Todd D. MilewskiColorado College players wanted to celebrate early. Scott Owens waited until he heard the horn. After the Tigers sent the puck out of the zone one last time to seal a 4-3 victory over Michigan Saturday and a trip to the Frozen Four, the CC players started jumping up and down on the bench. Some … Read more
The number of penalties, shots and available players weren’t in their favor, but North Dakota, playing its third game in three days, got the job done nonetheless. North Dakota claimed third place in the WCHA Final Five Saturday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over Minnesota in front of a paid attendance of 14,730 at the … Read more
North Dakota forward Robbie Bina, who was injured on a check from behind in Friday’s WCHA Final Five semifinal game against Denver, has a broken neck that may end his hockey career, sources indicated Saturday. Bina’s neck injury is being monitored by neurosurgeons at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, his mother Rose said in a … Read more
Advantage Denver. For now. The Pioneers won a title game in a familiar fashion Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center. Their 1-0 victory over rival Colorado College, sparked by 25 saves by Peter Mannino and a second-period goal by Luke Fulghum, was a reminder of their 2004 national championship victory over Maine. They limited … Read more
The first goal was nothing special, Gabe Gauthier said. The second goal? “Very special,” Gauthier said. That seems fitting, considering Gauthier’s second goal of a WCHA Final Five semifinal game Friday came in overtime. Gauthier scored 42 seconds into an extra session to send top-seeded Denver to Saturday’s championship game with a 2-1 victory over … Read more
It was quite a day for Colin Murphy. Not only did the Michigan Tech senior learn Thursday he was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award and a member of the all-WCHA first team, he signed a professional deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Murphy said it’s a two-year contract but declined to … Read more
Their rivalry is one of the best in college hockey right now because both teams are having tremendous seasons. Colorado College and Denver, located about 70 miles apart on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, shared the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions. Now, they’ll get another game to decide who’s best. Colorado College … Read more
It was a Rocky Mountain-dominated WCHA awards ceremony Thursday. Co-MacNaughton Cup champions Denver and Colorado College claimed five of the six spots on the All-WCHA first team as well as awards for the coach of the year, defensive player of the year and rookie of the year. Colorado College forward Marty Sertich was named the … Read more
Home ice? Who cares about home ice? Apparently, WCHA teams do, as all five favorites advance to the Final Five this weekend. Todd D. Milewski previews all the competition from St. Paul, Minn.
Denver battled back to share the MacNaughton Cup, but now must focus on the task at hand: dangerous, if last-place, Michigan Tech. Also, Minnesota-Duluth gets hot at the right time, but Wisconsin can’t say the same; the WCHA’s final standings confound the pundits; and Todd D. Milewski previews all five first-round series.
The Gold Pan, symbol of the Denver-Colorado College rivalry, may be missing, but Todd D. Milewski says DU and CC have even bigger fish to fry, in the form of the MacNaughton Cup. Also: Minnesota coach Don Lucia shelves the carrot for the stick, and Minnesota-Duluth rookie Ryan Carter makes waves late.
Coming into the final two weeks, the WCHA race is tight at both ends, Todd D. Milewski notes. Also: Marty Sertich exhibits grace under pressure for CC, Alaska-Anchorage can still pull off home ice, and Wisconsin’s power play isn’t hitting on all cylinders these days.
Coming off a stunning weekend at Minnesota, no one is liable to want Alaska-Anchorage in the playoffs, but someone’s going to get the Seawolves regardless. Also: North Dakota welcomes back Brady Murray, and St. Cloud State head coach Craig Dahl keeps his Huskies focused. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Denver’s unpleasant experience a year ago toughens the Pioneers this time around; Minnesota salvages a weekend at Wisconsin in the last period of play; Alaska-Anchorage has no quick fix for a difficult season; and instant replay lives up to its promise. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Former UND head coach Dean Blais weighs in on the WCHA race; the league’s instant-replay provision gets it right at Magness Arena; and Minnesota isn’t panicking despite a rocky stretch of play. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Michigan Tech, coming off a stunning sweep of Minnesota, tries to repeat the feat against Colorado College; Wisconsin holds the lead in the WCHA standings, but the Badgers’ schedule does them no favors from here on out; and Minnesota-Duluth might be pointed in the right direction after a disappointing first half. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Signs point to an exciting second half in the WCHA, as Todd D. Milewski breaks out the Magic 8-Ball for prognostications. Also: Minnesota may leave room for two in net, Denver scores at even strength, and Alaska-Anchorage makes the best of two losses.
Despite a sweep of No. 1 Minnesota, CC can’t convince every voter in the poll this week; Wisconsin’s Ryan MacMurchy executes a 180; St. Cloud State weiries of moral victories; and Minnesota gets a semi-home game from Minnesota State. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Wisconsin and St. Cloud State, with nominally similar tournament results, are a world apart in outlook; two CC players make their marks on the national scene; and shootouts abound for WCHA teams over the holidays. Todd D. Milewski reports.
Denver and Minnesota-Duluth meet in a rematch of last season’s Frozen Four semifinal — but it’s not the confrontation the pundits expected; a WCHA veteran gets ready for the World Juniors; and Minnesota State earns some respect. Todd D. Milewski reports.