This Week In The WCHA: Nov. 30, 2000
Minnesota-Duluth breaks out in a big way; key games dot this weekend’s schedule; and the Fighting Sioux — some of ’em, at least — are off to see the President. Todd D. Milewski checks the pulse of the WCHA.
Minnesota-Duluth breaks out in a big way; key games dot this weekend’s schedule; and the Fighting Sioux — some of ’em, at least — are off to see the President. Todd D. Milewski checks the pulse of the WCHA.
UND head coach Dean Blais sounds off on the suspension of an on-ice official; Colorado College faces Providence — and injuries; and the College Hockey Showcase returns to WCHA arenas. Todd D. Milewski reports.
The malaise continues for Wisconsin, comings and goings in Houghton and Duluth, poll musings and News and Views. Todd D. Milewski reports.
WCHA coaches react to the coaching change at Michigan Tech; Minnesota head coach Don Lucia reacts to his team’s ascension to the top; and Todd D. Milewski reacts to the week that was and profiles the week that is.
The rich may not be getting richer, but in the WCHA they ain’t exactly getting poorer, either. Also: the conference’s marquee matchup in Minneapolis, and the Cardiac Kids come out. Todd D. Milewski reports.
The Upset of the Year race has a candidate in the WCHA, the officials interject themselves into the action, Denver refuses to be satisfied, and — oh yeah — number-one Wisconsin takes on number-two Boston College Friday. Todd D. Milewski reports.
The WCHA conference schedule ramps up with some coaches on the proverbial hot seat.
After two games, NCAA champion North Dakota is — gasp — winless, while Minnesota starts out hot. New coaches, line changes and odds and ends: Todd D. Milewski previews the WCHA.
It’s a new era for Minnesota State-Mankato, but one era may go out with another. Longtime coach Don Brose finished his career at the end of last season with a fourth-place finish in the team’s first year as a member of the WCHA and with an appearance in the Final Five. But Brose may have … Read more
Where do you go from here? Nowhere but up, Tim Watters hopes. The Michigan Tech coach endured his worst season in a four-year collegiate coaching career last year, going 4-34, the most losses in a season in college hockey history. All the more reason to think there’s nowhere to go but up. The best thing … Read more
Yes, North Dakota lost a few important players, and the Sioux are somewhat smaller this year, but Dean Blais may be looking at his team’s situation a little drastically: “We’re rebuilding this year.” Blais has a great poker face, but that’s line’s easy enough to see through. Offensively, Lee Goren, Jason Ulmer and Peter Armbrust … Read more
Scott Owens maintains this year is no more important than any other for his Colorado College program. But after so much success under Don Lucia, there are now certain expectations of the Tigers. And two consecutive years of missing the NCAA tournament might be more than the Colorado College brass can take. No pressure or … Read more
In a sense, former Minnesota-Duluth coach Mike Sertich picked a good time to retire and look out for the future of the program simultaneously. Scott Sandelin was looking for a head coaching job. With Sertich’s retirement after 18 years with the Bulldogs, Duluth was looking for a coach. And the rest is history. Duluth grabbed … Read more
After finishing third in the WCHA, the expectations were set high for St. Cloud State: Do better. And if there ever was a Huskies team that could be up to that challenge, it may be this year’s. With plenty of scorers back, with the top goaltender back, with a team eager to prove last season … Read more
You think the stock market fluctuates too much? Try being George Gwozdecky. The last seven years have been like a cruel roller coaster ride for the Denver coach, who has watched his team look like it’s going to be a force in the WCHA for years to come, only to drop seven or eight places … Read more
Dean Talafous thinks the Gap is closing. But don’t run out to grab trendy-yet-overpriced clothes. He’s not talking about that Gap. The Alaska-Anchorage coach said the gap between his team and the league’s elite has dwindled. And, judging from last year’s results, he may be correct. The Seawolves were poised to host a first-round league … Read more
Everything else could wait. There was one bit of news the Wisconsin hockey program wanted to hear over all others. Dany Heatley is coming back. So they waited, the Badgers did, months after finishing one of the most successful campaigns on record, yet without a national championship to show for it. They waited to hear … Read more
The Year of the Goaltender? That’s the consensus among coaches in the WCHA, which features a crop of netminders perhaps better than any the league has seen in years. Todd D. Milewski slices, dices, mixes and purees the new season.
There was a point last season where Minnesota found out, all too clearly, that it may have been leaning on goaltender Adam Hauser. That’s when it all came crashing down. The Golden Gophers, on their way to home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, got smacked square in the face when they … Read more
Things are heating up in the WCHA playoff race.