hockey Association championship … Read more
Hamline Pipers Record: 16-6-5 Ranking: No. 9 USCHO poll, Leading scorer: Brian Arrigoni — 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points Starting Goaltender: Beau Christian — 14-3-3, 2.39 goals-against, .912 save-pct. Coach: Scott Bell (sixth season) Hamline folks have reason to feel confident heading into the NCAA tournament this week. For one, the Pipers have beaten … Read more
Adrian Bulldogs Record: 23-3-1 Ranking: No. 5 USCHO poll Leading scorer: Shawn Skelly, 18 goals, 26 assists, 44 points Starting goaltender: Brad Fogal, 23-3-1, 2.10 goals against, .926 save pct. Coach: Ron Fogarty (fourth season) After going one-and-out in last season’s NCAA tournament, coach Ron Fogarty orchestrated a change in the Bulldogs approach, evolving from … Read more
In collecting its fourth-straight Harris Cup, Adrian made a statement about the next step in its journey as an NCAA tournament-bound team. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs skated to a 5-0 victory over Marian on Sunday in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association title game at Arrington Ice Arena. Seniors Shawn Skelly and Zach Graham led the Bulldogs … Read more
In collecting its fourth-straight Harris Cup, Adrian made a statement about the next step in its journey as an NCAA tournament-bound team. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs skated to a 5-0 victory over Marian on Sunday in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association title game at Arrington Ice Arena. Seniors Shawn Skelly and Zach Graham led the Bulldogs … Read more
After more than 600 games across the three respective conferences, it comes down to this: the championship finals. In addition to a conference trophy, winners of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Northern Collegiate Hockey Association titles advance to the NCAA Tournament’s first round, which starts March 9. So, without further … Read more
After more than 600 games across the three respective conferences, it comes down to this: the championship finals. In addition to a conference trophy, winners of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Northern Collegiate Hockey Association titles advance to the NCAA Tournament’s first round, which starts March 9. So, without further … Read more
Here is a quick look at this weekend’s respective playoff championships in the Midwest, Minnesota and Northern collegiate hockey conferences. The winners in all three will get a ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which starts March 9 with the first round. The Final Four takes place March 25-26 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, … Read more
With little surprise, two favored teams – Milwaukee School of Engineering and Lawrence — advanced to the Harris Cup Four by sweeping their respective Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal series during the weekend. MSOE (21-5-1) meets Marian (18-7), which received a first-round by finishing on top of the Northern Division, in the second semifinal at … Read more
With little surprise, two favored teams – Milwaukee School of Engineering and Lawrence — advanced to the Harris Cup Four by sweeping their respective Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal series during the weekend. MSOE (21-5-1) meets Marian (18-7), which received a first-round by finishing on top of the Northern Division, in the second semifinal at … Read more
I was 6-2 in predicting the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association’s first-round playoff outcomes last weekend. Good, right? Well, this is where the old saying about statistics never lying but liars using statistics comes into play. Yes, I perfectly forecasted results in six regulation playoff games, but missed the mark entirely on two mini-games that eventually … Read more
Adrian earned a first-round bye in the Harris Cup playoffs by sweeping Milwaukee School of Engineering on the road this weekend, which may have caught observers by surprise, but not the Bulldogs faithful. Adrian’s 3-1 triumph Friday night clinched the team’s fourth-consecutive regular-season crown, as the Bulldogs held a 2-0-1 head-to-head series edge, which would … Read more
Adrian earned a first-round bye in the Harris Cup playoffs by sweeping Milwaukee School of Engineering on the road this weekend, which may have caught observers by surprise, but not the Bulldogs faithful. Adrian’s 3-1 triumph Friday night clinched the team’s fourth-consecutive regular-season crown, as the Bulldogs held a 2-0-1 head-to-head series edge, which would … Read more
I was a less-than-superlative 2-3 in last week’s picks, which I blame on Valentine’s Day. I had love in my eye instead of the requisite analytical lens that enables me to critically size up teams in their respective encounters. The end result included missteps in picking a surging Wisconsin-Stevens Point beating Wisconsin-Stout at home Feb. … Read more
I was a less-than-superlative 2-3 in last week’s picks, which I blame on Valentine’s Day. I had love in my eye instead of the requisite analytical lens that enables me to critically size up teams in their respective encounters. The end result included missteps in picking a surging Wisconsin-Stevens Point beating Wisconsin-Stout at home Feb. … Read more
Suddenly, coaches have started speaking in code, player body parts are now only referred to as upper and lower hemispheres, and if someone is clutching so much as a rabbit’s foot for a measure of good luck, not even Wikileaks is going to find out about it. Yes, the playoffs are here. This weekend, the … Read more
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference faces the prospect of a four-way tie for first place as the regular season concludes this weekend. St. Thomas’ two-game sweep over Bethel pulled the Tommies into a first-place tie with Hamline (13-5-5, 8-2-4) on 20 points. However, St. Thomas (14-9-2, 9-5-2) is idle this weekend, which means the Pipers … Read more