Tuesday Morning Quarterback: West
It’s a College Hockey Showcase showcase for Scott Brown, who muses on the four teams in last weekend’s edition of the annual standoff.
Scott Brown
Tuesday Morning Quarterback: West
This week, North Dakota is still in limbo with the NCAA’s Native American policy, while Minneapolis’ own Scott Brown weighs in on the Gopher drinking “expose.”
Tuesday Morning Quarterback: West
Throughout the season, USCHO.com staffers Scott Brown and Jim Connelly will offer their views on the previous weeks’ action, alternating writing duties (and occasional potshots at each other) every Tuesday. Brown will focus on the West and Connelly on the East, in a regular column exclusive to USCHO Extra. Rush To Judgment Brett Sterling (l.) … Read more
Kessel Penalty Shot Helps Gophers Past Mavericks
Freshman Phil Kessel stole the limelight Friday night at Mariucci Arena, but goaltender Kellen Briggs was the Gophers’ backbone. With Minnesota leading 3-2 late in the second period, Kessel’s stuff attempt from below the goal line was thwarted when the net came off courtesy of Minnesota State’s Jon Dubel. Referee Scott Zelkin signaled for the … Read more
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Tuesday Morning Quarterback: West
Throughout the season, USCHO.com staffers Scott Brown and Jim Connelly will offer their views on the previous weeks’ action, alternating writing duties every Tuesday. Brown will focus on the West and Connelly on the East, in a regular column exclusive to USCHO Extra. Shock To The System Minnesota came into the weekend as the No. … Read more
Nanooks, Gophers Struggle To Draw
The start was similar. The first six goals came in the same order. And just like Friday, overtime was finally needed. Unlike Friday, however, an extra five minutes Saturday settled nothing, as Alaska-Fairbanks and Minnesota battled to a 3-3 draw at Mariucci Arena. Afterwards, the two head coaches felt very differently about the weekend series. … Read more
Greentree Nets OT Winner As UAF Stuns Minnesota
Down a goal entering the third period, Alaska-Fairbanks refused to back down against No. 1 Minnesota. The result was a wild finish to a game that both teams surely believed was theirs for the taking. UAF goals by Jordan Hendry and Tyler Eckford gave the Nanooks a 3-2 lead late in the third period, but … Read more
Piecing The Puzzle Together
Barry Tallackson has shouldered the weight of expectations for four years at Minnesota. Will he repeat his regional heroics at the Frozen Four?
Lying In Wait
Minnesota’s season began auspiciously. Despite the loss of several of its top players, including the early departures of Thomas Vanek and Keith Ballard to the pro ranks, the Gophers cruised through the first half of the season, racking up a 15-4-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking at the Christmas break. Not bad for … Read more
Waiting It Out: Gophers Top Cornell In OT For Berth In Columbus
For Minnesota, the script was eerily familiar. Coming off an overtime win against Maine in the semifinals, the Gophers again faced a dominant defensive team and a brick wall for an opposing goaltender in the West Regional final against Cornell at Mariucci Arena. And just like the day before, Minnesota waited until a fourth period … Read more
Notebook: West Regional Final
Settling It On The Ice, Part II When Minnesota was awarded the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament last Sunday, it didn’t sit well with some, including Cornell supporters who questioned why the 14-loss Gophers should have that spot ahead of the Big Red, who lost just four games all season entering the … Read more
Instant Classic: Kaufmann, Gophers Overcome Howard, Maine
Jimmy Howard did everything he could, but in the end, Minnesota simply outlasted the Maine goaltender. After Howard stopped all 37 Minnesota shots in regulation, the Gophers’ Evan Kaufmann scored on a one-timer from point-blank range 1:46 into overtime, giving Minnesota a 1-0 win in a thrilling regional semifinal at Mariucci Arena. On the play, … Read more
Big Red, Big Rally: Cornell Edges Ohio State
Saturday night, head coach Mike Schafer admitted that Cornell was used to playing with a lead — which made the Big Red’s comeback victory at the West Regional all the more impressive. Down two goals midway through the second period, Cornell rallied for three unanswered scores to edge Ohio State 3-2 at Mariucci Arena, advancing … Read more
Trail Of The Pioneers
In a score that should have been familiar to those who watched Denver’s NCAA title-game win over Maine in April, the Pioneers rolled into the 2005 national tournament on a crest of good feeling in the form of a 1-0 win over Colorado College in the WCHA championship Saturday. “The first two periods were kind … Read more
First Time For Everything
With victories Friday, Denver and Colorado College not only set up a clash of the two top-ranked teams in the nation Saturday in the WCHA championship game, they arranged an historic clash: the first time the Rocky Mountain rivals have met for the Broadmoor Trophy. That fact is especially poignant for the Tigers, who have … Read more
Future In Mind
Having to play three games in three days isn’t exactly a recipe for success. That’s the task that faces one WCHA team every year, once the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds meet in Thursday’s play-in game at the Final Five. For the winner, a semifinal matchup follows the next day, and then a game … Read more
Big D: Parise, Sioux Topple Badgers
North Dakota, long a bastion of offense, has done it all season with defense. That script worked to perfection against Wisconsin Thursday night, before a crowd of 15,583 at the Xcel Energy Center for the first game of the WCHA Final Five. The fifth-seeded Sioux got 33 saves from netminder Jordan Parise and a deflection … Read more
Bubble Trouble
Some teams are safe, some are out, and the rest are hoping to play their way into the NCAAs.
Depth Of Field: Well-Rounded Offense Puts Gophers In Final Five
After a rough stretch in the second half, Minnesota looks to be firing on all cylinders at the right time. The Gophers got production up and down the roster, completing a first-round WCHA sweep of Minnesota State by outlasting the Mavericks for a 5-3 win Saturday at Mariucci Arena. Five different Gophers scored to send … Read more