Todd D. MilewskiThe following are current U.S. college players who were selected the national teams of the U.S., Canada, Finland or Sweden for the Four Nations Cup from Nov. 10-14. Eight of the 15 players named to the U.S. Four Nations roster so far are current U.S. college players, as are 13 of the 40 players named … Read more
As the officiating crackdown continues, Wisconsin is making better use of its power play while Minnesota relies on a team’s proverbial best penalty-killer — goalie Kellen Briggs. That contrasts with Michigan Tech, where the goalie-go-round continues. Meanwhile, Alaska-Anchorage tries to put the Lee Green/Brett Arcand-Kootenay incident in the rear-view mirror, as Todd D. Milewski notes.
St. Cloud State suffers from some in-the-crease deja vu; a bit of a slow start leaves Chris Conner’s impact on Michigan Tech undiminished; Wisconsin owns up to a little slip by head coach Mike Eaves; and Minnesota’s Ryan Potulny keeps up his blazing start. Todd D. Milewski runs down happenings in the WCHA.
20 Minutes of Fury Some thoughts this week, while debating whether there’s a good situation to start the third period against Minnesota-Duluth: • So you think there’ll be only two meetings between Minnesota and North Dakota this season? We don’t believe it. • Wisconsin 8, Mercyhurst 0: Apparently, there is an “O” in Wisconsin, after … Read more
Isn’t That Delay of Game? Some thoughts this week, while — oh, wait; there’s a penalty. Some thoughts — another call. Some — ah, forget it. • Let’s get the eye-popping averages from the first 24 college hockey games of the season out of the way first: 22.29 penalties for 47.79 minutes, 18 power plays, … Read more
One of the worst feelings a WCHA coach can have has to be knowing that a season goes bad because of things out of his control. That’s a feeling Scott Owens probably knows well by now. More often than not, when his Colorado College Tigers have fallen short in his first five years in Colorado … Read more
It’s not hard to see why so many people are picking Minnesota-Duluth to win the WCHA this season, even after losing a Hobey Baker Award winner. Junior Lessard fits into the equation because he and three other players are the only ones from the lineup at the end of last season not returning to the … Read more
Where did things go wrong last season for Minnesota State? You could trace it back to before the season even started, before the Mavericks opened 1-4-1 or played the first half at 4-11-3. Before the games even started, the Mavericks lost defensemen Matt Paluczak and Jon Dubel for the season because of shoulder injuries. That … Read more
Craig Dahl addressed his team in preseason meetings with this question: If you’re in a race from St. Cloud, Minn., to somewhere in South Carolina, what’s the first thing you’re going to do? The St. Cloud State coach got a variety of answers, including get a map, make a plan, get gas, find someone to … Read more
Don Lucia and the Minnesota coaching staff knew this season was going to be different from an offensive standpoint. You don’t lose Thomas Vanek, Troy Riddle, Matt Koalska and Grant Potulny and just pick up where you left off. Still, the Golden Gophers coaches got together for a preseason meeting to discuss personnel and how … Read more
Chris Conner, Colin Murphy and Taggart Desmet broke onto the WCHA scene last season with a burst of offense not usually expected from Michigan Tech. It was the kind of statement new coach Jamie Russell wanted to see his team make. Russell, a former Tech defenseman, wanted to shake the Huskies out of their doldrums … Read more
Time does not speed up once you’ve won the national championship. It only seems that way. George Gwozdecky can attest. The Denver coach saw his summer reduced to a blur after the Pioneers won their first national championship in 35 years in Boston last April. “It was busier than I have ever experienced here,” said … Read more
Everything didn’t go perfectly for Wisconsin last season, but it’s hard to ignore how close it got to an unexpected breakthrough under coach Mike Eaves. The Badgers had trouble finding consistent offensive production and had subpar special teams. But the reason they were just an overtime goal away from the Frozen Four is the same … Read more
Anyone can win. A statement most readily associated with the suddenly pop-culture World Series of Poker, why can’t it apply to the WCHA, too? Why couldn’t anyone win the MacNaughton Cup this season? Minnesota-Duluth looks strong, but since when does the team that looks the best at the start of the regular season lift the … Read more
Let’s get this straight: North Dakota’s question mark early in the season is offense? Maybe that tells exactly how thin the questions surrounding the Sioux are. The early departures of Brandon Bochenski took a bite out of the offense, but UND returns seven players who scored 10 or more goals last season. Only Minnesota-Duluth matches … Read more
John Hill is no stranger to adversity with his Alaska-Anchorage team. Two years ago, an NCAA violation in the usage of textbook scholarship money leading to the suspension of a number of players was only one rough patch in a 1-28-7 season. But the Anchorage native and former Seawolves captain is also familiar with what … Read more
Wisconsin junior forward Ryan MacMurchy said Wednesday he will appeal an indefinite suspension handed down earlier in the day under the school’s discipline code for athletes. MacMurchy, a 21-year-old winger from Regina, Saskatchewan, was cited for misdemeanor battery after a fight outside a Madison bar early Sunday morning. That triggered the UW’s year-old Student-Athlete Discipline … Read more
Running list of Division I men’s players who have left school before graduating, since the end of the 2003-04 season. “Yr.” indicates the player’s most recent season. School Player Yr. Status ———————————————————————– Alaska-Anchorage Curtis Glencross So. signed with Anaheim (NHL) Alaska-Anchorage Chris Fournier So. academically ineligible, left school Alaska-Fairbanks Aaron Voros Jr. signed with New … Read more
June 26-27 RALEIGH — The following list shows U.S. college players who made the Central Scouting Service’s end of season North American rankings. (I) = Incoming Recruit (*) = No Longer With Team (#) = Chose not to Opt In Forwards/Defensemen *NHL Draft Selection* Rank Name Team Pos. Rd. Overall By 7 Drew Stafford North … Read more
June 26-27 RALEIGH — The following college players or recruits were chosen in the National Hockey League’s 2004 entry draft: (I) = Incoming Recruit (*) = No Longer With Team (#) = Chose not to Opt In Round One Pick NHL Team Name, Pos School (Conference) 5 Phoenix Coyotes Blake Wheeler, F (I ’05) Minnesota … Read more